"Is it an earthquake? Has Newgate lost it?" a pirate shouted.
"Who cares? We need to escape—this island's sinking!" another replied.
Orlan's gift triggered chain reactions. The canyon explosion shook the entire Valley of the Gods, its terrain limiting but not stopping the blast's reach.
Celestial Dragons evacuated under navy protection, but teleportation wasn't an option for these inept nobles.
"Their ship capsized! Save them!" a navy officer yelled.
"Saint Rodriani's down—pull him up!" another ordered.
The navy scrambled while pirates sought escape routes. Golden Lion's flight was the easiest.
Rocks? His crew wouldn't die for him.
Rumble.
Mountains collapsed under the blast. Hextech crystals, brimming with energy, fueled incredible inventions. Destruction was simpler—no stability needed, just maximum power.
"Kaido! Rocks is done. Join my crew?" Charlotte Linlin called.
"Heh, you know my answer," Kaido replied, transforming into a blue dragon and soaring off.
"Well, don't die, Kaido. See you!" Linlin laughed.
Powerful pirates fled. Kaido's flight was natural—only the inept couldn't wield a fruit's basic powers.
Days later, South China Sea, Solbey Kingdom.
Xiong's hometown, a beacon destination. Many teleported here via Hexgate, resting before departing by boat to new lives.
"Mr. Orlan, I'm leaving. Thank you for saving me. I'll wait for you on Fishman Island!" Shak, a fishman, knelt on the beach before diving into the sea, guided by his race's instinctual pull to Fishman Island.
Few remained in Solbey. In an old church—Xiong's childhood home—Ivankov scoffed at a newspaper.
"Rocks attacked the Valley of the Gods, kidnapping Celestial Dragons on 'vacation'? They dare call it that," Ivankov sneered.
"What else? Admit the massacre? It's worse than that. You know the World Government's true face," Orlan said.
"This Morgans reporter's clueless—pure fiction! Hero Garp fought for days, saved the navy and nobles? Disgusting. It's The Legend of Hero Garp. You and Xiong are the heroes—4,000 saved!" Ivankov said, estimating the rescued slaves and locals.
"It's normal. The powerful guide public opinion. The World Government's sloppy here, just hyping the navy to prop up their rule. Heroes? They'd crown a dog if it suited them. No word on Celestial Dragon casualties? Just one's a letdown," Orlan replied.
Coby might be the navy's future, but Roger and Garp's alliance against Rocks stayed secret. Roger's role was erased, Garp took all credit, and a navy gag order buried the truth. The Valley of the Gods would soon vanish from history.
"The paper only mentions 'minor casualties.' Useless reporter," Ivankov said, flipping through empty World Government statements and Rocks Pirates' bounties.
The pirates took the blame for the destruction.
Mariejois, Holy Land.
Tension gripped the World Government. Celestial Dragons, furious after their outing, executed subordinates for trivial reasons.
"Eladin was brutally killed. Five others died in the explosion's aftermath, countless injured," Gringo reported to the Knights of God and Celestial Dragon families.
A rare catastrophe in centuries. The Valley of the Gods sank, obliterated by the explosion and monster battles, leaving no clues to track Orlan. Xiong's absence during Satan's visit further muddied the investigation.
The world was kept ignorant, but the Celestial Dragons knew. The incident became their greatest unsolved case.