"Brother, I'm not very interested in these Devil Fruits."
"Same here. None of these abilities are something I particularly want."
As the only two present who could still eat a Devil Fruit, Mangu and Lafayette both quickly shook their heads.
Kaito Arisawa did not show the slightest displeasure at their refusal. In fact, he was not surprised at all—and he even agreed with their decision.
He had taken out the Devil Fruits for distribution, but that did not mean he required Mangu or Lafayette to choose one.
Bringing out the Devil Fruits was simply his stance as captain. It represented his willingness to provide the best training resources to his subordinates.
As for why he agreed with Mangu and Lafayette declining the four fruits—
It was because he held high expectations for both of them.
Take Mangu, for example.
Kaito had always placed great hopes on the talented Mangu.
Even after later discovering exceptional talents like Neferpitou and Trafalgar Law, that expectation had never changed.
Compared to Devil Fruits with relatively ordinary abilities, if Mangu were ever to become an ability user, then at the very least it would be a powerful fruit. Ideally, something as rare as a Logia or a Mythical Zoan.
The same applied to Lafayette.
Even if Lafayette were tempted to take a fruit in order to strengthen himself quickly, Kaito would have persuaded him to reconsider.
"Well then, since you're both giving up, I'll distribute these four Devil Fruits to the others," Kaito said with a nod.
Once he had brought them out, he had no intention of putting them away.
Though none of the four fruits possessed particularly outstanding abilities, they were still valuable resources for training and strengthening the crew.
Mangu and Lafayette both expressed that they had no objections.
Soon, Kaito asked Robin to gather personnel. Within a short time, twelve captains assembled on the deck.
This did not mean the War Pirates only had twelve captains.
In fact, as their military strength had continued to expand, the War Pirates—now numbering in the tens of thousands—had been divided into twenty brigades, meaning twenty captains in total.
The reason only twelve were summoned was simple.
These twelve had made the greatest contributions among all captains.
To put it plainly, they were the ones who had led six thousand men into battle against the army of the Kingdom of San Lorenzo.
"Alright," Kaito said. "You've heard the explanation of these four Devil Fruits. Does anyone want to eat one?"
Robin had already explained the abilities of the four fruits.
The moment Kaito finished speaking, it was clear that not everyone shared Mangu and Lafayette's restraint.
The twelve captains stared at the four Devil Fruits with blazing eyes. Without hesitation, all twelve stepped forward, expressing their desire to obtain one.
Kaito couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
"Don't say I'm being unfair. Since you all want one, we'll decide this in the most straightforward way."
Among pirates, the fairest method was always the most direct—
Strength.
Kaito ordered the twelve captains to compete in a test of combat ability. The winners would earn the right to choose.
None of the captains objected. On the contrary, they considered it the best solution.
Soon, a martial contest was held on the shore.
"Captain Bunier, go!!!"
"When did he learn Shave?!"
"That's the Eight-Impact Fist! The Sixth Brigade Captain just used the Eight-Impact Fist!"
Once word spread that the captain had personally bestowed Devil Fruits and that the twelve captains would fight for them through strength, the entire War Pirates crew gathered excitedly.
They surrounded the makeshift arena.
Some cheered loudly for the captain of their own brigade.
Others marveled at the strength displayed during the fierce clashes.
In Kaito's vision, the War Pirates operated under a clear hierarchy—much like a pyramid.
At the top stood himself as captain.
Below him were the core cadres: Robin, Mangu, Neferpitou, Law, Lafayette, and Sandy.
Beneath them were the brigade captains.
Then the squadron leaders.
Then the squad leaders.
And finally, the grassroots members.
This hierarchy primarily applied to combatants. The logistics division was structured separately.
For example, Karina—though a Devil Fruit user—served as the head of the chef team and was directly under Robin's authority as the logistics chief.
In essence, Kaito's structure resembled a corporate hierarchy from his previous life.
He was the chairman.
The cadres were the shareholders.
Captains and officers were management.
As for the contest—
Although the captains were not on the same level as Robin or the others in terms of talent or strength, under Kaito's strict training, their power was far from weak.
Especially the twelve currently competing.
Many of them were original members of the first-generation Sword Gang.
They had followed Kaito from the very beginning.
They had experienced countless battles and grown through blood and fire.
Proof of that growth was evident.
Most had already learned the Eight-Impact Fist.
Several had even mastered parts of the Six Styles.
"This kind of competition is really popular with everyone," Robin observed, standing beside Kaito in the best viewing position.
"Indeed."
Kaito crossed his arms as he watched the captains exchange blows. When he looked around at the roaring crowd, he felt something stir inside him.
He advocated strength.
And what he saw now gave him inspiration.
The War Pirates needed a stage for displaying strength.
Such exhibitions could determine the distribution of resources—like today's Devil Fruits—but could also serve as motivation.
For instance, competition for cadre positions.
A mature organization needed not only clear rewards and punishments, but also a clear path for advancement.
Take Lafayette.
Though Kaito had directly promoted him to cadre—and under absolute authority, no one dared question him—that did not mean there were no unspoken doubts.
Even if no one voiced dissatisfaction, some might still feel reluctant in their hearts.
The best way to eliminate such sentiments was simple.
Lafayette had to prove he deserved his position.
Kaito stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He would need to consider this carefully.
After fierce and repeated battles, the contest concluded.
Based on final rankings, the top four captains earned the right to choose a Devil Fruit in order.
As for the experience of eating one—
The four victorious captains nearly spat them out after taking a bite.
Their faces turned blue and green, looking as though they had just eaten something indescribably foul.
Watching them struggle, Kaito's lips twitched.
In the future, if he ever found a suitable Devil Fruit for himself, he would definitely eat it somewhere private.
It was fine for his subordinates to lose face—
But he, as captain, could not afford to.
Despite some unpleasant reactions, the results were satisfactory.
The four captains who consumed the Devil Fruits quickly began familiarizing themselves with their new abilities, excitement shining in their eyes.
After encouraging them, Kaito shifted his gaze toward the deserted island they would occupy for the next month.
Yes.
After leaving the capital of the Kingdom of San Lorenzo, Kaito had not continued plundering as usual.
Instead, he had chosen an uninhabited island and decided to rest there for one month.
This decision was partly due to the many wounded who required recovery.
But more importantly—
It was to further strengthen the overall power of the War Pirates.
Lafayette, though he had not gone to sea earlier in life, had already developed strong navigation skills.
As he had explained, he had long expected to leave the Kingdom of San Lorenzo one day, so he had prepared in advance by studying navigation thoroughly.
With Lafayette joining, the War Pirates now possessed three of the Four Essential Maritime Elements—
Navigator.
Doctor.
Chef.
The final element—a skilled shipwright—remained.
But Kaito already had someone in mind.
For now, there was no need to rush.
Compared to the other three roles, the current shipwright team could manage adequately for the time being.
In truth, with the War Pirates' current configuration, entering the Grand Line at any moment would pose no issue.
But Kaito's standards were higher.
Much higher.
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