Chapter 126: The Grand Gathering at Beehive Island

“Looks like everything’s fine.”

Far away on Cake Island, Karl ended the call with Gan Fall.

This time, he’d wanted to test whether the pawns he’d secretly placed across the Four Seas would come in handy.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong.

While Gan Fall carried everyone towards Cake Island, Beehive Island in the New World welcomed its first massive pirate gathering.

“Awooo!”

“I’ve got to join the Rocks Pirates!”

“With how scrawny you are, dream on. If anyone’s joining the Rocks Pirates, it’ll be me!”

“Give it a rest. You don’t even know the rules of the game.”

Just outside the Beehive Island arena.

Tens of thousands of pirates gathered there.

Every single one was elbowing for a chance at this rare opportunity to join the Rocks Pirates.

A middle-aged man with a scar across his face stepped forward just then.

His face was set and firm, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of fear.

“What’s up?”

“Yeah, what’s the deal with these rules?”

His words caught the attention of a few people nearby, who hurried over to question him.

“I heard through the grapevine that the Rocks Pirates are only taking a thousand new crew members this time. Just look at the crowd here—what do you think that means?”

The people next to him were dumbstruck.

After all, it wasn’t just a few thousand people here—there were tens of thousands.

Only a thousand spots out of so many? What about everyone else?

A chill thought flashed through everyone’s minds, and several shuffled back in fear.

“Creak!”

Just then, the arena’s massive doors, towering several dozen meters high, slowly swung open.

Two Giants stood guard on either side of the entrance.

“Thud thud thud…”

“Anyone wishing to join the Rocks Pirates selection, head in now!”

Mor Morris strolled out from the doors, microphone in hand and a friendly smile on his face.

“Awooo!”

“Charge!”

“I’m here to join the Rocks Pirates, nothing else!”

“After Captain Rocks executed a Celestial Dragon, there’s nothing stopping me from joining today!”

The crowd of pirates charged the entrance like maniacs at the blast of a war horn.

“First time at something like this.”

“Gurararara!”

“Yeah, it’s my first time too.”

“Clang!”

Karl, Newgate and the others sat together atop the stands, clinking their drinks in a toast.

“Mamamama!”

“Karl, want to take on some new crew?”

Charlotte Linlin knew full well that Karl didn’t really have many subordinates.

For a great pirate, having just a few people under him didn’t make sense.

“Hahaha, Linlin.”

“I prefer quality over quantity.”

“I can do without a bunch of riffraff.”

Karl understood that Charlotte Linlin meant well, but he honestly didn’t want to gather a group of freeloaders.

For power at the lowest level, it was always better to nurture it yourself.

Recruiting cutthroat pirates like these on the spot could bring unnecessary trouble.

“Jihahaha!”

“You may turn up your nose, but I sure won’t.”

Golden Lion couldn’t care less—as long as someone was decent enough, they’d find a place in his crew.

To him, anyone with enough strength could join his pirate crew.

Otherwise, why would he end up with thousands of subordinates later on?

“Hmph!”

Off to the side, John let out a quiet snort. What grated on him most was how smug Karl looked these days.

But at the moment, he couldn’t think of any way to topple Karl.

Karl easily picked up on John’s mood. He stroked his chin, thoughtful.

If memory served, before the battle at God Valley, most of Rocks’ treasure was stashed with John.

A sly grin crossed his face as he glanced over at John.

John mistook the look for suspicion and forced a sheepish grin, never realizing Karl was only eyeing his stash.

Meanwhile, over thirty thousand pirates had already poured into the arena.

Slowly, the great arena doors closed behind them.

“Hahaha!”

From atop the stands, Rocks stood up and unleashed his overwhelming Conqueror’s Haki for all to feel.

“What terrifying presence!”

“Feels like I can barely stay on my feet!”

“Thud!”

“Whoa, what’s happening?”

Pirates who couldn’t withstand Rocks’ Conqueror’s Haki crumpled to the ground, one after another.

Of course, Rocks himself knew just how strong his Haki was—he’d only been holding back.

“I only want a thousand people.”

“On this arena floor, the last thousand standing can join the Rocks Pirates.”

“Let’s begin.”

Rocks’ words were short and cold.

He sat back down, eyes scanning the pirates below.

“Splurt!”

“Ugh!”

“You…”

He never expected the man he’d just been chatting to would stab him in the side without hesitation.

“Sorry pal. I want to join the Rocks Pirates.”

“Bang bang bang!”

“Clang clang clang!”

“Shing shing shing!”

That one act was all it took—the entire crowd of over thirty thousand erupted into chaos, launching into a free-for-all.

“Master…”

“Hmm?”

Karl turned at the anxious faces of Long Yi and Long Er.

“This is the law of the jungle.”

“If you want respect—if you don’t want to be picked on—”

“You have to rely on this.”

Karl understood what the two were feeling, uneasy with the savage spectacle below.

But scenes like this played out in every corner of the pirate world.

Unless your fist was strong enough, you’d only ever be prey.

“Got it!”

The two nodded, eyes set with determination. They understood.

If Karl hadn’t rescued them from that auction house, who knows where they’d be now—probably dead somewhere.

Karl didn’t say anything more.

He just turned to the other end of the stands where his crew and some Fishmen stood.

He couldn’t help but give a bitter laugh and shake his head.

Maybe he’d protected his people too well, sheltered them a bit too much.

That wasn’t ideal. Today was just to show them the world.

After this, he’d start letting go, giving them a real taste of the pirate world’s brutality.

“Newgate, you got your eye on anyone?”

Karl sat back down, eating while he watched.

“Gurarara!”

“You won’t find true friends here.”

In the Rocks Pirates, Newgate had never found a real friend. Even his subordinates only followed him for profit.

Still, over the years, a few loyal crew had stuck around.

“Of course, you’re the exception.”

He paused, then glanced at Karl with a serious look.

“Hahaha, you’re too kind, Newgate. If you hadn’t picked me off that deserted island back then, I’d probably still be lost somewhere.”

“Drink up!”

“Gurararara!”

Newgate masked the worry in his eyes with a hearty laugh.

Rocks’ ambition was dangerous—if anything happened one day, Karl would never get away.

Being vice-captain was never an easy job.

Other leaders could just go off on their own, but Karl would become a target.

Over the years, Newgate had figured out what Rocks was aiming for.

Since he wasn’t one for killing, he was the only one who had any time left to reflect on life here at Beehive Island.