Chapter 29: The Great Pirate Rocks D. Xebec
"Hah⊠hah⊠Damn it, every last one of âem is uselessâŠ!!"
The Celestial Dragon had come to God Valley for the Indigenous Annihilation Games. Until just moments ago, he had been enjoying the spectacleâbut now, separated from the other Celestial Dragons, he was crouched behind a rock, panting heavily.
Reports of pirates attacking the island had reached him, and he had ordered the elite Marines assigned as his guards to protect him. But now, not only had they failed to stay by his side, the pirates were audaciously targeting Celestial Dragons, completely ignoring their divine authority. The sheer insolence of these savages infuriated him.
Not just the Marine escortsâeven CP0 was nowhere to be seen. Useless. What good was their protection if they couldnât even do that much? The Holy Knights, fellow Celestial Dragons, were valiantly wiping out the trash, yet the rest couldnât even manage that much.
âŠBut putting that aside, the echoing voices of the approaching pirates had terrified them all, sending them scrambling in desperate retreat.
In the chaos, the man had gotten separated. Before he knew it, he found himself alone, having stumbled all the way to a rocky outcrop near the edge of the island.
"Eek!?"
But the outside was clearly dangerous.
Fortunately, there were no pirates nearbyâthe fighting should have been far from hereâyet the aftershocks of battle still reached this place.
Tremors, quakes, thunderous roars, the sound of shatteringâeven from a distance, the sheer intensity was overwhelming.
"Tch⊠What the hell is thisâŠ!? Useless trash and filthy piratesâŠ!! I wonât forgive this⊠Every last one of you will taste hellâŠ!!"
The Celestial Dragon cursed everything in sight.
Why should someone as exalted as him suffer like this? He wasnât meant to grovel on the ground like this.
He was a god. All other beings were inferior. Slaves. Creatures beneath him, lower lifeforms who existed only to be used as he pleased. It didnât matter what he did to them. Humans had no right to defy him.
Every last person involvedâpirates, Marinesâwould be executed. That was only natural for making a Celestial Dragon suffer like this. They deserved to die in agonyâthat was his conviction.
"Hah⊠Damn it⊠Someone better get here soon⊠Iâm exhausted from running, and Iâm thirstyâŠ"
"âWhatâs wrong?"
"!?"
âAnd then, it happened.
A voice that didnât belong to a Celestial Dragon echoed across the rocks, startling him. Reflexively, he flinched, fearing it might be a pirate.
But it wasnât.
Standing there was a girlâblack hair, crimson eyes.
Seizing the opportunity, the Celestial Dragon turned to her and, as always, issued a command.
"Perfect timingâŠ! Hey, you! Iâm thirsty! Get me something to drink!!"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
"Hey! Are you deaf!? Bring me somethingâwater, anything!!"
"âŠHehehe. Sure~ Just wait a sec, okay?"
"� Hurry up!!"
The Celestial Dragon felt a slight unease, a question mark forming in his mind.
Because this girlâshe had been smiling the entire time.
Not that it mattered. A slave smiling was normal. Crying was annoying. Watching them suffer could be amusing, but constant wailing was unbearable.
So her smile wasnât an issue. Neither was her tone. He could discipline her laterâright now, quenching his thirst took priority.
So he ignored the fact that her smile wasnât the usual slaveâs obedience, but something far more⊠enjoyable.
The girl disappeared briefly behind the rocksâbut returned almost immediately. Fast. Maybe she had her own belongings nearby. He didnât know how she got it, but she held a cup filled with water, offering it to him with that same cheerful smile.
"Here you go! Sorry for the wait~ âȘ"
"Oh! Quick! Youâre a pretty useful slaveâ"
Without hesitation, the Celestial Dragon tilted the cup back and took a gulp.
"Ghk!!? Bwah!! Whaâ!? Cough Gag Wh-What the hell is this water!? Itâs disgustingly saltyâI canât drink this!!?"
He swallowed it in one goâonly to immediately spit it back out. Unbelievably salty. Revolting. As he reeled in confusion, the girl pressed a finger to her cheek, tilting her head in an exaggerated display of innocenceâ
"Huh~? Didnât like the taste? And here I went through all the trouble of fetching it so fast⊠Oh well~ Itâs sea water, after all~ âĄ"
"Whaâ!? Y-You dare make me drink that!? Disgusting!!"
"Aww, sowwy~! You said anything was fine, so I figured seawater would do~ My bad~ ⥠GiggleâŠ"
"Y-YouâŠ!!"
The girl stifled a laugh, her eyes gleaming with mockery as she stared at the Celestial Dragon. In that instant, a vein bulged on his forehead.
"I wonât forgive thisâŠ!! Iâll make you my slave and torture you!! Feed you alive to wild beasts! Thatâs my decree!!"
The Celestial Dragon had spoken. No amount of begging would save her now. This was the punishment for defying a god.
Anticipating her terrified sobs, he bared his teeth in sadistic gleeâ
"Ooh~ Beast feed, huh? Sounds fun~!"
"âŠHuh?"
The girl was smiling. A bright, carefree grinâas if a friend had just suggested the most delightful game.
The Celestial Dragon froze. Heâd never seen this reaction before.
Slaves were supposed to weep. To grovel. Half the fun was dragging them away, watching their pathetic struggles.
Yet this girl looked thrilled.
Still beaming, she skipped closer.
"Maaan, good thing I did those experiments beforehand~! Well then⊠Bon appĂ©tit~ âĄ"
"âHuh? W-Wait!?"
Before he could process her words, she snatched his handâand slid his index finger into her mouth.
"Nom~! Mmm⊠kinda saltyâŠ"
"W-What theâ!? Stop this insanity!! Do you think you can justâ"
Confused and trembling, he tried to yank free, but her tongue was already swirling around his finger. Disgusting. How dare she defile a godâs flesh?
"âChomp."
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHâ!!?"
The pain hit like lightning.
"Mmmf, gnaw, chew, gulp⊠~So noisy⊠slurp, lick, mmmâŠ"
He screamed, flailedâbut her grip was iron. The agony was unreal.
Between ragged breaths, he felt itâthe wet slide of her tongue, the crunch of bone between teeth.
When she finally pulled awayâŠ
His right index finger was gone.
"M-My⊠f-fingerâŠ!? AAAAAH!! IT HURTS!! WHYâŠ!? AAAAAAAHâ!!"
"Mmm~⥠Way tastier than I expected~⥠Maybe itâs the diet? Youâre much juicier than the last guy~âȘ"
With a casual gulp, she swallowed the remains. Blood gushed from the stump.
Tears and snot streaming down his face, the Celestial Dragon stared at herâstill smiling like sheâd just enjoyed a sweet treat.
"W-Why⊠WHY!? IâLL NEVER FORGIVE Yâ"
"Ugh, whine whine whine. Itâs just a finger~! If youâre gonna scream now, howâre you gonna handle it when I eat the rest of you?"
"R-RestâŠ!?"
She said it so lightlyâas if discussing the weather.
"Well, since youâre dying to know why this is happening⊠Letâs just say itâs bad to let people walk all over you~"
"W-Walk all over�"
"Yep! Honestly? I donât even hate you guys anymore. The past doesnât haunt me. I donât get sad thinking about it. Iâm totally over itâ"
She tilted her head, her smile never wavering.
"âOr so I thought~"
She said so casually, as if she really had no idea what was going on.
"Hmm~ So I really took the time to think about my feelings, yâknow? And when I dug deep into what was bubbling up inside me⊠turns out thereâs still this kinda⊠irritating emotion stuck there, right? Not quite anger, but like, annoyance? Yeah, that kinda thingâs definitely still hanging around."
The girl casually tore off the Celestial Dragonâs middle finger, gnawed on it, and swallowed before continuingâas if it were just a snack. Thatâs how she treated human flesh and blood. The sight was downrightâŠ
"But acting like I didnât care at all, like I was hung up on the pastâI figured thatâd be lame, yâknow? I mean, sure, it happened âcause I was weak. It was my fault. Holding a grudge over it would just be⊠pathetic, for a pirate."
She paused.
"Still, that doesnât change the fact that what happened pisses me off. Get it? Letting it slide would be like crying myself to sleep over it. Every time I remember, it bugs me. And from now on, every time I see a Celestial Dragon, Iâll just get more pissed. Soâ"
Leaning in close, her face hovering inches from the Celestial Dragonâs, she smiledâsweet, cruel, her crimson eyes gleaming likeâŠ
"âI have to pay them back. If Iâm gonna live as a true pirate from now on, Iâve gotta settle my past debts. So sorry, but⊠Hehe, bon appĂ©tit~âĄ"
"!?!?"
Like⊠a beast.
In that instant, the Celestial Dragon understood. This creatureâno, this monsterâwould never abide by human reason. Not even a Celestial Dragonâs.
"G-GYAAAAAAAAHHHâ!!! S-Stop!! P-PLEEEASE!!"
"Ahhh, quit screeching. If someone hears, itâll be such a pain⊠There~"
She didnât let him squirm free. With her free hand, she flicked somethingâa bird-shaped thingâinto his body. It phased through him effortlessly, vanishing like one of her other unfathomable abilities.
"ââMystery Seed.â Now, even if someone sees you, they wonât recognize you as a Celestial Dragon. I mean, whoâd ever guess a cute girl like meâs out here eating a⊠oh, wait, noâeating a Celestial Dragon? Right~?"
No one would find out. The Celestial Dragon couldnât grasp how it worked, but the girl just smiled, blood dripping from her lips, utterly unfazed.
"Hehe, donât worryâIâll eat every last bite. I even brought seasonings and utensils! Thereâs seawater nearby, so Iâll clean out your guts properly before cooking you up nice and tender~⥠Iâve done experiments, yâknow? Read tons of cookbooks!"
"GYEEHK!? N-NOOO!! STOOOPâ!!"
"Mmm~, meatâs so much tastier when itâs well-nourished~⥠Wonder if grillingâll change the flavor? Okaaay, next upâfire~"
She bit into his arm, chewing methodically, like it was fried chicken. His agony meant nothing to her. Her smile was the kind youâd see at a feast.
And why not? To her, this was a ritual.
A farewell to her weak, former self. A rite to live freely as a pirateâno regrets, no hesitation. If youâre wronged, you strike back. If you want something, you take it. That was the strength she embraced now.
Besides, to her, he was just food. Who mourns the fish theyâre about to eat? At most, youâd say "thanks for the meal"âand sheâd already done that. Sheâd even fold her hands afterward for "that was delicious." She was polite like that.
And so, as battles raged elsewhere, a far more innocent horror unfolded quietly on the rocky shoreâa girlâs farewell to her past, one bite at a time.
The shattered battlefieldâstrewn with fragments of the collapsed cliffsideâwas so fiercely contested that merely standing there would have been lethal for anyone of ordinary strength.
"OOOOOH...!!!"
"GYAHAHAHA...!!!"
"GRRRN...!!!"
Every single strike was fatal.
The three warriors, their attacks imbued with the pinnacle of Haki, shattered the earth, cleaved through towering boulders, and split the heavens. Naturallyâif these blows landed on flesh, no amount of Haki could fully negate the damage.
"...!!"
"GYAHA...!!"
"Tch...!! OOOOH!!"
A pitch-black blade, a conqueror's-infused strikeâthe world's strongest pirate, Rocks D. Xebec, unleashed a slash that carved another fissure through the valley. This was the same kind of attack that had sheared off the cliffside earlier. Even blocking it strained the body to its limits, leaving wounds that couldn't be ignored.
But in that split-second opening, Roger, the pirate who had endured the blow, created a sliver of an opportunityâand Garp drove his jet-black fist straight into Xebec's torso. For the first time, the smirk vanished from Xebec's face, replaced by a grimace of pain. And thenâ
"RAAAAAGH!!!"
"Guh...!!! GUBH...! GY-GYAHAHAHA...!!"
"Tch!!? GUWAAAAAAH!!?"
Roger, forcing himself back to his feet, landed a direct slash on Xebec. A strike refined by his supreme Hakiâone that should have bisected a man effortlessly. Yet Xebec's own Haki hardened his body just enough to keep the blade from cutting deeper, leaving only a surface wound. Spitting blood but still laughing, Xebec retaliated by channeling Haki into his pistol and firing several rounds point-blank into Roger's chest. The pirate captain screamed as he was sent flyingâonly for Garp to seize the opening and deliver another crushing blow.
Butâ
"HRRGH...!! ...Heh...!!! Magnificent...!!! You two are... the best...!!!"
"!!? GUH!!?"
"G-Garp...!!"
Even now, Xebec refused to kneel. Instead, he countered with a devastating punch that sent Garp hurtling backwardâsmashing through a distant cliff face dozens of meters away with sheer force alone.
All three were drenched in blood, their bodies littered with gruesome wounds.
Yet Garp's injuries were the lightest of the trioâthough "light" still meant his skull was split open and his fists were reduced to mangled, bloodied wrecks.
Roger and Xebec, however? Their wounds were so severe that it was a miracle they were still breathing.
Not an inch of their bodies was spared. Finding unmarred flesh was impossible.
And yetâeven in this near-death state... the "Devil" never stopped smiling.
"GYAHAHA... I've never... met anyone worth calling an enemy... till now...!! To think there were men in this world who could stand against me...!!!"
"Tch...! You damn monster...!!"
"De... vi... ls...!! Me... and you two...!! We're men... branded with the mark of devils...!!!"
"!!!"
Xebec laughed, even as his blood painted the ground. To him, this was euphoria.
One-on-one? Xebec was superior.
But two against one? Roger and Garp held the slightest edge.
Yet even in this desperate struggle... he was enjoying every second of it. And thenâhe grinned, as if privy to some grand secret.
There was something about his wordsâthe way he spoke of the world's taboosâthat gripped the heart, even mid-battle. Even as Garp reared back for another earth-shattering punchâ
"GYAHA... Tell meâdo you two... love storms...?"
"!!?"
âHe wouldn't fall.
Bracing, dragging his feet across the torn earth, Xebec spoke to them as he fought back.
To the fellow "D."âto the first true enemies he'd ever knownâhe roared,
"A calm sea's boring... It's the raging tempest that sets the soul alight!!! Hah... You know it too, don't you!? I live for it...!! Conquering the stormâthat's what it means to be a pirate... Hell, sometimes I wanna be the damn storm myself...!!!"
"...So that's why you seek dominion...!?"
It was Roger who rose, gasping for breath, and hurled the question back.
Even on the brink, he refused to back down. That was the choice he had made.
Xebec's lips twisted into a smirk. Their blades clashed in a relentless storm of steel as he answeredâ
"Damn right...!! That's the conviction on my flag...!! Since I was a brat... I've wanted it all...!! To take everything... To unravel every mystery... To taste every joy and suffering this world hasâand rule over it all!!! I've done whatever it took... good or evil...!!!"
"So you'll... kill those who defy you...!?"
Roger's fury burned alongside his counterattack. To him, there was no greater sin than robbing others of their freedomâtheir crew.
But Xebec met that killing intent head-on, laughing through bloodstained teethâ
"You Understand, Donât You...!! There Are Fools in This World Who Wonât Obey No Matter How Much Fear or Violence You Use...!! People Like That Can Only Be Killed... That Includes You and Your Crew...!!"
"âŠâŠ!! I wonât let that happen!!!"
âGihaha... Oh really? You noticed, didnât you? This island is slowly collapsing...!!â
â!!â
Whether it was something they suspected or a complete shock, Roger and Garp grit their teeth and charge at Rocks simultaneously. But Rocks handles them both and continues speaking.
"Maybe itâs our fault, or maybe not... Who knows whatâs really happening... Gihaha, once this is over, maybe Iâll look into it...!! Thereâs still a few questions Iâve got for that monster called Saturn...!!"
âHah... Hah...!!â
âThe island is sinking...â
If one sharpened their senses, it wasnât just the valleyâthere was a tremor from the bedrock itself. Sensing that the two were beginning to realize it, Rocks grinned. This time, he deliberately provoked the battered Roger.
âWorried about your crew...? Of course you are... You want to run to help them, donât you...? My elite subordinates might already be slaughtering your precious comrades as we speak...!! Gihaha, youâre welcome to run, you know...? Even the fiercest warriors fear fighting me...!! No one would blame you for fleeing...!!â
From here, it was too far. And with Rocks before him, there was no room to focus on anything elseâRoger had no way of knowing whether his crew was safe.
Rocks pressed that point, then asked Roger: why do you keep fighting like this?
Rogerâs answer was unexpected.
âHah... Hah... No... I will never let you escape...!! Iâll crush you here and now...!!!â
Those words were so direct, Rocks was momentarily taken aback. It was an answer that genuinely caught him off guard.
ââŠ? Gihaha... I donât get it. Me? Escape? What are you talking about... I have no need to run. Youâre strong, sure, but thereâs no one in this world who can truly beat me...!! So why would I run!!?â
âAnswer me,â Rocks demanded, his voice heavy with Haki.
Roger responded, his eyes burning with unwavering resolve:
âMy crew... will definitely survive, if only youâre gone...!! Thatâs why I wonât let you get away...!! Your ambition to control everything... I have to put an end to it here!!! I want to sail free... and your ambition suffocates me to no end!!! Rocks!!!â
â!!â
For a moment, Rogerâs Haki pushes back against Rocksâ. Until now, he could barely keep up. But nowâhe was slightly ahead. Rocks noticed this shift, and with a mix of recognition and thrill, he laughed.
â...Gihaha... I see...!!â
Finally, Rocks gives upâtruly this time.
This man was never someone who could be tamed.
âIâve always gotten what I wanted, no matter the means... But youâI just canât get my hands on you, no matter what I do...!!â
âDamn right!!! I belong to no one!!!â
âGihaha...!! Looks like thatâs true... You know, itâs been a long timeâlike I saidâsince someone capable of becoming my enemy has appeared...!! An enemy I canât control... Gihaha, youâre infuriatingâbut thrilling at the same time...!! But if I eliminate all of you, thereâll be no one left who can stand against me!! My domination of the world will be inevitable!!!â
âI wonât let you!!! Itâs because we donât disappear that weâre your enemies!! I will defeat you!!! Iâll never forgive anyone who tries to steal peopleâs freedom!!!â
â...Gihaha... Gihahahahaha...!!!â
Seeing Roger radiating such unshakable hostility, Rocks burst into laughter like he couldnât help himself. Garp, also brimming with defiance, watched him laugh.
â...You laugh at Rogerâs foolish âdreamâ?â
âGihahaâno. I canât laugh at it. Itâs amusingâbut not laughable. Isnât it exhilarating...? If someone escapes not only the World Government, not only the legions of pirates, but even my âdominationââthen that freedom is real...â
âYou think my âdreamâ is pointless, Rocks!!?â
âNah... I wouldnât say thatâŠâŠâŠâŠ If you can take me down, your freedom will come true...!! And Garp, maybe your version of âjusticeâ will shine through too... So go ahead, try and protect it allâŠ!!! Iâll turn this âGod Valleyâ into your gravesâthe tombstone of those who dared to oppose my âruleâ...!!!â
Rocks doesnât mock them. He grins, but he never scoffs at their dreamsâhe couldnât if he tried.
He couldnât look down on a man who, just like him, chased after the grand dream of âfreedom.â
And thatâs exactly whyâthey could never coexist.
"Go ahead and try... Rocks...!!!"
"I wonât let you have your way...!!!"
"GYAHAHAHAHAHA...!! Alright... letâs end this already... Monkey D. Garp... Gol D. Roger...!! If you two really plan to carry your 'will' into the future... then firstâyouâll have to shatter MINE!!!!"
ââThat was the signal for the final clash.
Every last one of them poured their strength, their haki, and their conviction into their weapons for one decisive strike.No matter who won, the seas ahead would rage. Someone would inherit that "will"âor pass it on to another. An era would end, the tides would surge, and as the curtain rose on a new age, people would keep chasing their dreams.This was something that could never be stopped.
"A god-slaying strike of annihilation...!!"
As long as people sought the answer to freedomâ
"'Divine Departure'ââ"
"'Galaxy Impact'ââ"
ââThese things would never cease!!!
"ââ'RAGNARĂK'!!!!"
"ââ'THE END'!!!!"
"ââ'BIG BANG BURST'!!!!"
And now... another era reached its conclusion.
ââGod Valley crumbled.
At the islandâs center, in the depths of a fathomless ravine, a strike powerful enough to destroy the land itself had sent a two-thousand-meter cliffside crashing down. A rain of boulders poured from aboveâand amidst it...
"Haah... Haah...!!"
".........Gh... Ugh...!!"
"............"
One fallen man was the pirateâGol D. Roger.And anotherâthe great pirate, Rocks D. Xebec.Only one remained standingâMonkey D. Garp.
The final blow had been struck. As the aftermath settled, Garp, his breath ragged, glared weakly at the two.In that instant, Rocks forced himself to his feet.
"Gh... Gya-ha... ha... You got me..."
Staggering but upright, Rocks looked down at Roger, his body battered beyond measure. With a grin, he declared:
"...That last strike... only you and I traded blows... Garp never landed his... GYAHAHA... Canât do a damn thing now... I can barely stand... let alone fight... If itâs just between you and me... call it a draw... Noâyour win, I guess..."
".........!!"
Rocks admitted defeat. No excuses about it being two against one. This was a pirateâs battleâno such thing as "dishonor." The one who survived was the victor.
And as the "loser," Rocks had one final question.
"Roger... Can you really unravel the seaâs secrets... and conquer the world...? The oceanâs vast... Even I donât know half of whatâs out there... You really think you can carry that 'will' forward...?"
It was the "will" Rocks knew ofâone that stretched back to ancient times.Something forgotten, yet barely clinging to life. But of courseâpeople only truly die when theyâre forgotten. So that will still lived, waiting for someone to guide it.
Do you have the resolve to inherit it? Rocks asked.
And the answer cameâ
"............How the hell should I know...? No matter what stands in my way... Iâm a pirate... Iâll keep chasing the 'will' of FREEDOM...!!!"
At those words... Rocksâ lips curled into a smirk.Garp stepped closer, fist clenchedâ
"............GYAHAHAHAHAHA... I... SEE..."
"!!!"
ââAnd with that, Garpâs strike pierced through Rocks, sending his body flying far beyond, crashing through the remnants of the ravine until he vanished into the distance.
Left behind in victory: Roger and Garp.
The meaning of Rocksâ final words... their true intent, their answerâwas something the two of them couldnât possibly fathom.
The collapse of God Valley began without warning.
âWhaâ!!? Owwwwww! What the hell!?â
As a pirate apprentice of the Rocks Pirates, I had just finished rinsing my mouth and wiping it clean with water and tissues when the valley crumbled. A violent shock followed right after. Ouchâdid something hit me!?
Maybe the battle had finally ended. If that was the case⊠I waited for the dust to clear and checked what had flown toward me.
ââŠWait, Captain Rocks!?â
ââŠGihaha⊠oh come on⊠donât catch me like that⊠I was planning to go out in style⊠and of all people, it had to be you, Nue⊠what twisted fate is thisâŠâ
âE-Ehh!? Itâs just a coincidence, butâwait, you're seriously messed up!â
The battle seemed to be over⊠or so it appeared. Captain Rocks was barely managing to smile and was still breathing, but his body was so battered it wouldnât be surprising to say he was already dead. Not even someone like Kaido or me could call this just an injury. He was probably dying. Noâhe was dying. Well, with Kaido, who knows how heâll turn out with time, but Captain Rocks⊠he was as good as dead.
ââŠBut⊠well, whatever. Thereâs something I wanted to talk aboutâŠâ
âE-Even I feel weird having a chat with someone in that condition⊠but⊠talk?â
âThatâs right⊠itâs simple⊠Nue, how much do you know about this world?â
ââŠâŠHuhâEEHHH!?â
I froze, unable to comprehend what he just said for a moment. But then I understoodâand my face went pale. That was my top secret.
âN-N-No, uh⊠itâs not like⊠I mean, that sort of thingâŠâ
âDonât play dumb⊠I read your thoughts⊠I know your mindâs messed upâŠâ
âRude!! That makes it sound like Iâm insane!! Waitâdonât tell me⊠Observation Haki?â
âGihaha⊠I knew it, you do know⊠Thatâs right. With advanced Observation Haki, you can read someoneâs memories by touching their mind⊠Gihaha, itâs a favorite trick of some noble countâŠâ
Ahhh⊠so thatâs what it was⊠I see now. I let my guard down. He patted my head a few timesâthat mustâve been the reason. âŠWait, if he knew, why didnât heâŠ
âI canât go that far, though⊠All I can do is sense presences and skim some thoughts⊠but even so, I noticed your mind was not normalâŠâ
So he doesnât know everythingâCaptain Rocks answered my question before I could ask. He has limits. He canât read that deeply. That said⊠thatâs still way too OPâŠ
âI-I see⊠but, if you ask how much I know⊠I guess I know the worldâs setting, the flow of things, the people, stuff like that⊠but not much about the core of it allâŠâ
âThat much was clear. You didnât seem to know anything about me, this island, or what was about to happen⊠You made things difficult, left me confused⊠couldnât even use you properly because I didnât understand what you knewâŠâ
âSorry about that⊠I guess I caused a bit of troubleâŠâ
I stumbled over my words, unsure of what to say. So instead, I just trailed off awkwardly. Captain Rocks looked at me and continued speaking.
ââŠWell, thatâs fine⊠But listen, Nueâthereâs nothing wrong with using that knowledge. Just donât rely on itâŠâ
â! ThatâsâŠâ
Captain Rocks, uncharacteristically, dropped his smile and gave a serious warning. I was at a loss for words again. He continued,
âThatâs a power you were born with⊠so sure, you have every right to use it however you want. No one can tell you otherwise. But that knowledge isnât absolute. Itâs uncertain. Fate⊠is massive. Even I ended up meeting the same fate⊠I donât have much credibility saying this, but⊠the future can always change. What you think you know could shift completely⊠So donât bet your life on something so unstable. Steer your own ship.â
ââŠCaptain RocksâŠâ
ââŠWhat, that doesnât suit me coming from a guy like me? Gihaha⊠I know it doesnât⊠But if youâre gonna go off and be a pirate with Kaido, burn this into your mind. Pirates are meant to be free⊠Power is something to use, not something that binds you⊠So go stir up chaos however you want⊠Screw what anyone else thinks. GihahaâŠâ
ââŠGot it. Iâll take that to heart.â
It wasnât like him at allâbut I accepted his advice head-on. I thought I understood it already, but maybe I didnât. Maybe, just maybe, if he hadnât told me that, I mightâve ended up doing exactly what he warned against. Thatâs why I took his words seriously.
But beyond that⊠there was still one more thing I wanted to ask.
"...Captain. I just want to ask you something..."
"...What's wrong...? It's getting rough... I don't have much time left, y'know...?"
Even knowing the end of his life was near, Captain Rocks still made the effort to listen to my words. I was gratefulâand so I asked him.
"...You were pretending to pat my head... while actually reading my thoughts, weren't you...?"
"...Yeah, that's about right. Gihaha, disappointed? Sorry, kid, but Iâve never been especially fond of children... I donât keep useless people on my ship."
That was what Captain Rocks said. And it was probably the truthâhis real feelings. But stillâ
"...Then what about the very first time?"
"..."
Captain Rocks was caught slightly off guard.
Sensing the opening, I pressed on. I knew this might be my only chance to hear his true feelings.
"Even if there was knowledge in my head that mightâve been useful... you wouldnât have touched it just to find that outânot without knowing it was there. So the first time you touched my head... it wasnât to use me, it was for thatâ"
I was about to say it, but before I couldâ
"...Gihahahaha... You really are a sharp one, arenât you...?"
"...So then... uh... was it really?"
Captain Rocks let out a resigned laugh, as if giving in. I asked him half in disbeliefâpartly because I truly didnât expect that answer. And with his usual devilish grin, he saidâ
"Hey now... even if they call me a devil, Iâm still human... Iâve got normal feelings too, yâknow...? The unknown gets my heart racing... When someone pisses me off, I wanna kill âemâand I do. When I see something I want, I take it. When someoneâs got nothing, I feel kinda sorry for âem. I wanna fight strong people... If I think skulls look cool... I do. I want good food and drink... and yeah, Iâve even got the kind of heart that reaches for pretty flowers or the stars... So yeah, when thereâs a brat that pisses me off, I wanna kill âem... but when thereâs a cute little brat... I might just wanna pat their head, too..."
"...!"
"Gihaha... Surprised? But thatâs who I really am. Iâm just a selfish man... someone who does what he wants, nothing more. Doesnât matter if itâs good or bad, if it suits me or not... I decide everything for myself. No one else gets to tie me down. I do what I want. And thatâs why Iâwhy we piratesâare called villains and âdevilsâ...!!"
"...Captain Rocks..."
"Gihahahaha... But still... to think youâd be the one to figure it out... Youâve always been sharp... damn annoying... Youâve grown up so much..."
"...!"
"Gihaha... I canât read anything from you anymore... Guess this is finally it for me... I always figured I wouldnât die a peaceful death, but... never thought the one to see me off would be a kid..."
"...Captain Rocks. Iâ"
"Now, now... you really are a kid after all... always needing looking after... Gihaha... Listen up, Iâll tell you something... If youâre gonna be a pirate... enjoy it to the fullest...! Pirates, since ancient times, have always been the ones who laugh...! Gihahahahaha...ââ"
"...!! Captain Rocks!!"
I said itâsmiling toward the fading consciousness of Captain Rocksâor rather, Rocks D. Xebecâ
"ââThank you. For everything, all this time. Iâm going now!!!"
"...Ohh... Have fun with Kaido... Gihaha... ha... ha...ââ"
And just like that... the great pirate Rocks D. Xebec passed from this worldâwearing that devilish grin to the very end.
I watched him for a few seconds. Just for a little while, I stayed there, then wiped the corner of my eyes.
"ââNue."
"...! Kaido..."
Before I realized it, my partnerâKaido, bloodied from battleâwas standing behind me.
I didnât turn around. We just spoke, back to back.
"...The old manâs dead?"
"...Yeah, he is..."
"...I see. Even someone as strong as him... dies, huh..."
Kaido looked at both me and Rocksâ lifeless body. Maybe he had some thoughts of his own. Silence hung heavy between us for a moment.
But then, Kaido spoke clearly.
"ââLetâs go."
"...Yeah."
He said it, and I nodded in response. He didnât say anything else when he looked at me. He just spoke of what comes next.
"The old manâs gone. That means the Rocks Pirates are finished. No way in hell Iâm tagging along with Whitebeard, Shiki... or that damn hag. Weâll forge our own path...!!"
"Yeah... I agree."
I understood what he meant. The fact that Kaido didnât say moreâthat was his way of showing care.
If Iâm gonna stand beside Kaido, I canât be showing a pathetic face over something like this. He pretended not to see, and I pretended not to cry. Thatâs how it has to beâespecially for the man Iâm going to help rise.
Thatâs what it means to be a pirate.
To me, piratesânow and alwaysâmean living how you want.
And enjoying it.
"...Haaah. So I guess this is the end for us too... Alright, letâs go grab our stuff from the ship."
"Yeah. While we're at it, might as well steal anything useful."
"Exactly! I was thinking the same thing. I bet thereâs all kinds of good stuff left behind!"
"Then letâs move fast, grab what we can, and get out of here. Let the Navy deal with that old hagâŠ!!"
"Right! And then letâs find some island and get startedâour pirate lives!"
"UorororoâŠ!! Hell yeah!! Letâs do it, Nue!! You and meâweâll build the strongest pirate crew the worldâs ever seenâŠ!!!"
And soâKaido and I flew away from the crumbling God Valley, carrying our loot with us.
In my heart, I looked back just for a moment,
âGoodbye, Captain Rocks⊠Get some rest.
I offered my words of farewell. To the man whoâd taken care of me for six long yearsâmy foster father.
The news spread like wildfire.
"âN-no way⊠Y-youâre kidding⊠The old manâŠ? The strongest pirate in the world⊠dead!?"
"Itâs true! I just saw the body!! You saw it too, didnât you!? That massive ravineâcompletely gone!!"
"S-so then⊠what happens to us�"
With the fall of God Valley, the fighting ground to a halt.
Boarding their ships, and hearing the confirmation from crewmates who claimed to have seen the corpse, the members of the Rocks Pirates stood frozen in shock.
But not all of them were like that.
"âJiha ha ha ha⊠No freakinâ way⊠Roger and Garp, huh? Canât believe they pulled it off⊠But if thatâs how it is, then Iâve made up my mindâIâm gonna do things my way from now onâŠ!!"
"You bastard⊠Golden LionâŠ!!"
The man bearing clear signs of exhaustionââGolden Lionâ Shikiâwore a grin that was both amused and stunned by what their enemies had done. Behind him stood a sizeable force of loyal subordinates as he made his declaration.
Whitebeard furrowed his brow at that. He too was heavily wounded from the battle. Around him stood a modest group of crewmates, just a dozen or so, instinctively supporting him in silence.
Then, from another shipâ
"Hahaha⊠Mamamamama⊠Not bad at all⊠With the Captain dead, thereâs no reason to stick around. From here on, weâre doing our own thingâŠ!! The next king of the seasâis gonna be ME!!!"
"Y-you⊠LinlinâŠ!!"
Aboard a Navy battleship sheâd hijacked, Linlin was surrounded by the crewmates sheâd originally broughtâstarting with Streusen and many of her own children.
And somehow, as if prepared ahead of time, sheâd also made off with one of Rocksâ prized treasuresâthe red stone, the Road Poneglyph.
"Itâs the age of science nowâŠ!"
"Rocks is dead⊠Then Iâm heading back to my island."
"Uhehe⊠Iâll be doing things my way too⊠All the treasure in the worldâitâs mineâŠ!"
"Iâm going tooâŠ!"
"Same here. Iâll live free and do what I wantâŠ!"
"You bastardsâŠ"
More and more of the crewâpeople who were supposed to be comradesâscattered without hesitation. The self-proclaimed scientist Stussy left. Gloriosa, former captain of the Kuja Pirates, returned to her island. The man known as Captain John, obsessed with treasure, broke off on his own. Silver Axe, Wang Zhiâall of them left.
Everyone realized they couldnât keep going like this. And truthfully, they were never the kind of people who could follow someone else to begin with.
Thatâs what the Rocks Pirates wereâan assembly of monstrous pirates brought together by a single, lucrative opportunity. The only reason they could function as one crew aboard that ship was because of Rocksâ overwhelming charisma, iron control⊠and above all, his sheer, unmatched strength.
Without him, the crewâs dissolution was inevitable. No one would take up his mantle. It was an end as cold as it was inevitable.
Edward âWhitebeardâ Newgate suddenly found himself thinking about two people.
"âŠWhere are Kaido and Nue?"
"Ah⊠Seems like they slipped out early. Some folks say they saw the two of them flying off just a bit agoâŠ"
"âŠâŠI see."
Whitebeard exhaled, his eyes softening. Those two had graduated from their days as apprenticesâand were setting off to walk their own path.
He knew Nue probably still had something left unsaid. But by now, it was too late to chase after her.
Still, it wasnât like theyâd never cross paths again.
From now on, he too would follow the path heâd finally come to recognize as his own.
"âŠHey. You lot."
Whitebeard spokeânot to everyone, but to the small number of crewmates who had, just a little, shown him some loyalty. âŠHe had wanted to say this to that girl, tooâto help her find her wayâbut he let go of that regret and said:
"âŠIf youâre willing⊠how âbout you get on my shipâŠâŠand become myâfamily?"
âAnd with those words, a new chapter began for him as well.
Thus, the Rocks Pirates, once hailed as the strongest pirate crew in the world, were no more. Its remnants scattered to pursue their own fates.
The pirates who would later shake the worldâthis was their origin. They learned what it meant to be a pirate from one man⊠Rocks.
âEdward âWhitebeardâ Newgate would go on to form the Whitebeard Pirates, with only around ten followers at first. Carrying with him the principles he learned from Rocksâthe ways of a pirate, the twisted yet undeniable prideâand the realization of what he truly wanted at last.
âCharlotte Linlin, later known as Big Mom, would form the Big Mom Pirates, with her original crew, her growing family of nearly thirty children, and the stolen Road Poneglyph. She kept in mind Rocksâ method of controlâruling through fearâand his leadership style.
ââGolden Lionâ Shiki secretly rallied remnants of the old crew and established the Golden Lion Pirates, carrying forward Rocksâ meticulous, bold planningâthe intelligence that had even cornered the World Government.
âTogether with his sworn sister Nue, Kaido of the Beasts took several remnants of the Rocks legacy and, slightly later than the others, went on to form the Beasts Pirates.
He knew that the overwhelming strength needed to dominate so many powerful individuals, like Rocks did, was the most important thing of all.
And for Nue, the Sealed Beast, who chose to follow Kaidoâwhat she sought as a pirate was to enjoy it.
To learn the many things needed to survive in these seas. To grasp what truly mattered most in this vast ocean.
And so, engraving Kaidoâs way of life as a pirate deep into her heart, and with a firm will, she set sail.
The news of the destruction of the Rocks Piratesâa force that once shook the worldâspread across the globe in an instant.
âThe Rocks Pirates have been wiped out at God Valley!?â
âThey say it was done by a Navy Vice Admiral named Garp!!â
âA hero of the Marines!! Hero Garp!! Long live the Navy!! Praise the hero!!â
âOh, thank you⊠thank you, GodâŠ!!â
ââŠThey didnât mention us at all, Aniki.â
âIt was Kuma who saved us, yâknow! But not even a single word about it⊠What did happen on that island anyway?â
ââŠâŠ(Aside from the ones I helped escape, everyone else⊠is alreadyâŠ)â
People wept with overwhelming joy at the news.
The birth of a new hero was celebrated across countless islands, and the name âGarpâ resounded throughout the world.
Butâ
ââWhat the hell is going on!?â
âCalm down, Garp!!!â
At Navy Headquarters, in a certain room, the one shouting angrily into a Den Den Mushi was none other than the very hero of the affairâMonkey D. Garp.
Several days had passed since the battle. His body still wrapped in bandages and bearing the pain of the fight, Garp's face twisted in fury. Trying to restrain him was Sengoku, his fellow Navy man from the same generation.
But even Sengoku couldnât quell that rage. The reason lay with the World Government itself, who had issued the statement.
âYou saved us this time⊠As recognition of that feat and our gratitude, we are awarding you a medal and promoting you to the admiral position left vacant by Rocks⊠Whatâs the problem?â
âDonât give me that crap!!! Thatâs not even the point!!! Why is all the credit going to me!? I wasnât the only one who took down RocksâŠ!! Hell, the one who actually beat him was Roger!!! So why am I the only one being called a hero!!?â
ââŠThereâs no need to inform the public of such details.â
âEven if you donât need toâI do!!! I wonât be called a âheroâ over a lie like thisââ
âThatâs enough, Garp!!!â
Sengoku wrapped his arms around Garp, who looked ready to explode, and held him back. But Garpâs fury still wouldnât subside. Sengoku had no choice but to speak plainly.
ââŠWe canât afford to scare the peopleâŠ!! If they found out there was a pirate strong enough to defeat Rocks, fear and panic would spread across the worldâŠ!!â
âSo you're telling me we just lie to them!?â
âTo keep them feeling safeâŠ!!â
âTchâŠ!!â
ââŠDo you understand now?â
The voice from the Den Den Mushi picked the perfect momentâwhen Garp briefly choked on his wordsâto press its point.
Garp fell slightly silent. Seeing this, Sengoku released him. But Garp picked up the receiver with a face that showed he had made up his mind.
ââŠFine. I get it now. Let the reports stay as they areâŠâ
âIâm glad you understand. Now, about the medal and your promotionââ
Just as they tried to proceed, Garp cut in to put a stop to it.
ââBut Iâm refusing the promotion!!!â
âWhaâ!? Garp!?â
â!? âŠWhy?â
No one could believe what they heard. Every person listening was stunned by Garpâs declaration.
But Garp meant every word. With unwavering resolve, he stood firmâeven against those who ruled from above the clouds.
âI wonât become an admiralâŠ!! Iâll remain at my current rank⊠and continue serving in the Navy freelyâŠ!!!â
âFoolishness⊠Such a thingââ
âDonât worry!!! Iâll keep hunting pirates and putting an end to the bloodshedâŠ!! Even that bastard Rogerâsooner or later, I will catch himâŠ!!!â
ââŠDo you despise the title of admiral that much? I wouldnât possibly think it's becauseâŠâ
âWhat!? You gonna fire me then!?â
âHey, Garp!!? Stop!! Donât go any furtherâ!â
Sengoku, now clearly flustered, tried to stop Garp from saying more. But before he could, a composed and serious voice came through the receiver.
ââŠVery well. Then your promotion is rescinded.â
â!â
ââŠYou mean that?â
âYes. For none other than the âHeroâ Garp⊠your request will be granted. Weâll be counting on you going forward.â
With a click, the Den Den Mushi call ended.
Now alone in the room, just the two of them present, Garp and Sengoku were finally able to speak without restraint.
ââŠGarp. Why did you refuse the promotion?â
âShut up⊠Iâll never be a subordinate to the Celestial DragonsâŠ!!â
â! âŠI see.â
Gritting his teeth, Garpâs answer struck a chord. Sengoku understood. After more than a decade of knowing each other, he was well aware of the kind of justice and morals Garp stood by.
So, Sengoku didnât press further on that topic. Instead, he shifted the conversation to what came next.
ââŠIn that case, weâve got a meeting to attend. I know youâre still recovering, but we need to determine the new bountiesâboth for the pirates who split from the Rocks crew and for the Roger Pirates, who brought them down. They want your opinion, since youâve had direct involvement and witnessed their threat firsthand.â
ââŠGot it.â
Garp nodded as he took the bundle of wanted posters Sengoku retrieved from the deskâones belonging to former members of the Rocks Pirates.
Among them was a poster with no photoâone that Garp suspected belonged to the true perpetrator behind the murder of the Celestial Dragons orchestrated by Rocks himself: an unknown girl of mysterious identity.
ââŠIs there someone that caught your eye?â
ââŠHmph. Not particularly. Letâs just get this over withâŠâ
ââŠYeah.â
Though Sengoku noticed exactly who had drawn Garpâs attention, he chose not to press the matter, and the two headed off together toward the meeting room.
Even in the Holy Land where the gods reside, the incident was being discussed.
âSo⊠Rocks is dead.â
âFortune favored us. If not for Garp and Roger, things could have become troublesome.â
âBut with Rocks gone, many pirates are starting to go independent. The seas will be turbulent for a while.â
âSeveral treasures were stolen. And on top of that, the death of Celestial Dragons⊠A grave situation indeed.â
âAccording to the report from the âGod Knightsâ⊠the one responsible wasââ
The Five Elders, those at the very pinnacle of divine authority, spoke of the incidentâs aftermathâand felt a sense of relief.
The death of Rocks D. Xebec meant one major threat to their rule had been eliminated.
Even so, there were still many things that warranted concern. Pirates who had splintered off after the collapse of the Rocks Pirates now roamed freely across the seas.
ââŠThe Sealed Beast, Nue, huhâŠâ
One of the Five Elders, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, muttered as he held the wanted poster of the girl he had personally witnessed at God Valleyâthinking, perhaps she too might one day grow into a threat.
Some time passed after the incident. On a remote island, far from human reachâ
ââŠWell, this should do.â
In a desolate corner of the world, he drove his sword into the earth and draped his vivid red coat over it.
That was his grave.
Standing before it, a girl smiled.
ââWatch over me and Kaido, okay? Have fun up there.â
With a firm grip on her trident, the girl leapt into the sky and flew off.
Now, the storm no one could stop crackled with thunderâilluminating the seas ahead with its fierce glow.
Like a devilâunbound, unchainedâŠ
Free.
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