After leaving Water Star Island, there was no more confusion in the crew's eyes about having reached the so-called end of their voyage. What replaced it was a burning hunger to uncover the world's greatest secret.
The deck of the Oro Jackson buzzed with a newfound vitality.
Nozdon, Elio, and the other newcomers no longer felt satisfied with simple endurance training. They began pestering Gaban and Rayleigh daily, begging to be taught more advanced combat techniques. Even the ship's cook threw himself into "research," working on special "lucky bento boxes for treasure-hunting." The taste… well, it was better left unmentioned.
Kael Grylls, too, did not stand still. His duel with Whitebeard had shown him the terrifying might of raw Haki and strength. His clash with the Golden Lion had demonstrated just how decisive a top-tier Devil Fruit could be in shaping the outcome of a battle.
Children may settle for one choice. Kael wanted it all. Haki and fruit powers both, grasped firmly in his hands.
But that peaceful, hopeful air was shattered one morning by the flap of a seagull's wings.
"News Coo! Today's paper is here!"
Elio excitedly untied the rolled-up newspaper from the bird's leg. For the rookies, this had become a daily highlight.
Yet the moment he unfolded the paper and saw the front-page headline, the smile on his face froze stiff.
"This… this can't be true…" His stunned voice drew the others closer.
"What is it, Elio? Don't tell me the World Government finally surrendered and invited our Captain to be crowned King of the World?" Nozdon joked, badly.
But when his eyes fell on the page, even he stood rooted to the spot.
The noise on deck dwindled to silence as everyone crowded around the thin sheet.
The headline blared in the largest type, dripping with menace and fear:
[Sea Tyrant Rocks D. Xebec Spreads His Wings Once More! Whitebeard Edward Newgate, Golden Lion Shiki, Wang Zhi… Legendary Pirates Gather Under the Rocks Pirates' Banner!]
Below it sprawled a massive photo. At the center loomed a shadowed figure, his features hidden in darkness, leaving only a twisted outline: Rocks himself.
Beneath his image were the faces of the infamous unmistakable crescent mustache of Whitebeard, Shiki's wild lion-like mane of blond hair, and others whose visages most had seen only on bounty posters whispered of in taverns and black markets. "Silver Axe." "Captain John." Each one a nightmare made flesh.
The article itself was dripping with sensationalism, painting Rocks D. Xebec as the devil incarnate cruel, ambitious, the embodiment of chaos accusing him of plotting to overthrow the World Government and crown himself King of the World.
It described the Rocks Pirates as "the most evil terror organization in human history," warning the world that an unprecedented age of darkness was about to descend.
"Newgate… and that lion-head fool… both under someone else's banner?" Gaban's voice was low as he tightened his grip on his battle-axe.
"You've got to be kidding me. Each of those monsters could dominate their own seas…"
"How could they possibly accept taking orders from another?"
The deck erupted in uneasy whispers. Every name listed was a peak in its own right, and now they had all gathered on the same ship. The thought alone was suffocating.
Kael folded his arms, staring at the paper, his inner voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ah, journalism at its finest. As if those hotheaded legends would quietly follow Rocks' orders. Yeah, right I'll eat my blade if they do.
Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, Shiki… and Rocks? Talk about an MVP carry. Rocks is basically getting a free ride.
And after God Valley? They all walked away with only scuffed boots, while Rocks alone dropped dead. So… who exactly was slacking on the job, hm?
"Looks like the seas are about to get livelier than ever," Rayleigh said, appearing at Kael's side.
"For all those rebellious monsters to bow their heads, even temporarily… Rocks must be a true beast."
Kael nodded. Rocks' strength was undeniable. Otherwise, why would it have taken both Roger and Garp together to bring him down?
He was a tyrant, pure and simple. A man whose overwhelming power alone could keep such a den of wolves under control.
Just then, a booming laugh split the heavy air.
"Kuahahaha! Now this is interesting!"
Roger emerged from the cabin, not worried in the slightest, but grinning like a man who had just found a worthy opponent.
"Captain?" Elio looked at him in confusion.
"What's with those faces?" Roger swept his gaze over his crew, grinning ear to ear. "Isn't this great? Saves us the trouble of hunting them down one by one. Now they've gathered in one place. How convenient!"
He tipped back a massive swig of rum, wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and stared out at the stormy horizon.
"World King? That Rocks fellow's bark is even louder than Shiki's!" Roger's eyes blazed with fire.
That unshakable confidence, that wild, infectious courage it blew away the gloom clinging to the crew.
Yes. What were they afraid of?
They were the Roger Pirates. They sailed with Gol D. Roger himself.
"You're right!" Gaban slammed his axe into the deck, the thud echoing. "Who cares about Rocks? If he dares block our path, we'll cut him down!"
"Ohhh!" The crew's war cries thundered as their fear twisted into battle lust.
"But," Rayleigh's voice cut through the shouts, his expression turning grave again, "the Rocks Pirates' base is Beehive Island. A lawless nest of cutthroats. With this kind of power gathered, they won't just be throwing banquets. The World Government is in for a nightmare."
Kael's heart skipped a beat.
God Valley.
That world-shaking battle that spelled the Rocks Pirates' end.
And the spark that lit the fuse had been Rocks daring to set his sights on the Celestial Dragons.
The newspaper's claim that he wanted to be King of the World wasn't baseless. His target was the Tenryuubito, and the World Government that shielded them.
Alright, credit where it's due Rocks was indeed a man of stature.
And now, the so-called "strongest pirate crew in history" was fully assembled. The legend was marching toward its climax.
If Raftel was the end of the Grand Line, then God Valley was where every titan of this age would collide.
How could he possibly miss a stage like that?
"Rayleigh-san," Kael spoke suddenly. His voice wasn't loud, but every ear caught it. "Shouldn't we start preparing some… special dishes for the feast to come?"
Rayleigh met his gaze and read the naked battle lust there. A grin spread across his face.
"Ah. Sou desu ne."
Roger laughed even louder, striding over to smack Kael on the back so hard he staggered forward.
"Kuahahaha! Well said, Kael! Let the world see with its own eyes who's truly the freest man on these seas!"