After punishing the Bellamy Pirates, the pirates in Demon Valley Town became as silent as cicadas in winter, no longer daring to rampage and act arrogant, causing the originally chaotic Demon Valley Town to fall into calm.
However, the calm was only for the pirates who hadn't joined the Disaster Pirates; those who joined were unbearably arrogant.
These pirates, relying on their captain being a high bounty criminal worth 420 million Belly, were of a completely different level compared to the million Belly pirates. Although they themselves had no bounties, they could look down on those with bounties who hadn't joined.
Even if others deliberately avoided them, they would still find a reason to pick a fight, instilling fear in others.
And because of Sage's fame, even those with bounties could only endure it, not daring to offend the members of the Disaster Pirates.
Being pirates, how could they possibly be polite? Pirates tearing each other down is the most normal life for them.
But eventually, someone reached their breaking point. A pirate captain with a bounty of 18 million Belly couldn't bear the insult anymore, and after fighting back against the pirate who picked a fight with him, leaving him barely alive, he grabbed the person and ran to the Tropical Grand Hotel...
To apologize to Sage.
Impulse was followed by calm; if he didn't want to end up like the Bellamy Pirates, he could only obediently lower his head.
They wanted to leave, but having offended the Disaster Pirates, they feared they might not even make it out of the port, driven by fear to act in such a way, hoping that the Disaster would only punish this one captain and not implicate his crew.
At the same time, it was their unwillingness that drove the pirate captain to come.
He was just a step too late; the Disaster Pirates were fully recruited, not because he didn't want to join!
He wanted to beg Sage for one more chance!
Just like the words Sage said during the banquet.
He welcomes anyone with talent!
Sage was also surprised to hear these words at the time, but generously admitted it.
"Want to join? You defeated him, then you shall replace this position."
After this sentence, Demon Valley Town descended into chaos.
Pirates who wanted to join the Disaster Pirates started to challenge those newly joined to prove their capabilities, and even hiding wouldn't help.
Because Sage became interested.
It didn't matter who joined.
He wanted capable members for sailing.
From those pirates in Demon Valley Town eager to join his pirate crew, the one who could stand out would definitely be useful.
"Master Sage..."
In the Tropical Grand Hotel, 'Executioner' Roshio lowered his head, not daring to look at Sage eating dinner in the restaurant, and pleaded, "My subordinates were defeated too. Could you let them skip this selection?"
"Your subordinates?"
Sage sat at the head of a long table, gazing at the exquisite food laid out on it, surrounded by several charming female pirates moving back and forth, placing the food he needed before him.
Sage picked up a pot of stew, swallowing it down like a cow drinks, finishing all the meat and soup, then glanced sideways at Roshio and said lightly, "What subordinates do you have? I don't recall assigning you any positions, Roshio."
Roshio, chilled to the bone by that glance, immediately replied, "I'm very sorry, Master Sage, I meant my original crew..."
"Didn't I keep them?"
Sage waved his hand, having a female pirate serve grilled golden ham, chewing it bone and meat.
"Your navigator, your cook, your ship doctor, even your gunners, I kept them all. Roshio, it's because you were the first to want to join my pirate crew that I didn't make your so-called 'officers' join this selection. As for other pirates... those who can't keep up, that's it, you are already part of the Disaster Pirates, understand?"
Sage knocked on the table, sliding the wine glass to the side, quickly having a female pirate come to refill it.
"So many pirates in Demon Valley Town want to join my Disaster Pirates, but my crew size is limited. You recruited successfully, but I can't block others' paths, so I've set a quota of 500, those who can fight to land a spot are certainly decent. You don't want me taking a group of weaklings on the road, do you, Roshio?"
"Yes, Master Sage, I understand!" Roshio bowed his head even lower, not daring to speak further.
With so many pirates in Demon Valley Town wanting to join the Disaster Pirates, Sage naturally wasn't satisfied with the original crew; they were all pirate crews coming with their families on board. Though it's to gather enough people for sailing, the stronger the subordinates, the more satisfied he is.
Who would want weaklings under them...
Pirate crew members aren't fixed; whenever a pirate crew reaches a town, some bored pirates will willingly disembark, while new pirates board.
Only those who become true officers, the core of the pirate crew, have fixed positions.
So, it might as well be a direct melee, the winner gets the qualification to join his pirate crew.
Of course, Sage isn't completely heartless.
The subordinates he brought from the East Sea didn't want to leave; as his old subordinates, Sage naturally doesn't touch them. These people are exempt from 'selection'.
Likewise, capable ship doctors, navigators, cooks also won't be touched.
With that, counting them, there are still 500 positions available on the ship, almost equivalent to those newly joining pirates.
So, it's simple then.