11 Days Until the Summit War Begins!
The New World simmered with tension beneath the surface—undercurrents brewing chaos.
"Hachinosu… we've finally arrived."
Elior stood at the bow of the ship, gazing ahead at the eerie island shaped by a massive, skull-like structure. A flicker of excitement sparked in his eyes.
Hachinosu — one of the most lawless, dangerous places in the entire New World. Nicknamed Pirate Paradise, though only pirates and criminals would ever call it that.
This place knew no rules. If there was any kind of order, it was simple: strength is law. The strong do as they please, and the weak are nothing more than prey.
Illegal trades thrive here: underground arms deals, weapon sales, toxic gas, wartime supplies, human trafficking, slavery... every shade of the underworld could be found on Hachinosu.
Chaos and terror defined this place.
It was also the birthplace of the legendary Rocks Pirates, a crew so fearsome the World Government tried to erase all traces of their existence. Later, Hachinosu had become the stronghold of the Blackbeard Pirates..
Why had two legendary pirate crews chosen this island as their base?
Elior couldn't help but wonder.
But this time, he wasn't here just to explore. Elior had plans—big ones. Hachinosu would become his domain. He'd claim it as the foundation for his rising empire.
And there was no denying it: this place was perfect for it.
"Heh… Hachinosi" Bullet chuckled beside him, his tone tinged with nostalgia. "Only true monsters can rule this place. Everyone here, pirates, mercenaries, arms dealers… they aren't the kind you want as enemies."
Then Bullet asked, "Ever heard of Rocks? The one who first made Hachinosu a fortress?"
"Rocks…?""Who was that?""What kind of guy are we talking about?"
Most of the crew looked confused. The name had clearly lost weight over time.
But Elior stepped forward.
"Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom, Golden Lion Shiki—before they were legends,they all served under him in their youth. Before the Pirate King rose to fame, Rocks was the one who ruled the seas. And in terms of sheer ambition? He may have aimed even higher."
"Wait—Captain, you know about this?" Bullet asked, surprised. He had taken to calling Elior Captain after recognizing his power, but this sealed the deal.
Silence.
Everyone's eyes went wide.
"You're joking… All of them? On one crew?!"
The idea that those titans of the sea had once been subordinates in the same pirate crew — that they had followed someone else's lead — was almost too much to believe.
Bullet nodded. "I heard it from Roger himself. Rocks wanted to be the King of the World. He gathered the most powerful pirates in the New World under one flag. But they broke too many taboos. The World Government wiped all trace of them from history. And since the crew was always at each other's throats, none of them ever talk about their time with him."
Did Elior dream of ruling Hachinosu because he shared that ambition? To become the King of the World?
"Maybe…"
He added fuel to the fire, "They say it took both the Pirate King and the Hero of the Marines to bring Rocks down. After that, the Government probably sent someone to finish the job in secret."
Even Hawkins, normally calm and detached, let out a curse. "Shit, you're telling me Roger and Garp teamed up to take this guy down?!"
"It's true" Bullet confirmed. "But neither of them ever talk about it. It's like the event was erased."
Elior and Bullet wouldn't joke about something like that. Not together. Not now.
It was too much to ignore.
"This is insane… I need a moment to process" Shiryu muttered, shaking his head.
"Same here" echoed another.
Elior let out a short, amused laugh. "Just treat it like a story. Doesn't really concern us, does it?"
Then his expression hardened.
"Hachinosu will be the stronghold of the Elior Pirates! Everything on this island... is ours
Those who resist—die
Those who submit—live
Those who defy—leave
From now on, we decide what order means"
Ten minutes later, Elior and his crew set foot on Hachinosu.
But elsewhere—trouble was brewing.
A marine warship drifted into port. Two figures disembarked: Vice Admirals Gion and Tokikake —future candidates for the rank of Admiral.
Not every Vice Admiral had been summoned back for the coming war. Gion and Tokikake had been assigned to the New World to suppress rising unrest and keep certain powers in check.
And they had just received troubling news.
"The heads of the dark underworld have gathered on Hive Island…"
Tokikake frowned. "Damn it. This place is worse than ever. While HQ is busy preparing for the Whitebeard assault, these scumbags are making their move."
The two vice admirals had come to investigate. If the opportunity presented itself, they would eliminate one or two of the dark world's ringleaders.
"Wait… those ships—!"
Gion narrowed his eyes. A fleet was approaching the island, each vessel flying a distinctive emblem.
Tokikake's expression darkened.
"That's the Germa Fleet… The Vinsmoke family's here too?"
"Something big is going down."