In the year 1484, the seas had plunged into utter chaos.
At this time, the Rocks Pirates were already the strongest pirate crew in the world.
But Rocks was not content with being the uncrowned king of pirates. He wanted to conquer the entire world, he wanted to become the true King of the World.
Driven by his ambition, Rocks led his crew in open defiance against the World Government.
With young monsters like Whitebeard, Golden Lion, Kaido, and Big Mom at his side, Rocks launched an assault on the Celestial Dragons' second stronghold, the palace of God Valley.
The Five Elders, the highest authority in the World Government, were furious when they received the desperate plea for help from the Celestial Dragons.
They immediately dispatched a fleet led by Vice Admiral Garp to God Valley, with orders to rescue the Celestial Dragons and the many enslaved people on the island at all costs.
And so began a war that would change the course of world history.
The battle raged on for days and nights. In the end, for reasons still unclear, Garp joined forces with Gol D. Roger, and together, they defeated Rocks.
With Rocks cast into the depths of the sea, the Rocks Pirates were declared defeated.
The already strained relationships among his crew finally snapped. They went their separate ways, and the once mighty Rocks Pirates crumbled into ruin.
As the brightest star to emerge from this war, Garp was hailed as a "Hero of the Marines" across the world for leading the charge against Rocks and ending his reign.
Under deliberate manipulation by the World Government, the truth of the God Valley Incident was hidden from the public.
No one knew that the Roger Pirates had also taken part in the battle.
To protect its image, the World Government erased all records of the Roger Pirates' involvement, and the deaths of the Celestial Dragons, from history.
…
Let us return to the day the great war ended.
Night had fallen. Thunderclouds loomed thick over God Valley, lightning crackling across the sky.
This island, named after the gods themselves, was in ruins after the cataclysmic battle. It was on the verge of sinking into the sea.
In the flickering flashes of lightning, a lone figure struggled upward, climbing toward the island's highest point.
A sea breeze blew through, scattering the clouds above God Valley and dimming the storm. Moonlight spilled down, illuminating the man's face.
He was a young man, perhaps twenty years old. Tall and powerfully built, his bare upper body revealed tightly knit muscles full of strength.
His black hair was matted to his face with blood and grime.
His dark eyes shone with a fierce light. A deep sword wound marked his right chest, though scabbed over, it sent waves of pain through his body with every movement.
His name was Ashen V. Helgrave, a war orphan from a distant nation in the New World.
As a child, Ashen had done whatever it took to survive, stealing, robbing, even killing.
Whenever he could no longer stay in one place, he would stow away or board passing ships, drifting from one land to another in a life of exile, living meal to meal.
His fate changed when he was twelve.
One day, Ashen read a newspaper article about the Rocks Pirates. He was immediately captivated by Rocks' terrifying strength and world-shaking ambition. He swore to join them.
After more than a year of searching, he finally succeeded. Rocks' overwhelming power and presence won his loyalty completely. Ashen became one of his most fanatical followers.
He followed Rocks everywhere. Wherever Rocks went, Ashen was never far behind.
Whitebeard, Shiki, and the others who joined the crew later often joked that he was like Rocks' shadow.
That nickname gradually faded as Ashen grew stronger and formed his own squad within the crew.
...
As scattered memories surged through his mind, Ashen came to understand everything about the original host of this body.
He also realized why he, a soul from Earth, had arrived in the world of One Piece.
A few years ago, Rocks had come across a Devil Fruit by chance. No one in the crew recognized what it was, so he casually tossed it to Ashen as a reward.
But after eating the fruit, Ashen had gained no power. Laughed at and mocked by the others, he had no explanation.
"Maybe it's like the Revive-Revive Fruit... the kind of fruit that only awakens after the user dies."
Given his bizarre circumstances, Ashen formed a theory.
He, a soul from Earth, had been reborn in this new world. If it wasn't because of that Devil Fruit, Ashen wouldn't believe it for a second.
But what exactly had happened? Why had the original soul nearly vanished? How had he taken over this body?
Ashen was burning with curiosity.
As he climbed, he carefully searched through the original Ashen's final memories.
The last image to flash through his mind was a blinding arc of sword light.
And then, a woman's laughter, cruel, triumphant.
Roger!
Charlotte Linlin!
So that's how it was.
Feeling the searing pain in his chest, Ashen understood.
"Hah... I really owe you two a big thank you."
...
God Valley was called a valley because two massive mountains dominated the island, leaving only the gorge between them as usable land.
Now, that gorge was completely submerged beneath the sea. All that remained for Ashen were fading fragments of memory.
Though God Valley was labeled a Celestial Dragon palace, in the original host's memories, it was nothing like the opulence of Mary Geoise.
It felt more like an ancient ruin.
Only the two palaces at the peaks of the mountains shared the architectural grandeur of Mary Geoise.
'Damn it, couldn't you have died a little later?' Ashen cursed in his heart.
God Valley fascinated him beyond words.
Rocks, Roger, Garp, three bearers of the D. name had all gathered here for that battle. What secret did this place hold?
How had a pirate crew like Rocks', with such a monstrous lineup, fallen so completely?
Even in his past life, Ashen had longed to see the truth. But before One Piece ever reached its conclusion, he found himself thrust into this unpredictable era.
"If I ever get the chance… I'll find out," Ashen vowed silently.
Rumble!
A deep tremor rose from beneath the sea, sending shockwaves through the mountain.
Feeling the vibrations, Ashen gritted his teeth and quickened his pace.
His target was the palace atop the mountain.
God Valley was about to be swallowed by the sea. If he wanted to survive, he had to find enough supplies to sail away from here.
And the only structures still standing were the palaces of the Celestial Dragons. Ashen had no other choice.
"At this rate, I'd say I have maybe two hours left. Once the island's base collapses completely, this mountain won't hold. It'll fall, too."
Ashen surveyed the crumbling island and made his judgment.