Chapter 2
Lotte looked calmly toward the tall man holding the spiked club.
He then stepped forward and passed by the man's side.
But in reality,
His heart had already been thrown into turmoil!
The discussions from earlier and the man's words finally made Lotte realize exactly which world he had arrived in.
It was actually the legendary world of One Piece!
Holy crap.
Starting with signing in for Wood Release, and you're telling me this is the pirate world?
Moreover, from what those pirates were saying, he could deduce why they were all gathered here.
Their goal was to pass the recruitment test for the legendary Rocks Pirates!
To become a member of the Rocks Pirates.
Lotte was naturally no stranger to this pirate crew.
In One Piece,
They were undoubtedly a legendary-level pirate group.
Decades before Luffy set sail, they had already dominated the entire sea as kings.
Even the famous Four Emperors of later generations—
Whitebeard Edward, Beast Kaido, Charlotte Linlin—had all once been part of this crew together.
On the seas of this era,
The Rocks Pirates were without question the most powerful overlords!
Joining the current Rocks Pirates
Was something most pirates on the entire sea dreamed of.
In Lotte's view,
This was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
After all, the Rocks Pirates right now were an absolutely terrifying force.
If he could sign in on their ship,
The rewards he received
Would undoubtedly be top-tier!
From the intel he had so far, the Rocks Pirates' arrival this time
Would probably take about another month.
And during that month, he could do his best to increase his mastery of the Hashirama Cells.
This was absolutely crucial time for Lotte.
Thinking this,
Lotte couldn't help but glance at the man with the spiked club who was gradually walking away.
He subconsciously took a deep breath.
If he hadn't seen wrong earlier, that burly man holding the spiked club
Was none other than the future Four Emperor, Beast Kaido!
Good thing the guy hadn't thought to attack him just now—otherwise, with his current Wood Release mastery, he wouldn't be a match for Kaido at all.
Even though Kaido was young at this point,
The terrifying aura radiating from him like a ferocious beast was enough to make anyone shudder.
Even if this version of Kaido couldn't compare to his future self,
His talent was already showing.
Lotte weaved through the crowd, looking for a place to stay.
Using the Berries he took from the guy he killed earlier, he temporarily settled down.
Kaido, gripping his spiked club, watched Lotte leave with a raised eyebrow.
He could sense
An unusual aura coming from the other party.
But with the Rocks' recruitment test starting soon,
For now, it was best not to cause unnecessary trouble.
Lotte's arrival
Didn't stir up much of a ripple.
After all, he looked thin and quite young.
Even if he could easily take down a small fry, it wasn't enough to catch the attention of the real powerhouses.
Their focus
Was entirely on the upcoming Rocks Pirates recruitment test!
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
As the base commanding the entire vast Marine organization,
They were naturally well aware of the Rocks Pirates' large-scale recruitment this time.
The current Fleet Admiral, Steel Bone Kong, sat in his office chair.
Looking at the intelligence report from the CP organization in his hand, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Rocks, that guy, is getting harder and harder to deal with."
"If we let this pirate crew continue to grow stronger, even our Marine Headquarters might end up powerless despite our best efforts."
Steel Bone Kong was very clear on the current state of the Marines.
The three Admirals at Marine Headquarters now
Were all getting on in years—not much younger than him—and couldn't compare to Rocks at his peak.
Among the younger generation,
Though the Navy's iron triangle of Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru had risen to fame,
Along with Zephyr and others following close behind,
They were the reliable core force of Marine Headquarters now.
But if they faced Rocks head-on, that would be a completely different story.
Thinking this,
Steel Bone Kong looked up at the masked CP organization member in front of him.
"The Five Elders should be aware of this too, right?"
"If we keep letting Rocks grow unchecked, the threat to the affiliated nations will only get bigger."
"The Five Elders don't want more complaints from the affiliated nations, do they?"
The CP0 member in the white robe said calmly,
"The World Government is naturally paying close attention to this matter."
"Fleet Admiral, please prepare to deploy forces. Dealing with the Rocks Pirates cannot be taken lightly."
"As long as we can probe Rocks' true strength at this time,"
"The World Government will make preparations accordingly."
Steel Bone Kong raised an eyebrow at this.
The World Government's meaning was to have the Marines go in first as the vanguard.
He inwardly cursed the old foxes, then looked up at the white-robed man and said indifferently,
"I'll judge this matter personally as Fleet Admiral."
"You can go now."
After the white-robed man left,
Steel Bone Kong looked at the documents in his hand and sighed again.
If they really wanted to take on the Rocks Pirates, it would be a real headache.
But in the end, Marine Headquarters was just a subordinate of the World Government.
And it was about time.
To let those arrogant pirates know that Rocks wasn't the only one ruling these seas!
Steel Bone Kong narrowed his eyes slightly and looked outside.
"Garp, Sengoku."
"Get ready to come with me on an outing."
"Once the Rocks finish recruiting their new members this time, we'll hit them when they least expect it."