Chapter 29: The Great Pirate Rocks D. Xebec

"Hah… hah… Damn it, every last one of ’em is useless…!!"

The Celestial Dragon had come to God Valley for the Indigenous Annihilation Games. Until just moments ago, he had been enjoying the spectacle—but now, separated from the other Celestial Dragons, he was crouched behind a rock, panting heavily.

Reports of pirates attacking the island had reached him, and he had ordered the elite Marines assigned as his guards to protect him. But now, not only had they failed to stay by his side, the pirates were audaciously targeting Celestial Dragons, completely ignoring their divine authority. The sheer insolence of these savages infuriated him.

Not just the Marine escorts—even CP0 was nowhere to be seen. Useless. What good was their protection if they couldn’t even do that much? The Holy Knights, fellow Celestial Dragons, were valiantly wiping out the trash, yet the rest couldn’t even manage that much.

…But putting that aside, the echoing voices of the approaching pirates had terrified them all, sending them scrambling in desperate retreat.

In the chaos, the man had gotten separated. Before he knew it, he found himself alone, having stumbled all the way to a rocky outcrop near the edge of the island.

"Eek!?"

But the outside was clearly dangerous.

Fortunately, there were no pirates nearby—the fighting should have been far from here—yet the aftershocks of battle still reached this place.

Tremors, quakes, thunderous roars, the sound of shattering—even from a distance, the sheer intensity was overwhelming.

"Tch… What the hell is this…!? Useless trash and filthy pirates…!! I won’t forgive this… Every last one of you will taste hell…!!"

The Celestial Dragon cursed everything in sight.

Why should someone as exalted as him suffer like this? He wasn’t meant to grovel on the ground like this.

He was a god. All other beings were inferior. Slaves. Creatures beneath him, lower lifeforms who existed only to be used as he pleased. It didn’t matter what he did to them. Humans had no right to defy him.

Every last person involved—pirates, Marines—would be executed. That was only natural for making a Celestial Dragon suffer like this. They deserved to die in agony—that was his conviction.

"Hah… Damn it… Someone better get here soon… I’m exhausted from running, and I’m thirsty…"

"—What’s wrong?"

"!?"

—And then, it happened.

A voice that didn’t belong to a Celestial Dragon echoed across the rocks, startling him. Reflexively, he flinched, fearing it might be a pirate.

But it wasn’t.

Standing there was a girl—black hair, crimson eyes.

Seizing the opportunity, the Celestial Dragon turned to her and, as always, issued a command.

"Perfect timing…! Hey, you! I’m thirsty! Get me something to drink!!"

"…………"

"Hey! Are you deaf!? Bring me something—water, anything!!"

"…Hehehe. Sure~ Just wait a sec, okay?"

"…? Hurry up!!"

The Celestial Dragon felt a slight unease, a question mark forming in his mind.

Because this girl—she had been smiling the entire time.

Not that it mattered. A slave smiling was normal. Crying was annoying. Watching them suffer could be amusing, but constant wailing was unbearable.

So her smile wasn’t an issue. Neither was her tone. He could discipline her later—right now, quenching his thirst took priority.

So he ignored the fact that her smile wasn’t the usual slave’s obedience, but something far more… enjoyable.

The girl disappeared briefly behind the rocks—but returned almost immediately. Fast. Maybe she had her own belongings nearby. He didn’t know how she got it, but she held a cup filled with water, offering it to him with that same cheerful smile.

"Here you go! Sorry for the wait~ ♪"

"Oh! Quick! You’re a pretty useful slave—"

Without hesitation, the Celestial Dragon tilted the cup back and took a gulp.

"Ghk!!? Bwah!! Wha—!? Cough Gag Wh-What the hell is this water!? It’s disgustingly salty—I can’t drink this!!?"

He swallowed it in one go—only to immediately spit it back out. Unbelievably salty. Revolting. As he reeled in confusion, the girl pressed a finger to her cheek, tilting her head in an exaggerated display of innocence—

"Huh~? Didn’t like the taste? And here I went through all the trouble of fetching it so fast… Oh well~ It’s sea water, after all~ ♡"

"Wha—!? Y-You dare make me drink that!? Disgusting!!"

"Aww, sowwy~! You said anything was fine, so I figured seawater would do~ My bad~ ♡ Giggle…"

"Y-You…!!"

The girl stifled a laugh, her eyes gleaming with mockery as she stared at the Celestial Dragon. In that instant, a vein bulged on his forehead.

"I won’t forgive this…!! I’ll make you my slave and torture you!! Feed you alive to wild beasts! That’s my decree!!"

The Celestial Dragon had spoken. No amount of begging would save her now. This was the punishment for defying a god.

Anticipating her terrified sobs, he bared his teeth in sadistic glee—

"Ooh~ Beast feed, huh? Sounds fun~!"

"…Huh?"

The girl was smiling. A bright, carefree grin—as if a friend had just suggested the most delightful game.

The Celestial Dragon froze. He’d never seen this reaction before.

Slaves were supposed to weep. To grovel. Half the fun was dragging them away, watching their pathetic struggles.

Yet this girl looked thrilled.

Still beaming, she skipped closer.

"Maaan, good thing I did those experiments beforehand~! Well then… Bon appétit~ ♡"

"—Huh? W-Wait!?"

Before he could process her words, she snatched his hand—and slid his index finger into her mouth.

"Nom~! Mmm… kinda salty…"

"W-What the—!? Stop this insanity!! Do you think you can just—"

Confused and trembling, he tried to yank free, but her tongue was already swirling around his finger. Disgusting. How dare she defile a god’s flesh?

"—Chomp."

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH—!!?"

The pain hit like lightning.

"Mmmf, gnaw, chew, gulp… ~So noisy… slurp, lick, mmm…"

He screamed, flailed—but her grip was iron. The agony was unreal.

Between ragged breaths, he felt it—the wet slide of her tongue, the crunch of bone between teeth.

When she finally pulled away…

His right index finger was gone.

"M-My… f-finger…!? AAAAAH!! IT HURTS!! WHY…!? AAAAAAAH—!!"

"Mmm~♡ Way tastier than I expected~♡ Maybe it’s the diet? You’re much juicier than the last guy~♪"

With a casual gulp, she swallowed the remains. Blood gushed from the stump.

Tears and snot streaming down his face, the Celestial Dragon stared at her—still smiling like she’d just enjoyed a sweet treat.

"W-Why… WHY!? I’LL NEVER FORGIVE Y—"

"Ugh, whine whine whine. It’s just a finger~! If you’re gonna scream now, how’re you gonna handle it when I eat the rest of you?"

"R-Rest…!?"

She said it so lightly—as if discussing the weather.

"Well, since you’re dying to know why this is happening… Let’s just say it’s bad to let people walk all over you~"

"W-Walk all over…?"

"Yep! Honestly? I don’t even hate you guys anymore. The past doesn’t haunt me. I don’t get sad thinking about it. I’m totally over it—"

She tilted her head, her smile never wavering.

"—Or so I thought~"

She said so casually, as if she really had no idea what was going on.

"Hmm~ So I really took the time to think about my feelings, y’know? And when I dug deep into what was bubbling up inside me… turns out there’s still this kinda… irritating emotion stuck there, right? Not quite anger, but like, annoyance? Yeah, that kinda thing’s definitely still hanging around."

The girl casually tore off the Celestial Dragon’s middle finger, gnawed on it, and swallowed before continuing—as if it were just a snack. That’s how she treated human flesh and blood. The sight was downright…

"But acting like I didn’t care at all, like I was hung up on the past—I figured that’d be lame, y’know? I mean, sure, it happened ‘cause I was weak. It was my fault. Holding a grudge over it would just be… pathetic, for a pirate."

She paused.

"Still, that doesn’t change the fact that what happened pisses me off. Get it? Letting it slide would be like crying myself to sleep over it. Every time I remember, it bugs me. And from now on, every time I see a Celestial Dragon, I’ll just get more pissed. So—"

Leaning in close, her face hovering inches from the Celestial Dragon’s, she smiled—sweet, cruel, her crimson eyes gleaming like…

"—I have to pay them back. If I’m gonna live as a true pirate from now on, I’ve gotta settle my past debts. So sorry, but… Hehe, bon appétit~♡"

"!?!?"

Like… a beast.

In that instant, the Celestial Dragon understood. This creature—no, this monster—would never abide by human reason. Not even a Celestial Dragon’s.

"G-GYAAAAAAAAHHH—!!! S-Stop!! P-PLEEEASE!!"

"Ahhh, quit screeching. If someone hears, it’ll be such a pain… There~"

She didn’t let him squirm free. With her free hand, she flicked something—a bird-shaped thing—into his body. It phased through him effortlessly, vanishing like one of her other unfathomable abilities.

"—‘Mystery Seed.’ Now, even if someone sees you, they won’t recognize you as a Celestial Dragon. I mean, who’d ever guess a cute girl like me’s out here eating a… oh, wait, no—eating a Celestial Dragon? Right~?"

No one would find out. The Celestial Dragon couldn’t grasp how it worked, but the girl just smiled, blood dripping from her lips, utterly unfazed.

"Hehe, don’t worry—I’ll eat every last bite. I even brought seasonings and utensils! There’s seawater nearby, so I’ll clean out your guts properly before cooking you up nice and tender~♡ I’ve done experiments, y’know? Read tons of cookbooks!"

"GYEEHK!? N-NOOO!! STOOOP—!!"

"Mmm~, meat’s so much tastier when it’s well-nourished~♡ Wonder if grilling’ll change the flavor? Okaaay, next up—fire~"

She bit into his arm, chewing methodically, like it was fried chicken. His agony meant nothing to her. Her smile was the kind you’d see at a feast.

And why not? To her, this was a ritual.

A farewell to her weak, former self. A rite to live freely as a pirate—no regrets, no hesitation. If you’re wronged, you strike back. If you want something, you take it. That was the strength she embraced now.

Besides, to her, he was just food. Who mourns the fish they’re about to eat? At most, you’d say "thanks for the meal"—and she’d already done that. She’d even fold her hands afterward for "that was delicious." She was polite like that.

And so, as battles raged elsewhere, a far more innocent horror unfolded quietly on the rocky shore—a girl’s farewell to her past, one bite at a time.

---

The shattered battlefield—strewn with fragments of the collapsed cliffside—was so fiercely contested that merely standing there would have been lethal for anyone of ordinary strength.

"OOOOOH...!!!"

"GYAHAHAHA...!!!"

"GRRRN...!!!"

Every single strike was fatal.

The three warriors, their attacks imbued with the pinnacle of Haki, shattered the earth, cleaved through towering boulders, and split the heavens. Naturally—if these blows landed on flesh, no amount of Haki could fully negate the damage.

"...!!"

"GYAHA...!!"

"Tch...!! OOOOH!!"

A pitch-black blade, a conqueror's-infused strike—the world's strongest pirate, Rocks D. Xebec, unleashed a slash that carved another fissure through the valley. This was the same kind of attack that had sheared off the cliffside earlier. Even blocking it strained the body to its limits, leaving wounds that couldn't be ignored.

But in that split-second opening, Roger, the pirate who had endured the blow, created a sliver of an opportunity—and Garp drove his jet-black fist straight into Xebec's torso. For the first time, the smirk vanished from Xebec's face, replaced by a grimace of pain. And then—

"RAAAAAGH!!!"

"Guh...!!! GUBH...! GY-GYAHAHAHA...!!"

"Tch!!? GUWAAAAAAH!!?"

Roger, forcing himself back to his feet, landed a direct slash on Xebec. A strike refined by his supreme Haki—one that should have bisected a man effortlessly. Yet Xebec's own Haki hardened his body just enough to keep the blade from cutting deeper, leaving only a surface wound. Spitting blood but still laughing, Xebec retaliated by channeling Haki into his pistol and firing several rounds point-blank into Roger's chest. The pirate captain screamed as he was sent flying—only for Garp to seize the opening and deliver another crushing blow.

But—

"HRRGH...!! ...Heh...!!! Magnificent...!!! You two are... the best...!!!"

"!!? GUH!!?"

"G-Garp...!!"

Even now, Xebec refused to kneel. Instead, he countered with a devastating punch that sent Garp hurtling backward—smashing through a distant cliff face dozens of meters away with sheer force alone.

All three were drenched in blood, their bodies littered with gruesome wounds.

Yet Garp's injuries were the lightest of the trio—though "light" still meant his skull was split open and his fists were reduced to mangled, bloodied wrecks.

Roger and Xebec, however? Their wounds were so severe that it was a miracle they were still breathing.

Not an inch of their bodies was spared. Finding unmarred flesh was impossible.

And yet—even in this near-death state... the "Devil" never stopped smiling.

"GYAHAHA... I've never... met anyone worth calling an enemy... till now...!! To think there were men in this world who could stand against me...!!!"

"Tch...! You damn monster...!!"

"De... vi... ls...!! Me... and you two...!! We're men... branded with the mark of devils...!!!"

"!!!"

Xebec laughed, even as his blood painted the ground. To him, this was euphoria.

One-on-one? Xebec was superior.

But two against one? Roger and Garp held the slightest edge.

Yet even in this desperate struggle... he was enjoying every second of it. And then—he grinned, as if privy to some grand secret.

There was something about his words—the way he spoke of the world's taboos—that gripped the heart, even mid-battle. Even as Garp reared back for another earth-shattering punch—

"GYAHA... Tell me—do you two... love storms...?"

"!!?"

—He wouldn't fall.

Bracing, dragging his feet across the torn earth, Xebec spoke to them as he fought back.

To the fellow "D."—to the first true enemies he'd ever known—he roared,

"A calm sea's boring... It's the raging tempest that sets the soul alight!!! Hah... You know it too, don't you!? I live for it...!! Conquering the storm—that's what it means to be a pirate... Hell, sometimes I wanna be the damn storm myself...!!!"

"...So that's why you seek dominion...!?"

It was Roger who rose, gasping for breath, and hurled the question back.

Even on the brink, he refused to back down. That was the choice he had made.

Xebec's lips twisted into a smirk. Their blades clashed in a relentless storm of steel as he answered—

"Damn right...!! That's the conviction on my flag...!! Since I was a brat... I've wanted it all...!! To take everything... To unravel every mystery... To taste every joy and suffering this world has—and rule over it all!!! I've done whatever it took... good or evil...!!!"

"So you'll... kill those who defy you...!?"

Roger's fury burned alongside his counterattack. To him, there was no greater sin than robbing others of their freedom—their crew.

But Xebec met that killing intent head-on, laughing through bloodstained teeth—

"You Understand, Don’t You...!! There Are Fools in This World Who Won’t Obey No Matter How Much Fear or Violence You Use...!! People Like That Can Only Be Killed... That Includes You and Your Crew...!!"

"……!! I won’t let that happen!!!"

“Gihaha... Oh really? You noticed, didn’t you? This island is slowly collapsing...!!”

“!!”

Whether it was something they suspected or a complete shock, Roger and Garp grit their teeth and charge at Rocks simultaneously. But Rocks handles them both and continues speaking.

"Maybe it’s our fault, or maybe not... Who knows what’s really happening... Gihaha, once this is over, maybe I’ll look into it...!! There’s still a few questions I’ve got for that monster called Saturn...!!"

“Hah... Hah...!!”

“The island is sinking...”

If one sharpened their senses, it wasn’t just the valley—there was a tremor from the bedrock itself. Sensing that the two were beginning to realize it, Rocks grinned. This time, he deliberately provoked the battered Roger.

“Worried about your crew...? Of course you are... You want to run to help them, don’t you...? My elite subordinates might already be slaughtering your precious comrades as we speak...!! Gihaha, you’re welcome to run, you know...? Even the fiercest warriors fear fighting me...!! No one would blame you for fleeing...!!”

From here, it was too far. And with Rocks before him, there was no room to focus on anything else—Roger had no way of knowing whether his crew was safe.

Rocks pressed that point, then asked Roger: why do you keep fighting like this?

Roger’s answer was unexpected.

“Hah... Hah... No... I will never let you escape...!! I’ll crush you here and now...!!!”

Those words were so direct, Rocks was momentarily taken aback. It was an answer that genuinely caught him off guard.

“…? Gihaha... I don’t get it. Me? Escape? What are you talking about... I have no need to run. You’re strong, sure, but there’s no one in this world who can truly beat me...!! So why would I run!!?”

“Answer me,” Rocks demanded, his voice heavy with Haki.

Roger responded, his eyes burning with unwavering resolve:

“My crew... will definitely survive, if only you’re gone...!! That’s why I won’t let you get away...!! Your ambition to control everything... I have to put an end to it here!!! I want to sail free... and your ambition suffocates me to no end!!! Rocks!!!”

“!!”

For a moment, Roger’s Haki pushes back against Rocks’. Until now, he could barely keep up. But now—he was slightly ahead. Rocks noticed this shift, and with a mix of recognition and thrill, he laughed.

“...Gihaha... I see...!!”

Finally, Rocks gives up—truly this time.

This man was never someone who could be tamed.

“I’ve always gotten what I wanted, no matter the means... But you—I just can’t get my hands on you, no matter what I do...!!”

“Damn right!!! I belong to no one!!!”

“Gihaha...!! Looks like that’s true... You know, it’s been a long time—like I said—since someone capable of becoming my enemy has appeared...!! An enemy I can’t control... Gihaha, you’re infuriating—but thrilling at the same time...!! But if I eliminate all of you, there’ll be no one left who can stand against me!! My domination of the world will be inevitable!!!”

“I won’t let you!!! It’s because we don’t disappear that we’re your enemies!! I will defeat you!!! I’ll never forgive anyone who tries to steal people’s freedom!!!”

“...Gihaha... Gihahahahaha...!!!”

Seeing Roger radiating such unshakable hostility, Rocks burst into laughter like he couldn’t help himself. Garp, also brimming with defiance, watched him laugh.

“...You laugh at Roger’s foolish ‘dream’?”

“Gihaha—no. I can’t laugh at it. It’s amusing—but not laughable. Isn’t it exhilarating...? If someone escapes not only the World Government, not only the legions of pirates, but even my ‘domination’—then that freedom is real...”

“You think my ‘dream’ is pointless, Rocks!!?”

“Nah... I wouldn’t say that………… If you can take me down, your freedom will come true...!! And Garp, maybe your version of ‘justice’ will shine through too... So go ahead, try and protect it all…!!! I’ll turn this ‘God Valley’ into your graves—the tombstone of those who dared to oppose my ‘rule’...!!!”

Rocks doesn’t mock them. He grins, but he never scoffs at their dreams—he couldn’t if he tried.

He couldn’t look down on a man who, just like him, chased after the grand dream of “freedom.”

And that’s exactly why—they could never coexist.

"Go ahead and try... Rocks...!!!"

"I won’t let you have your way...!!!"

"GYAHAHAHAHAHA...!! Alright... let’s end this already... Monkey D. Garp... Gol D. Roger...!! If you two really plan to carry your 'will' into the future... then first—you’ll have to shatter MINE!!!!"

——That was the signal for the final clash.

Every last one of them poured their strength, their haki, and their conviction into their weapons for one decisive strike.No matter who won, the seas ahead would rage. Someone would inherit that "will"—or pass it on to another. An era would end, the tides would surge, and as the curtain rose on a new age, people would keep chasing their dreams.This was something that could never be stopped.

"A god-slaying strike of annihilation...!!"

As long as people sought the answer to freedom—

"'Divine Departure'——"

"'Galaxy Impact'——"

——These things would never cease!!!

"——'RAGNARÖK'!!!!"

"——'THE END'!!!!"

"——'BIG BANG BURST'!!!!"

And now... another era reached its conclusion.

---

——God Valley crumbled.

At the island’s center, in the depths of a fathomless ravine, a strike powerful enough to destroy the land itself had sent a two-thousand-meter cliffside crashing down. A rain of boulders poured from above—and amidst it...

"Haah... Haah...!!"

".........Gh... Ugh...!!"

"............"

One fallen man was the pirate—Gol D. Roger.And another—the great pirate, Rocks D. Xebec.Only one remained standing—Monkey D. Garp.

The final blow had been struck. As the aftermath settled, Garp, his breath ragged, glared weakly at the two.In that instant, Rocks forced himself to his feet.

"Gh... Gya-ha... ha... You got me..."

Staggering but upright, Rocks looked down at Roger, his body battered beyond measure. With a grin, he declared:

"...That last strike... only you and I traded blows... Garp never landed his... GYAHAHA... Can’t do a damn thing now... I can barely stand... let alone fight... If it’s just between you and me... call it a draw... No—your win, I guess..."

".........!!"

Rocks admitted defeat. No excuses about it being two against one. This was a pirate’s battle—no such thing as "dishonor." The one who survived was the victor.

And as the "loser," Rocks had one final question.

"Roger... Can you really unravel the sea’s secrets... and conquer the world...? The ocean’s vast... Even I don’t know half of what’s out there... You really think you can carry that 'will' forward...?"

It was the "will" Rocks knew of—one that stretched back to ancient times.Something forgotten, yet barely clinging to life. But of course—people only truly die when they’re forgotten. So that will still lived, waiting for someone to guide it.

Do you have the resolve to inherit it? Rocks asked.

And the answer came—

"............How the hell should I know...? No matter what stands in my way... I’m a pirate... I’ll keep chasing the 'will' of FREEDOM...!!!"

At those words... Rocks’ lips curled into a smirk.Garp stepped closer, fist clenched—

"............GYAHAHAHAHAHA... I... SEE..."

"!!!"

——And with that, Garp’s strike pierced through Rocks, sending his body flying far beyond, crashing through the remnants of the ravine until he vanished into the distance.

Left behind in victory: Roger and Garp.

The meaning of Rocks’ final words... their true intent, their answer—was something the two of them couldn’t possibly fathom.

---

The collapse of God Valley began without warning.

“Wha—!!? Owwwwww! What the hell!?”

As a pirate apprentice of the Rocks Pirates, I had just finished rinsing my mouth and wiping it clean with water and tissues when the valley crumbled. A violent shock followed right after. Ouch—did something hit me!?

Maybe the battle had finally ended. If that was the case… I waited for the dust to clear and checked what had flown toward me.

“…Wait, Captain Rocks!?”

“…Gihaha… oh come on… don’t catch me like that… I was planning to go out in style… and of all people, it had to be you, Nue… what twisted fate is this…”

“E-Ehh!? It’s just a coincidence, but—wait, you're seriously messed up!”

The battle seemed to be over… or so it appeared. Captain Rocks was barely managing to smile and was still breathing, but his body was so battered it wouldn’t be surprising to say he was already dead. Not even someone like Kaido or me could call this just an injury. He was probably dying. No—he was dying. Well, with Kaido, who knows how he’ll turn out with time, but Captain Rocks… he was as good as dead.

“…But… well, whatever. There’s something I wanted to talk about…”

“E-Even I feel weird having a chat with someone in that condition… but… talk?”

“That’s right… it’s simple… Nue, how much do you know about this world?”

“……Huh—EEHHH!?”

I froze, unable to comprehend what he just said for a moment. But then I understood—and my face went pale. That was my top secret.

“N-N-No, uh… it’s not like… I mean, that sort of thing…”

“Don’t play dumb… I read your thoughts… I know your mind’s messed up…”

“Rude!! That makes it sound like I’m insane!! Wait—don’t tell me… Observation Haki?”

“Gihaha… I knew it, you do know… That’s right. With advanced Observation Haki, you can read someone’s memories by touching their mind… Gihaha, it’s a favorite trick of some noble count…”

Ahhh… so that’s what it was… I see now. I let my guard down. He patted my head a few times—that must’ve been the reason. …Wait, if he knew, why didn’t he…

“I can’t go that far, though… All I can do is sense presences and skim some thoughts… but even so, I noticed your mind was not normal…”

So he doesn’t know everything—Captain Rocks answered my question before I could ask. He has limits. He can’t read that deeply. That said… that’s still way too OP…

“I-I see… but, if you ask how much I know… I guess I know the world’s setting, the flow of things, the people, stuff like that… but not much about the core of it all…”

“That much was clear. You didn’t seem to know anything about me, this island, or what was about to happen… You made things difficult, left me confused… couldn’t even use you properly because I didn’t understand what you knew…”

“Sorry about that… I guess I caused a bit of trouble…”

I stumbled over my words, unsure of what to say. So instead, I just trailed off awkwardly. Captain Rocks looked at me and continued speaking.

“…Well, that’s fine… But listen, Nue—there’s nothing wrong with using that knowledge. Just don’t rely on it…”

“! That’s…”

Captain Rocks, uncharacteristically, dropped his smile and gave a serious warning. I was at a loss for words again. He continued,

“That’s a power you were born with… so sure, you have every right to use it however you want. No one can tell you otherwise. But that knowledge isn’t absolute. It’s uncertain. Fate… is massive. Even I ended up meeting the same fate… I don’t have much credibility saying this, but… the future can always change. What you think you know could shift completely… So don’t bet your life on something so unstable. Steer your own ship.”

“…Captain Rocks…”

“…What, that doesn’t suit me coming from a guy like me? Gihaha… I know it doesn’t… But if you’re gonna go off and be a pirate with Kaido, burn this into your mind. Pirates are meant to be free… Power is something to use, not something that binds you… So go stir up chaos however you want… Screw what anyone else thinks. Gihaha…”

“…Got it. I’ll take that to heart.”

It wasn’t like him at all—but I accepted his advice head-on. I thought I understood it already, but maybe I didn’t. Maybe, just maybe, if he hadn’t told me that, I might’ve ended up doing exactly what he warned against. That’s why I took his words seriously.

But beyond that… there was still one more thing I wanted to ask.

"...Captain. I just want to ask you something..."

"...What's wrong...? It's getting rough... I don't have much time left, y'know...?"

Even knowing the end of his life was near, Captain Rocks still made the effort to listen to my words. I was grateful—and so I asked him.

"...You were pretending to pat my head... while actually reading my thoughts, weren't you...?"

"...Yeah, that's about right. Gihaha, disappointed? Sorry, kid, but I’ve never been especially fond of children... I don’t keep useless people on my ship."

That was what Captain Rocks said. And it was probably the truth—his real feelings. But still—

"...Then what about the very first time?"

"..."

Captain Rocks was caught slightly off guard.

Sensing the opening, I pressed on. I knew this might be my only chance to hear his true feelings.

"Even if there was knowledge in my head that might’ve been useful... you wouldn’t have touched it just to find that out—not without knowing it was there. So the first time you touched my head... it wasn’t to use me, it was for that—"

I was about to say it, but before I could—

"...Gihahahaha... You really are a sharp one, aren’t you...?"

"...So then... uh... was it really?"

Captain Rocks let out a resigned laugh, as if giving in. I asked him half in disbelief—partly because I truly didn’t expect that answer. And with his usual devilish grin, he said—

"Hey now... even if they call me a devil, I’m still human... I’ve got normal feelings too, y’know...? The unknown gets my heart racing... When someone pisses me off, I wanna kill ’em—and I do. When I see something I want, I take it. When someone’s got nothing, I feel kinda sorry for ’em. I wanna fight strong people... If I think skulls look cool... I do. I want good food and drink... and yeah, I’ve even got the kind of heart that reaches for pretty flowers or the stars... So yeah, when there’s a brat that pisses me off, I wanna kill ’em... but when there’s a cute little brat... I might just wanna pat their head, too..."

"...!"

"Gihaha... Surprised? But that’s who I really am. I’m just a selfish man... someone who does what he wants, nothing more. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, if it suits me or not... I decide everything for myself. No one else gets to tie me down. I do what I want. And that’s why I—why we pirates—are called villains and ‘devils’...!!"

"...Captain Rocks..."

"Gihahahaha... But still... to think you’d be the one to figure it out... You’ve always been sharp... damn annoying... You’ve grown up so much..."

"...!"

"Gihaha... I can’t read anything from you anymore... Guess this is finally it for me... I always figured I wouldn’t die a peaceful death, but... never thought the one to see me off would be a kid..."

"...Captain Rocks. I—"

"Now, now... you really are a kid after all... always needing looking after... Gihaha... Listen up, I’ll tell you something... If you’re gonna be a pirate... enjoy it to the fullest...! Pirates, since ancient times, have always been the ones who laugh...! Gihahahahaha...──"

"...!! Captain Rocks!!"

I said it—smiling toward the fading consciousness of Captain Rocks—or rather, Rocks D. Xebec—

"──Thank you. For everything, all this time. I’m going now!!!"

"...Ohh... Have fun with Kaido... Gihaha... ha... ha...──"

And just like that... the great pirate Rocks D. Xebec passed from this world—wearing that devilish grin to the very end.

I watched him for a few seconds. Just for a little while, I stayed there, then wiped the corner of my eyes.

"──Nue."

"...! Kaido..."

Before I realized it, my partner—Kaido, bloodied from battle—was standing behind me.

I didn’t turn around. We just spoke, back to back.

"...The old man’s dead?"

"...Yeah, he is..."

"...I see. Even someone as strong as him... dies, huh..."

Kaido looked at both me and Rocks’ lifeless body. Maybe he had some thoughts of his own. Silence hung heavy between us for a moment.

But then, Kaido spoke clearly.

"──Let’s go."

"...Yeah."

He said it, and I nodded in response. He didn’t say anything else when he looked at me. He just spoke of what comes next.

"The old man’s gone. That means the Rocks Pirates are finished. No way in hell I’m tagging along with Whitebeard, Shiki... or that damn hag. We’ll forge our own path...!!"

"Yeah... I agree."

I understood what he meant. The fact that Kaido didn’t say more—that was his way of showing care.

If I’m gonna stand beside Kaido, I can’t be showing a pathetic face over something like this. He pretended not to see, and I pretended not to cry. That’s how it has to be—especially for the man I’m going to help rise.

That’s what it means to be a pirate.

To me, pirates—now and always—mean living how you want.

And enjoying it.

"...Haaah. So I guess this is the end for us too... Alright, let’s go grab our stuff from the ship."

"Yeah. While we're at it, might as well steal anything useful."

"Exactly! I was thinking the same thing. I bet there’s all kinds of good stuff left behind!"

"Then let’s move fast, grab what we can, and get out of here. Let the Navy deal with that old hag…!!"

"Right! And then let’s find some island and get started—our pirate lives!"

"Uorororo…!! Hell yeah!! Let’s do it, Nue!! You and me—we’ll build the strongest pirate crew the world’s ever seen…!!!"

And so—Kaido and I flew away from the crumbling God Valley, carrying our loot with us.

In my heart, I looked back just for a moment,

—Goodbye, Captain Rocks… Get some rest.

I offered my words of farewell. To the man who’d taken care of me for six long years—my foster father.

---

The news spread like wildfire.

"—N-no way… Y-you’re kidding… The old man…? The strongest pirate in the world… dead!?"

"It’s true! I just saw the body!! You saw it too, didn’t you!? That massive ravine—completely gone!!"

"S-so then… what happens to us…?"

With the fall of God Valley, the fighting ground to a halt.

Boarding their ships, and hearing the confirmation from crewmates who claimed to have seen the corpse, the members of the Rocks Pirates stood frozen in shock.

But not all of them were like that.

"—Jiha ha ha ha… No freakin’ way… Roger and Garp, huh? Can’t believe they pulled it off… But if that’s how it is, then I’ve made up my mind—I’m gonna do things my way from now on…!!"

"You bastard… Golden Lion…!!"

The man bearing clear signs of exhaustion—“Golden Lion” Shiki—wore a grin that was both amused and stunned by what their enemies had done. Behind him stood a sizeable force of loyal subordinates as he made his declaration.

Whitebeard furrowed his brow at that. He too was heavily wounded from the battle. Around him stood a modest group of crewmates, just a dozen or so, instinctively supporting him in silence.

Then, from another ship—

"Hahaha… Mamamamama… Not bad at all… With the Captain dead, there’s no reason to stick around. From here on, we’re doing our own thing…!! The next king of the seas—is gonna be ME!!!"

"Y-you… Linlin…!!"

Aboard a Navy battleship she’d hijacked, Linlin was surrounded by the crewmates she’d originally brought—starting with Streusen and many of her own children.

And somehow, as if prepared ahead of time, she’d also made off with one of Rocks’ prized treasures—the red stone, the Road Poneglyph.

"It’s the age of science now…!"

"Rocks is dead… Then I’m heading back to my island."

"Uhehe… I’ll be doing things my way too… All the treasure in the world—it’s mine…!"

"I’m going too…!"

"Same here. I’ll live free and do what I want…!"

"You bastards…"

More and more of the crew—people who were supposed to be comrades—scattered without hesitation. The self-proclaimed scientist Stussy left. Gloriosa, former captain of the Kuja Pirates, returned to her island. The man known as Captain John, obsessed with treasure, broke off on his own. Silver Axe, Wang Zhi—all of them left.

Everyone realized they couldn’t keep going like this. And truthfully, they were never the kind of people who could follow someone else to begin with.

That’s what the Rocks Pirates were—an assembly of monstrous pirates brought together by a single, lucrative opportunity. The only reason they could function as one crew aboard that ship was because of Rocks’ overwhelming charisma, iron control… and above all, his sheer, unmatched strength.

Without him, the crew’s dissolution was inevitable. No one would take up his mantle. It was an end as cold as it was inevitable.

Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate suddenly found himself thinking about two people.

"…Where are Kaido and Nue?"

"Ah… Seems like they slipped out early. Some folks say they saw the two of them flying off just a bit ago…"

"……I see."

Whitebeard exhaled, his eyes softening. Those two had graduated from their days as apprentices—and were setting off to walk their own path.

He knew Nue probably still had something left unsaid. But by now, it was too late to chase after her.

Still, it wasn’t like they’d never cross paths again.

From now on, he too would follow the path he’d finally come to recognize as his own.

"…Hey. You lot."

Whitebeard spoke—not to everyone, but to the small number of crewmates who had, just a little, shown him some loyalty. …He had wanted to say this to that girl, too—to help her find her way—but he let go of that regret and said:

"…If you’re willing… how ‘bout you get on my ship……and become my—family?"

—And with those words, a new chapter began for him as well.

Thus, the Rocks Pirates, once hailed as the strongest pirate crew in the world, were no more. Its remnants scattered to pursue their own fates.

The pirates who would later shake the world—this was their origin. They learned what it meant to be a pirate from one man… Rocks.

—Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate would go on to form the Whitebeard Pirates, with only around ten followers at first. Carrying with him the principles he learned from Rocks—the ways of a pirate, the twisted yet undeniable pride—and the realization of what he truly wanted at last.

—Charlotte Linlin, later known as Big Mom, would form the Big Mom Pirates, with her original crew, her growing family of nearly thirty children, and the stolen Road Poneglyph. She kept in mind Rocks’ method of control—ruling through fear—and his leadership style.

—“Golden Lion” Shiki secretly rallied remnants of the old crew and established the Golden Lion Pirates, carrying forward Rocks’ meticulous, bold planning—the intelligence that had even cornered the World Government.

—Together with his sworn sister Nue, Kaido of the Beasts took several remnants of the Rocks legacy and, slightly later than the others, went on to form the Beasts Pirates.

He knew that the overwhelming strength needed to dominate so many powerful individuals, like Rocks did, was the most important thing of all.

And for Nue, the Sealed Beast, who chose to follow Kaido—what she sought as a pirate was to enjoy it.

To learn the many things needed to survive in these seas. To grasp what truly mattered most in this vast ocean.

And so, engraving Kaido’s way of life as a pirate deep into her heart, and with a firm will, she set sail.

---

The news of the destruction of the Rocks Pirates—a force that once shook the world—spread across the globe in an instant.

“The Rocks Pirates have been wiped out at God Valley!?”

“They say it was done by a Navy Vice Admiral named Garp!!”

“A hero of the Marines!! Hero Garp!! Long live the Navy!! Praise the hero!!”

“Oh, thank you… thank you, God…!!”

“…They didn’t mention us at all, Aniki.”

“It was Kuma who saved us, y’know! But not even a single word about it… What did happen on that island anyway?”

“……(Aside from the ones I helped escape, everyone else… is already…)”

People wept with overwhelming joy at the news.

The birth of a new hero was celebrated across countless islands, and the name “Garp” resounded throughout the world.

But—

“—What the hell is going on!?”

“Calm down, Garp!!!”

At Navy Headquarters, in a certain room, the one shouting angrily into a Den Den Mushi was none other than the very hero of the affair—Monkey D. Garp.

Several days had passed since the battle. His body still wrapped in bandages and bearing the pain of the fight, Garp's face twisted in fury. Trying to restrain him was Sengoku, his fellow Navy man from the same generation.

But even Sengoku couldn’t quell that rage. The reason lay with the World Government itself, who had issued the statement.

“You saved us this time… As recognition of that feat and our gratitude, we are awarding you a medal and promoting you to the admiral position left vacant by Rocks… What’s the problem?”

“Don’t give me that crap!!! That’s not even the point!!! Why is all the credit going to me!? I wasn’t the only one who took down Rocks…!! Hell, the one who actually beat him was Roger!!! So why am I the only one being called a hero!!?”

“…There’s no need to inform the public of such details.”

“Even if you don’t need to—I do!!! I won’t be called a ‘hero’ over a lie like this—”

“That’s enough, Garp!!!”

Sengoku wrapped his arms around Garp, who looked ready to explode, and held him back. But Garp’s fury still wouldn’t subside. Sengoku had no choice but to speak plainly.

“…We can’t afford to scare the people…!! If they found out there was a pirate strong enough to defeat Rocks, fear and panic would spread across the world…!!”

“So you're telling me we just lie to them!?”

“To keep them feeling safe…!!”

“Tch…!!”

“…Do you understand now?”

The voice from the Den Den Mushi picked the perfect moment—when Garp briefly choked on his words—to press its point.

Garp fell slightly silent. Seeing this, Sengoku released him. But Garp picked up the receiver with a face that showed he had made up his mind.

“…Fine. I get it now. Let the reports stay as they are…”

“I’m glad you understand. Now, about the medal and your promotion—”

Just as they tried to proceed, Garp cut in to put a stop to it.

“—But I’m refusing the promotion!!!”

“Wha—!? Garp!?”

“!? …Why?”

No one could believe what they heard. Every person listening was stunned by Garp’s declaration.

But Garp meant every word. With unwavering resolve, he stood firm—even against those who ruled from above the clouds.

“I won’t become an admiral…!! I’ll remain at my current rank… and continue serving in the Navy freely…!!!”

“Foolishness… Such a thing—”

“Don’t worry!!! I’ll keep hunting pirates and putting an end to the bloodshed…!! Even that bastard Roger—sooner or later, I will catch him…!!!”

“…Do you despise the title of admiral that much? I wouldn’t possibly think it's because…”

“What!? You gonna fire me then!?”

“Hey, Garp!!? Stop!! Don’t go any further—!”

Sengoku, now clearly flustered, tried to stop Garp from saying more. But before he could, a composed and serious voice came through the receiver.

“…Very well. Then your promotion is rescinded.”

“!”

“…You mean that?”

“Yes. For none other than the ‘Hero’ Garp… your request will be granted. We’ll be counting on you going forward.”

With a click, the Den Den Mushi call ended.

Now alone in the room, just the two of them present, Garp and Sengoku were finally able to speak without restraint.

“…Garp. Why did you refuse the promotion?”

“Shut up… I’ll never be a subordinate to the Celestial Dragons…!!”

“! …I see.”

Gritting his teeth, Garp’s answer struck a chord. Sengoku understood. After more than a decade of knowing each other, he was well aware of the kind of justice and morals Garp stood by.

So, Sengoku didn’t press further on that topic. Instead, he shifted the conversation to what came next.

“…In that case, we’ve got a meeting to attend. I know you’re still recovering, but we need to determine the new bounties—both for the pirates who split from the Rocks crew and for the Roger Pirates, who brought them down. They want your opinion, since you’ve had direct involvement and witnessed their threat firsthand.”

“…Got it.”

Garp nodded as he took the bundle of wanted posters Sengoku retrieved from the desk—ones belonging to former members of the Rocks Pirates.

Among them was a poster with no photo—one that Garp suspected belonged to the true perpetrator behind the murder of the Celestial Dragons orchestrated by Rocks himself: an unknown girl of mysterious identity.

“…Is there someone that caught your eye?”

“…Hmph. Not particularly. Let’s just get this over with…”

“…Yeah.”

Though Sengoku noticed exactly who had drawn Garp’s attention, he chose not to press the matter, and the two headed off together toward the meeting room.

---

Even in the Holy Land where the gods reside, the incident was being discussed.

“So… Rocks is dead.”

“Fortune favored us. If not for Garp and Roger, things could have become troublesome.”

“But with Rocks gone, many pirates are starting to go independent. The seas will be turbulent for a while.”

“Several treasures were stolen. And on top of that, the death of Celestial Dragons… A grave situation indeed.”

“According to the report from the ‘God Knights’… the one responsible was—”

The Five Elders, those at the very pinnacle of divine authority, spoke of the incident’s aftermath—and felt a sense of relief.

The death of Rocks D. Xebec meant one major threat to their rule had been eliminated.

Even so, there were still many things that warranted concern. Pirates who had splintered off after the collapse of the Rocks Pirates now roamed freely across the seas.

“…The Sealed Beast, Nue, huh…”

One of the Five Elders, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, muttered as he held the wanted poster of the girl he had personally witnessed at God Valley—thinking, perhaps she too might one day grow into a threat.

---

Some time passed after the incident. On a remote island, far from human reach—

“…Well, this should do.”

In a desolate corner of the world, he drove his sword into the earth and draped his vivid red coat over it.

That was his grave.

Standing before it, a girl smiled.

“—Watch over me and Kaido, okay? Have fun up there.”

With a firm grip on her trident, the girl leapt into the sky and flew off.

Now, the storm no one could stop crackled with thunder—illuminating the seas ahead with its fierce glow.

Like a devil—unbound, unchained…

Free.