The Grand Line, waters near Jaya.
Sven stood at the bow, repeatedly swinging the Plasma Longsword in his hand.
Each strike carried sharper intent than the last.
He could feel it, he was on the verge of breaking through, just one step away from unleashing a true Flying Slash.
Once he crossed that threshold, the position of vice-captain would naturally fall into place.
That thought led to another problem.
What should his pirate crew be called?
And the flag…
Sven deactivated the plasma blade and glanced at Dracule Mihawk, who was calmly steering the ship.
“Mihawk, you are well-educated.
Help me think of a name for our pirate crew.”
Mihawk pressed his lips together, a faint smirk forming.
So, he noticed.
In truth, Mihawk had already sensed it.
Sven was only a moment of insight away from achieving a Flying Slash.
A master swordsman in less than half a month.
That level of talent was worth cultivating into a rival.
Sven possessed the bearing of a king.
He could cook, brew fine alcohol, prepare sweet drinks, create Eternal Poses, repair ships, navigate, and even draw accurate sea charts.
Most importantly, he had once sailed with the Roger Pirates and reached the Final Island, all at such a young age.
Having someone like that as captain made things…
efficient.
At the very least, he would never become a burden.
Without realizing it, Sven’s influence had already taken root, subtle yet effective, like rain nourishing the soil.
At that moment, the doctor, having just finished cleaning the deck, jogged over.
“Captain, don’t we already have a pirate flag?
Why do we still need a crew name?”
Sven pointed toward the flag hanging from the mast.
“This?
I took this ship in the East Blue and never bothered removing it.”
With that said, Sven casually raised his hand.
A bolt of electricity shot from his fingertip, instantly burning the flag to ashes.
The flames flicked out.
“Now it is gone.
If you come up with a name that satisfies me, I might consider removing your Sea Prism Stone cuffs.”
The doctor’s eyes lit up, though inwardly he grumbled.
A man with the qualities of a king, yet too poor to even own a proper ship.
“Hey, News Coo.”
Mihawk raised his hand toward the sky.
Reading the newspaper daily was essential for a refined man.
“Two copies.”
The doctor was not yet an official member, so he naturally received nothing.
After tossing one paper to Mihawk, Sven lay back in a deck chair and skimmed through his copy.
A moment later, he abruptly sat up.
“Mihawk, do you know that bird-man Morgans?”
Mihawk frowned slightly.
The report did not mention his name at all.
“Not particularly.”
Sven clicked his tongue as he studied the page.
“As expected of the president of the World Economic News Paper.
I did not even notice when he took these photos.”
“The shots are not bad.
The lighting is excellent, and even the close-up captures seventy percent of my face.”
Sven was unconcerned about exposure.
He was already wanted by the World Government.
One more crime changed nothing.
One death sentence or ten, the result was the same.
If the World Government truly had that kind of power, they could grant him immortality, kill him, revive him, and repeat the process endlessly.
As for his former crewmates, Sven had no worries.
Those people valued their lives and had long since disappeared into the shadows.
Only Silvers Rayleigh and Shakuyaku remained active at the Sabaody Archipelago.
Still, Rayleigh was more than capable of handling trouble.
At that moment, far away in the Sabaody Archipelago, inside Shakky’s bar.
After the disbandment of the Roger Pirates, Rayleigh had chosen a quiet life here with Shakuyaku, coating ships for a living.
Occasionally, when short on money, he would even auction himself.
Most days, however, he simply sat at the bar, drinking beside her.
Shakuyaku slid a newspaper across the counter.
“A remarkable young man has come out of your crew.”
Rayleigh raised a brow.
“Is it Shanks?”
The moment he saw the front page, he froze, then burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, Sven?
Thunder God, so he ate a Devil Fruit.”
His gaze lingered on the image of lightning tearing through the sky.
“His Conqueror’s Haki has grown stronger.”
Among the younger members of the crew, Sven, Shanks, and Buggy, most had placed their hopes on Shanks.
Although Sven had awakened Conqueror’s Haki early, his physical ability had been lacking. New chapters come out on novelping.com first.
As for Buggy, he was…
difficult to judge.
“I did not expect our little chef to become famous first.”
“Beelzebub Sven.”
It was the first time Rayleigh had heard his full name.
Back then, Sven trained relentlessly, but his physical limitations kept him from being a true combatant.
Yet outside of combat, his talent was terrifying.
After only a few days of learning from Scopper Gaban, he had already mastered sea charting.
“I still remember his cooking.”
Shakuyaku shot him a glance.
So now my cooking is not good enough?
He would be kneeling tonight.
“The World Government will not let this go,” she said calmly.
“They will either target him or come after you old legends.”
Rayleigh drained his glass.
“I will disappear for a while.”
Meanwhile, in the East Blue, near Loguetown.
Over a month earlier, Buggy and Shanks had parted ways after an argument.
Following a treasure map, Buggy had come to the East Blue, determined to gather wealth and form his own crew.
Lying on a small stolen boat, he stared at the sky.
“Shanks, you bastard!”
“You inherited Captain Gol D.
Roger’s will.
You said you would sail to Raftel yourself.
Why did you change your mind?”
“I misjudged you!”
A splat interrupted him as bird droppings landed squarely on his face.
Buggy exploded in anger.
“You filthy bird!”
With a swift motion of his Bara Bara no Mi powers, he grabbed the News Coo and snatched the newspaper.
The moment he saw the front page, his body split apart in excitement, tears filling his eyes.
“Sven!!!”
“Hahahaha, I knew I was right about you!”
“You are the one who will inherit Captain Roger’s will!”
His spirit reignited, Buggy grabbed the oars with determination.
“Wait for me, Sven.
I am heading to Paradise.”
Driven by Big News Morgans, the news spread across the Grand Line and the Four Seas in a single day.
Beelzebub Sven, former member of the Roger Pirates, had attacked the World Government and abducted one of their prisoners.
Ironically, the World Government itself only learned of the incident through the newspaper.