While Brook was teaching his children to harness their new powers, the world outside was shaking with news that spread like wildfire.
The Marines had undergone a complete reshuffle. The three admirals who once stood as pillars of justice were gone, replaced by three new figures whose names were almost unknown to the wider world. Kong had been elevated to Fleet Admiral candidate, shifting away from combat and beginning to familiarize himself with government affairs. In a year, he would officially be promoted to fleet admiral.
Golden Buddha Sengoku and Black Arm Zephyr had both been named admiral candidates, their reputations already growing among the ranks. Garp, however, remained untouched. Though his strength rivaled any admiral, his identity as a member of the D lineage, along with his clashes against Roger's crew, had left the World Government unwilling to move him higher—or strip him lower.
Yet what unsettled the seas most was the silence surrounding the former admirals and admiral candidates. No reports, no public announcements, no bodies recovered. Vanished. It was the absence itself that stoked fear and rumor.
At the same time, the bounty posters for the Rocks Pirates and the Hell Pirates soared to astronomical levels. All across the four seas and the New World, taverns and courts alike buzzed with the same question: What truly happened at God Valley? Had the admirals fallen? Had the candidates perished? And why had the World Government erased every trace of the truth?
Controlling the Story
The World Peace Dove News Agency dutifully published the official version: vague victories, minimized casualties, a heavy emphasis on "order maintained." But Rocks, shameless as ever, returned to Beehive Island and unleashed his Dark Newspaper across the seas. His headlines screamed triumph—claiming he had slain two Knights of God and Admiral Hoss with his own hands.
Of course, these stories carefully erased the role of the Hell Pirates. Brook himself had agreed to this. He and Moore Thomas of the Economic News Agency had spoken at length, deciding it was best to let Rocks draw the fire.
Brook knew the truth: in God Valley, the Hell Pirates had done the greater damage. They had killed more Celestial Dragons, forced back the so-called "national treasure," and walked away with mountains of treasure and fruits. But fame was not what Brook needed. Power in silence would serve him better. Rocks could wear the crown of infamy, bearing the pressure of the World Government like a shield.
"Let them rage at Rocks," Brook thought, "while we grow stronger in the shadows."
Newspapers Across the Seas
The latest edition of the Economic News Agency rolled out, its headlines sharp and deliberate:
Shock! The darkness of God Valley! The Hell Pirates bring light to the slaves!
Group interview: The cries of the liberated!
The peaceful ideal of coexistence: All races welcome!
Born as a human, all nations will defend your right to live!
The articles downplayed the bloodbath, softening the Hell Pirates' image. Brook did not need to be glorified as a butcher of Celestial Dragons. Instead, his crew was painted as liberators, heroes to the downtrodden. While Rocks' name spread in fear, Brook's spread in whispered hope.
For now, this was enough.
In the golden palace on Ballon Island, laughter and curses rang out as the crew examined their newest bounty posters.
"Yohohoho~! My bounty… 4.5 billion berries. That's a record high!" Brook chuckled, his children hanging from his shoulders, staring at the posters with wide eyes full of admiration.
Golden Lion Shiki puffed a cigar and nearly split his sides laughing. "Hah! Look at these numbers! The Celestial Dragons are furious, that much is clear!"
Redfield gave a cold smirk. Though he hadn't managed to personally kill a Celestial Dragon, his bounty had still risen above 2.2 billion. He slipped the poster into his coat with quiet satisfaction.
Newgate looked at his own poster and shook his massive head in disbelief. "Gurarara~… Shiki, your bounty is even higher than mine. Did you loot that many palaces?"
Shiki slammed his 2.1 billion bounty poster against Newgate's chest with a manic grin. "That's right, old man! When you see me, you better greet your First Fleet Captain with respect!"
Linglin admired her new poster as well, surprised at the figure. "Two billion berries? For me? And I only crushed a couple of vice admirals…" She chuckled. The government had clearly grown terrified of the Hell Pirates' core members.
Kaido, only eleven years old, roared with laughter as he held up his own bounty: 400 million. "Worororo! I'm almost a great pirate already!"
Fisher Tiger, by contrast, stared at his own poster with mixed emotions. His bounty was a mere 100 million. For most pirates, it would be a badge of glory. But compared to his peers, it felt paltry.
"I don't accept this," Oden growled nearby, his own poster showing 120 million. "I've awakened Conqueror's Haki, same as Kaido. Why is there such a gap?"
Newgate ruffled his hair with a booming laugh. "Gurarara! Be content, brat. A hundred million is already enough to shake the seas. In my day, I was overjoyed to see ten million."
But Oden wasn't satisfied. He clenched his fists. "No. I won't be inferior to Kaido. Brother Newgate, take me to battle. I'll prove myself!"
Kaido threw back his head and laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks. "Hahaha! That's rich! You're just a junior, Oden! Call me Uncle Kaido!"
"What did you say!?" Oden exploded in fury. "I'll never call you that! I challenge you!"
"Perfect timing. I wanted to test my new Blue Dragon Fruit anyway," Kaido replied with a savage grin, lightning already crackling across his scales.
The two charged at each other, their clash shaking the palace grounds, while the rest of the crew egged them on.
Brook watched them quietly, children still in his arms. His eyes glowed faintly as he considered the future.
"The seas are shifting," he thought. "The bounties are rising, and the world grows restless. But the true storm has yet to come."
He looked toward the horizon.
It was nearly time to head for Wano. To draw Pluto—the ancient weapon—out of hiding. For only then could the Hell Pirates stand against the wrath of Uranus, the Celestial Dragons' hidden treasure.
--------------
The aftermath of the God Valley War rippled across the seas. Within the Hell Pirates, nearly every cadre who had raised a blade against the Celestial Dragons found themselves with new bounties—each exceeding one hundred million berries. The four fallen angels of the Lunarians, whose wings now darkened the skies with menace, had each broken past two hundred million, their names etched onto wanted posters for the first time.
Hiruba, the sniper who had planted a bullet squarely in the head of a Celestial Dragon, now bore a bounty of six hundred million. Among the senior officers, he ranked just beneath the Four Cadre themselves. Ashura Doji, the swordsman, received a more modest rise, climbing to five hundred and sixty million. Other officers saw increases as well, though their names mattered less in comparison.
The World Destroyer, Byrnndi World, had chosen a different path. After handing over his captured navy men to Brook, he tallied his service like a merchant counting coins. His goal was clear: earn the right to claim the Octopus Siren Fruit, the only salvation for his frail brother Byojack. Vegapunk's SIQ serums had done little for the boy. World's eyes, red with sleepless determination, now turned toward the Chaos Sea. He whispered of hunting Naguri or Barbosa alongside allies like Chinjao and the pirate Woonan. For his brother's life, he would risk anything.
—-----
Far away on Honeycomb Island, Rocks D. Xebec brooded.
He did not know—could not know—that the Hell Pirates had diverted disaster itself. Had the Celestial Dragons' national treasure targeted his fleet instead, the Rocks Pirates might have been erased.
In truth, his "victory" at God Valley felt hollow. He had failed to seize a single mythical beast fruit, and the price had been steep: Ibatombo dead, several captains lost, and countless underlings gone. The treasure haul was vast, but the devil fruits he craved had slipped through his fingers.
His hands shook as he replayed the moment in his mind. Had the Celestial Dragons hidden them away? Or… had Brook stolen them out from under him?
Brook's gains gnawed at him like poison. Two admirals' powers had fallen into the Hell Pirates' grasp. Brook's harvest had been richer, more decisive, more dangerous.
"Were those devil fruits truly taken by the Celestial Dragons?" Rocks muttered to himself, voice cracking with frustration. The thought festered like a curse, threatening to become his inner demon.
"Ahaha~! Congratulations, Captain Rocks!" Captain John gushed, waving Rocks' new bounty poster as if it were holy scripture. "The strongest man alive! Admirals and Knights of God alike fall before you like cattle and swine!"
The poster gleamed with the highest figure the world had yet seen: 5.4 billion berries. Enough to freeze the ambitions of any would-be usurper.
But Rocks only sneered. "Your strength is still too weak," he snapped, glaring at his officers.
He had tolerated their greed at God Valley—tolerated their scrambling after jewels while Brook's crew carved out souls and fruits. But in his eyes, the gap had grown unforgivably wide. If they did not grow, the Rocks Pirates would soon be eclipsed.
"I will defeat Redfield," declared the warrior monk, Scorpion Dragon. His chest swelled with new pride. Having devoured Admiral Hoss's Double-Winged Unicorn Fruit, his confidence soared. His bounty now touched 1.8 billion, placing him among the monsters of the New World. If time favored him, he would soon break past two billion.
Beside him, Wang Zhi gripped his blade—the Supreme Grade sword, Emperor's Code. At 1.4 billion, his name carried weight, but still too far behind the Four Cadres of Brook's fleet. Determination burned in his eyes. He would not remain in second place.
Others fared worse. Silver Axe barely scraped past one billion. Captain John clung to his riches with an 860 million bounty. Monkey King Wizz, despite repeated setbacks and the loss of his companion, still climbed to 1.09 billion. Even the giantess Jennifer rose to 800 million, and Miss Bakkin carried a modest 400 million.
But Rocks could see the truth plainly: if Brook's bounty had been only a little higher, the title of "world's strongest pirate crew" would already belong to the Hell Pirates.
"Damn him," Rocks thought bitterly. Two of Brook's children crew had already awakened Conqueror's Haki. Children! How could fate lavish fortune on Brook while leaving him with scraps? Since Brook's rise, Rocks felt the goddess of luck had turned her back on him.
Rocks' voice thundered through the hall, his aura pressing down like a storm. "Next time you find a devil fruit user, kill them and take their power. Every last one of you must grow stronger! Do you hear me? Stronger!"
His glare fell upon Wang Zhi. "And you? Have you chosen?"
Wang Zhi raised his chin. "Yes. I want the Fruit of Barbosa, King of the Caspian, or the Teleportation Fruit of Kurt Wagner, the Night Walker."
Rocks narrowed his eyes. Those were slippery foes, difficult to pin down, but worthy prey. He gave a sharp nod. "Very well. We'll hunt them. Prepare yourself."
Silver Axe stepped forward, armor gleaming. "I want the Colossus Fruit of Piot. His steel body will be mine."
"That one's yours," Rocks said gruffly. "A man of iron suits you."
Then came John, his eyes gleaming with greed. "Ahaha~, Captain Rocks, I'll take the Golden Fruit! Or maybe the Diamond Fruit! Even the Silver-Silver Fruit will do!"
The hall fell silent. Rocks' face darkened like a thunderhead.
"Shut up, you worthless leech," he roared, Conqueror's Haki erupting in a wave that shook the chamber. "You dare demand what doesn't exist? Hand over half your treasure. Now. Not a single coin less."
John's face drained of color. He staggered back, clutching his chest as if the aura itself had struck him. His heart ached more for the gold than the shame, yet he dared not protest.
As he slunk away, bitterness churned in his gut. He had plundered so much at God Valley, only to see half of it stripped away in an instant. If only he had kept silent.
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