Chapter 105: Executive Trials
Having gotten the money, Obei didn’t care anymore about Aoxi badmouthing her. Anyway, with fifty thousand Belly in hand, she was now only thinking of going to browse the bookstore in town.
That 《Firearms Design Guide》 she had been eyeing for many days.
She just had to see how those damn old flintlock guns that shot crude lead bullets managed to achieve damn rapid fire!
Normally, with her status, she could just ask anyone for money to buy it, or even borrow it directly from the bookstore, and the Boss wouldn’t dare do anything.
But her awkward personality was just like that; asking her to open her mouth and request help from someone was like torturing her.
As for the money she had just snatched from Aoxi now, she used it with a clear conscience, since it was the reward for her hard labor.
……
As for Miss La, this time she didn’t just casually find a seat and sit down, but instead sat primly at Boss Kaido’s side like Ember.
After all, this was somewhat of a semi-formal banquet, so rules still had to be followed.
“Little ones! Now… welcome our new comrade!”
Boss Kaido raised the wine jug in his hand, looking toward Skipgate’s direction, and loudly announced to the pirates below.
“Oh!”*n
“Long live Boss Kaido!”*n
As Boss Kaido’s words fell, the banquet’s atmosphere reached its climax.
Many veteran members within the Beasts Pirates were momentarily excited, seeing the Beasts Pirates’ territory growing larger and personnel increasing, they felt a natural sense of accomplishment.
And as the cheers slightly died down, Boss Kaido continued with words that made everyone boil over.
“Skipgate!”
“H-here!”
Skipgate, who had been chatting with some elders of the Beasts Pirates, heard Boss Kaido call him and immediately stood up to respond.
“From now on, you are the fourth Executive of the Beasts Pirates.”
“Ah?”
“M-me?”
This appointment was obviously somewhat unexpected for him.
Skipgate hadn’t expected that he, a newcomer who had just joined, and as an outsider from a Subordinate Pirate Crew, would be directly appointed as an Executive.
Though the Beasts Pirates were known for not asking about origins, only martial prowess.
But he not only had issues with status and seniority, even in terms of his own strength, he seemed insufficient for an Executive position.
From what he knew, the original two Executives of the Beasts Pirates—Burufaruto and Ember—both had strength far surpassing his own.
And that little girl named Miss La who had one-shot John to death; Brother Burufaruto admitted that even many of himself wouldn’t be her opponent.
This was the level of the current three major Executives of the Beasts Pirates; with his martial prowess, he was still a considerable distance from an Executive position.
『Is it to win hearts? Or…』
But before he could think further, Wright at his side quietly nudged him from below, snapping Skipgate back to attention.
“Y-yes! Thank you, Boss Kaido!”
“Uro-ro-ro-ro! Don’t thank me yet; whether you can keep this Executive position is still uncertain.”
Skipgate was stunned at those words, then looked around and found many Beasts Pirates staring at him with gleaming eyes, including those guys who had just been buddying up to him moments ago.
“Our Beasts Pirates’ rules: on the day an Executive is appointed, all members within the organization can challenge him, and the appointee cannot refuse…”
“And if defeated, the Executive position goes to the victor!”
This rule established alongside the Pirate Crew might sound quite unfair at first, and it’s very possible that in the end, some no-name brat could snatch it.
But this was the Beasts Pirates!
Someone with insufficient martial prowess occupying an Executive position would be hacked to death by the next day.
At that point, Boss Kaido would at most say something like “It’s all your fault for being too weak, wuu wuu wuu~”.
And then he’d really die like a joke.
And since the Beasts Pirates were founded, the only ones who had achieved the feat of one person beating a whole crew were Ember and Brother Burufaruto.
This was also why the Beasts Pirates had very few Executives, but their strength surpassed even those of some Overlord-level Pirate Crews.
As for Miss La, she had actually gone through it when she became an Executive.
But after all the challengers took one look at her from afar, they chose to follow their body’s instinct and give up directly, which was achieved without her even knowing.
After all, those brave enough to stare straight at the sun were already rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, let alone step forward to challenge.
And now it was Skipgate’s turn to face this trial.
“Skipgate, let me see if you have the bearing of an Executive!”
『As expected, it’s not that simple…』
But hearing this demand, Skipgate actually felt slightly relieved inside.
After all, things with clear prices were often the most reassuring.
Though even without being an Executive, he could still have some say under Boss Kaido by virtue of being the Captain of a Subordinate Pirate Crew…
But Skipgate still wanted to fight for better treatment for his Foll Pirate Crew comrades, and also didn’t want the name ‘Foll’ to be inferior.
His Boss Foll’s strength was not inferior to Ember and Brother Burufaruto at all!
“Good! Who will come first?”
Skipgate stood up, his gaze burning as he scanned the surroundings.
“Me! Me!”
Before the crowd could react, a tender little hand was the first to shoot up.
“It’s Big Sister Aoxi!”
“Eh! Got beaten to it, no chance now.”
“If it’s Big Sister Aoxi, then it’s no suspense at all.”
“Sigh~ Captain Taolong has no hope again~”
The surrounding pirates saw it was Aoxi raising her hand and all cried out in regret.
That battle Captain named Taolong clenched his fist several times but released it each time.
『Hm? This child… seems like Miss La’s sister?』
Skipgate looked toward the voice and only saw half a head peeking over the table and a tuft of bright red ahoge swaying left and right.
『This looks not even ten years old?』
Looking at her height that barely cleared the table, Skipgate was somewhat torn.
On one hand, she was his benefactor’s sister and still a child; he really couldn’t bring himself to strike.
On the other hand, he had to grip tight to this Executive position for his Boss’s honor and for everyone in the Pirate Crew.
After much thought, Skipgate still steeled his resolve.
『Hm…』
『Sorry, benefactor’s sister~ I have reasons why I must win too!』
Skipgate clenched his fist and immediately prepared for battle.
“Speaking of which, I still remember the scene of Big Sister Aoxi punching Brother Burufaruto flying back then!”
“Yeah yeah, and a bolt of lightning that blasted that Fogg along with his ship to pieces!”
『Ah?』
『Punched… punched Brother Burufaruto flying, blasted Fogg to pieces?』
The pirates’ discussions made Skipgate halt his movement, and his clenched fist quietly loosened.
Maybe he should reconsider; after all, this Executive position wasn’t a must-have, and everyone in the Pirate Crew wouldn’t want him injured.
But thinking of everyone in the Pirate Crew made Skipgate shake his head and reaffirm his belief.
『No, can’t back down! Even if she’s really that strong, I…』
“I heard that Fogg named guy didn’t even leave scraps behind, haha!”
『…』
『But, but come to think of it, she’s still my benefactor’s sister; wouldn’t it be bad for me to strike without mercy?』
『After all, Miss La’s life-saving favor can never be repaid!』
『Besides, she’s just a child~ Big Brother in the sky wouldn’t want me to do this either!』
『And, and everyone in the Pirate Crew, they would surely understand me!』
『Yes! They would surely understand.』
……
『Gomennasai, minna.』
After reconciling with himself inwardly, Skipgate calmly raised his hand.
“I concede…”
“Right, almost forgot about you two brats!”
Boss Kaido’s booming voice directly interrupted Skipgate’s French-style declaration.
“You two made great contributions in the last operation, so you be Executives too! Osiris, Obelisk.”
Though his tone was casual, Boss Kaido unusually called both their full names, giving it quite a sense of ritual like proclaiming officials.
One must know that Boss Kaido had only heard Miss La mention their full names once at their initial meeting, but he had remembered them all along.
This rough guy who was always drunk actually paid surprisingly close attention to people he valued.
“Yay! Who goes first?”
The brimming-with-confidence Aoxi once again took the lead to call for battle.
Though her and Obelisk’s Executive status within the Beasts Pirates was already an unspoken fact, and these days they had indeed been handling internal affairs like Executives, the process still had to be followed.
“Hmph! Everyone don’t be scared, he’s just one person, not necessarily a match for all of us!”
“Right, everyone charge together! He might not knock us all down before his stamina runs out!”
“To deal with this quasi-Executive, no need for one-on-one! Everyone pile on!”
Executive assessments were never fair one-on-one duels, but an all-means-necessary—”war”!
Thus, as Aoxi assumed her stance to seriously face the enemy, the pirates surged toward her like a flood… actually toward Skipgate on the opposite side!
“Haha! Die, explosion head!”
“Skipgate, I haven’t forgotten how you wrecked my lungs back then!”
“Wah ya ya ya! I won’t allow anyone in the Beasts Pirates to have a cooler hairstyle than me! I’m gonna shave you bald!”
“Hee hee! I love gang fights!!!”
Aoxi: “…”
Obei: “Eating melon”
Skipgate: “Don’t come over ah.jpg”
