The Pirate Alliance is on the move again. They've resumed their search for the Roger Pirates across the New World.
After all, even for these rulers who have built their own empires and command vast territories, the treasure Roger found is simply too immense. Even monsters like Charlotte Linlin, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe are drooling over it. Beyond the treasure itself, these guys are likely plotting to interrogate Roger to find out what secrets the Final Island truly holds. Treasure is important, but there must be more to that island than just gold. This is an easy conclusion to draw.
Roa is quite pleased with this. Instant results! Even these monsters have had their curiosity about the Final Island piqued! Not to mention all the other ambitious figures across the seas—they're probably already flocking to the New World in droves.
If just the news of Roger finding the Greatest Treasure can cause such a stir, Roa can't help but look forward to what will happen once the Great Pirate Era officially begins. This world is definitely going to get more delicious, isn't it?
With a happy heart, Roa flapped his wings and flew forward. It didn't take him long to return to Egghead Island. The snail fleet had already arrived, and the factory's renovation was in full swing. Dylan, following Roa's instructions and Judge's blueprints, was directing the Clone Soldiers in the factory district.
"Not bad, Dylan. It looks like it'll be ready for use soon." Roa said, landing with a smile behind him.
Hearing the voice, Dylan, who had a serious expression moments before, turned around in surprise. "Boss, you're back!"
"Yep," Roa nodded. "Did those guys cause any trouble?"
Roa was self-aware. Just like the Rocks Pirates, his own Calamity Company had no real camaraderie or friendship. It all relied on his personal charm—or so he hoped. If he were gone, it would fall apart in an instant.
"No," Dylan shook his head. "Everyone has been focused on training, with little else to do. Even Loki didn't cause any trouble. In fact, he's getting along pretty well with Teach and the others."
"But, Boss," Dylan paused. "Everyone is wondering what you brought back from the Final Island."
"Oh?" Roa's lips curled into a smile. "It seems you're curious too, Dylan. You usually don't talk like that."
Normally, Dylan was his most respectful subordinate, following orders without ever making a request.
"My apologies, Boss," the forty-something Dylan's face reddened with embarrassment. "Even I couldn't suppress my curiosity."
"In that case, call everyone over," Roa clapped his hands. "I'll tell you the story of what happened eight hundred years ago."
"Yes!" Dylan went to gather the crew, his pace quickening with every step. It was clear he couldn't wait. Who could remain calm now? The world's ultimate secret was finally within reach.
Soon, the executives of the Calamity Company were all gathered. Naturally, hired mercenaries like Dorry and Brogy were not included.
"Boss! You're finally back!" Teach said impatiently. "Did you and the Roger Pirates really reach that legendary Final Island?"
"That's right," Roa nodded leisurely. "It was much smoother than I expected."
"Then... do you know all the truths of the world? Have you unraveled the secrets of the Void Century?" Teach's voice was trembling.
It wasn't just him. Everyone's eyes were shining. Even Bullet, who rarely cared about such things, had a burning look in his eyes. Not to mention King, Loki, Doflamingo, Enel, and even Kozuki Toki, who all had deep ties to the truth of history. Everyone's eyes were filled with anticipation, wanting to hear everything from Roa.
"It all began," Roa leaned back on his large throne, his tone mysterious, "a very, very long time ago, with the moon."
"The moon?" After coming to the Calamity Company and realizing how small he was, Enel had become much more reserved and quiet, dedicating his time to training. He suddenly gasped. The moon... wasn't that the Endless Vearth he had always dreamed of?
"A very long time ago, there was a nation on the moon, a country with a highly advanced civilization."
"..." King quietly clenched his fists. Was it the country his ancestors ruled? So, the entire story started with his ancestors?
"At that time, that country faced a great disaster..."
Recollection mode, on!
Recollection mode, off.
"And that's how it was," Roa said, shrugging. "Joy Boy was ultimately defeated, and he could only entrust everything to us, those who came after. He left Laugh Tale, the Poneglyphs, and the Ancient Weapons, believing that one day, someone would take on the burden of that history and truly change the world."
The expressions of everyone present were a bit strange. Teach pondered for a moment before scratching the back of his head, looking a little confused. "That's... a bit different from what I imagined."
"Exactly," King said with a look of bewilderment. "How should I put it? It's kind of ridiculous? That the war that determined the fate of the world and nearly destroyed it ended like that?"
"What was that Joy Boy thinking?!" Bege said, sounding frustrated. "With such immense power in his hands, how could he let it end like this?"
"Someone like you would never understand!" Moriah said coldly. "Companionship is the most important thing in this world!"
Bege's mouth twitched. That's certainly true for you. It's why the Boss has you completely wrapped around his finger, with no way to escape.
"Regardless of his actions or the final outcome, Joy Boy was an incredibly powerful person! Sun God Nika—I can't believe such a reckless ability and such a powerful person existed!" Dylan said. "And yet, a Joy Boy that powerful was defeated. The power held by the World Government must be far beyond our imagination."
"And," Teach added, "after eight hundred years, they've probably gotten even stronger!" They wouldn't have just sat there for eight hundred years doing nothing.
"So what?" Bullet snorted. "Whether it's Imu or Joy Boy, they're all just remnants of a past era! The future belongs to the Boss, to our Calamity Company."
"That's right!" King nodded solemnly. "The Boss will definitely surpass Joy Boy and Imu, and we've already secured the information on the Ancient Weapons! What is there to be afraid of?"
"For the Boss, it's a given," Dylan said calmly. The three most loyal members of Roa's crew had no doubt that their Boss could surpass Joy Boy and truly change the world.
"Hehe, of course!" Judge, whose eye sockets were sunken, looked just as excited. "Leaving the Sea King aside, Joy Boy only had one Pluton due to time constraints! What's there to fear if we can build several more of them?" From the story the Boss just told, Judge had a profound understanding of the power that the Ancient Weapons represented! So, having the blueprints for Pluton made him a little arrogant.
However, to be honest, he really wanted to go back to that world eight hundred years ago and see it for himself. What would that technologically advanced country have looked like? Judge knew that even if the Boss won this time, an era like that would never return. The Boss liked technology, but only for weapons and destruction. He had no interest in using technology to improve people's lives.
"Then you'd better work hard, Judge," Roa said earnestly. The most critical part of Judge's work—the research on Pluton's energy source—wasn't progressing quickly. On the other hand, the unwilling shipwrights of Water Seven were making significant breakthroughs in Pluton's weaponry. But it was useless; the weapons still depended on the energy source.
"Yes, Boss!" Judge nodded heavily.
"And," Roa added, "don't let the other research fall behind, either." Pluton was important, but improvements to his cyborgs, artificial Devil Fruits, Devil Fruit modifications, and the cloning of the Lunarian race were all equally critical.
"Yes!"
Hmm, Judge's burden is so heavy. A single Zoan-type Mythical Devil Fruit might not be enough. It's time to find him a helper. According to the information I got from the Marine Headquarters, where was that guy Caesar stationed again?
"Alright, the past is in the past. Let's look to our future," Roa looked at Judge again. "Judge, you and the shipwrights should put your current work on hold for a bit. I need a few sufficiently large submarines."
"You want to retrieve the treasure from Laugh Tale?" Judge immediately understood Roa's meaning.
"Although I could send the Fishmen to retrieve it directly, I don't trust them," Roa said. Even though his reputation was terrifying enough that all the Fishmen knew that angering him risked the destruction of Fish-Man Island, money was a powerful temptation, especially with a pile of treasure that massive. It was better to leave it to the one-hundred-percent controllable Clone Soldiers.
"Build a few ships to retrieve the treasure," Roa said with a smile. "Put some effort into it. That's your future research funding."
Judge's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes, Boss!"
Doflamingo clicked his tongue. That massive fortune was all going to Judge? Roa's decisiveness was truly beyond the reach of ordinary people.
"Also, our allies have started searching for the Roger Pirates again. Ignore them," Roa said. "Focus on improving yourselves. Now that you know the enemy's strength, you should understand that if you don't have enough power, you won't be qualified to participate in the final war. You'll only be abandoned by me."
Abandoned? A chill ran down Doflamingo's spine. That would be a death sentence.
"Hahahaha! Of course!" Loki laughed heartily. "The last Sun God failed, so let this generation's Sun God—your great and mighty self—help you win!" Hehe, the Nika Fruit, huh? I'm going to eat it for sure!
"Me too!" The person who spoke was surprisingly Enel. Roa looked at him in surprise, seeing a silent rage in the young man. He was right. Strictly speaking, there was a deep-seated hatred between him and the World Government as well.
"Zehahahahaha! Looks like I'll just have to work even harder!" Teach laughed loudly. "No one wants to be left behind in the final battle!"
"Of course not!" Even Moriah was getting excited now. Aside from everything else, following Roa truly allowed him to witness the world from a higher place! It was even making his blood boil!
"Good!" Roa was very satisfied. Their fighting spirit was strong!
"Oh, right," he remembered something else. "Dylan, have Morgans look for Weatheria."
"Weatheria?" Dylan thought for a moment. "Boss, you mean the small country composed of the most outstanding weather scholars in the world?"
"Exactly," Roa nodded. "Once you find it, you and King will go there and bring that country back to me." He had already said he would conquer Weatheria when he took over the Sky Islands, and now he needed them even more. The time had come to leave the sea and go to the sky. If Roger truly went against his word and exposed him, things could get dangerous on the sea.
Imu's strength was probably ridiculously high. If the peak of Rayleigh, Gaban, and Auntie Linlin was the level of a regular Emperor, and Roger, Whitebeard, and Garp were King-tier—a level above them—then Joy Boy and Imu were truly a tier of super-monsters beyond that. Grand Duke-tier?
After all, things came in reverse order. He didn't know exactly how strong they were, but it must be ridiculously over the top. If Imu came looking for him now, it might not go well. So, he'd build a floating island, just like Uncle Shiki, and travel through the skies. To do that, Weatheria's weather technology was a must-have.
"Yes, Boss!" King and Dylan both nodded.
Roa gave a slight nod. With these plans in place, everything was settled. Now, it was time for him to work on himself. He didn't want to lose the fight against Roger in one year! Besides eating well to further develop his body, the training for his Observation Haki was essential, but more importantly...
Roa reached for the beloved sword at his waist.
A black sword was almost within his grasp. After completing these two trainings, he would have a chance to face a monster like Roger and win.
"By the way, Boss," Dylan suddenly spoke. "The Mink Tribe we brought back are also on this island. Do you want to go see them?"
Oh, right! I almost forgot about that!
Minks are a special treat that every man of the sea must try, a fact well-documented in the historical records of the Great Pirate Era.