#31 No loose ends

When Carlo announced the real rules for this recruitment event, all the pirates were stunned. They stood there, slack-jawed, their eyes wide open and noses dripping…

No one said a word; they were all in a state of shock!

This reaction wasn't just from the inexperienced pirates; even the seasoned fighters like Lafitte and Doc Q were equally shocked.

The cause wasn't Carlo's announcement itself. In fact, the pirates were already in this state before Carlo finished speaking.

The real reason was the Devil Fruits that had just appeared in front of Carlo!

No one expected Carlo to casually summon three more Devil Fruits, shocking everyone present!

The visual impact was so strong that most people didn't even catch the crucial points of Carlo's selection rules.

It was as if someone had played a mind-blowing game in their heads!

"Zehahaha, impressive, Carlo! You never cease to amaze me!"

Even Blackbeard, standing beside Carlo, couldn't help but exclaim.

His expression was just as excited as the pirates in front of him.

"What's the matter, Teach? Do you want to eat one too?"

Carlo was a bit puzzled by Blackbeard's reaction. Did this guy forget, or was he also a Reincarnator like Carlo?

Weren't these the fruits they stole together? What was there to be surprised about?

"Uh… no, zehaha, continue, brother, continue."

Blackbeard coughed awkwardly, realizing his overreaction.

However, Carlo was wrong to blame him!

Unlike the other pirates, Blackbeard wasn't shocked by the Devil Fruits. He was once again impressed by Carlo's strategy!

Although Carlo had already told him about the plan to use Devil Fruits as bait to recruit crew members, Blackbeard hadn't asked for details.

He assumed it would be a simple competition, where the strongest would win. But after Carlo openly admitted to kidnapping a Celestial Dragon, Blackbeard realized his first mate had a more complex plan.

Carlo never intended to let the pirates live after the selection. He planned to wipe them out entirely!

Even without asking, Blackbeard quickly understood Carlo's scheme and was ready to initiate a massive slaughter…

Because of this, Blackbeard let his guard down, showing a strange expression that a small pirate noticed, leading to a preemptive killing to intimidate the rest.

Blackbeard always had a thorough plan for everything, leaving no room for error.

He was extremely cautious, always planning for an escape route, even when capturing Ace.

Blackbeard didn't believe Carlo would leave such a big flaw. The best explanation was that Carlo never planned to leave any survivors after the selection!

Blackbeard's thoughts closely matched Carlo's plan.

Given the sensitive situation on the seas, even without admitting they kidnapped the Celestial Dragon, revealing four Devil Fruits along with their own unknown powers and Haki would surely raise suspicion.

If word got out, the World Government and the Navy would definitely act, preferring to eliminate any threat.

Also, this was still the first half of the Grand Line!

So, Carlo's plan to expose themselves and then eliminate all witnesses made sense. Everyone would just reincarnate, no big deal.

Carlo and Blackbeard's motto was never to take unnecessary risks!

Though it was cruel, who cared? They were all ruthless pirates.

Blackbeard, satisfied with Carlo's plan, thought he had figured everything out…

But he hadn't considered that Carlo's plan went even deeper!

While Blackbeard thought Carlo would personally eliminate the pirates, Carlo planned for them to kill each other!

The pirates would become the actual murderers of each other!

This was why Blackbeard was so impressed!

It was a perfect solution!

Picking the strongest from a simple competition might not be the best, but selecting survivors from a death match ensured they were the most ruthless and cunning.

These were the kind of people the Blackbeard Pirates needed—those who had fought through life and death and emerged victorious!

Such individuals, even if not the strongest now, had the potential to grow stronger. Their ruthlessness and cunning made them perfect for the Blackbeard Pirates.

Besides, this method completely eliminated any loose ends, leaving no room for future problems.

As Blackbeard had thought, killing everyone on the island might seem like a solution, but it would only cause more trouble in the long run.

The news of a mass killing would spread, drawing attention and investigators.

Eventually, traces of Carlo and Blackbeard's involvement would be found, exposing them.

So, Carlo's plan to have the pirates kill each other was the best solution.

It ensured no loose ends and minimized the risk of exposure.

And the best part was getting the pirates to do it willingly!