Chapter 26: Recruiting New Members
Looking at the pirates surrounding the hall, Rocks laughed loudly.
"Wahahahaha! Wahahahahahaha!"
"You scumbags want to join the Rocks Pirates? Fine! Fight it out. Only the last 800 people standing can stay!"
"Wahahahaha!" Rocks declared, his voice booming across the gathered crowd.
"Hahahahaha!"
Shiki, the Golden Lion, laughed as he bit down on his cigar. Rocks' decision suited his preferences perfectly.
In the Rocks Pirates, the weak had no place.
Upon hearing Rocks' words, the pirates glanced around nervously.
Surrounded by countless bloodthirsty faces, even the more seasoned pirates felt a chill down their spines.
"Roar!"
After a brief moment of silence, chaos erupted in the square.
Swords clashed, gunshots rang out, and blood painted the ground. The pirates began a brutal and desperate fight for survival.
Watching the carnage unfold, each of the eight cadres behind Rocks reacted differently.
Whitebeard Edward Newgate stood silently, his expression unreadable. Golden Lion Shiki laughed maniacally. Charlotte Linlin continued eating her cake, indifferent to the chaos.
The heavily armored Silver Axe stood motionless, his face obscured.
John, meanwhile, sipped his drink and observed the scene like an amused spectator. Catching Charlotte's glance, John offered a sly smile, which Charlotte ignored.
Charlotte turned his gaze back to the field, where pirates slaughtered each other without mercy. Among them, Charlotte noticed a few capable fighters, including several animal-type Devil Fruit users.
However, most of the pirates were untrained brutes, recklessly swinging swords and relying solely on brute force. Charlotte regarded them with disdain.
As hours passed, the frenzy gradually subsided. Finally, Rocks raised his hand.
"Stop!" Rocks roared, his faint but overwhelming Haki instantly suppressing the remaining pirates.
"Wahahahaha! Congratulations on passing the test! You survived! The Rocks Pirates welcome you!"
Rocks declared, his voice brimming with passion.
The surviving pirates, bloodied and battered, erupted into cheers. Some embraced their former enemies in relief, while others broke down, crying from sheer gratitude.
"Rocks! Rocks! Rocks!"
The chant echoed as Rocks basked in the adoration.
But then, his expression darkened, and a sinister smile spread across his face.
"Do you want to become a cadre?"
The question cut through the noise, capturing the attention of every survivor.
Even the eight cadres standing behind Rocks froze, unsure of his intentions.
Rocks' words stirred greed and ambition among the survivors.
"If you want to be a cadre, then defeat one of the current ones. Replace them, or crush them to prove your worth!" Rocks declared, his voice laced with malice.
The surviving pirates immediately turned their greedy eyes toward the eight cadres.
The cadres stepped forward, their presence sending waves of intimidation through the crowd.
Whitebeard Edward Newgate stood at the forefront, his massive frame and Supreme Grade sword Murakumogiri exuding an aura of unshakable dominance.
Golden Lion Shiki, biting his cigar, wore a smug grin as his eyes scanned the challengers.
Charlotte Linlin, meanwhile, continued eating her cake, paying no attention to the pirates eyeing her as an "easy" target.
Silver Axe stood silently, his full armor making him an intimidating figure.
John drank leisurely, his rapier drawn, exuding an air of effortless superiority.
Kurozumi Muchan and Kurozumi Chanmaru trembled, their fear evident even to the pirates.
And then there was Charlotte.
Dozens of pirates fixed their eyes on him, their gazes full of greed and ambition.
Charlotte, feeling their stares, stepped forward before Rocks could say anything.
"If you want to challenge me, do it now. This is your only chance," Charlotte said coldly, his voice echoing across the square.
Rocks raised an eyebrow but allowed it, smirking at Charlotte's boldness.
"Those who wish to challenge our 8th Division Captain, the Blood Sword Master Rockefeller Charlotte, step forward!" Rocks announced with a grin.
More than forty pirates stepped forward without hesitation.
"Is that all?" Rocks asked mockingly. After a moment, another twenty pirates joined the fray.
"Very well. Let the challenge begin!" Rocks commanded.
The sixty challengers rushed at Charlotte with a variety of weapons.
Charlotte drew his new sword from its sheath, the blade glinting with a menacing brilliance.
This exquisite weapon was one he had taken from the treasury of a fallen World Government member state.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire rang out as several challengers fired at him.
Charlotte didn't flinch. With Observation Haki, he easily avoided the bullets, tilting his head slightly to let them pass harmlessly.
"It's my turn," Charlotte said, raising his sword.
Without hesitation, he unleashed a 40-meter-long sword slash. The wave of energy cut through the crowd of pirates, slicing them cleanly in half.
Screams filled the air as blood sprayed everywhere.
Charlotte's display of strength was shocking. In just one attack, he wiped out all sixty challengers.
"Wahahaha! Unlucky! All the challengers are dead. What a pity!" Rocks said mockingly, though his voice carried a hint of amusement.
"Why did Charlotte have to kill them all? They were our potential comrades!" Rocks added with feigned disappointment, but his sinister grin betrayed his true feelings.
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