Rocks Pirates

The birthday banquet ended, and everyone returned to their own lives.

The once-lively Many Countries became peaceful again, with everything developing steadily.

However, during these tranquil days, a school called Academy City quietly began enrolling students. Under Many Countries' mandate, all young children had to enter Academy City to begin their education.

Thanks to the prestige Charlotte Lingling had established, the first round of enrollment encountered no resistance at all and proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

Without a doubt, Many Countries now possessed every advantage a nation could have.

Unlike the peace of Many Countries, the Rocks Pirates' reputation out at sea was growing ever greater, and the trouble they caused across the seas was becoming increasingly serious.

Powerful pirates continually lost to Rocks in Pirate Games, allowing Rocks to recruit even more formidable subordinates.

The Pirate Game was also known as the "Davy Back Fight."

It was a game played between pirates, passed down in a certain pirate paradise. Its purpose was for pirates to seize outstanding crew members from others, and it was also known as the "crew-snatching battle."

The game was decided in three rounds. The loser had to swear to "Davy Jones" and serve the winner for life.

If there were no crew members they wanted, the winning side could instead take the losing side's pirate flag. It was a cruel contest that wagered one's "companions" and "honor."

It had three major rules:

1. Anything lost in a Davy Back Fight had to be won back through a Davy Back Fight.

2. A crew member from the losing side chosen by the winner had to immediately swear loyalty to the opposing captain.

3. A flag taken from the loser could never be flown again.

Anyone who violated these three rules would be regarded as the shame of pirates and sent into Davy Jones's locker.

Back on Long Ring Long Land, the Straw Hat Pirates had once been challenged by the Foxy Pirates, and the two sides played a Davy Back Fight.

During that time, Chopper and Nico Robin had both been selected by Foxy, but the Straw Hat Pirates ultimately won and successfully took them back.

This game was recognized by all pirates. No matter what, everyone followed all its rules, and as a result, Rocks had more and more powerful people under his command.

After all, whenever they spotted someone strong or someone with potential, they simply challenged them to a game. As long as they kept winning, the Rocks Pirates' potential would continue to rise.

The Marines could do nothing about it, and even the World Government allowed them to develop freely.

The Rocks Pirates were ravaging the seas. This day, their target was the International Charity Alliance Temple.

"Putertroni!"

"Hauling all this away... what an incredible sum." Ochoku grinned broadly, greedily eyeing the treasures scattered across the ground.

He then turned toward the guards who had come to stop them and sneered. "You've worked hard. We'll be taking all of it."

"Let's go!"

"Stop right now!" The High Priest immediately shouted in terror. "You can't just take that money away! It's meant for the children..."

"How ridiculous." Big Mom carried a huge sack of money on her back, her face full of disdain. "It's precisely because you didn't give all the money to the children that there's so much here."

No one could stop Rocks and his crew as they carried the treasure and forced their way out.

Just then, Ochoku received a plea for help through a Den Den Mushi. "Hey! Ochoku, lower the last ladder."

"We're all still underground!"

Ochoku looked thoroughly annoyed. He hated that commanding tone. "What a pain, Shiki!"

"Huh? Oh, right!" Shiki widened his eyes as though he had only just remembered there were still people down below. "I forgot all about them."

"We care so deeply about our companions. We absolutely can't leave them in the darkness."

Then, in the next instant, Shiki dropped a bomb. It fell below, followed by a deafening explosion.

He plugged his ears with two fingers, his face filled with the delighted grin of someone whose prank had succeeded.

"Jihahaha! Hahahahaha! Our shares just got bigger!"

"Damn it! Can you idiots stop messing around?" Ochoku's already ugly, twisted face became even more distorted as he shouted angrily at Shiki.

"They know everything about us. We can't let them escape! Seal the temple! Has the army not arrived yet?" the High Priest shouted at his men.

The monks around him immediately activated the mechanisms, and enormous iron gates dropped down, locking every exit.

But that was futile against Great Pirates like them.

"Hehehe, do you think a few bars can trap us in here?" A mocking smile appeared on Big Mom's beautiful face.

"Ochoku, make your move quickly."

Just as he was about to act, the entire temple suddenly began to shake violently.

"Hey! It feels like the foundation is sinking." Everyone could feel the ground beneath their feet continuously sinking!

"This... could it be an earthquake? Did that guy do this?"

The sea churned without end, while the island continuously broke apart. Unparalleled destructive power was crushing everything on the ground.

"Newgate!" Everyone knew who had unleashed this power, and so everyone warmly greeted Newgate.

Their bodies completely out of control, they swayed with the tremors and fell freely alongside the collapsing ruins. Only after the island had been completely flattened and the temple utterly vanished did the disaster finally subside.

"Is this the power capable of destroying the world?" Kaido looked at Newgate beside him with boundless admiration.

"I'm so jealous! I want one too."

Newgate tilted his head toward Kaido. "Huh? You mean an ability?"

"You'll have to take your time looking for one. After all, you'll be stuck with that body for the rest of your life."

"That's true." Kaido nodded in wholehearted agreement.

"Hey, who was it?! Who screwed us over so badly?!" A man unlike Kaido and Newgate, blood seeping from his forehead, roared in fury.

Watching his enraged expression, Ochoku pointed toward Shiki in the sky.

A figure drifted past as if nothing had happened.

Byrnndi wore sunglasses, but his expression made it obvious just how furious he was. "So it really was you, Shiki, you bastard."

A huge grin stretched across Shiki's lips as he widened his eyes mockingly. "Oh, oh! Byrnndi, you're still alive!!"

"I was so worried about you...!! ♥"

Having confirmed their targets, the two old rivals launched into a heated brawl.

"I'm going to kill you."

Watching the two fighting, Rocks looked utterly helpless. "Quit doing pointless things! Everyone, make haste!!"

"The treasure's all safe, right?!"