Shiki quickly brought both ships down into the waters near Fullalead Island.
Seeing the pirate ships land, Lind didn't hesitate. With a focused thought, he used telekinesis to lift himself through the air and landed beside Shiki.
"Jihahaha! Everyone, this is the Lind I told you about. My soon-to-be vice division commander!"
The Golden Lion slung an arm around Lind's shoulder as he spoke. Thankfully, the two were about the same height—just under two meters. Fairly average for humans in this world.
"Huhuhahaha! Shiki, talent like this is wasted as your second-in-command!"
"With potential like his, to have awakened such powerful Conqueror's Haki at this age… give him a few years and he might not be any weaker than you!"
"Gurararara! Exactly. Shiki, don't be greedy! I say Lind should just lead the Seventh Division outright!"
Rocks and Whitebeard spoke up in turn. Clearly, they saw Lind as a powerhouse, someone who could disrupt the balance among divisions. Making him Shiki's subordinate didn't sit well with them.
"Of course, we still need to see what he's capable of. John, since you're also a swordsman, how about a sparring match with Lind?"
"Lind, you don't mind, do you?" Rocks looked to John first, then to Lind.
Though he had already made up his mind to promote Lind, Rocks still wanted to witness his strength firsthand.
"Hahahaha, good! I've been eager to meet you ever since I heard the name Lind. Come on, let's spar!"
John wasted no time, throwing out the challenge directly.
Seeing the mood had shifted in that direction, Lind didn't refuse.
"Captain John, my fighting style might be a little… unorthodox. I hope you won't take offense."
With a polite reminder, Lind rose into the sky, leaving only his sword, Kunpeng, hovering at ground level.
"This sword is called Kunpeng. Blade length: three feet and nine inches. Weight: thirty-nine jin. Forged from deep-sea cold iron and meteorite from beyond the sky. The fusion of sea and sky is its essence. Thus—Kunpeng."
"It may not be one of the Supreme Grade Meito, but it is no less powerful. Captain John, please grant me your guidance."
Hovering steadily in the air with his telekinesis, Lind formally introduced his sword.
Upon hearing the voice echoing from above, John felt a jolt. Since when were swordsmen this dramatic? Shame he wasn't much of a wordsmith himself. He'd just have to make do.
"My blades are Rum and Gin—gifts from old friends. Both are among the 50 Skillful Grade Meito."
With that, John gave an elegant twirl of his blades.
"Wait… that's John?"
The other division commanders nearby turned toward him, eyes wide.
Was this really the same drunken mess they knew?
Though his words were simple—nowhere near as flashy as Lind's—coming from John, they carried an unexpected weight. There was a strange elegance to it. Weren't they all supposed to be the crude and rowdy type?
Even Lind felt a bit challenged.
You sly bastard… hiding this side of you all along?
But there wasn't time to linger. The moment John finished speaking, Kunpeng surged forward, cloaked in Armament Haki, thrusting straight toward him.
Though Lind had been training under Shiki these past few days, the time was short and his progress limited. His combat style was still largely based on his old, straightforward sword-controlling technique.
Facing someone on equal footing—or perhaps even stronger—Lind was soon pushed onto the defensive, barely managing to hold his ground.
"Damn it… I seriously need to refine my swordsmanship. Relying on brute force and flying blades just isn't cutting it anymore. I wonder if I can craft a fruit that boosts comprehension?"
Dodging another of John's slashes, Lind cursed inwardly.
Their clash continued. One flying sword against one fierce slash—over and over for more than an hour.
The battle, while intense, began to grow repetitive. Those watching started yawning, their excitement long faded.
Eventually, both combatants realized there'd be no decisive victory anytime soon. Just like with Lind's previous match against Shiki, the fight concluded when Lind effortlessly blocked John's finishing move.
It was only a spar, after all. The goal was simply to let the higher-ups in the Rocks Pirates gauge Lind's true strength.
"Huhuhahaha! Lind, your swordsmanship doesn't quite match your power. I feel like even Silver Axe, that axe-wielding brute, could swing a sword better than you!"
As the match ended, Rocks roared with laughter.
"Since Shiki mentioned wanting you as his vice commander earlier… fine. You'll officially be the commander of the Seventh Division. But for now, serve under Shiki a while longer. Sharpen your skills."
"When the day comes that you become a true swordmaster, you'll command the Seventh Division in your own name. With your talent, I doubt it'll take long."
Though this outcome wasn't exactly what Lind had hoped for, it was still a victory. Seeing that Shiki didn't object, Lind quickly accepted.
"Hahahaha, I'm honored by your trust, Captain. I'll gladly follow Captain Shiki for the time being."
"Captain Shiki, I'll be counting on your guidance."
Shiki, knowing he had no reason—or authority—to contest Rocks' decision, simply laughed. In fact, this arrangement worked in his favor. He had just gained a powerful and highly promising ally.
"Jihahaha! No need to be so formal, Brother Lind. From now on, we're shipmates. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask!"
"Gurararara! Congrats, Shiki. With Lind joining your crew, your Second Division might end up surpassing mine!"
"Mamamama! That's right. But next time someone strong shows up, don't go snatching them all for yourself!"
Though a little envious of Shiki's luck, the others congratulated him without complaint.
"Huhuhahaha! Men! In honor of our new Seventh Division commander, let's throw a feast!"
In high spirits, Rocks raised his arm and declared the beginning of a grand banquet.
Soon, a wild celebration broke out across Fullalead. Tens of thousands of pirates partied into the night.
In this era, only Rocks—the uncrowned king of the New World—could summon such a spectacle.
Inside the palace at the center of Fullalead, while Shiki distracted the crowd with an impromptu dance performance, Lind finally found a moment to be alone.
Cradling a glass of wine, he walked over to the window and looked out at the island teeming with drunken pirates. The atmosphere was utterly foreign, yet strangely mesmerizing.
"I've already been in this world for two and a half years… and this is the first time I've attended a feast like this."
"So I've really taken the pirate's path now, huh? I guess this counts as my official debut. The Navy and CP probably have my name by now."
"I wonder what the bounty will be? Will it break nine digits? I'm kind of looking forward to it…"
The ocean breeze brushed against Lind's elegant features. He closed his eyes, lost in thought as the distant sound of laughter and music filled the night.
*********
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!