Elbaf. Ida's Tavern.
Harald pondered York's words in silence.
He recalled a conversation from decades ago with Elder Yarulu, the former co-captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates. Yarulu had once warned him: "In the eyes of the World Government, our very existence is a sin."
Harald had assumed it was because of their raids on human nations. He never imagined the root cause lay in the erased history of the Void Century.
"Was the Giant Race an enemy of the Gods from the very beginning?" Harald murmured, his brow furrowed.
Across the room, Rocks' gaze shifted. He looked at York with a new measure of respect. The kid wasn't just a combat prodigy; he was a historian and a strategist.
Seeing his words take root, York didn't linger. He leaped back to the table, grabbing a drink.
His interjection wasn't just to show off.
It was an investment.
York glanced behind the bar. Two Giant children were crouching there, listening intently.
One was Hajrudin, a strong but straightforward warrior.
The other was Loki, the second prince. He wore a helmet that covered his eyes, exuding a strange, observant aura that belied his age.
York narrowed his eyes.
'In the future, Shirahoshi controls the Sea Kings. Momonosuke commands Zunesha. Every major arc has a royal key.'
'Hajrudin is just a fighter. But Loki... he has the pure bloodline. If Elbaf has a secret power, he holds the key.'
The Rocks Pirates would eventually fall. York needed allies for the chaos that would follow. A handshake with the future King of Elbaf was worth more than gold.
The banquet ended.
Rocks failed to recruit Harald. Again.
But this time, the rejection was different.
"Rocks," Harald said, standing at the door. "If you want me to join you... do as York said."
"Build a nation. Build an army. With just a dozen disloyal monsters, you cannot topple an 800-year-old regime."
"I cannot bet the lives of my people on a suicide mission."
Rocks scowled, but he didn't argue. The logic was sound. But Rocks was too old and too impatient to start empire-building from scratch. He chose the path of destruction.
They left empty-handed.
However, the Great Hammer Battle Group—the frozen giants—remained. Rocks left them in Harald's care, a gesture of goodwill and a burden returned to its homeland.
One Year Later.
Sea Calendar 1483. (37 Years before Luffy sets sail).
One year remaining until the God Valley Incident.
The weather over Hachinosu was ominous—overcast skies, driving rain, and a howling wind.
A bizarre, impossible incident occurred.
"Have you searched everywhere?!"
"Chief Marlon... he's dead! The guards were slaughtered instantly!"
"Impossible! Marlon was a core executive! Who could kill him so silently?!"
Panic swept through the island.
A crowd gathered around a bloody scene. Lying in the mud was the corpse of Marlon, the legendary Mafia Don who had unified the West Blue Underworld before joining Rocks.
He was a human noted for his cunning and connections, yet he had been butchered like livestock.
News reached Skull Mountain immediately.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
Rocks and Whitebeard stood up simultaneously, shock radiating from them.
"Shakky... has been kidnapped?!"
A massive search operation was launched. They tore the island apart, digging three feet deep into the earth.
Nothing.
Gloriosa wept openly. Stussy looked pale. Even the most hardened pirates looked grim.
Shakky wasn't just a bar owner. She was the "Treasure of Hachinosu." She was the heart of the island.
And she had been stolen right from under the nose of the strongest crew in the world.
News of Shakky's abduction swept across the seas like a hurricane.
"WHAT IS THAT BASTARD ROCKS DOING?!!"
On the Oro Jackson, Roger tore a newspaper in half. Conqueror's Haki exploded from his body, cracking the deck.
"I'M GOING TO BEAT HIM TO DEATH!!"
Rayleigh sat in the corner, trembling with a mix of rage and terror. "Shakky..."
The reaction wasn't limited to pirates.
Shakky's charm was global. The news of her disappearance caused a strange phenomenon: the world's underground economy stagnated. Brokers, smugglers, and fans were too depressed to work.
But the anger needed a target.
Since Shakky was taken from Rocks' territory, the world blamed Rocks.
"He couldn't protect her!"
"The Rocks Pirates are incompetent!"
An endless war began.
Pirate crews from across the New World, fueled by simp-rage and opportunism, launched suicide attacks on Hachinosu.
They were weak, but they were relentless.
For an entire year, the Rocks Pirates knew no peace.
Rocks, Whitebeard, Shiki, York... they fought every day. They slaughtered fleet after fleet. The sea around the island turned red.
It was a war of attrition. Rocks re-established his dominance through sheer brutality, but the crew was tired. They were suspicious of each other. The internal cracks were widening.
Then, a new report arrived. A single letter delivered by a News Coo.
It wasn't a ransom note. It was an invitation.
Shakky was alive.
She wasn't being held by a rival pirate. She wasn't dead in a ditch.
She was being held as a "Special Guest" of the Celestial Dragons.
On an island called God Valley.
....
.....
.....
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