Perhaps it was because everyone on the sea had been drawn in by Laugh Tale and those more than sixty billion in cash.
The members of the Roger Pirates going their separate ways did not stir up much of a wave.
However, a little over a month later, the news that the Whitebeard Pirates had arrived at Hachinosu and met with Pirate King Roger still caused a small explosion.
Many people suspected that Whitebeard had gone there to cheat.
Everyone else could not find the final island, so he was going straight to ask for the answer, was he?
Although Whitebeard had not done that, he also had no interest in explaining himself.
...
New World, Collerius Island.
At the harbor docks, the Oro Jackson slowly came to a stop.
This was not Valthior and the others' destination. It was only a stop along the way, used to resupply the ship's consumables and the like.
After coming down the gangway, Valthior held a notebook in his hand, scribbling and drawing as he said, "It's been more than a month already, and we still can't even settle on a flag. I think none of you have a single artistic bone in your bodies. Buggy, aren't you the one who plays with explosions? Why don't you have any explosive art?"
"I do, I do! Big Brother, look at this!" Buggy happened to catch up from behind, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. "This one's pretty good, right?"
Valthior closed the rough sketch he had been doodling, reached out to take Buggy's drawing, and after glancing at it, raised his brow. "Not bad. At least your drawing is pretty good."
It had to be said, people who played with explosions did have at least a bit of art in them.
Just now, he had still been saying that Buggy was unreliable, yet in the blink of an eye, this guy had brought out a pretty decent pirate flag design.
"Take a look?" Valthior casually handed the drawing to Spencer, who was lighting a cigarette beside him.
At the same time Spencer put away his lighter, he took the drawing, then breathed out a mouthful of smoke and said with satisfaction, "Very nice. On our ship, Buggy's drawing skills really are the best..."
Hearing this, Buggy said happily, "Then we'll use this as our pirate flag?"
"Let's go with this for now," Valthior said with a nod. Then he added, "Also, about the name of the pirate crew, have you all thought of one yet?"
"I already said it! Brother Valthior has silver hair, and with that frosty silver-white ability of his, we should be called the Silver-Haired Pirates!!!" Shanks shouted loudly.
Buggy had already more or less locked down the pirate flag, so naturally, Shanks had to lock down the pirate crew's name.
But just as his words fell, Bullet smashed a fist down on his head and retorted, "Captain Roger gave you his straw hat, didn't he? Why don't you name it the Straw Hat Pirates?"
"Forget the straw hat," Valthior quickly waved his hand and said. "I can't carry that one."
What if it was a curse? Better to avoid it.
"Why don't we continue our old style and call it the Valthior Pirates?" Spencer said, flicking ash from his cigarette.
"The Valthior Pirates?" Valthior smacked his lips a couple of times. Now that he mentioned it, that did sound better than something like the Silver-Haired Pirates.
"In some dialects and local language systems of North Blue, the word 'Valthior' already carries the meaning of pirate, sea raider, and plunder. I think it fits very well," Sunbell said from the side.
"Really?" Doringo asked curiously. "Valthior has that meaning in North Blue?"
"It started in North Blue, but actually, with the cultural exchange of North Blue people, many places now know this word. Valthior really is a common North Blue local term meaning pirate, sea bandit, and plunder," Spencer nodded and confirmed.
"So doesn't that mean Brother Valthior was born being called a pirate? Then he's a chosen pirate?" Shanks said, stunned for a moment.
"Then let's call it the Valthior Pirates!?" Buggy also supported it.
As for Bullet, he supported it even more. A pirate crew whose origin came from his young master's own name carried a meaning of authority that needed no explanation. It represented an absolute focus on Valthior.
Just like the Roger Pirates, who had to disband once Roger was gone.
Although everyone supported it, Valthior still felt a little embarrassed.
But seeing how enthusiastic they all were, he finally nodded and said, "Then let's go with this for now? Buggy's idea as the flag, and the name Valthior as the title of our pirate crew?"
No one had any objections, and the matter was quickly decided.
"Next, the Oro Jackson is definitely retiring to enjoy its old age, so we also need to get ourselves a powerful flagship, right? What do you think? Should we go to Water 7 and find Master Tom?" Spencer looked at Valthior and asked.
Master Tom was a connection of the Roger Pirates, but Valthior did not know him. After all, before Valthior had joined, this ship had already been built.
After that, they had never gone to Water 7 either.
"Going there and coming back would waste too much time. How about this? We'll still follow the original plan and head to Wano first to see what the situation is over there. After all, that place is my main base. Then I'll send an order to Water 7 and have the CP people bring Master Tom to Wano for me, so he can build the ship directly in Wano!" Valthior thought for a moment, then looked at everyone and said.
To be fair, Master Tom really was the top shipwright of the age.
One could even say there was no one else.
He was simply the best.
Shipbuilding itself was a craft that relied heavily on skill. Water 7 stood in a league of its own in the whole world, with hundreds or even thousands of years of shipbuilding history behind it. Looking far back, it was able to build an Ancient Weapon like Pluton. Looking closer to the present, the powerful standard warships of Marine Headquarters were all ordered from Water 7. And more specifically, the Oro Jackson, the pirate ship that conquered the sea, had also come from there.
The Fish-Man Master Tom was the greatest shipwright in Water 7, and also the greatest shipwright in the world.
With the Roger Pirates' connection right there, why would Valthior not use it?
So the moment Spencer brought up Master Tom, Valthior felt that it would work. He needed a top-class pirate ship built by Master Tom, one no worse than the Oro Jackson.
But as a Celestial Dragon, there was absolutely no need for him to personally go to Water 7 and ask Master Tom to build a ship.
That would make him look far too cheap.
Water 7 was not a vassal of some nation. It was a functional island and a special island, similar to Ohara. Islands like that were generally under the World Government, possessing a certain degree of self-rule while being directly led by the World Government.
It could be understood as something like a municipality directly under the World Government.
On this sea, there were many islands similar to Water 7 and Ohara, and they were also an important part of the World Government's huge foundation.
In short, it was an island belonging to the World Government.
And as long as it was an island belonging to the World Government, there was no one Valthior could not order around.
"Huh? Wouldn't that make it seem like we don't respect Master Tom very much? After all, he's also Captain Roger's good friend..." Spencer hesitated when he saw this.
"Didn't you say during our earlier chats that he's trapped by a lack of funds, causing some of his research projects to move slowly? Then let's do it like this. Invite him to Wano, and I'll invest five billion berries in him. If he thinks Wano is pretty good and is willing to stay there long-term, I can fully fund his research," Valthior said very calmly.
Respect? For technical people, what was the greatest form of respect?
The greatest respect was for you to shut your mouth, stop running it, and hurry up and give them the damn money. That was all.
And Valthior just happened to be able to shut his mouth and throw money at Master Tom with all his strength.
Was that not respectful enough?
"Hahahahaha! If you put it that way, I think Master Tom might rush over overnight to help," Spencer said with loud laughter.
After this discussion ended, Valthior brought up another topic. "Right, Spencer, later on, contact Morgans and have him mention in the newspaper that we have formed a new pirate crew."
Only a very small number of people within certain circles knew that Valthior was starting a new crew.
That would not do. They needed to create some noise, and it would also make it easier for those people on the sea who wanted to cling to a powerful backer to see that there was a brand-new choice here.
It would help the pirate crew's sustainable development and make it easier to recruit talented people later on.
"Understood," Spencer said with a nod.
Clearly, the current "Valthior Pirates" had Valthior as captain, but Spencer, this old veteran, had already begun taking on the responsibilities of vice captain.
In terms of strength, Spencer was not especially outstanding within the pirate crew. Sunbell was clearly stronger than Spencer.
Whether it was Bullet or Shanks, once they grew in the future, their strength would definitely surpass his by a great deal. Even Buggy would probably end up stronger than him.
But Spencer was an experienced old pirate. His experience was even richer than Valthior's, and he was also skilled in intelligence work. He was clearly a brain-type talent, and his standing was enough to make the rest of the crew respect him.
At the same time, most importantly, his bounty was the highest among this group.
And he was also Valthior's personal scapegoat. If he did not become vice captain, who else would?
Mary Geoise, the World Government, and the Marines all knew one thing.
If the Valthior Pirates did anything bad in the future, it was definitely that bastard Spencer who had stirred it up. Saint Valthior could not possibly be at fault; he had only been deceived!
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