Miss Bakkin, who had lined her pockets heavily during the God Valley raid, immediately shrank back after seeing Captain John humiliated by Rocks. Her greedy eyes darted nervously as if hoping invisibility itself would save her from the captain's wrath.
"Captain Rocks, I just want the ability to fly," said Jennifer, the giant warrior woman. Her voice was steady, but her words betrayed simple, practical desire. "Any fruit will do. I just want to fight more freely when the time comes."
Rocks tilted his head, and a rare flash of approval crossed his face. "Good. A straightforward request. I'll find you either an ancient Zoan or a mythical one."
Jennifer's massive shoulders eased with relief. Unlike John, her ambitions were simple, grounded, and Rocks respected that.
"Me too," Bakkin piped up, seizing the moment. "Something that lets me escape, something that lets me fly."
Rocks narrowed his gaze, studying her. Her greed was plain as day, but unlike John, Bakkin's ambitions weren't aimed at his throne. She could be controlled easily enough.
"Fine," Rocks said at last. "We'll hunt down the fruits you want. All of you, make your lists. I'll find each target and strip their power. But be ready—if you want strength, you'll have to bleed for it."
The Rocks Pirates roared their approval, already dreaming of new abilities. None spared a thought for Ibadombo, rotting in Impel Down. In his cell, he cursed Rocks until his throat turned raw, despair swallowing his will to live.
Meanwhile, at Marineford, the Navy prepared its counterstroke. The inauguration of new admirals was held with pomp unmatched in history. For the first time, the entire ceremony was broadcast live through Den Den Mushi across the world.
Rocks' Dark News had shaken the Government's image to its core. The massacre at God Valley could not be erased. If the Navy did not flaunt its strength now, fear would spread like wildfire.
Fleet Admiral candidate Kong oversaw the ceremony, his promotion already assured. In a year's time, he would become the new Fleet Admiral. Sengoku the Buddha and Black Arm Zephyr were raised as candidates for admiral, while Garp remained where he was—too unpredictable, too wild, his ties to Roger's crew too dangerous to risk.
But the absence of the original admirals and their candidates whispered louder than any speech. No explanation, no public record. Just silence. The world could smell blood behind the curtain.
Across the seas, CP agents moved in shadows, slipping into the Dark Newspaper's presses, tearing pages, burning stacks, assassinating editors. But Rocks' message was already out. Too late to silence.
And among the common people, to the horror of the Celestial Dragons, joy flickered. For once, nobles who had treated humans as cattle had been dragged down like dogs.
Far from the ceremony, three children stared at newspapers with very different eyes.
In the North Blue, a seven-year-old boy trudged through dirt, his shirt torn and stained with blood. A battered cap reading "Justice" clung to his head—the only gift left by his slain father. Sakazuki's dagger still dripped crimson from a fight.
"Pirates…" he hissed through gritted teeth, crushing the newspaper in his fist. His hatred had already rooted deep. The seed of the future admiral Akainu was watered in blood and rage.
Elsewhere in the same sea, another boy sat surrounded by stacks of books. Borsalino, only ten, leaned back lazily, a straw hat shading his eyes. Yet behind the slouch, his mind was sharp and quick.
"Ohhh~, so dangerous," he drawled, eyes widening as he read of admirals dying at God Valley. "Even top brass can't survive? Maybe… being a marine is too scary."
The thought lingered, but so did the idea of justice. His path was not yet chosen.
And in the East Blue, a boy sat cross-legged in Foosha Village, eyes like burning coals. Monkey D. Dragon, seven years old, scanned the pages quickly until he found the line he sought: his father was alive. He let out a quiet breath of relief.
But his gaze caught on another article—words spread by Brook's Economic News Agency. The peaceful coexistence of all races. No slaves. No discrimination.
Dragon's young heart beat faster. He remembered the filth of the Goa Kingdom's Gray Terminal, the starving children, the broken slaves hidden in noble manors. "Can such a world exist?" he whispered. His fists clenched. His father had taught him: only strength grants the right to speak. He would grow strong enough to demand equality.
On an island in the Grand Line, a dwarf-like fugitive squinted at the same paper. "A land with no slaves, eh? Maybe I'll check this Doragonzo Island myself," he chuckled. With the World Government's wrath already on his head, why not gamble on the New World?
And in Amazon Lily, the news struck like a thunderclap.
"Shakky!" cried Gloriosa, queen of the Kuja. "Your former captain has gone too far. He and Rocks slaughtered Celestial Dragons by the dozens. You would drag our entire country into the fire!"
Shakky only smirked, unfazed. "Relax, old woman. I killed one too."
"What?!" Gloriosa staggered back, aghast.
Shakky's grin widened. "Charles Martin Saint. Tossed his body onto Ibadombo's ship. If the Navy caught them, they'll find him."
The room fell silent. Gloriosa felt sweat bead on her brow. She had thought calling Shakky back would bring a capable successor. Instead, she had invited a storm.
"So, what then?" Gloriosa demanded.
Shakky's eyes gleamed. "We ask the Golden Lion to tow Amazon Lily to the New World. Safer there than waiting for the Celestial Dragons to come knocking."
Gloriosa bit her lip. The Calm Belt had sheltered them for centuries. But now, because of one woman's choice, the Kuja might be forced to abandon their ancestral home.
Shakky said nothing more. She only stroked the fur of a small creature nestled in her arms—a koala mink named Korra. The creature shifted nervously, hiding a folded paper deep in its pouch.
Shakky's smirk deepened. She already knew. A vivre card lay hidden there, a thread leading straight to Zou.
--------------
After the grand inauguration ceremony of the Navy, the new administration moved swiftly. Following the age-old principle that a fresh official must make bold moves, candidate Fleet Admiral Kong issued his first command: gather the fleet once more and launch a massive campaign into the New World.
The order spread like wildfire, and with it came a storm. The Navy intended to strike deep, not with scouting expeditions, but with a full-scale assault.
News reached Rocks quickly. His face darkened as he slammed his fist against the armrest of his throne. He snatched up the Den Den Mushi and immediately called Brook.
"Brook! We can't let this slide. If the Navy moves in force, they'll hit us both. We need to repel them together!"
Brook's grin softened into a faint smile. "Yohoho… then let's start a New World Alliance. If we allow the Navy to march in unchecked, other ambitious pirates will snatch the benefits from under our noses. Better we bind them under us."
Rocks raised a brow. "Alliance with those bastards? You expect them to follow us? They've tasted our fists, Brook. They'd rather see us crippled than join our banner."
Brook's voice held calm authority. "The New World is the home of all pirates. If the Navy tears it apart, none will be spared. Here's the offer: all pirate groups must join the defense. Those who refuse will be crushed by us afterward. But those who fight alongside us—we swear not to attack them for the next two years."
The Den Den Mushi reflected Rocks' scowl. "Two years of holding back? Hmph. You'd give them breathing room while I planned to hunt special abilities. You're shielding them from me."
Brook's laugh was dry. "Otherwise, why would they join us? Who would fight the Navy only to be butchered by us the next day? Use your head, Rocks. Or, if you prefer, you can take the front lines while I sit back and support."
Rocks clenched his teeth. He knew Brook had a point, but the sting of being cornered left him fuming. His own brashness had worsened things. If he hadn't flaunted his Dark News after God Valley—boasting of slain admirals, murdered Celestial Dragons, and treasures plundered—the World Government might have delayed. Instead, he had forced their hand.
Brook pressed his advantage. "Remember, Rocks. If I hadn't stopped the Celestial Dragons' national treasure, half your crew might already be corpses. This is the price of survival: swallow your pride, rally the New World, and fight the Navy together. Otherwise… don't blame me for moving on my own."
For a long moment, silence. Then Rocks snarled, "Fine! You host it. Summon the dogs. But don't think all of them will obey. And don't think I'll stop hunting in the shadows."
Brook's grin widened. "As long as you don't stand in my way, do as you please. The board is set. Play your part."
After ending the call, Brook summoned Moore Thomas. "Release the message. Make it thunder across the seas."
The presses of the Economic News Agency roared to life. Rocks' Dark Newspaper reprinted the same declaration. Together, the twin networks carried a message that shook the world.
The New World is the territory of pirates. The Navy will not be allowed to rampage. The Hell Pirates and the Rocks Pirates will lead the formation of a Pirate Alliance to drive them out. Any pirate crew that joins the alliance will not be attacked by the two overlord groups for two years. But those who stand aside—those who fish in troubled waters—will be hunted by every ally once the war ends.
The proclamation spread like wildfire, flying from island to island on wings of paper..
"Shameless!" many cursed. "They bring ruin upon us and then demand we fight their war!"
Yet for every curse, another pirate leaned forward, eyes burning. "To stand beside Rocks and Brook… to share the field with two overlords… my name will be written in legend!"
Some of the most notorious captains in the New World saw their chance. For the first time in history, pirates could unite under a single banner. Even the guild pirates, enticed by staggering bounties for capturing Navy officers, rallied eagerly.
There were holdouts, of course—captains who had awakened Conqueror's Haki, who scoffed at threats. "Let them come," they sneered. "If Rocks or Brook dare to challenge me, I'll cut them down myself." But they were the minority. The tide of momentum pulled the majority into the alliance.
At Marine Headquarters' G1 base in the New World, Kong read the reports with a face like stone. His knuckles cracked against the desk, leaving splinters.
"Damn it! How could this happen?"
For centuries, pirates had been scattered sand. They fought each other more than they fought the Government. That chaos was the balance that kept the seas in check. But now? Now Brook had broken the rule.
For the first time, the New World's pirates were gathering under one banner. And not just small fry—this was an army of conquerors, monsters, and tyrants, led by the two greatest overlords of the age.
The thought chilled even Kong's seasoned heart. If the pirates truly united, even the Navy at full force could not crush them. Not without every tool of the Government: the Knights of God, the Five Elders, CP0, even the Celestial Dragons' hidden "national treasures."
He slammed his fist once more, his voice low and grim. "So be it. If they want to unite, then we'll bring everything. Every last weapon of the World Government will be thrown into the New World. We cannot—must not—lose."
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