"Yo, need a hand?"
The moment Ignis appeared, he used his gravity powers to levitate the other dozen or so pirates beside Polo Gram.
The Polo Pirates also seemed to follow an elite route, with only a little over twenty members total.
Yet even these pirate elites couldn't withstand Rocks' terrifying Conqueror's Haki.
On Elysium Island, almost everyone below vice admiral level had collapsed.
Even those possessing the strength of ordinary Marine vice admirals could only barely endure under Rocks' Conqueror's Haki eruption.
Not to mention that the earlier clash had also included the Conqueror's Haki of Shiki, Linlin, and Newgate.
"…"
Polo Gram forced out a bitter smile upon seeing Ignis appear.
"Can you give us a chance and let us leave?"
Polo Gram didn't want to fight the Rocks Pirates.
Besides, they couldn't possibly win anyway.
He just wanted to leave this damned place and flee as far away as possible.
"I'm relatively easy to talk to, but that brute captain Rocks may not be."
"Look, even officers who already joined, like Shiki and Newgate, were beaten half to death by Rocks."
"I'd suggest joining the Rocks Pirates instead. I can personally arrange for your Polo Pirates to become one of the affiliated crews of the Rocks Pirates. You won't need to disband your pirate crew."
"You should know that Shiki's flying pirate ship and all his subordinates were wiped out by Rocks in a single slash. Not a single one survived."
Ignis spoke calmly, merely explaining the pros and cons to Polo Gram in a gentle tone.
Fortunately, Ignis hadn't brought Shiki along and had left Shiki and Linlin with Newgate.
Otherwise, hearing Ignis bring up the destruction of his former crew again probably would've infuriated Shiki all over again.
"…"
Polo Gram's expression stiffened.
Earlier, while speaking with Newgate, he had heard that Ignis's personality was fairly reasonable.
As for Rocks, he was extremely brutal, living entirely by the law of the jungle where the strong ruled all.
He took anything he wanted and if he couldn't get it, he would probably destroy it.
"Is there really no way to let us go?"
Polo Gram still tried making one final effort, his face bitter.
"Look around. How many powerful people on this island are still standing after the Conqueror's Haki blast?"
"You're too conspicuous. There's no escaping Rocks' Observation Haki."
Ignis's tone remained calm.
He showed no intention of forcing Polo Gram, but what Rocks would do afterward was beyond his control.
At this moment, not far away,
Rocks had already gathered the officers who'd been blown away and was heading toward Ignis and the three king-class officers.
"If your internal conflict hadn't broken out, we would've left Elysium Island tomorrow…"
Polo Gram felt helpless and powerless.
It seemed he no longer had any choice.
Unless he was willing to challenge Rocks to a Davy Back Fight and somehow win, there was no way he could safely leave with all his companions.
"Joining us honestly isn't bad. We'll soon head to the West Blue and North Blue searching for strong people and Devil Fruits. That's also an exciting kind of adventure."
"Your companions can continue sailing through the New World under the banner of the Rocks Pirates."
Ignis continued speaking.
He could tell Polo Gram was already wavering and had practically made up his mind.
Thinking back, the sailors and deckhands whom Rocks had once kicked off the Xebec's Sword had indeed survived after forming the Guyue Club.
After hearing that the Rocks Pirates had occupied Elysium Island, they'd come to the island.
Ignis fulfilled his old promise by allowing them to become the very first affiliated pirate crew of the Rocks Pirates, responsible for maintaining order on Elysium Island.
"Newgate said no one can outtalk you. Now I finally understand…"
After struggling internally for a long time, Polo Gram finally sighed in defeat and was successfully persuaded by Ignis.
He didn't want to gamble his companions' lives on Rocks' mercy.
Because at this moment, Rocks was already charging over with terrifying momentum.
"Vohahaha! Ignis, did you just recruit another officer for the Rocks Pirates?"
Rocks rushed over excitedly.
The moment he saw Polo Gram, he recognized the pineapple-head immediately.
He and Ignis had already discussed this guy earlier while looking through bounty posters.
If Ignis failed to handle this pineapple-head, then Rocks would personally step in.
There was no troublesome opponent he couldn't solve with one slash.
And if one slash wasn't enough, then he'd simply slash again!
As Rocks approached, Polo Gram finally understood what it meant to possess an aura as vast as the sea and terrifying as hell itself.
Rocks, the world's most evil pirate, truly deserved his reputation as the monster who killed a Marine Admiral.
"More or less. For my sake waive his joining slash."
Seeing Rocks rushing over, Ignis intentionally positioned himself in front of Polo Gram to prevent this brute captain from opening with a sword strike.
"Vohahaha! Since you're asking, what can I say? I've always trusted your judgment."
"But does this guy really want to join the Rocks Pirates?"
Rocks stopped before them and glanced over Polo Gram, who was protecting his "weakling companions."
Anyone who couldn't even withstand his Conqueror's Haki was considered weak in his eyes.
"Captain Rocks, I'm willing to join."
"Vice Captain Ignis, please take care of me from now on!"
At this point, with both Rocks and Ignis cornering him like this, Polo Gram no longer had any room to refuse.
Honestly, he regretted coming to Elysium Island just to watch the excitement.
He'd assumed that with so many pirates gathered here, the Rocks Pirates wouldn't pay attention to him specifically.
Instead, an internal Conqueror's Haki clash within the Rocks Pirates had knocked out nearly every other pirate on the island.
Only pirates with genuine strength remained standing, making them stand out like cranes among chickens.
"Vohahaha! Quite a fruitful battle. I never expected a fourth officer would join today as well."
Rocks burst into laughter.
Holding this recruitment gathering on Elysium Island had truly yielded enormous gains.
Even if the skull fortress and the island itself were destroyed, it would still be worth it.
"It's you?"
Gill Bastar recognized the pineapple-head he'd seen earlier during the day.
He hadn't expected this guy to also join the Rocks Pirates and become his "companion."
"Vice Captain Ignis, I'm injured. I need your gravity powers to lift and carry me~"
Looking at Ignis's elegant temperament, which now carried an additional aura of dominance, Stussy suddenly developed an intense possessive desire toward this godlike man.
She absolutely had to win this man over!
Whether or not he was officially the vice captain of the Rocks Pirates no longer mattered.
This man who had awakened Conqueror's Haki,
She wanted him for herself.
"Vice Captain, Barbel said you awakened Conqueror's Haki!!!"
Barbel's tone overflowed with envy, while Sunbell wore an expression that practically said I knew it all along.
He had always firmly believed Ignis was an omnipotent, all-knowing genius and good person.
Behind them, Ganzui listened as Barbel casually called the true captain, Rocks, by name without a shred of respect,
Yet addressed Ignis, the "fake" vice captain, as vice captain with complete reverence.
The whole situation felt absurd and ridiculous.
After seeing Shiki awaken Conqueror's Haki, and now even Ignis, the "weakling" in Rocks' own words, had awakened it too…
Kyo's heart became a chaotic mix of emotions: envy, jealousy, bitterness, and hatred…