Boom!
The enormous monster crashed down, slamming into the sea and sending huge waves surging into the air.
It was a Sea Beast over a hundred meters long. Although it could only be considered small among its kind, to humans, it was still a true behemoth.
A massive wound stretched across the monster's body, but strangely, very little blood flowed from it.
Roa, transformed into a tiger-man, stood atop the Sea Beast's corpse, raising the sword in his hand high.
The Famous Sword Roa had named Tiger Soul was so scarlet that it seemed almost to glow. Faintly, red currents swirled around the blade.
The blade that was said to be capable of devouring blood and evolving continuously seemed to have evolved once again.
But Roa sighed and said disdainfully, "Not being picky isn't a good thing for a gourmet."
Sea Beasts possessed intelligence no lesser than that of humans.
When they suffered, they could also produce black energy.
But the quality was mediocre—barely any better than that of an ordinary person.
Doesn't all this meat count for anything?
Unlike disdainful Roa, Tiger Soul drank with great relish. After all, children had never tasted much good food.
Besides, they were all intelligent creatures. The nutritional value of Sea Beast blood should be about the same as human blood.
After absorbing the Sea Beast's blood, Tiger Soul truly underwent a whole new evolution.
Roa casually swung it.
The currents swirling around the blade suddenly transformed into a scarlet slash that shot forward, only dissipating after flying more than twenty meters.
"Flying Slash."
Roa nodded in satisfaction. Not bad.
He was still a long way from comprehending the realm of Breathing of All Things.
This counted as enjoying the benefits of the swordsman realm ahead of time.
"Lord Roa."
From the ship floating quietly on the sea behind him came Dylan's voice. "There is news from God Valley."
He waved a rolled-up newspaper in his hand.
"Oh?"
Roa returned the sword to its sheath. The motion was somewhat difficult for him, given his short arms and legs. "What does it say?"
Dylan calmly replied, "The Government issued a statement saying that Marine Vice Admiral Iron Fist Garp defeated the Rocks Pirates and personally killed Big Brother Rocks."
"Oh! That's truly impressive!"
Roa exclaimed repeatedly. "I had no idea there was anyone in the world who could defeat the Rocks Pirates single-handedly."
Dylan said, "The newspapers are already calling Iron Fist Garp a Marine Hero. Lord Roa, is there anything we need to do?"
"Anything we need to do?"
Roa leaped up and landed lightly on the railing of the large ship. With a sigh, he said, "Then let us mourn the Captain. Alas, my poor Captain. Even after he is gone, they still slander him. If you know anything from beyond the grave, haunt them in their dreams and curse them properly. Make it clear that you weren't weak—you were just ambushed."
Dylan's impassive face twisted slightly, and he nearly lost his composure.
"Anyway, let's return to the New World first. Sailing across the sea is so boring. I'm practically starving!"
Roa waved his right hand. A violent gale suddenly rose, filling the limp sails. The large ship slowly began moving across the windless sea.
Not long afterward, on Beehive Island.
News of the Rocks Pirates' defeat had spread throughout the world.
After a brief silence, the island naturally erupted into chaos.
Some pirates wanted to cause trouble, while others hurried over, hoping to take advantage of the situation and plunder the island.
The island was on the verge of total disaster.
Fortunately, although the Rocks Pirates had collapsed, nearly all of its top officers remained unharmed.
After a few calls, the forces affiliated with the Rocks Pirates were mobilized, and Beehive Island was preserved intact.
And so, now.
In the meeting room of the Skull Building, the former officers of the Rocks Pirates had gathered together.
"Mommy, mommy! I never expected this day to come so soon!"
Auntie Linlin burst into loud laughter.
"That idiot Rocks nearly got all of us killed!"
Silver Axe cursed angrily, his face full of displeasure. "He deserved to be taken out!"
"Who could have expected Roger and the others to come too?"
Gloriosa still felt shaken. "And the Knights of God and the Five Elders—they were all monsters! Thinking about it now still scares me. Fortunately, we made it back alive. I wonder how little Roa is doing. One of the Five Elders went after him."
"That kid gained quite a lot this time."
Captain John spoke drunkenly. "I don't think he'll die that easily."
"Let's get to the point."
Ochoku crossed his legs. "Now that the Captain has been killed, let's hear it. What is the plan from here? Are we disbanding right away?"
"I can become the second Captain!"
Shiki volunteered eagerly.
"Keep dreaming until tonight!"
Big Brother Kaido sneered. With his arms folded, he stared coldly at Shiki. "What are you supposed to be? You think you can stand above me?"
He was feeling extremely confident now, having gained an entirely new power.
"Kaido."
Shiki's gaze instantly turned dangerous. "Are you looking to die, brat?"
"Mommy, mommy! Shiki, I think Kaido is right."
Auntie Linlin threw her support behind her little brother. "Who do you think you are? You want to be like Rocks too?"
"Gyahahahaha!"
Golden Lion laughed instead of getting angry. "Then it seems we have nothing more to discuss!"
"Are you finally done with the nonsense?"
Whitebeard, who had remained silent all this time, slowly spoke. "Everyone is here except that brat Roa. If you want something, take it with your fists!"
"Oh! Whitebeard, that's rare."
Auntie Linlin mocked him. "I thought you were going to say you wanted nothing and only wanted a family again."
"Hmph."
Whitebeard sneered.
He had become a pirate partly to gain a family, but of course, partly for money as well. He had no choice—his hometown was too poor, and his burdens were not light.
And so, the officers' slaughter began.
As the monsters began fighting over the inheritance, Katakuri stood quietly along the shore of Beehive Island.
The boy's eyes were filled with worry and confusion.
Roa, you're safe, right? The arena was cleared out ahead of time. You had already anticipated something, right?
Don't die. We said that the next time we met, I would make you see me in a new light!
Several more days later.
Somewhere in the New World.
Roa stood at the bow of the ship, flipping through a newspaper. It reported that the top officers of the Rocks Pirates had fought fiercely on Beehive Island before departing separately, and that the Rocks Pirates, which had dominated the New World, had ultimately fallen apart.
"Captain, the uncles and aunties are already fighting over your inheritance before your bones are even cold. If you know anything from beyond the grave, don't just haunt the Government's people and curse them. Make sure you curse them properly too, and tell them to save my share of the inheritance for me."
Roa sighed.
But the Captain himself probably wouldn't care, would he?
He was the sort of person who only cared about what he did while alive, not his reputation after death.
"Lord Roa! We've arrived!"
Dylan's voice rang out from behind him.
Roa raised his head.
Far away on the sea, a large island had already come into view.
"Oh! What a great place!"
Roa's eyes instantly lit up. "It wasn't a wasted journey, coming all this way. What a great place!"
Even from this distance, they could already see black energy rising from the island.
"Dylan, we'll be staying here for the next few years!"
Roa said with a smile. "Sorry, but our era will have to wait a little longer."
"Of course, Lord Roa!"
Dylan's gaze at Roa's back was unusually fervent.
It was only after joining the Rocks Pirates that he realized how vast the world truly was.
The distance between him and the Apex of the World was like the difference between the sky and the sea. Even if he spent his whole life trying, he probably could never stand upon the crest of the era's waves. In the Rocks Pirates, he was like a stray dog by the roadside, ignored by everyone.
So, two years ago, when Roa joined the Rocks Pirates, Dylan realized that if he followed behind this child destined to reach the Apex of the World, perhaps he too could glimpse the scenery atop the raging waves.
And so, Roa gained a loyal follower of considerable strength.
"Let's go ashore. Land of Endless War—how exciting!"
Before you continue