Grand Line, waters near Jaya.
Seven stood at the bow, repeatedly swinging the plasma longsword in his hand.
He had a feeling he was getting closer and closer to unleashing a flying slash.
Once that happened, his vice captain would also be in place.
Which raised the question: what should he name his pirate crew?
And what about the pirate flag?
Seven dismissed the plasma sword and looked toward Mihawk, who was steering.
“Mihawk, you’re educated.
Help come up with a name for our pirate crew.”
Mihawk pressed his lips together smugly.
So you’ve noticed I’m highly educated?
In truth, Mihawk had also sensed just now that Seven might be only a flash of inspiration away from unleashing a flying slash.
Becoming a swordsman in less than half a month.
That kind of talent was worth cultivating into a swordsmanship rival.
On top of that, Seven had the qualities of a king, cooked delicious food, brewed wine, made sweet drinks, crafted Eternal Poses, repaired ships, steered vessels, drew sea charts…
Most importantly, as a former member of the Roger Pirates who had been to the final island, Seven was especially young.
Having a man like that as captain actually seemed rather reassuring.
At the very least, he did not feel troublesome.
Without anyone noticing, Seven’s conditioning had been extremely successful.
It had worked subtly and silently.
Just then, the doctor jogged over after finishing mopping the deck.
“Captain, don’t we already have a pirate flag?
Why are we still thinking about a crew name?”
Seven pointed at the pirate flag hanging from the mast.
“You mean that?
I stole this ship in the East Blue and forgot to take the flag down.”
Since the problem had been discovered, Seven casually pointed a finger.
A spark of electricity shot from his fingertip and instantly burned the pirate flag to ash.
Watching the high heat of the electric current produce flame, Seven could not help sighing.
“The Flame-Flame Fruit?
Not even a dog would eat that.”
“Now it’s gone.
If you can come up with a name that satisfies this captain, I’ll consider opening your Seastone handcuffs.”
The doctor’s eyes lit up on the surface, but inwardly, he could not help grumbling.
He clearly had the qualities of a king, yet he was so poor he did not even have a proper ship.
“Hey, News Coo.”
Mihawk waved at the sky.
Reading the newspaper every day was a required course for a cultured person.
Once the News Coo landed on the deck, Seven took out two hundred berries.
“Two copies, thanks.”
The doctor was full of nonsense and was not yet considered an official member, so naturally he was not qualified to enjoy the pirate crew’s benefits, such as free newspapers.
After tossing one copy to Mihawk, Seven lay back in his deck chair and glanced at the paper.
A moment later, he sat up again.
“Mihawk, do you know that birdman Morgans?”
The entire article never mentioned his name even once.
“Not well.”
Seeing Morgans’s flattery of him in the paper, Seven clicked his tongue.
“As expected of the president of the World Economic News.
I didn’t even notice when he took these.”
“The photos are good too.
Not only is the atmosphere and coloring well handled, even the close-up captures at least seventy percent of my handsome face.”
Seven did not care at all about the news Morgans had exposed.
The World Government had already been hunting him anyway.
Now they had simply added another charge.
One death sentence was still a death sentence.
Ten death sentences were also still a death sentence.
If the World Government had the ability, then they should grant him an immortal body, kill him once, revive him, kill him again…
Seven was not worried that his actions would cause the World Government to target the other crew members.
Those guys valued their lives more than anyone and had long since gone into hiding.
Only Vice Captain Rayleigh and the former world’s most beautiful woman, Shakky, the fuse that had ignited the God Valley Incident, remained active on the Sabaody Archipelago.
But Vice Captain Rayleigh was capable enough to bear a little extra burden.
Surely he would not mind.
Right, Vice Captain?
…
Sabaody Archipelago, Shakky’s Rip-off Bar.
After the Roger Pirates disbanded, Rayleigh had chosen to live here in seclusion with Shakky, making a living by coating passing ships.
Occasionally, when he ran out of money, he would even auction himself off.
But most of his free time was spent drinking with his lover in Shakky’s bar.
At the wooden counter, the still-charming Shakky pushed a newspaper in front of Rayleigh.
“An incredible little guy has come out of your crew.”
“What?
Shanks?”
When Rayleigh saw the high-definition front page and the close-up of that face, he froze.
Then he burst into laughter, as though mocking himself for having misjudged someone.
“Hahaha!
So it’s Seven?
Tsk, tsk… Thunder God.
Looks like he ate a Devil Fruit.”
Rayleigh stared at the Haki tearing through the sky in the newspaper, seemingly lost in memory.
“His Conqueror’s Haki has grown quite a bit stronger too.”
Among the three youngsters on Roger’s ship, Seven, Shanks, and Buggy, everyone, including Rayleigh, had been most optimistic about Shanks.
Although Seven had awakened Conqueror’s Haki early, his physique and talent simply could not compare with Shanks.
As for Buggy… he was hard to evaluate.
“I really didn’t expect our little cook to be the first of the three to make a name for himself.”
“Beelzebub Seven.”
This was also Rayleigh’s first time learning Seven’s full name.
Aside from combat talent, however, Seven’s abilities in other areas could practically be described as terrifying.
After learning from Gaban for only three days, he had already mastered the skill of drawing sea charts.
“I miss that kid’s cooking.”
Shakky rolled her eyes.
Fine, fine.
So you dislike my cooking now?
Kneel on the washboard tonight.
“The World Government lost face this time.
They’ll either try to get it back from the little guy, or they’ll settle accounts with old-timers like you.”
Hearing that, Rayleigh drained the wine in his glass.
“I’ll go hide for a couple of days.”
It was not that Rayleigh feared the World Government or the Marines.
He simply did not want his peaceful retired life disturbed.
…
East Blue, waters near Loguetown.
More than a month ago, Buggy and Shanks had parted on bad terms after an argument.
Following the guidance of his treasure map, Buggy had begun searching for treasure in the East Blue.
All so he could gather enough money to form his own pirate crew.
That day, Buggy lay on the small wooden boat he had just stolen, staring blankly up at the sky.
“Shanks, you bastard!”
“You clearly inherited Captain Roger’s will.
You clearly said that someday you’d sail your own ship to Laugh Tale.
So why did you change your mind?”
“I was wrong about you, Shanks!”
Splat.
A glob of bird droppings landed with perfect accuracy, instantly breaking Buggy’s composure.
He pointed at the sky and cursed.
“You filthy bird!
Even you dare bully the great Buggy?!”
With a Chop-Chop Big Slap, Buggy caught the News Coo and cursed while taking out a newspaper.
The moment he saw the familiar face on the front page, Buggy became so excited that his entire body instantly split into countless pieces.
Hot tears welled in his eyes.
“See-even!”
“Hahahaha!
I knew I wasn’t wrong about you!”
“A man like you is the one who should inherit Captain Roger’s will!
Seven!”
Buggy’s fighting spirit reignited.
Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the oars.
“Wait for me, Seven!
I’m coming to Paradise to find you!”
With Morgans pushing the story, news that former Roger Pirates member Beelzebub Seven had attacked the World Government and abducted a World Government prisoner spread across the Grand Line and the four seas within a single day.
Ironically, the World Government only learned of the incident through the newspaper.
The value of leaving no survivors just kept rising.