One year later, in the year 1517 of the Circular Calendar, the Smiling Pirates entered a period of rapid development after resolving the issue with Big Mom.
In terms of personnel, under the efforts of Tuantuan and the others, a massive purge of all nearby pirate bands was carried out. Those who submitted were allowed to live, while those who resisted were directly expelled or even killed. Through a combination of carrot and stick, the ranks of the Smiling Pirates expanded once again, reaching a staggering eight thousand members. They now possessed thirty-six affiliated pirate crews, with captains averaging around one hundred million Beli in bounty, including a few standout individuals whose bounties reached as high as three hundred and fifty million Beli.
Of course, aside from the affiliated crews, the core troops of the Smiling Pirates also experienced an explosive growth under the training and cultivation of Tuantuan and the others. Although the headcount remained largely unchanged—about two hundred members (or beasts) per division—their strength grew rapidly. This was especially true after Summer rewarded the standout fighters with Devil Fruits from his inventory, achieving astonishing results. Currently, those standouts served as squad leaders in the First Division, specifically the Black Bear Fruit user and the Hedgehog Fruit user.
Chapter 84