New World
Hachinosu
At the harbor along the coast, more than forty pirate ships were docked side by side. Tens of thousands of pirates crowded the shoreline, packing it so tightly that not even a drop of water could slip through.
"Look! It's the First Division Commander of the Rocks Pirates—Edward Newgate, 'Whitebeard'! His bounty is a staggering 3,021,000,000 Berries!"
"And beside him—that's the Second Division Commander, Shiki! The man second only to Captain Rocks and Whitebeard himself—the world's greatest Dual Sword Style Great Swordsman!"
"That's Linlin! Linlin, look over here! I'll be your dog! Ah! She actually looked at me!"
One after another, the division commanders of the Rocks Pirates made their appearance, each arrival igniting a frenzy in the crowd.
For the pirates under the Rocks Pirates' banner, this was a rare spectacle. How often could they see so many legends gathered in one place?
The fever of battle rose without anyone noticing.
As the Seventh Division Commander, Roldy 's appearance triggered another wave of cheers. Though he had joined the Rocks Pirates only recently, his ruthless methods on the seas had already earned him the full recognition of the crew.
Roldy led the Seventh Division into formation, his expression calm.
All seven division commanders were now assembled.
And the man who would appear next—
There was no need to guess.
A figure approached from the distance.
Silence fell instantly.
The pirates looked at one another and unconsciously held their breath. No one dared to make a sound. In that moment, even the pounding of their own hearts seemed deafening.
The Saber of Xebec was docked at the pier, its sails fluttering as if eagerly awaiting its master.
The man's figure became clearer with every step—until his face came fully into view.
The crowd parted of its own accord.
Rocks D. Xebec strode forward, eyes fixed ahead, his steps firm and unwavering. Under the countless gazes of pirates, he boarded the Saber of Xebec and walked to the prow.
From his elevated position, he surveyed the crowd.
The greed and brutality on their faces pleased him greatly.
"Keh heh heh heh!"
Rocks bared his teeth in laughter.
"Men!!!"
He drew the blade at his waist and raised it high.
"For an entire month, we've waited for this thrilling day! Are you ready?!"
"OOOOH!!!"
All the pent-up emotion erupted at once.
Weapons shot into the air. Thousands roared in unison, their voices tearing through the sky with overwhelming momentum.
"Good! That's spirit!"
Rocks spread his arms wide. In each hand, he held something—
A glittering gold coin in one palm.
A sharp dagger in the other.
"Look carefully! In my hands, I hold money—and I hold a blade! The two greatest treasures in this world! They are equal! They can be exchanged for one another!"
"Right now, we have blades! The only thing in this world that never lies! Blades bring power! With them, we can claim whatever we desire in the most primitive way imaginable!"
"Like the wealth in my left hand!"
"We already possess blades sharp enough. The only thing we lack is the wealth to satisfy our desires! And those fools who share this sea with us—creatures far inferior to every single one of you—hold more than half the world's riches!"
"And they're using what should be ours to hold a celebration!"
"How can that be tolerated?!"
It was obvious—
Rocks possessed extraordinary charisma.
With only a few sentences, he ignited the entire crowd. The pirates below had gone mad, their eyes bloodshot with frenzy.
"So what are you waiting for?! The wealth is just ahead—close enough to grab! More than ten billion Berries' worth of treasure awaits us! Take it with your blades!"
"You've sharpened your swords! Loaded your guns! Nothing can stop us!"
"Power! Wealth! Status! Glory! Everything is there!"
"Drag the Celestial Dragons down from their thrones!"
"And let this world witness the birth of a new god!!!"
Rocks roared, his speech intoxicating.
Even deep within Roldy 's heart, a ripple stirred.
For the ordinary pirates, the effect was overwhelming. For men like Shiki and Charlotte Linlin—who had an insatiable love of treasure—restraint was long gone. Even Whitebeard, who normally cared little for wealth, found his breathing growing heavier.
No one could remain indifferent to ten billion Berries.
"Celestial Dragons? What kind of crap is that?! The treasure belongs to me!"
"With that kind of money, I'll buy the entire Pleasure Quarter! I'll feast and revel day and night for the rest of my life!"
"Hey, isn't it 'night after night'?"
"Idiot! If I buy the whole place, who's gonna stop me from partying in the daytime too?!"
Morale was at its peak.
Desire had unleashed its most terrifying power.
Death no longer seemed frightening—
Not when the potential profit was beyond imagination.
"Board the ships!"
"Raise the sails!"
"Set off!"
"Our destination—God Valley!"
The Saber of Xebec took the lead.
Rocks and his most trusted subordinates boarded together. The division commanders and allied pirate captains rushed to their respective ships. Pirates poured endlessly from Hachinosu as sail after sail unfurled.
From both sides of the island, additional ships converged to join the main fleet.
This time, the Rocks Pirates had mobilized over 30,000 men—
With no fewer than fifty ships under their banner.
And this was only one corner of the New World.
The moment the Celestial Dragons set sail, spies across the seas transmitted the news.
Elsewhere, more pirates boarded their vessels.
Hundreds of thousands of criminals began to move.
The entire sea boiled with chaos.
Strategically vital islands—once fiercely contested strongholds—were abandoned, left like empty shells.
These madmen had staked everything.
Meanwhile, the World Government's own spies gathered intelligence on the movements of the major forces. The sheer scale was alarming. After brief hesitation, the report was delivered to the Five Elders.
The remaining four discussed it.
An uneasy premonition settled in their hearts.
Unpleasant—but solvable.
Marine Headquarters mobilized once more.
The Army and Air forces were activated as well.
"You may have one hundred thousand pirates."
"But the World Government commands over two hundred thousand elite troops."
This unprecedented war—
Would draw more than three hundred thousand people into its vortex.
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