Rocks, in that former era, was without question the sole celestial superstar of the entire pirate world.
Although the number of pirates back then was far smaller than in later generations, his strength was unquestionable.
Because under his command were all beings who, in that era, were worthy of being called "Emperors."
Even if you removed the most monstrous among them—Charlotte Linlin, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Kaido—there were still Ochoku, Captain John, Silver Axe, Gloriosa, and many others…
The most embarrassing one, of course, was Buckingham Stussy.
Being inferior to her own clone—now that was something.
To gather such a group of monsters under his banner and keep them in line for so many years, Rocks was undeniably the strongest figure before the Great Pirate Era.
Yet when he attacked God Valley, he mysteriously vanished on that battlefield.
In the end, under the combined might of Roger and Garp, the Rocks Pirates were completely crushed.
That already extremely loose pirate crew, with Rocks gone and defeated at God Valley, rapidly disbanded…
When united, they were a blazing fire; when scattered, they became stars filling the sky.
And the one who had gathered those sparks—Rocks—now sat calmly before Michael.
"Rocks? Rocks D. Xebec?" Michael tilted his head, studying the man before him. "If my understanding of history is correct… your hair shouldn't be this color."
"Isn't that obvious? This is your handiwork…" There was not the slightest trace of the former supreme powerhouse's arrogance on Rocks's face—if anything, he seemed overly humble…
"My handiwork?"
Michael pulled over a chair and sat down in front of Rocks.
Then a white holy flame brushed past his wings and drifted toward a nearby candle.
Once lit, warm light filled the room.
Only then did he clearly see Rocks's entire body…
Missing one arm, and one leg.
"Looks like I beat you pretty badly, huh?"
"You mean this? No, no, you misunderstand. I was injured by the power inside that device." A look of reminiscence appeared on Rocks's face. "Deep within God Valley, inside a secret chamber that should have been buried underground, I found the legendary 'lunar technology.'"
Michael froze.
Lunar technology?
That thing whose existence Oda had always confirmed through indirect hints, yet which had never revealed its true form?
Rocks had actually… found it?
And judging from Rocks's experience…
That device was undoubtedly what Rocks used to travel back eight hundred years.
Likewise…
If Michael wanted to uncover the full truth, he would also have to find that device and go back eight hundred years.
This wasn't just for Kozuki Toki and Joy Boy's message…
Michael also wanted to see with his own eyes how Joy Boy was defeated by the Twenty Kings eight hundred years ago…
And as for Imu-sama, who was suspected to have lived from eight hundred years ago until now—the trump cards in their hand might be partially glimpsed by traveling back to that time…
Michael had already set the Revolutionary Army in motion to expand across the Grand Line, and the Navy was also teetering on the edge of independence.
But if Imu's true trump card could not be discerned, then the World Government—no matter how precarious—would still stand firm as a mountain.
This was the deterrent effect of "weapons of mass destruction."
So whether for personal reasons or public ones, those eight hundred years ago were a destination he had to reach.
"So the you of now comes from eight hundred years ago, right?"
"Oh? Looks like you've already met Kozuki Toki?"
"Kozuki Toki didn't… mention your existence."
"Of course not. Back then, Kozuki Toki didn't even know who this so-called 'Rocks' was… though speaking of it, she was the one who picked me up from the forest."
"The lunar device you mentioned… where is it now?"
"Of course, in God Valley." Mentioning that place again, Rocks looked somewhat wistful. "That place was occupied and destroyed by the Celestial Dragons just because of its name… then turned into a human hunting game… truly despicable."
"So were you going there to free slaves, or to save humanity?"
"You're giving me too much credit. I just wanted to kill a few Celestial Dragons for fun, and grab the Devil Fruits they used as rewards among themselves."
Rocks didn't bother dressing himself up as some great paragon of justice.
Every word was blunt honesty.
"After entering beneath God Valley, I originally thought I'd find some even greater treasure, but there was no gold or silver at all—only that incredibly ancient-looking lunar device. I didn't know what it was, but my Voice of All Things perception would never be wrong… inside the device was a power so immense I couldn't even comprehend it."
As he spoke, Rocks licked his lips, finally showing a more intense emotion.
"That power was something I had never seen in my entire life… and my curiosity overwhelmed everything else."
"So I tried to release it—but who would have thought, I'd accidentally activate it…"
"That terrifying power instantly pierced through my body. Even Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki were useless."
"When I regained consciousness again, I had already lost my left arm and right leg, lying in front of a bed…"
"Then you appeared. You spared my life, but my power seemed to have been completely shattered and erased by the force that pierced me back then… The Rocks who once dominated the seas without a single rival became this powerless cripple you see now."
Leaning against the wall, Rocks stared intensely at Michael.
"I used to wonder why you possessed such powerful healing abilities, yet didn't restore my severed limbs… thinking about it now, you must have already known I was Rocks back then, and that I was destined to return to this point in time."
"Everything… was arranged by fate."
Michael looked at Rocks.
When Rocks spoke of his lost power, there was a trace of unwillingness in his eyes.
But only a trace.
Almost instantly, it was cast aside.
"That thing… is it still beneath God Valley?"
"Of course it is… it's just that God Valley has already been erased from the sea by Imu."
"Erased from the sea… meaning, beneath the sea?"
"That… I don't know."
Michael raised an eyebrow, stood up, holy light surging forth, then placed his hand on the top of Rocks's head.
"Holy Light."
Then he turned and left without hesitation.
"Since I've already crossed eight hundred years of history to return here…"
"Then I'll live properly."
"Eight hundred years ago, I witnessed the failure of the Sun God…"
"Eight hundred years later, I hope to witness the success of the Seraph."
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg