Dimon temporarily stored the five fruits away, then headed downstairs.
Only Abel was in the bar. The moment he saw Dimon come down, he immediately rose to his feet.
"Lord Dimon, a group of people appeared in the storage room on the second floor just now."
"Where are they?"
"They all left. Should we go after them?"
"No need. Let them go."
Dimon was only responsible for sending Ginny and the others away from God Valley. What they wanted to do afterward or where they wanted to go had nothing to do with him.
After instructing Abel not to let anyone enter the second-floor bedroom, Dimon strolled out of the Elixir of Immortality Bar.
Not long after, at Shakky's bar.
Shakky smiled as she poured Dimon a margarita and asked curiously,
"Didn't you go to God Valley? You came back so quickly?"
"I came back alone. They're still fighting fiercely over there."
Dimon wondered how the battle was going.
There were many enemies at God Valley. Even Harald had been drawn in. It was hard to say whether the Rocks Pirates could win.
Thinking it over carefully, they probably could not.
More than ten Divine Knights, Saint Saturn of the Five Elders, Giant King Harald, Vice Admiral Garp.
Those forces alone were already difficult enough to deal with. If things went wrong, the other four Five Elders could join the battle at any time.
Imu might even descend personally.
"What is there on God Valley that made all of you mobilize?" Shakky blinked.
"Six top-tier Devil Fruits."
After pondering for a moment, Dimon added, "That's the public explanation. Rocks should have gone there to look for something."
"What?"
"What follows is only my guess. Just treat it as a story."
The key was Saturn.
Saint Saturn's position was Scientific Defense Warrior. Generally speaking, the Five Elders rarely descended to the lower world. If he had appeared there, something important had to be hidden on God Valley.
Something related to technology, and something Imu would be interested in.
Then the answer was obvious.
"Have you heard of the Ancient Weapons?"
"The Ancient Weapons?" Shakky propped up her chin, intrigued. "I have. Legendary superweapons with the immense power to destroy the world."
"I guess Uranus, one of the three Ancient Weapons, is hidden on God Valley. That's why the Celestial Dragons chose that island to hold their killing competition."
Dimon swirled his glass and smiled. "Once they clear out all the natives, they can take their time searching for it."
"Why not Poseidon or Pluton?" Shakky asked in surprise.
Because I know where the other two are.
Poseidon was the mermaid princess Shirahoshi, who had not been born yet. Pluton slept beneath Wano Country and was a massive battleship.
After thinking for a moment, Dimon suddenly said, "Shakky, the Rocks Pirates will most likely fall apart. This island is about to become very dangerous. You should consider running."
"Huh?" Shakky froze.
Three days later.
A piece of news shook Hachinosu Island. It made the World Economic Journal and spread across the entire world.
The once-mighty Rocks Pirates had been defeated at God Valley, and their members had scattered.
According to the news, "Marine Hero" Garp had joined forces with the legendary Roger Pirates to crush the Rocks Pirates.
"The Rocks Pirates fell apart?"
"You've got to be kidding! Were all those monsters defeated?"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! I saw Lord Dimon wandering around the red-light district yesterday!"
"Maybe they had internal conflict? Those guys had zero teamwork to begin with..."
"H-Heavens, what's that in the sky? A dragon? An azure dragon!!"
The pirates on Hachinosu Island found the defeat of the Rocks Pirates unbelievable.
Amid the chaos, an azure dragon descended, drawing countless gazes.
Shakky's bar.
Unlike usual, the bar was closed to customers today.
Dimon pushed open the door and swept his gaze over the people at the counter, raising an eyebrow.
"Only you guys made it back?"
Charlotte Linlin drank as she glanced at Dimon, her tone somewhat helpless.
"There was a traitor!"
"Who was the traitor?"
Dimon counted the people.
Kaido, Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Stussy, Gloriosa, Streusen, and Charlotte Linlin.
Only seven people.
"Where's Rocks?"
"He was captured." Whitebeard was drinking as well. "That idiot was ambushed while fighting Harald, then surrounded and attacked. In the end, he lost."
"The traitor was Silver Axe!" Golden Lion looked extremely displeased.
Silver Axe.
Dimon had not dealt with him much, but he remembered him well.
That man had given him a Devil Fruit worth 800 Devil Points.
"Silver Axe was originally one of the World Government's people... He joined the Rocks Pirates to infiltrate them," Gloriosa explained.
Dimon sat down and asked again, "Where are the others?"
"No idea. They either ran, or they were defeated while still on the island." Kaido crossed his arms and said calmly, "After eating the Azure Dragon Fruit, I escaped with the people you see here."
"One margarita."
Dimon ordered a drink, then asked, "So what do you plan to do next? Break into prison and rescue him?"
The moment he said that, several pairs of subtle eyes turned toward him.
Stussy covered her mouth and giggled. "Dimon, you're so kind."
Golden Lion curled his lip. "Who wants to save him? That idiot Rocks can stay in prison obediently. Jihahahaha!"
As he spoke, he was the first to stand and leave.
"The Rocks Pirates are finished. I'm going to establish my own pirate crew. Who wants to come with me?"
Clearly, no one paid him any attention.
Golden Lion invited Dimon, "Dimon, you'll come with me, right?"
"Take care. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
Golden Lion's mouth twitched. "At least give me a way to contact you. I might need to trade for Elixir of Immortality again someday."
Only because there was business to be done did Dimon give him a contact number.
After getting the number, Golden Lion left in satisfaction, looking refreshed and invigorated.
Charlotte Linlin patted Kaido on the shoulder and grinned. "I'm going to build a country where every race can live equally. Kaido, come help me out, kid."
"I don't want to." Kaido looked disgusted.
"You owe me a favor. Who do you think gave you that Azure Dragon Fruit?" Charlotte Linlin said angrily.
"I'll repay the favor, but forget about joining your pirate crew."
Kaido still refused.
Charlotte Linlin turned to Dimon again. "Dimon, come with me. Let's have a child to inherit your talent for brewing!"
"..."
A chill ran through Dimon. He hurriedly waved his hands. "Spare me. I'm scared of you."
As he spoke, he tossed out a sheet of paper with his contact number written on it.
"Take care. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
"What a heartless man!"
Charlotte Linlin left as well. Streusen said nothing and followed her.
The Big Mom Pirates had been founded by the two of them. After being defeated by Rocks, they had joined the Rocks Pirates.
Now that the Rocks Pirates had fallen apart, it was time to restore the glory of the Big Mom Pirates.
Seeing this, Gloriosa looked at Shakky and suggested,
"Shakky, our lovesickness is already cured. Shouldn't we go back to Amazon Lily and take a look? We left the Kuja Pirates to Tritoma before. We owe her an apology."
"That's true. Without the Rocks Pirates' protection, Hachinosu Island isn't safe anymore."
Shakky nodded and winked at Dimon. "I'll search for Devil Fruits to trade with you for Elixir of Immortality. Give me a contact number too."
"Here."
Dimon flicked over a piece of paper.
He had prepared for this long ago. Three days earlier, he had already guessed that the Rocks Pirates might be finished.
Now, it seemed he had been right.
But it made no difference to him. He had already passed his initial growth phase and was now a powerful figure on the seas.
"Gurararara, one final drink. Then I'm leaving too."
Whitebeard raised his glass and drank heartily with the remaining people. Then he stood and said, "I can't stand that idiot Rocks anymore. The pirate crew I build must be like a family. Dimon, you..."
Before he could extend an invitation, Dimon refused first.
Whitebeard laughed. "I wasn't inviting you. You're trouble too!"
Dimon had returned three days ago. How had he done it? There was obviously a secret involved.
However, Whitebeard could not be bothered to ask anymore. His time with the Rocks Pirates had not been a particularly pleasant pirate life.
He had also gotten Dimon's contact information. Afterward, he picked up Murakumogiri and left the bar.
In the blink of an eye, only a few people remained in the bar.
Dimon looked at Stussy. "What about you?"
"My, are you worried about me?" Stussy smiled softly. "Actually, I received an invitation from the MADS Organization some time ago. I'm planning to go take a look. I heard they're researching something very great."
The MADS Organization, also known as the Peace Institute, was led by the genius scientist Vegapunk.
"Good luck."
"Thank you."
Stussy took out a slip of paper, kissed it, and left a lipstick mark on it.
"This is my Vivre Card. It's for you. Come find me when you have time, all right? Well then, goodbye, Dimon~"
Dimon looked at the Vivre Card that had been stuffed into his hand, feeling somewhat helpless. Since when had this woman started treating him like this?
It seemed to have been after the Roger Pirates came two years ago.
Stussy had originally liked Whitebeard, but Whitebeard had no interest in her. Had she set her sights on him instead?
He put away the Vivre Card for now, patted Kaido on the shoulder, and grinned.
"Kaido, interested in overthrowing a country with me?"
"Overthrowing a country? Where?"
"Wano Country!"
Before you continue