"I recommend starting after a month," Hawkins said calmly and softly. "After all, one month later, we will have already entered the Grand Line, and it will be time to determine the order."
Listening to their conversation, Van Augur couldn't understand at all and calmly asked, "What does it mean to fight for the deputy captain?
Law Asked, "You know the Ethan Pirates, so why don't you know the rules on our ship?"
Lafitte stood his cane in front of him. Instead of immediately answering Law's question, he turned to Van Augur first. As a newcomer who had just boarded the ship, he felt the need to take care of Van Augur to avoid making him feel unwelcome.
"I've heard of the Ethan Pirates through the bounty order," Van Augur said, tapping his shoulder with a gun. "But as for the rules on the ship, there is no explanation in the newspaper."
Lafitte twirled his cane and smiled gently. "Gin, please tell him about the rules on our ship."
As they walked toward the training room, Lafitte turned his back to them and said, "For such an important matter, I still need to consult the captain."
Burgess shrugged and sneered, "It's pointless to talk to the captain. Will he even care? besides training, the captain doesn't concern himself with battles below deck. You're overthinking it, Lafitte!"
Doc Q smiled mysteriously and spoke in a weak voice. "One month is enough for me to improve my strength."
"After waiting for so long, the position of deputy captain finally belongs to me," Gin said.
Although Gin had hoped to replace Lafitte, he still respected him. He stopped practicing, looked at Van Augur, and began to explain.
"There's only one rule on our ship: Settle matters with your fists!"
"There are three situations to consider…"
Inside the practice room, Carina was still very angry, her face contorted with frustration. "This Van Augur is so annoying."
"I've never met someone so irritating," she muttered.
Perona floated in the air, nodding repeatedly. "This princess won't talk to him from now on. This princess hates him."
Nami patted Carina's shoulder and playfully teased, "You want to fight him, but can you beat him? He's a skilled marksman."
Nojiko furrowed her brows and chuckled, "Strength can change a person, and none of the people on board are ordinary."
Moodie waved her hand slightly and smiled, saying, "Alright, since you don't like him, let's not talk about him. It'll keep everyone's mood up."
Honey Queen looked at them, her eyes sparkling. "Let's talk about that mysterious ship! The more I think about it, the more incredible it feels. How can a ship sail without anyone controlling it?"
Betty rolled her eyes, took a puff of her cigarette, and said, "It's broad daylight; you're starting to sound like you're telling ghost stories. I don't believe in the undead and all that nonsense."
Reiju crossed her legs, supporting her chin with her delicate hands. "It's been rumored for hundreds of years. How can a ship last this long, even with the best wood in the world, the treasure tree Adam? There's something mysterious about it."
Baccarat brushed her crimson hair back and looked at Reiju with her beautiful eyes. the two of them had similar personalities and could easily chat.
"Don't be too curious. My intuition tells me we'll find that 'mysterious ship' soon. When we do, I'll study it carefully to uncover its secrets."
Reiju smiled graciously. "Since you've said that, it seems this ship's fate is sealed."
*Knock, knock, knock...* a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Lafitte's voice followed, "Captain, I have something to report."
Ethan was doing a handstand with one hand and calmly replied, "Come in!"
The girls stopped talking and became curious. Lafitte had never come to report before, apart from delivering newspapers.
With a creak, the wooden door opened slowly, and Lafitte stood at the door with his cane in front of him, still as polite as ever.
"Captain, we discussed it earlier. We plan to start the battle for the captaincy in a month. What do you think, Captain?"
Hearing Lafitte's words, all the girls were stunned for a moment and exchanged glances. The battle was about to begin.
Honey Queen clapped her hands and said with a smile, "After waiting for so long, it's finally time. I'm looking forward to it, I want to know the order of the captains."
Betty took a puff of her cigarette. "These guys have endured for so long, and now they're showing their teeth."
Perona flew around in the air, laughing gleefully. "This princess has been waiting for this moment. I love watching the captains' battles the most, Horohorohorohorohoro!"
Carina blinked her beautiful eyes with a mischievous glint. "This is going to be interesting. Let's fight and make the storm even more intense."
At this moment, Ethan, still in a handstand, spoke in a low voice, "Tell them that in a month, I will personally oversee it."
The girls, along with Lafitte, were taken aback. They knew Ethan very well. He rarely cared about such matters and certainly wouldn't want to waste his time on them. It was Lafitte who reacted first, twirling his cane with a smile on his face.
"This is excellent news, Captain. I will inform them, and I'm sure everyone will be thrilled."
Afterward, Lafitte left, closing the door behind him. Honey Queen looked at the other girls and couldn't help but exclaim, "Well, this is unexpected!"
Betty exhaled a puff of smoke and said calmly, "It's unprecedented."
Reiju nodded and smiled, "Indeed, it's surprising. We're used to his indifference and lack of interest in most things."
Nojiko chimed in, "I don't quite understand why we have to have this battle. It doesn't feel right to pit the crew against each other. We're a team, after all. Such battles can harm cohesion."
Nami nodded in agreement, "I don't like it either, but if Ethan has decided, there's not much we can do."
Perona floated over to Nojiko, her face full of pride. "You see, we didn't understand before, so we asked Ethan. We're pirates. What do we need rules for? Fistfights are the way to go. If you're looking for rules, you're in the wrong profession!"
Perona glanced at Queen Sweetheart, Bacala, and the other experienced crew members. "I remember Ethan said just that, Horohorohorohoro"
.....
"That's what he said," Betty exhaled a puff of smoke from her cigarette, her words light.
Reiju observed Ethan with a slight frown, offering a smile as she commented, "Our captain always has a way with words."
Baccarat nodded her attention on a Devil Fruit illustration book. She casually remarked, "His intellectual insight is unmatched on this ship. It's just that his personality is so calm and rational. He doesn't talk much, making it rare for us to hear such things."
Carina touched her chin, her pretty face reflecting on the past as she smiled, "I think there's a pretty good saying: 'Anger without strength is meaningless.'"
Moodie looked at the group and playfully remarked, "Ethan has quite a few insightful statements. They could be turned into quotations. We could call them 'Ethan Quotations,' hee hee~~"
Hearing this, all the girls nodded in agreement and chimed in with laughter.
On the deck, Van Augur expressed his thoughts, tapping his shoulder with a gun and casually noting, "This is destiny."
Just moments ago, Gin had shared the ship's rules and plans, including knowledge about Haki, leaving Van Augur thoroughly impressed. His normally serious face betrayed multiple expressions of astonishment.
"You still have room for improvement in your strength," Ajin advised Van Augur. "Once you learn Armament Haki, Doc Q won't stand a chance. As you are now, no matter how sharp your marksmanship, you'll be defeated by Logia-type opponents."
"All that needed to be said has been said," Ajin continued before turning away to focus on his practice.
Hearing Gin's words, Doc Q's eyes revealed a fierce determination, and he grinned menacingly, saying, "You're right. I don't like hearing that. Whether you believe it or not, I could poison you to death directly, Gin!"
Just then, footsteps approached, and a cheerful voice accompanied them. Lafitte, carrying his cane, shared a smile and delivered good news, "The captain has decided to personally witness the battle in a month."
The crew members, engrossed in their activities, stopped and eagerly looked toward Lafitte. Surprise and excitement painted their faces.
"The captain watching the battle? This is fantastic news!" Burgess cheered, raising his arms and laughing heartily. "I'll show the captain what it means to be a true fighter!"
Law, ever composed, commented, "It appears the captain attaches great importance to this battle. Otherwise, he's too busy to waste his time."
Hawkins added his insight, "No doubt, the outcome of this battle will set the order of captains for years to come."
Doc Q, his gaze fixed on Lafitte, smiled with a hint of mystery. "Perfect. Let the captain witness the moment I become the deputy captain."
Gin was thrilled and brimming with enthusiasm. "I'll practice hard. Being in the top three captains in front of the captain is an immense honor!"
Van Augur released a shot into the sky, hitting a seagull with precision. He calmly remarked, "A month, is it enough for me to improve my strength? Even if I can't become the deputy captain, at least I must secure a top-three position."
Lafitte addressed the crew below, a smile on his face. "When the time comes, everyone on this ship will bear witness to this moment. It's a moment of great significance, and I'm looking forward to it."
As the captains fell silent, the crew members couldn't contain their excitement any longer. They began to express their support for their favored candidates, filling the air with shouts and laughter.
In the New World, on Dressrosa, within a flower field, King Riku's revolutionary army operated.
In a simple room, three individuals were present: Violet, Rebecca, and King Riku.
"Violet, I've told you not to meet unnecessarily," King Riku said with a serious expression. "If Doflamingo finds out, it could arouse suspicion, and you'd be in danger."
Rebecca sat elegantly, exuding grace and sophistication. She chimed in, "Grandpa, Auntie invited us here for a reason. She's smart; there must be something important to discuss. After all, Auntie is incredibly intelligent, the person I admire the most."
Violet reclined in her chair, displaying her figure. Her legs crossed, and she adopted an alluring posture. "Father, do you think I'd act recklessly?" She playfully rolled her eyes, resembling a charming young lady.
She then turned to Rebecca with a hint of sarcasm, saying, "Your words might make your aunt feel embarrassed. If I had that kind of power, I have dealt with that scoundrel Doflamingo long ago, ensuring the citizens lead happy lives. Instead, I am forced to hide underground in Flower Hill, enduring a dark and cold existence."