#27 Cleaning up
Just like Burgess before him, Doc Q was also one of Blackbeard's original crewmembers, one of the first four to join!
The crew recruitment event hadn't even started yet, and already two of Blackbeard's former comrades had shown up. This made Carlo think things were getting more interesting by the minute.
"If two of them are here, the other two should be…"
Sure enough!
As Carlo was thinking this, he noticed a familiar figure arriving with the crowd in the distance.
Wearing a black top hat and holding a thin cane, dressed like a character from a play…
It was Lafitte!
He was Blackbeard's navigator and one of his first four partners.
"Looks like I was right, Lafitte is here too…"
"Blackbeard must have met them here in the original timeline."
"After all, coming to Salaca Island was Blackbeard's idea."
"Three of the original four have appeared. That means the last one…"
Carlo thought to himself about the final member of Blackbeard's original crew, the sniper Van Augur, who hadn't shown up yet. But he had a strong feeling that this last member would appear too.
"Zehahaha, this is getting exciting!"
A sudden loud laugh pulled Carlo out of his thoughts.
" Carlo, almost everyone is here. The rest are just small fry. I think we can start now, don't you?"
Blackbeard turned back, still smiling, and asked Carlo.
After waiting for about ten minutes, almost all the pirates on the island had gathered.
Attracted by the promise of a Devil Fruit, many pirates responded, eager to join Blackbeard and Carlo's crew.
After all, Devil Fruits were incredibly rare, especially in the first half of the Grand Line!
Becoming a powerful fighter or swordsman required intense training from a young age, something most people missed out on.
So for many, a Devil Fruit was their best shot at gaining power quickly.
Carlo nodded and said, "You're right, no need to wait any longer. Let's clear the area first."
"Clear the area?"
Blackbeard looked confused.
"Yes, clear the area!"
As soon as Carlo spoke, his eyes became sharp, and a powerful aura started to emanate from him…
In the next moment, an invisible force spread out from Carlo, reaching everyone around him!
People felt the intense pressure immediately, and their eyes filled with shock.
Before they could react, the force had already passed through them, covering an even larger area!
In just a blink, Carlo's powerful aura enveloped everyone present.
'Thud, thud…'
Suddenly, many pirates rolled their eyes, foamed at the mouth, and lost consciousness, falling to the ground with a series of thuds!
"Conqueror's Haki!?"
The pirates who managed to stay conscious looked shocked, staring in disbelief at the platform.
No one expected to see someone with the power of a king in Salaca!
Yes, Carlo had just used his Conqueror's Haki!
Under the influence of this terrifying aura, about 90% of the thousands of pirates present had fallen!
It was like cutting down a field of wheat; the once-crowded square was now filled with fallen bodies.
Though some were still standing, they were few compared to those on the ground. In an instant, the square had become much emptier.
This was what Carlo meant by clearing the area!
It wasn't just to show off; the number of pirates was simply too high!
With so many pirate factions gathering, their underlings took up most of the space.
If they all participated in the test, it would turn into a chaotic mess!
Plus, allowing them to stay would lead to some pirates using their numerous underlings to exhaust competitors' energy.
When the time was right, they'd swoop in to take advantage.
That wasn't the kind of person Carlo or Blackbeard wanted.
So, to prevent this, Carlo chose to use his Conqueror's Haki to clear the area first.
He wasn't worried about knocking out truly strong candidates; his Haki wasn't that powerful yet.
The ones who fell were mostly small fry, just as he expected.
Considering he had been there for only about a month, it was impressive that he had developed his Haki to this level, from knocking out untrained animals to now taking down slightly stronger pirates.
His training talent was far superior to the body's original owner, thanks to the system's enhancements.
If he still couldn't manage this, Carlo would consider himself a failure.
Now, his Conqueror's Haki was just strong enough to serve his purpose.
"Zehahaha, I see! These small fry aren't fit to participate in this test. Our crew isn't just for anyone!"
"Even the test isn't for just anyone!"
Seeing what Carlo had done, and the changed expressions of some pirate leaders, Blackbeard understood immediately.
"You thought this through well, Carlo. There are always opportunists, though I'm one myself…"
"But I don't want someone using those tactics to join our crew!"
"That would be a waste of these top-tier Devil Fruits."
Of course!
Who wasn't an opportunist? Carlo thought he might be the biggest one of all.
He guessed correctly that many in the crowd had hoped to use their underlings to wear down competitors.
But now, their plans were ruined!
"To my surprise, so many of you managed to stay standing. Not bad."
Looking at the remaining few hundred people in the square, Carlo nodded in satisfaction and said, "Congratulations on earning your chance to compete to join the Blackbeard Pirates!"