The waters surrounding God Valley were ringed by dozens of Marine warships, forming what looked like an impenetrable wall of steel.
Seagulls circled above the masts. The sea breeze was calm, yet the silence carried a weight that pressed down on every heart.
"BOOM!"
Without warning, an explosion split the horizon.
A Marine escort ship erupted in flames, torn apart mid-hull before sinking helplessly into the sea.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Eastern defensive line under fire!" The lookout's desperate cry echoed across the fleet.
"How is this possible? This was top-secret intelligence!"
Before the Marines could react, the horizon darkened with countless black shapes swelling larger and larger.
Pirate ships. Too many to count. Every flag that billowed in the wind bore a crest that struck terror into seafarers across the world.
At their head was a monstrous warship, more fortress than vessel. The sigil on its prow made every Marine's blood run cold.
The Rocks Pirates.
"Report to headquarters! It's Rocks! The entire Rocks Pirates are here!" The voices from the transponder snails trembled in disbelief. "Not just him Shiki the Golden Lion! Charlotte Linlin! Edward Newgate! Nearly every legendary pirate you've ever heard of is here!"
On the flagship's deck, Rocks D. Xebec spread his arms wide, his roar like the decree of a king. "Rocks Pirates, follow me!"
"Gurararara…" Edward Newgate let out a booming laugh as he polished his naginata, then scowled. "Hold it. Who the hell made me your subordinate, idiot?"
"Mamamama! The treasure belongs to me, of course!" Charlotte Linlin licked her lips, eyes glinting with greed.
Beside her, a horned youth hefting a spiked kanabo snorted in disdain. Kaido. "Like you're any use, Linlin."
"What was that, brat?!"
"Jihahahaha! Quit bickering. Whoever gets it first wins!" Shiki hovered in the air, laughing wildly.
Further down the ranks, two women faced off sharply.
"My, my… such uncouth men. Would it kill them to act with a little grace?" Stussy twirled a strand of her hair, her tone a languid tease.
"Shut it, little girl. Just don't piss yourself when the fighting starts," Gloriosa, the Amazon Lily empress, snapped back without mercy.
Captain John, Wang Zhi, Silver Axe… monsters of infamy, all gathered here. A horde of ambition-bound beasts, dangerous enough to tear each other apart at any moment, yet for now their fangs were all turned toward God Valley.
On the island, the Celestial Dragons' festivities came to an abrupt halt as the thunder of cannon fire reached their ears. They were not afraid only furious.
"What is the Navy doing?! How dare they let pirates intrude here?!" Saint Topps hurled a golden goblet to the ground, seething. "Incompetent vermin! They've ruined our game!"
The other Celestial Dragons joined in chorus, voices sharp with entitlement, scolding the Marines as if the heavens themselves had been defiled.
On the high cliffs, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn of the Five Elders remained seated, unmoving. He simply shifted his gaze from the blood-soaked hunting ground toward the distant sea, his expression as still as stagnant water.
At his side, the leader of the God's Knights, Saint Figarland Garling, rose slowly. His crescent-shaped hair gleamed under the sun.
"Have the Navy reposition." His voice was quiet, yet carried absolute authority.
Then he drew his blade. Cold light flashed along its edge.
"God's Knights. Move out."
…
On the western coast of God Valley, another force arrived.
"Set sail, lads! Time to move!" Gol D. Roger was the first to leap from the ship.
"Heh, today's going to be one hell of a party," Silvers Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Roger, this time there's no captain's privilege on treasure!" Scopper Gaban hefted his twin axes, bantering as he followed.
The Roger Pirates landed one after another, each face alight with eagerness for the chaos to come. All except one.
At the rear stood Kael Grylls. Beneath his black hair, his golden eyes were devoid of mirth. There was no thrill of battle there only a darkness so heavy it seemed ready to solidify.
This was no war. It was a massacre dressed up as sport. Civilians fleeing in terror, gunfire laughed off as entertainment, lives reduced to numbers on a scoreboard… It called to mind the ugliest chapters of history he had known in his past life.
That arrogance the presumption of calling themselves gods and stripping others of everything simply because they could set fire to the one nerve in Kael's soul he despised most.
Damn you, Celestial swine. Right now, I really want to kill.
His grip on the black-and-gold naginata tightened, knuckles whitening. A cold fury smoldered in his chest, hotter and deadlier than any technique.
Roger noticed the change in atmosphere. He glanced back, then grinned. "What's wrong, Kael? Seasickness?"
Kael lifted his head. The gloom was gone, replaced by a dazzling smile but the smile never touched his eyes.
"No, Roger." He twirled the naginata in his hands, gaze fixed on the heart of the island.
"I just think… this place is far too noisy."
…
God Valley's battlefield had already become a grinder of flesh and steel. The Marine defenses crumpled before these legends as if made of paper.
"Hold the line! Hold the line!" A Marine colonel screamed, his face streaked with blood and sweat. "Our duty is to protect the Celestial Dragons! We cannot retreat!"
"Reporting to HQ! Eastern line has collapsed! The Rocks Pirates have broken through!"
"Western coast breached! The Roger Pirates have passed CP's blockade!"
"There are too many! We can't hold them back!"
Despair echoed through every transponder snail, the sounds of slaughter carrying through.
"We can't hold it! We really can't hold it!" In the makeshift command tent, a Marine officer pounded the table in desperation. "Rocks, Roger, Shiki… all the world's monsters are here! Our men are being butchered!"
"Hold on! Reinforcements are arriving!" came Kong's voice, just as tense.
"Reinforcements?" The officer gave a broken laugh. "Who could possibly "
BOOM!
His words were swallowed by an earth-shaking blast.
From the horizon, a warship with a dog's head prow tore through the pirate blockade, splintering vessels aside like toys.
On its deck, a towering figure in a Justice cloak did not even wait for the ship to dock. With a wild leap, he hurtled directly onto the battlefield.
Garp's face shone with unbridled glee. His voice thundered over the din of battle.
"Where's Roger?! Somebody tell me where that bastard is?!"
Behind him, still dangling from the collar where his father had hauled him all this way, stood Monkey D. Dragon.
He stared at the carnage unfolding before his eyes, then at his father, who seemed more excited than anyone else here. Slowly, Dragon covered his face with one hand.