On the second day of staying on Beehive Island, Nox was just about to go out to find a place to train when he found that the entrance was already blocked by many Pirates.
"executive officers Nox, please let me join your fleet!"
"Headhunting Swordsman, I am willing to follow you in battle!"
"Please accept me as your subordinate!!!"
"I am willing"
"..."
The hundreds of Pirates at the entrance cheered when they saw Nox come out, shouting that they wanted to join Nox's team.
Each executive officers of the Rocks Pirates would establish their own fleet and recruit subordinates. It can be said that every executive officers was a great mountain within the Rocks Pirates.
Of course, except for Whitebeard, who didn't like to recruit subordinates, and Charlotte Linlin, who had no Pirates joining her, other executive officerss had quite a few Pirates and fleets under their control.
As a new executive officers, Nox showed extraordinary potential, so naturally, many Pirates wanted to join his command.
"Goodness, I didn't know it until I saw it!"
Nox had already anticipated the arrival of Pirates seeking refuge.
But what he didn't expect was that after scanning with his Kenbunshoku Haki, he found that sixty percent of these hundreds of Pirates held malice towards him.
Without thinking, some of these Pirates were spies from other executive officerss of the Rocks Pirates, some were spies from the Marine and the World Government within the Rocks Pirates, and some were Pirates who were inherently malicious towards him.
In response, Nox could only express his speechlessness, thinking that these Pirates had sincerely come to pledge their allegiance.
"Hahaha, very good, it is a very correct choice for you to come and seek refuge with me."
"But I don't accept just anyone. You, you, you, all of you, step forward. Today, I find you few pleasing to the eye, so I will accept you. As for the others, go back to where you came from."
Among these Pirates who came to pledge allegiance, Nox selected fifty Pirates who had no hostility towards him and accepted them.
He wouldn't be as unconventional as Whitebeard. Since he had joined the Rocks Pirates, he had to act the part.
Moreover, recruiting more subordinates was not a bad thing. At least, there would be many cannon fodder and many hands available in the future, so he wouldn't have to do everything himself.
"What about me? Why not me?"
"Headhunting Swordsman, I want to join too!!"
"And me, and me!!"
"..."
The remaining hundreds of people were very dissatisfied when they saw that Nox had only chosen fifty of them. They had come with "sincerity" to pledge their allegiance, and you actually refused them entry. This was too unreasonable.
Thus, many Pirates began to loudly clamor.
"Hmph!!!!"
Seeing this, Nox let out a cold snort, and his long sword instantly unsheathed, a fifty-meter long slash cutting through the crowd.
"Chi chi chi!!!"
The more than twenty people who were making the most noise at the front were all beheaded by Nox's single slash. Blood gushed out, and the scent of blood spread.
For a moment, the previously noisy scene instantly became silent.
"Whoever has an opinion on my actions, come and ask if my sword is sharp!"
Nox coldly swept his gaze over the speechless Pirates. Even without using Haoshoku Haki, they were still intimidated by Nox.
Only now did they remember that this person was the ruthless Headhunting Swordsman who had beheaded over a thousand Pirates with one sword in just fifteen minutes.
Even if he usually appeared calm and approachable, in reality, he was a killing maniac.
After Nox's display of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, the originally noisy Pirates all quickly left, afraid of being beheaded by a single sword.
"You fifty people are the ones I have chosen. Since you have pledged allegiance to me, work hard. Follow me, and I will not disappoint you."
"Also, later, you yourselves choose a Vice Captain. After you have chosen, come find me on the southernmost coast of Beehive Island."
Nox said to the fifty Pirates who had joined him.
He took a rough look and saw that these Pirates were not strong, but they were acceptable, roughly between Marineford Lieutenant Commander and Captain.
These were considered his first batch of subordinates.
After saying a few words, Nox left, letting them act on their own.
He didn't have that much time to manage his subordinates. The best way was to select a Vice Captain and let them manage themselves.
"Hahaha, my name is Zett Marley, and I am interested in being the Vice Captain. Anyone who is not convinced, step forward and have a match with me. Whoever can defeat me, I will submit to them!"
After Nox left, among the fifty people, Zett Marley stepped forward.
"Hmph, we are all pledged to the Headhunting Swordsman, why should you be the Vice Captain? I am not convinced, I want to challenge you."
"I am not convinced either, I should be the Vice Captain!"
"Count me in, I believe I have the strength to be the Vice Captain!"
"..."
Zett Marley's words caused the other Pirates to retort, all wanting to challenge for the position of Vice Captain.
"Hahaha, then come on, will you come one by one, or all at once? No matter what kind of challenge format, I will accept it."
"Hmph, I can defeat you by myself, why would I need help from others!"
"That's right, that's right, we'll come one by one. If we all go together, it's not fair!"
"..."
After a match, without exception, Marley won.
His strength was a notch higher than the other Pirates, and he had mastered Busoshoku Haki, so the other Pirates were no match for him.
Finally, Marley became the Vice Captain, ruling over the forty-nine Pirates who were subservient to Nox.
"Alright, from now on, I am your Vice Captain. We all take orders from the Headhunting Swordsman Nox!!"
After defeating those who were not convinced, Marley said excitedly.
Marley brought the forty-nine subordinates to the coast Nox had mentioned, only to see a scene that made them doubt their lives.
The Headhunting Swordsman they were subservient to was being constantly beaten by a group of people with weapons. No matter how they looked at it, it seemed like a scene of being abused.
"It seems that Kano and their strength is a bit lacking, even my physical defense can only barely be broken."
After tempering his skin with Haki, his external defense became stronger and stronger. Even if Kano and the others attacked with all their might, they could only just break his skin.
This efficiency of attack seriously hindered his efficiency in tempering his skin with Haki.
"You few, stop watching, replace them, and use your strongest methods to hit me!"
Nox looked at Marley and the others who were walking towards him and said.
"Boss, my name is Zett Marley, and I am the Vice Captain of this team."
After hearing Nox's words, Marley immediately ran over with his people.