“Ren Mori, starting today, you’ll be the Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates’ 17th Division.” “However, I won’t be taking established members from the other divisions and transferring them to yours.” “So if you want members, you’ll have to wait for newcomers to join.” Somewhere in the New World, aboard the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard’s booming voice echoed across the ship.
Seated below him was a tall young man with blond hair tied into a ponytail, dark eyes, sharp brows, and striking features.
His name was Ren Mori.
Ren Mori was not originally from this world.
He came from a blue planet.
And the world he now found himself in…
Back in his original world, it had been nothing more than an anime.
Speaking of which, his life after arriving here had hardly been smooth sailing.
He had experienced just about everything, including brushes with death and the pain of parting from others.
Eventually, while he was on a certain island, a group of pirates invaded.
They burned, killed, looted, and massacred most of the town’s inhabitants.
Focused solely on escaping with his life, Ren Mori somehow ended up hiding aboard the Moby Dick by sheer accident.
When he was eventually discovered, Whitebeard merely looked him over once.
Then he uttered that classic line.
“Be my son.” By that point, Ren Mori had already been in this world for several years.
Yet his long-awaited cheat had never appeared.
As a result, the grand dream he had once harbored of dominating the world had long since been crushed by reality.
When Whitebeard told him to become his son, Ren Mori refused without hesitation.
He made it clear that he only wanted to live as an ordinary person and had no desire to spend his life constantly fighting and killing.
Of course, Whitebeard did not force him.
Later, after Marco and the others talked to him and carefully explained the pros and cons, Ren Mori began considering the offer.
During that period, there was even an occasion when Ren Mori helped Whitebeard avoid a major problem.
Because of that incident, Whitebeard came to think even more highly of him and invited him to join several more times.
And since Ren Mori had helped Whitebeard, he eventually proposed one condition.
“I can join the Whitebeard Pirates, but our relationship will be that of captain and crew member.” The reason he made such a condition was simple.
Ren Mori had no intention of suddenly acknowledging someone as his father.
Joining the ship was already something he had been forced into by circumstance.
Naturally, regardless of whether Whitebeard accepted or rejected the condition, Ren Mori had already prepared himself for either outcome.
When Whitebeard heard his words, he was clearly somewhat hesitant.
But after thinking it over, he eventually nodded.
And so, Ren Mori became a unique existence within the Whitebeard Pirates.
He was the only person whose relationship with Whitebeard was simply that of captain and crew member.
Everyone else shared the usual Pops-and-son relationship with Whitebeard.
…
Nearly ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
Then, today, Ren Mori suddenly announced that he wanted to become a Division Commander.
Of course, becoming one was not so easy.
A certain level of strength was naturally required.
During the nearly ten years Ren Mori had spent with the Whitebeard Pirates, he had trained bitterly, but almost never personally took action.
Instead, he was usually responsible for coming up with plans and strategies.
He could more or less be considered a minor strategist for the Whitebeard Pirates.
Whitebeard did not object to Ren Mori wanting to become a Division Commander.
As for Ren Mori’s actual strength, even Whitebeard did not know.
But when it came to clever ideas, quick thinking, and schemes, there were very few people aboard the ship who could compare with him.
Still, although Whitebeard had agreed to let Ren Mori become a Division Commander, he did not place him in charge of any of the existing sixteen divisions.
Instead, he created an entirely new one.
The Whitebeard Pirates’ 17th Division.
As for why Ren Mori had suddenly changed his mind and wanted to become a Division Commander, there was naturally a reason.
Yes.
Just last night, the cheat that had arrived more than ten years late finally appeared.
Along with it came several activation conditions.
Completing any one of them would successfully activate it.
The first: Become a captain.
The second: Become a Marine officer.
The third: Become a Division Commander.
All three activation conditions shared the same underlying requirement— to become someone who led others.
Ren Mori had already abandoned the idea of forming his own pirate crew.
After all, Whitebeard had helped him greatly.
Without Whitebeard back then…
He probably would have become the most miserable transmigrator in history.
As for becoming a Marine officer, putting aside the fact that he was currently part of the Whitebeard Pirates, even if he went over to the Marines, it would likely take him years before he had any chance of reaching officer rank.
So Ren Mori immediately ruled out the second condition.
That left only the final one.
And that was much easier.
As long as Whitebeard agreed, he could activate the System immediately.
…
The moment Ren Mori brought it up, Whitebeard agreed.
That genuinely caught him off guard.
Ren Mori had been left completely speechless.
None of the lines he had stayed up late memorizing the night before even got a chance to be used.
“Ren Mori, now that you’ve become the Division Commander of our Whitebeard Pirates’ 17th Division, surely calling him Pops just once wouldn’t be too much, right?” Marco, who was sitting on the ship’s railing, teased him with a grin.
“Exactly.
Ever since you came aboard, none of us have ever heard you call him that,” another member of the Whitebeard Pirates chimed in.
Before Ren Mori could respond, Whitebeard spoke first.
“What, are you brats trying to make your Pops break his word?” “Back then, I promised that unless Ren Mori himself wanted to change things, our relationship would always remain the same…
I’m the captain, and he’s a member of my crew.” They had only wanted to tease Ren Mori a little.
But once Pops himself spoke up, they immediately backed down.
Ren Mori looked at Whitebeard in front of him and gave a bitter smile.
“What’s the fun in being a Division Commander in name only?
How about giving me a couple of members?” “Gurararara…!” Hearing that, Whitebeard burst into hearty laughter.
“No.” “If you want members, go find them yourself.
Otherwise, wait until some newcomers join.
When they do, I’ll assign them to the 17th Division.” With that, Whitebeard picked up the jug of sake beside him and took a few small swigs.
Then, as though remembering something, he added another warning.
“Oh, right, Ren Mori.
One more thing.
Your position as Division Commander is only provisional for now.
If you want to become an official one, you’ll have to show us something that earns our recognition.” “And spend more time learning from the other sixteen Division Commanders.
Figure out how to be a proper commander, so that when new members finally arrive, you’ll know how to manage them.” As soon as Whitebeard finished speaking, Jozu, Commander of the 3rd Division, spoke up as well.
“Still, Pops…
even if he’s only a provisional Division Commander with no members, isn’t this decision a little too hasty?” Marco disagreed.
He folded his arms across his chest and gave his opinion in a serious tone.
“I think it’s fine.
I don’t know how strong Ren Mori is, but when it comes to intelligence and strategy, he’s more than qualified for the position of Division Commander.” ⚡ Support the Story & Unlock More Chapters!