Night had fully fallen. The Celestial Dragons outside had all returned to their palace to rest. Hunting slaves now would be against the rules and cost them their so-called points.
After several days of hunting, more than half of the hundred thousand slaves who had originally arrived at God Valley had died, becoming points for those Celestial Dragons to earn rewards.
Gigue lay on the ground with his head beside Kuma and the others', gazing at the bright moon overhead. If I hadn't met Kuma and the others, I probably would've died at the hands of the Celestial Dragons by now.
Though he did not know why there was no target pattern on his clothes, he was not naive enough to think that alone would let him evade the Celestial Dragons' hunt.
Those scum would not care about something like that. Even if killing Gigue earned them no points, they would not begrudge wasting a bullet. A little hunting entertainment was good enough for them.
During this rare moment of peace, Ivan and the other two spoke quietly. Ginny turned to Kuma and said,
"Hey, Little Kuma, if we manage to escape, what do you want to do?"
Kuma answered without hesitation,
"Of course, I want to live happily together with everyone!"
"Haha, of course! But that isn't what I meant. I mean... what's your dream?"
"My dream... I want to become someone like Nika! I want to bring freedom to everyone!"
At the mention of Nika, Kuma's eyes sparkled, his face filled with longing.
Ivan sprang up from the ground, gave a thumbs-up, and praised him,
"What an amazing dream! Kuma, I believe you'll definitely succeed!"
Kuma scratched his head shyly and turned his gaze toward Gigue, who had not said a word.
Though Kuma looked a little simple-minded, he was actually an exceptionally sensitive and perceptive person. He could sense that Gigue was different from the rest of them.
The three of them had already endured countless hardships, and their minds were far more mature than those of children their age. But their ages were what they were; they still retained some of a child's innocence and naivety.
Yet Gigue, who was even younger than them, often acted far more maturely than they did, practically like an adult.
The reason was actually simple. Gigue had lived alone as an orphan on Blue Star for over twenty years, tasting all the warmth and coldness of human relationships as he grew up.
Had he not matured sooner, even surviving would have been difficult. Fortunately, he had done well enough, and with some luck, as well as the help of the orphanage director and kind-hearted people, he made it into university. But only he knew the hardships he had faced along the way.
Gigue's so-called maturity had been forced out of him, making him stand out especially within their group of four. Kuma had long since silently regarded Gigue as their pillar.
So when they spoke of dreams, what Kuma wanted most was Gigue's approval.
Noticing Kuma's gaze, Gigue showed a rare smile. He nodded lightly and said,
"Keep it up, Kuma. Your dream will definitely come true. I believe you'll do even better than that Nika. You're stronger than he is!"
Kuma had not expected such praise from Gigue. He felt both flattered and overwhelmed, unsure what to do for a moment.
Ivan and Ginny were equally surprised, staring at Gigue without blinking. Ivan suddenly asked,
"What about you, Gigue? What's your dream?"
Gigue turned away on his own and said blandly,
"I don't have something like that. If I have to say something, I just want to become stronger. Only strength is everything."
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Ivan was clearly dissatisfied with that answer and pressed on,
"Then what do you want to do once you have strength?"
"There are many things I want to do. For example, help Kuma realize his dream, and yours and Ginny's too. But if your dream is to turn the whole world into freaks like you, forget it."
"Uh... Gigue-chan, you're too heartless. You've hurt my feelings!"
Though he said that, Ivan was deeply moved inside. Kuma and Ginny were even more touched. Both looked at Gigue's back with teary eyes, even changing how they addressed him,
"Big Brother Gigue!"
The corners of Gigue's lips curled into a smile. He had earned a huge wave of goodwill, though it was not intentional. He was completely sincere.
Having always been alone, he naturally treasured his bond with Kuma and the other two immensely. He did not want to mix anything unpleasant into it.
But after this conversation, the four had grown even closer. They were just one step away from swearing brotherhood beneath the moon.
In the end, exhausted, Gigue, Ivan, and Ginny rested their heads on Kuma's belly and prepared to sleep. Before drifting off, Gigue suddenly said,
"Don't forget: whoever finds a Devil Fruit, don't hesitate. Eat it immediately! Even taking a small bite is enough. Understand?"
Kuma and the other two nodded seriously and said,
"Got it, Big Brother Gigue!"
"Go to sleep. Make sure you rest well. We still have to keep running tomorrow."
"Mm!"
Just as the four drifted into sleep, several enormous ships were advancing toward God Valley like dark clouds across the sea not far away.
Each ship flew a black flag bearing a skull, clearly marking them as a massive Pirate Crew.
In the current Pirate World, the name of this Pirate Crew was thunderous: the Rocks Pirates!
Inside the cabin of the largest pirate ship in the center gathered all the core members of the Rocks Pirates. Aside from Golden Lion Shiki and the others, three future Yonko were present: Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Beasts Kaido.
Kaido's status was still below that of Whitebeard and the others, but his talent was indeed exceptional. Coupled with his undisclosed relationship with Big Mom, he was allowed to stand here as well.
Every one of these people would be a powerhouse capable of ruling a territory on their own outside. Yet in this cabin, they were not the protagonists. The true protagonist was the middle-aged man seated upon the throne at the head.
The man had a rugged face, wild long black hair hanging loosely over his shoulders, and a burly frame draped in a black cloak. Merely sitting there, he radiated an oppressive aura that made one's entire body tremble, embodying the very meaning of the word "dominance."
He was the captain of Whitebeard and the others: Rocks!
At that moment, Rocks gripped a barrel of liquor in one hand and drank heavily. After emptying it in one go, he slammed the empty barrel down and roared,
"Damn World Government! This time, I'll settle both old and new scores together!"
The moment his words fell, an incomparably tyrannical aura erupted from Rocks. Purple-black lightning ran rampant throughout the cabin.
Not long ago, an undercover agent the World Government had planted in his Pirate Crew had taken advantage of most of them being away to steal the treasure he kept at their home base, Hachinosu Island. They had even made it the prize for some damned competition. The news had truly enraged him to the point of explosion!
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