The Celestial Dragons' Tragedy! Rocks' Massacre

On the sea.

The Rocks Pirates' enormous ship lay anchored by the shore.

Rocks D. Xebec stepped off the ship, the hem of his black coat snapping in the sea breeze. A group followed him—Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Big Mom, Ochoku, Silver Axe, and Captain John.

Every officer of the Rocks Pirates was present.

Golden Lion walked at the front, holding a silvery-white fruit in his right hand. There was a crack in its surface, and juice seeped out, staining his fingers. He glanced down at it, then opened his mouth and took a bite.

Crunch.

He bit off a chunk of flesh, juice running down the corner of his mouth. His face twisted for an instant—the taste was terrible, like spoiled rubber and rotten bananas boiled into a paste. But he didn't spit it out. He swallowed.

"Hmph." Golden Lion ate the rest of the fruit in a few bites and wiped the corner of his mouth. "Doesn't taste like much, but the ability's good."

He raised a hand and gently crooked a finger at a piece of rubble on the ground.

The rubble didn't budge.

"I just ate it. I haven't gotten used to it yet." Golden Lion frowned. "It needs time to digest."

Whitebeard walked behind him, a naginata in his left hand and a purple fruit in his right. Its surface was patterned with rippling vibrations that glimmered faintly in the sunlight. Rather than put it in his pocket, he brought it straight to his mouth and took a large bite.

"Gurararara..." Whitebeard swallowed the fruit and laughed. "Tastes terrible. But it was worth it."

He felt a strange power surging inside him—as if something was gathering strength in his fist, ready to erupt at any moment. A faint white light spread over his fist, and the air around it began to vibrate.

"The Tremor-Tremor Fruit." Whitebeard clenched his fist. "Not bad."

Big Mom walked beside Whitebeard, carrying a plate of cake—nobody knew where she'd gotten it. She took a bite and looked around as she chewed. She had eaten the Soul-Soul Fruit she already possessed several years ago. Now, a small Homie made from her hat stood on her shoulder, chattering about something. Faint, dark red Conqueror's Haki lightning flickered around her—that was the Conqueror's Haki she had awakened long ago, covering more than three hundred meters and radiating an astonishing presence.

"Mamamama... Where's the warehouse? Weren't there supposed to be lots of fruits? I want one too."

"They're already gone." Silver Axe walked at the back and spoke coldly. "Someone cleaned it out."

Big Mom's hand paused, and the cake nearly fell to the ground.

"What? Cleaned it out? Who did it?"

"That space brat." Silver Axe jerked his chin toward the Central High Ground. "Lin Yuan. He got there before us."

Rocks stopped and turned to look at Silver Axe.

"What was left in the warehouse?"

"The informant said there were five fruits, and three were taken." Silver Axe counted them off on his fingers. "Lin Yuan took the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, Shiki took the Press-Press Fruit, and Newgate took the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Two are left—the Buddha Form and the Phoenix. They're still in the warehouse."

Rocks was silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes.

"That brat... took the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon from the warehouse?"

"Right. And he did it before Shiki and Newgate arrived."

Rocks suddenly laughed.

It wasn't a cold laugh or a mocking one. It came from the heart, a laugh at something he found "interesting."

"Hahahaha..." His laughter was low, pressed out from deep in his chest. "Interesting. That brat who turned me down actually came to God Valley to steal things. And he got his hands on something, too."

"Should we go after him?" Golden Lion asked. "He can't have gotten far."

Golden Lion raised his hand and gently crooked a finger at a large rock in the distance. This time, the rock moved—rising slowly off the ground and floating in midair. He nodded, reasonably satisfied with his new ability.

Rocks shook his head.

"We can't catch him. He's a Spatial Ability User. If he wants to leave, you could chase him to the ends of the earth and still not catch him." Rocks turned and walked toward the Celestial Dragons' palace. "Let's deal with things here first."

He raised his head and looked at the observation deck at the highest point of the palace.

Three Celestial Dragons stood there, their white robes dazzling in the sunlight.

Rocks' lips curved into a cold smile.

"Celestial Dragons... It's been a long time since I killed any."

An open stretch of ground lay between the harbor and the palace. The officers of the Rocks Pirates walked across it at an unhurried pace, but every step seemed to pronounce a death sentence.

The guards in front of the palace spotted them, and their faces instantly went deathly pale.

"Th-the Rocks Pirates!"

"Quick! Report this!"

"Open fire! Open fire!"

Gunshots erupted, and bullets came raining down.

Rocks didn't even look. Behind him, Golden Lion stepped forward and waved a hand. The Press-Press Fruit he'd just eaten was still a little unstable, but it was enough to create a gravity field. The bullets suddenly slowed in midair, then all fell to the ground, as if an invisible hand had pressed them down.

"Gravity field." Golden Lion lowered his hand. "Not bad."

The guards froze. They had never seen an ability like this.

Golden Lion didn't give them a second chance to fire. He charged forward, both hands coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, and took them down with one punch each. The guards' screams rose one after another.

Whitebeard walked on the other side, sweeping his naginata across and sending three guards flying. White light flashed over his fist, and he tapped the ground lightly—a huge crack split the earth, and more than a dozen guards fell in.

"Gurararara... The Tremor-Tremor Fruit is really useful."

Big Mom walked in the middle, carrying her plate of cake and eating as she went. She had already unleashed her Conqueror's Haki, and dark red lightning flickered around her, covering a three-hundred-meter radius. Before the guards could get close, the Conqueror's Haki knocked them unconscious, and they fell to the ground foaming at the mouth.

"Mamamama... I don't even have to fight."

The Homie on her shoulder chattered, "Long live Mama! Long live Mama!"

Rocks walked at the back, his hands in his pockets, as if he were out for a stroll. He passed the fallen guards without so much as a glance.

His targets were the three people on the observation deck.

At the palace entrance stood the last line of defense. More than twenty CP0 agents and two members of the Holy Knights blocked Rocks' path.

"Rocks! You can't go any farther!" one of the Holy Knights shouted. "If you go any farther, you'll be attacking the Celestial Dragons! Do you know the consequences?"

Rocks stopped and tilted his head.

"Consequences?"

He smiled.

"I need consequences to attack Celestial Dragons?"

He took a step forward.

Conqueror's Haki exploded from him. It wasn't like Lin Yuan's Conqueror's Haki, which covered three hundred meters, or Garp and Roger's, which could split the sky. It was more sinister, colder, and more suffocating. Dark red lightning slithered through the air like venomous snakes, cracking the ground and collapsing walls wherever it passed.

The more than twenty CP0 agents fell one after another under the impact of his Conqueror's Haki, foaming at the mouth and unconscious.

The two Holy Knights barely managed to remain standing, covering their bodies in Armament Haki to resist the impact. But their faces looked grim—Rocks' Conqueror's Haki was stronger than the intelligence reports had described.

"Move," Rocks said.

The two didn't move. They drew their weapons and charged at Rocks.

Rocks didn't move. Behind him, Golden Lion and Whitebeard attacked at the same time.

Golden Lion punched the one on the left in the face. The Press-Press Fruit's ability made the blow ten times heavier, and the man's head snapped back. He flew away and smashed through the palace wall.

Whitebeard swept his naginata across, its blade wreathed in the power of vibration, and struck the one on the right in the chest. The man flew back as if he'd been hit by a truck, slammed into the ground, and skidded more than twenty meters before stopping, his chest caved in and blood pouring from his mouth.

"Let's go," Rocks said. He stepped over the fallen guards and entered the palace.

At the highest point of the palace, on the observation deck.

The three Celestial Dragons finally realized something was wrong.

"H-he's inside?!" Saint Charlos sprang out of his chair, dropping his wineglass, which shattered on the ground. "Guards! Where are the guards?!"

No one answered. The guards were all downstairs, and they had all fallen.

"Don't panic." Saint Rosward forced himself to stay calm. "He wouldn't dare kill us. No one has ever dared to kill a Celestial Dragon."

Saint Mjosgard said nothing. His legs were shaking.

Footsteps came from the stairwell.

Rocks came up, followed by Golden Lion and Whitebeard. Big Mom hadn't come up; she was searching for the kitchen in the first-floor hall.

"Hello." Rocks stood at the entrance to the observation deck and glanced at the three Celestial Dragons with a smile. "Celestial Dragons, it's been a long time."

"Rocks!" Saint Rosward pointed at his face. "Do you know what you're doing?! Attack a Celestial Dragon, and the World Government won't let you get away with it!"

"When has the World Government ever let me get away?" Rocks tilted his head. "I can kill you, and the World Government still won't be able to do anything to me. The Navy's been chasing me for so many years. Have they caught me?"

Saint Rosward's face turned bright red.

"You—!"

"You talk too much." Golden Lion stepped forward impatiently.

His fist was coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, and dark red Conqueror's Haki lightning flickered around his knuckles—that was the Conqueror's Haki he had awakened long ago, intertwined with the power of the Press-Press Fruit and radiating a terrifying presence.

"This punch is for you."

He struck at Saint Rosward. Saint Rosward tried to run, but Golden Lion's fist was too fast. The punch landed on his chest, and the power of the Press-Press Fruit made it dozens of times heavier. Saint Rosward's chest caved in, and he flew backward, smashing through the observation deck's railing and falling from the top of the thirty-meter-high palace.

"Pfft—!"

The sound of the landing was muffled.

Saint Rosward lay motionless in a pile of rubble below. His white robes were stained red with blood, and his bubble helmet had shattered, exposing his twisted face. His eyes were wide open; to his dying moment, he hadn't believed anyone would really dare kill him.

Saint Charlos and Saint Mjosgard looked at the corpse below and finally realized—this was no drill. These people really did dare to kill Celestial Dragons.

"Y-you..." Saint Charlos backed up two steps, his legs too weak to hold him, and landed on his backside. "Don't kill me! I can give you money! Give you status! Give you—"

He didn't finish.

Whitebeard stepped forward. His fist was covered in the white light of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and dark red Conqueror's Haki lightning also coiled around his knuckles. He glanced at Rocks, who nodded.

"Gurararara..."

Whitebeard punched at Saint Charlos. He didn't strike his body directly, but the air—the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit turned the air itself into a weapon. A white shockwave burst from his fist and struck Saint Charlos, sending him flying like a fly swatted by a giant. He smashed through the observation deck's wall and fell from the other side of the palace.

Boom—!

His landing was louder than Saint Rosward's. Saint Charlos' body struck a crater into the ground, and he was no longer recognizable as human.

Saint Mjosgard slumped on the ground, a wet patch spreading across his trousers. He looked at Rocks, his lips trembling.

"No... don't kill me..."

Rocks looked down at him.

"I won't kill you."

Saint Mjosgard froze for a moment, a flicker of hope appearing in his eyes.

"Go back and tell the Five Elders." Rocks crouched down and patted Saint Mjosgard's face. "From today on, God Valley is no longer Celestial Dragon territory. From now on, every time I see one of your annual hunts, I'll kill you."

He stood, turned, and walked toward the stairwell.

Golden Lion and Whitebeard followed him.

Saint Mjosgard lay slumped on the ground, trembling all over, his trouser legs soaked through. He watched Rocks' retreating back, his teeth chattering.

Downstairs, Big Mom came out of the kitchen with a whole plate of cake in her hands and the Homie standing on her shoulder, still eating. She glanced at the corpses of Saint Rosward and Saint Charlos in the rubble and licked the cream from the corner of her mouth.

"Mamamama... Two dead? What a shame. I wanted to kill one myself."

"One's still alive," Golden Lion said. "We left him to deliver a message."

"Mamamama... All right, then."

The four walked out of the palace. Behind them, Saint Mjosgard's cries came down from the observation deck, like a pig being slaughtered.

In the distance, Garp stood on a hilltop, looking toward the palace. He was silent for a long time.

He saw Saint Rosward's and Saint Charlos' bodies fall from above, saw the officers of the Rocks Pirates walk out of the palace, and heard Saint Mjosgard's cries.

His fists clenched, then loosened.

He didn't go over.

It wasn't that he didn't dare. He didn't want to.

"Mr. Garp, the Celestial Dragons have been killed! Shouldn't we—" A Navy soldier ran up to him.

"Shouldn't we what?" Garp said without looking back.

"Shouldn't we... go save them..."

"Save who? They're already dead."

The soldier didn't dare speak again.

Garp turned and walked in another direction—toward the prize warehouse. His pace was a little slower than when he'd come, and his back was somewhat hunched, as if he had suddenly aged several years.

Roger stood on a hilltop on the other side, looking toward the palace.

He took a swig of wine and laughed.

"That guy Rocks really had the nerve."

"Aren't you going to kill one?" Gaban asked.

"Too late." Roger tossed the bottle to Gaban. "Come on, let's go to the warehouse. There are still two fruits left."

He turned and headed toward the warehouse with a light step, as if he had seen nothing at all.

But Rayleigh noticed something more in Roger's eyes—not fear, not anger, but an indescribable gaze toward the future.

Far away, Sengoku stood in the command room, a telescope in his hand, his face ashen.

"The Celestial Dragons were killed... two of them..."

Tsuru put down her teacup and was silent for a moment.

"We can't keep this quiet."

"I know." Sengoku lowered the telescope. "But we have to. If word gets out, the World Government's authority will collapse."

"How do we cover it up?"

Sengoku was silent for a long time.

"We'll say... it was infighting among pirates. The Celestial Dragons were hit by stray bullets in the chaos."

Tsuru glanced at him but said nothing.

On the palace's observation deck, Saint Mjosgard sat slumped on the ground, crying like a child.

The sea breeze blew past, carrying the smell of blood.

A rift had opened in the sky over God Valley after the clash of Conqueror's Haki, and it had yet to close completely. Sunlight streamed through the gap, shining on the two corpses beneath the palace, on Rocks' retreating back, on Garp's silent face, and on Roger's light steps.

That day, two Celestial Dragons died on God Valley.

It was the first time, but it would not be the last.

(End of Chapter 40)