The more than sixty islands under the Rocks Pirates' rule once again descended into chaos and mourning.
Couldn't Captain Rocks just take a breath?
Each island was now being forced into conscription, gathering able-bodied men and drafting them into the new war for supremacy. But on Longwater Island in the New World, the stench of death still lingered, the corpses unburied, the soil soaked in blood. The fog of war hadn't yet lifted—and another battle was already looming.
Ever since Rocks annihilated the Dark News Agency, the Vulture News Birds had reverted to true vultures—feral scavengers who never lacked for carrion. Longwater Island had become a paradise for them. Overlord battles always left behind mountains of corpses, and if a pirate had no crewmates left to claim the body, they'd be picked clean by the sky.
Some pirates even begged to never return to Longwater again. The island had become a graveyard—cold winds, pestilence, an atmosphere thick with death.
So, Diger and Rocks chose a new battleground.
A flat, low-lying island was selected. It was renamed Normandy Island, a name already whispered in fear—New Meat Grinder Island. No mountains, no forests, no places to hide—only open fields perfect for head-on charges.
The new recruits cursed the idiot who suggested it. On Longwater Island, at least there were trees to hide behind. Here, you either fought or died.
With Rocks having declared war, the Diger Pirates and Hell Pirates were forced to respond, rapidly expanding their fleets in preparation.
Brook, however, found the whole thing disgusting.
"These pointless wars… If you're going to fight, let the elites fight. Why drag in greenhorns and cannon fodder?"
Brook said it loud and clear—across Den Den Mushi lines, at pirate gatherings, even during strategy meetings. He openly condemned these slaughterfests between low-level crews. If a war must happen, it should be between cadres and commanders—not glorified minions.
"If this madness continues, I'll have Newgate and Shiki sink Normandy Island into the sea myself," he warned.
That declaration made him a hero among pirate civilians across the New World. People began calling the Hell Pirates the most benevolent overlords in the sea. Some pirate families, fed up with Rocks' endless wars, even moved to Brook's territory to live in peace.
And with Saracha still missing for days, Brook wasted no time. He occupied every island bordering his territory and kept expanding inward.
---
But where was Saracha?
Deep in the New World—Briden Island, the former base of Ingran.
Ingran = Former Overlord (idk if he is dead)
Now reduced to ashes and rubble.
The Rocks Pirates had razed it during their bloody war , and though Rocks himself had sustained serious injuries, he didn't linger. The site was evacuated quickly to avoid giving any of the "fake overlords" a foothold.
In the aftermath, pirates from all corners came to scavenge—seeking gold, treasure, Devil Fruits, or rare relics. Saracha had come once before. So had David, Ewald, and others. None had found anything.
But this time, Saracha had returned with a purpose. To hide from Rocks… and to search.
He believed Ingran might've left behind something else—a secret method of training Haki Entanglement.
Old man Diger had always refused to teach him how to entangle Conqueror's Haki. Saracha was tired of being the weakest link in high-level battles.
He'd even ignored Diger's repeated calls via Den Den Mushi.
"I followed the Overlord Alliance all this time, and not even a taste of the true technique? How stingy can you be?!"
Yet even after days of searching the ruins, he came up empty—until a new pirate crew landed on the island.
At first, Saracha didn't care. He'd let the small fry have their fun. He had no interest in bullying no-name crews.
But then… he overheard something.
"Captain Roger, are you sure you're hearing the call of this island again? You better not be wrong this time!"
A few pirates laughed among themselves. Apparently, their captain—Roger—often claimed he could hear the voices of living things, even the resonance of ancient history. The crew wasn't even fazed anymore.
"This time it's real!" Roger grinned. "I'm feeling a massive reaction—there's definitely a Poneglyph nearby!"
He even shouted it aloud like a madman.
The moment the words left his lips, they triggered a ripple in the air. Rayleigh and Gaban instantly grew tense.
Another pirate group was nearby—and they had clearly heard Roger's declaration.
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. He saw them. The man standing on the cliff above was none other than…
Saracha.
One of the four reigning overlords of the New World.
Rayleigh cursed their luck. Why do we keep running into these monsters?
The Roger Pirates went silent. Cold sweat formed on more than one brow.
But Saracha merely smiled, then turned and walked away without a word.
He hadn't come to fight. Not yet.
But in his mind, he was reeling.
A Poneglyph? In Ingran's base?
If it's here, then there must be more—treasures, techniques, secrets…
Perhaps even a method to master Conqueror's Haki.
Saracha decided then and there: Let them search first. If they find something valuable, I'll take it later.
---
Back on the cliffside, Roger watched Saracha vanish into the jungle.
"That guy's strong," he said, eyes gleaming.
Rayleigh snapped. "Idiot! That's Saracha! One of the New World Overlords! Stronger than Jack, stronger than Brook! I told you to read the newspapers and bounty posters, but nooo—you're too busy 'listening to the sea!'"
Gaban held back a chuckle.
"So that's who he was… no wonder he gave off such a scary vibe," Roger muttered. But something dark churned in his gut. The moment Saracha turned his gaze on them, he'd felt it.
A deep, oppressive malice.
The kind of threat he couldn't protect his crew from.
"Rayleigh. Gaban. Stay alert. That guy's not friendly."
Roger's voice was deadly serious.
They might be strong—Rayleigh, Gaban, and himself—but Saracha was no joke. If he attacked, they'd need everything just to stay alive.
Even now, Roger wasn't sure they could survive it.
Sure, they had powerful allies. Javier, the Butcher Pirates' monster, had already been taken out by Wang Zhi. That was a relief. But the Butcher Pirates still had two top executives with bounties over 500 million.
If push came to shove, Roger believed his men—Spencer, Langram, and the others—could hold their own.
But against someone like Saracha?
No one knew.
--------------------
When Brook led the Hell Pirates and allied fighters to take down David Kyons, the battle had been long and hard. Brook, Redfield, and Charlotte Linlin were the first to engage Kyons, restraining him with a combination of overwhelming Conqueror's Haki and precision attacks.
Then, Golden Lion Shiki and Whitebeard Newgate entered the fray, swiftly defeating the Hammerhead Shark Dalma and the Siren Goddess Calypso. With the enemies' support crippled, they turned their full force on David Kyons and finished the job.
At the time, Kyons had been the strongest among the so-called pseudo-overlords. If it took a combined elite force to bring him down, then Roger's "gold, silver, and bronze" trio would only barely be able to handle someone like Saracha.
Still, the Roger Pirates' upper ranks were no pushovers. While they weren't on the level of the Butcher Pirates' Baden or Gilerca—both with bounties over 500 million—executives like Spencer and Langram together might be enough to stall Saracha.
"Roger, let's just wait for Saracha to leave," Rayleigh said calmly. "Or we retreat, regroup, and come back in a couple of days."
Roger didn't argue. His instincts rarely failed him, and this time they screamed danger. Saracha wasn't the kind of man you provoked lightly. The cost of engaging him now could be fatal.
So they quietly withdrew. As soon as Saracha was out of visual range, Roger and his crew slipped through the dense jungle, returned to their ship, and set sail from Briden Island.
When Saracha realized they had fled, his expression darkened.
"So... they run at the first sign of danger?"
Forget letting them hunt treasure freely—Saracha now intended to capture Roger and turn him into a treasure-hunting dog. If Roger truly possessed some kind of special Devil Fruit that allowed him to sense historical artifacts or life energies...
Then Saracha needed it. Badly.
So he dropped the act and gave chase. This wasn't about posturing anymore. It was about power.
Had Roger sensed Saracha's killing intent that easily? Or had his crew just panicked at the name of the Butcher Pirates? Either way, Saracha wasn't letting this go.
He led a squad of elite officers in pursuit.
---
Meanwhile, Roger felt the pressure building behind him. Saracha was closing in fast. And yet—Roger hesitated.
Running... didn't feel right.
There was something calling him. A pull. A whisper from the island itself.
If he ran, he'd lose the trail.
"Everyone... trust me again," Roger said, voice firm.
He turned—not toward the ship, but back into the ruins.
"Let's go find the treasure!"
The crew sighed, cursed under their breath—but followed him. As always.
Saracha, watching from the distance, grinned.
They weren't running anymore. Good. Give them time. Let them find Ingran's lost treasure room for him.
The real hunt had begun. A cat-and-mouse game with shifting roles—hunter and prey dancing around each other across the shattered island of Briden.
---
New World — Normandy Island.
Because of Brook's public condemnation and his not-so-subtle threat to sink the entire island, even the arrogant Rocks relented. He agreed, begrudgingly, to a new structure: elite-only warfare.
Only pirates with bounties were allowed to participate in the battle. The bounty itself became the symbol of one's eligibility.
Still, pirates with just 10 to 30 million in bounty were considered little more than foot soldiers. Those with over 100 million were respectable but middle-tier. The real power players—the monsters with bounties over 500 million—were the true contenders.
And those nearing 800 million?
They were commanders of the battlefield.
But under this new standard, Rocks' own lineup began to look thin.
Even after crippling the Ice Demon Pirates and with the Butcher Pirates gone missing, Rocks still found himself outnumbered by the combined elites of the Diger and Hell Pirates.
Morale among his own officers began to dip.
And then, there was the elephant in the room—fractured trust.
Jack and Xiao Feng—two key members of the Overlord Alliance—glared at Brook like he was their worst enemy.
Jevaler, another high-ranking officer, openly despised the Hell Pirates. Of the four top executives, three had personal grudges against Brook's crew.
Rocks himself had never clashed with Brook in a full battle. Now, that was about to change.
Rocks faced off against both Diger and Brook directly.
Jack and Xiao Feng, citing injuries, opted to sit out the commander-level fights. They handed the match against the war-head monk, Scorpion Dragon, to Redfield, while they busied themselves "handling" the lower-tier enemies.
Their real priority? Watching the Hell Pirates from a safe distance.
Brook saw what was happening.
He didn't like it.
"Stick together," he ordered. "Don't engage alone. Group up, stay sharp, and keep an eye on the Diger Pirates."
The Hell Pirates adjusted immediately.
Despite their strength, the Overlord Alliance struggled to suppress Rocks' officers. Everyone was holding back. Everyone had their own agenda. Trust was an illusion.
Diger himself even faked weakness, subtly directing Rocks' aggression toward Brook instead.
From that moment on, Brook understood.
"This alliance is already dead."
Fine. Let them use each other.
The Hell Pirates could afford to play the long game.
---
After a brief skirmish, Brook made a bold move. He pulled his crew from the battlefield and retreated aboard the golden eship, disappearing from Normandy Island entirely.
The furious Diger had no choice but to drag Jack into the fight and confront Rocks directly.
The result? Another loss for the Diger Pirates.
While they were tied up in the frontlines, Brook launched a sneak assault—hitting Rocks' rear bases and stealing from his supply lines. The Rocks Pirates were forced to pull back to defend.
And just like that, the war ended in another stalemate.
Brook then made a public announcement:
"From now on, I represent a third force in the New World. All of Saracha's former territories belong to me. Anyone who resists will be targeted by Golden Lion Shiki and Whitebeard Newgate."
Rocks, unwilling to engage in another front, made his own move:
"Willank's territories are mine now. I have no plans to fight the Hell Pirates—for now."
But his gaze turned toward Diger.
The new strategy? One bite at a time.
Rocks entered a cold war—quietly digesting territory, recruiting fresh pirates, and strengthening his core.
---
A New Map Was Drawn.
Rocks Pirates: 90 islands — dominant in territory, weak in personnel.
Diger Pirates: 45 islands — holding, but declining in power.
Hell Pirates: 42 islands — seized all of Saracha's land, now firmly entrenched.
A three-way balance was reestablished.
But cracks were forming.
With Rocks stretched thin, a new wave of rookie overlord rose to challenge the balance.
Names like Nagli, Cone Pepper, and Byrnndi began to echo across the seas.
Even Eric Dane, once crushed by Rocks, reemerged with his King Pirates.
Golden Pirate Woonan returned to the New World, seeking lost fame and fresh glory.
The Rocks Pirates were being bogged down by two fronts—Diger and Brook. The next great war would come not when Rocks wanted it... but when he was finally ready to reclaim everything.
Or when Diger died of old age.
Whichever came first.
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