Multiversal Recruitment

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a wooden ceiling. The sound of voices through the walls was the first thing he heard. Confused, he carefully sat up, wincing in pain as he touched his bandaged side and arm, his bare torso wrapped only in gauze.

"I feel like I got run over by a train... twice..." he muttered, leaning against the wooden wall, still recovering from his wounds.

He staggered toward the door. Upon opening it, the voices became clearer. He shielded his eyes with his arm, momentarily blinded by the harsh sunlight.

As his eyes adjusted, he looked ahead. Confused, he stared in surprise at the sight before him.

All the slaves who had accompanied him were laughing and eating at a large feast. All races gathered in one place, celebrating, drinking, and eating like they hadn't in who knows how long.

He stepped out slowly. Looking to the side, he saw another galleon sailing alongside them, just as lively. A giant stood on each ship, a testament to their quality—able to carry such massive weight without issue.

Away from everyone, Kaina stood at the railing, gazing at the vast sea.

It didn't take long before someone noticed him—one of the men who had gone to get more food.

"Hey, everyone! The captain's awake!" he shouted excitedly, looking at Salazar with admiration and joy.

Everyone at the banquet turned, including Kaina, who spun around in surprise, then sighed in relief.

"I knew he'd make it!"

"Captain, come eat with us!"

"Yeah, we saved your portion!"

They all spoke to him with happiness and gratitude. He looked around, confused, glancing sideways as Kaina slowly walked up to stand beside him.

"You're going to explain what's going on and why they're suddenly calling me 'captain'?" he asked with a tired smile. Kaina sighed, a bit weary, but a smile crossed her face.

"It's a long story. As for the captain part… I don't know," she said with a shrug, shaking her head.

"That old friend of yours put the idea in their heads, and now they won't stop calling you that. And me? 'Vice-Captain.' It's annoying," she added, rubbing her hair in frustration, though with a faint amused smile.

Salazar looked forward, watching everyone celebrate and eat.

"All this food was already on the ship. Apparently, they're always prepared for a voyage. There was even enough for the giants. But with this many people, it won't last long," Kaina reported, standing beside him with her arms crossed.

"One problem at a time, yeah? My head hurts. By the way, which friend are you talking about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, as Kaina turned to the giant on the ship.

"Hey, Kujori! Call the old man and tell him Salazar's awake!"

"YiaYiaYia! Sure thing!" The giant looked revitalized, full of energy as he drank and feasted with the others.

"Mr. Rayleigh! The captain's awake!" he shouted toward the other ship, just as full of life and joy.

After that shout—delivered by the ship's unofficial spokesperson—a silhouette leapt from the other ship with ease, landing on the railing beside Salazar and Kaina.

Salazar recognized him immediately.

"Rayleigh, huh... Who would've thought someone as important as you would help us," he said, addressing the old pirate, who smiled calmly.

"I see you're awake, kid. I'm glad," he said as he hopped down from the railing and stood before his two companions.

"You know I have a lot of questions right now, right?" Salazar added, raising an eyebrow as the Dark King smiled and chuckled.

"Haha! I can imagine, kid!" he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Even though it was friendly, Salazar bent slightly under the old man's strength.

"But how about we talk while we eat? What do you say?" Rayleigh offered, thumbing behind him where the feast continued merrily.

"Fine… I suppose you're the one responsible for this lively atmosphere, huh?" Salazar guessed, walking beside him toward a half-empty table.

Kaina followed them with a blank stare.

"I have way more questions than him..." she muttered, curious—she still didn't really know the man who had saved them, aside from what the other slaves had told her.

---

Sabaody Archipelago – Shakki's Bar, one hour before the arrival at Mary Geoise.

The atmosphere was calm, as if the quiet before the storm had decided to stop for a drink. Rayleigh was sitting outside the bar, cleaning his sword with an old cloth while listening to the faint murmurs of a Den Den Mushi hidden among some wooden planks nearby. It wasn't his... but Shakki had left it there in case it ever picked up something interesting.

That day, it did.

"Admiral Kizaru. Maximum emergency at Mary Geoise. Immediate deployment."

Borsalino's voice sounded sarcastic and slightly annoyed.

"Mmm? Mary Geoise again? Isn't that the place where those people walk around like the world belongs to them?"

Rayleigh kept listening, intrigued, quickly understanding that a revolt was underway in the Holy Land.

The conversation piqued his curiosity—who could have done something so reckless so suddenly? He stood up without a word and entered the bar, where Shakki looked at him like she already knew what he was about to say.

"You heard it?" he asked, grabbing an old jacket.

"Every word. And if you're going, you know it won't be just a walk in the park," she replied, still smoking.

"I don't plan to fight. But I am curious. I'll watch from a distance—maybe something interesting will happen. Besides, my old bones could use the exercise, don't you think?" said Rayleigh, strapping his sword to his hip—he wouldn't leave without it.

Shakki crossed her arms.

"You're too old to swim all the way to Mary Geoise."

Rayleigh smiled mischievously.

"And yet, I'd probably get there before the Government's warships."

He walked off, heading to the rear coast of the island. From there, he could see it: a golden light speeding toward the Holy Land. Rayleigh took off his shirt, exposing a torso marked by ancient wars.

"Wanna race, kid?"

Grinning, he dove into the sea, his body cutting through the water like a torpedo. He swam with superhuman efficiency, without rest, guided by instinct—and curiosity for whoever was shaking the world this time.

---

Back to the present...

After listening to Rayleigh, Salazar sighed, now seated beside Kaina at the long table, the old man in front of them.

"I see… I can't help but be thankful that you decided to come," he said with a grateful smile. Rayleigh waved it off, carefree, as he glanced around.

"No need to thank me, kid... My old friend Roger wouldn't have forgiven me if I'd let someone as promising as you die! Hahaha!" he laughed heartily, while Kaina stared at him, already fed up.

"Would you mind telling me who he is and why he's such a big deal?" she asked with a touch of irritation, and I smiled tiredly.

"Oh, forgive her, sir. She's spent her whole life under a rock. Ugh—" I groaned in pain, hunching over and clutching my injured side as my head bumped the table.

"Don't make me sound like some kind of caveman," she said, a vein of annoyance twitching on her forehead, though her expression didn't change.

"You two are hilarious!" Rayleigh chuckled, taking another drink, while Salazar sat back up, shooting Kaina an annoyed glance.

"Right, remember when I told you about pirates and marines? The Pirate King and all that?" he said, eating a bit as she nodded—he had explained some of that back in Tartarus.

"Well, this guy is the Pirate King's first mate. That's where all his reputation comes from," he explained, and Kaina glanced at Rayleigh, who raised a bottle in greeting.

"Oh… I see…" Her poker face made it clear how unimpressed she was. Salazar, seeing this, came up with a more practical comparison.

"The man in front of you could probably beat All Might in a fight."

That finally got a reaction. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, bewildered.

"This old man?!"

"More respect—you're standing before a living legend!" he scolded with shark-like teeth, but Kaina looked at him, still skeptical.

"I don't believe it."

"Believe what you want," he replied, taking a swig from a nearby beer, while the old man laughed heartily.

"I definitely made the right call helping you lot!"

Tired from so much emotion in such a short time, Salazar looked around at all the people nearby, hesitation creeping into his expression.

"Rayleigh… do you know what I should do with them?" he asked sincerely, while the old pirate spun the little beer left in his bottle.

"I couldn't say, kid... Not many options to consider."

Kaina looked confused, turning to Salazar, who pointed to the bare back of a young man.

"See that mark? They all have it. It brands them like cattle, marks them as slaves of the Celestial Dragons," he said, gesturing to the tattoo on his own back.

"I had it too, but I covered it up before going to find you," Salazar added. Kaina finally understood, looking at all the former slaves with sorrow.

"Then..."

"If anyone sees them like this, they'll immediately be handed over to the Marines. No matter how much they want it, they can't return to their old lives," Rayleigh explained seriously.

"Well..." Salazar stood up and walked toward the helm—the highest point on the ship. Turning to face the crowd of former slaves...

Salazar wasn't Luffy. He didn't plan to recruit all these people out of pure idealism. But even if he didn't know each one personally, they had something in common—they were loyal to the one who had saved them. If he wanted to become a real force in this world, he needed troops.

"Listen up!!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the entire ship. The feasting stopped. Everyone turned to their savior. Those who had known him firsthand smiled; the ones freed later stared at him with admiration.

"I know you're all happy to be free. I'm happy too. But now comes the next step!" he said, arms crossed, voice firm and commanding.

"You all know very well we'll be hunted now. But I won't force you to do anything—never. That's why…" he looked at them—different races, different ideals, but with something in common: hope, newly rekindled.

"I give you a choice: I can take you home, let you try to rebuild your lives even with the risk..." he paused, his eyes fierce and proud, "OR... YOU CAN JOIN ME AND SAIL FREELY ACROSS THE SEAS, LIVING AS WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IN A VERY LONG TIME!!"

He shouted with the dignity and presence of a true leader. The crowd stared, fists clenched, hearts pounding, uncertain.

"Whatever your decision is, it won't be judged. You are people—and right now, I give you the right to choose for yourselves!" He extended his hand toward all of them, smiling confidently, full of spirit.

Silence followed. They all stared at Salazar—the one who had freed them, given them hope, and now, a new chance to live.

"YiaYiaYia! Count me in, Salazar!" shouted Kujori first, raising a barrel of beer with laughter.

"Me too!" said a Fishman, grinning wide with sharp shark teeth, lifting his cup.

"Same here!" bellowed a burly, wild-looking man.

"I'm in too!" called a slim girl with short brown hair, smiling as she raised her drink.

One by one, the former slaves raised their glasses. Over a thousand people on that ship alone lifted their arms, full of determination.

"As you can see—we all want a free life! YiaYiaYia!" laughed Kujori, while Salazar chuckled under his breath, grabbing his own cup and raising it.

"Then so be it! A TOAST TO US!!"

"TO US!!" The laughter and joy returned to the ship. Kaina lifted her cup slightly, a quiet smile on her face amid the noise.

"Cheers…"

"Hey, Captain! What's the name of the crew?" someone suddenly asked from the crowd, and everyone turned to look at Salazar in anticipation. He froze for a moment.

"A name?"

"Of course! Every great crew has a name!" Rayleigh chimed in, amused and cheerful, looking at Salazar.

Salazar looked around at everyone… then to his side. The sun that had blinded him when he first woke up now shone on his face, warm and free—finally, truly free.

"WE WILL BE… THE PIRATES OF THE NEW DAWN!!"

"YES, CAPTAIN!!"

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I'll reduce production to 3 chapters per week, I'm going back to school so it will be for time reasons, sorry.