The Sea Has Always Favored the Brave, and Fate Has Always Blessed Madness!

The grand battle of God Valley proceeded without any unexpected incidents afterward.

Rocks was corrupted by Imu's power, turning into something like a demon. He completely broke with his companions and was ultimately defeated by Monkey D. Garp and Roger working together.

Rayleigh and Jaba returned to the island and rescued Monkey D. Garp and Roger respectively.

As for Rocks, he regrettably died at the hands of Saint Figarland Garling. With his death, the Rocks Pirates also fell apart.

As the Roger Pirates' ship sailed away, Vikengam watched from afar as that island slowly sank beneath the sea.

If nothing unexpected happened, the World Government would cover up the truth of this battle, and the era of Rocks would come to an end as a result.

Next, the heroes of the seas would once again set off a craze for a brand-new era. Perhaps he, Vikengam, could also leave his name behind in this new age.

"Those injuries are really serious..." Vikengam clicked his tongue as he looked at Roger, who lay on the deck while his wounds were being bandaged.

"Quit making snide remarks. Where do you want us to drop you off, kid?" Rayleigh asked, brushing a hand through his hair.

"Hey, hey, we were comrades who escaped the God Valley battle together. How could you be so heartless? Can't you let me join your pirate crew too?" Vikengam said with a pout.

"I don't recall ever fighting shoulder to shoulder with you. Besides, you're a Celestial Dragon. If we take you along, the World Government will keep a close eye on us. That'll be troublesome," Rayleigh said with a slight frown.

Only after watching Roger being carried into the cabin to recuperate did Vikengam speak again. "Perhaps you need my strength? Don't forget what I said earlier. I'm quite an accomplished scholar..."

"Hmm?" Rayleigh's gaze darkened slightly just as he was about to say something.

Jaba, standing nearby, spoke up. "Enough, Rayleigh. Let's wait until Roger wakes up before deciding whether this kid stays or goes. Our top priority is getting out of here before the Marines catch up with us again."

The other members of the Roger Pirates also chimed in. "We really hope Captain Roger wakes up soon. We're still waiting to open the treasure chests..."

Meanwhile, on the other side, Admiral Kong stood before Saint Saturn with a terrified expression.

"Are you telling me that Vikengam was kidnapped by the Roger Pirates right under your nose?" Saint Saturn asked in an extremely grim tone.

"My deepest apologies. The situation was very difficult at the time. Because Saint Vikengam was in their hands, we did not dare to act rashly..." Admiral Kong said through gritted teeth, enduring the pressure.

He knew perfectly well how much Saint Vikengam meant to Saint Saturn. For that very reason, he felt that he was in serious trouble.

But just then, Saint Sommers approached hesitantly. "Saint Saturn, Vikengam left a letter for me to pass on to you..."

"Hmm?" Saint Saturn frowned in confusion. "A letter? Hand it over."

Somaz hurried forward and handed Saint Saturn the letter Vikengam had stuffed into his hands earlier. Judging by the seal, his curiosity had not gotten the better of him, and he had not read its contents.

Tearing open the envelope, Saint Saturn lowered his gaze to the letter.

"Grandfather, by the time you see this letter, Vikengam will presumably already be aboard the Roger Pirates' ship.

This was my own choice. The moment I learned that the Roger Pirates would be heading to God Valley, I had already made this decision. So please do not blame anyone else for it.

Please forgive Vikengam for acting on his own and disregarding the cultivation and trust you placed in me.

As the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.

This world is far too colorful for Vikengam to resist. I cannot help but want to understand and explore it more deeply.

At the same time, I know full well that I am still too weak. Without weathering wind and rain, I would ultimately be nothing more than a flower raised in a greenhouse.

Rather than joining God's Knights, I would rather gamble my life on this beautiful yet cruel sea and write a splendid tale of adventure.

As the book Destiny and the Brave that you gave me once said: 'The sea has always favored the brave, and fate has always blessed madness.' This time, Vikengam also wants to try and see whether I can seize fate by the throat.

If I perish because of this, I will have no regrets. Perhaps that would simply mean I was no more than this.

To avoid bringing shame upon the family's honor, I will act under the name Jaygo Vikengam.

I look forward to the day when I can meet you again, having become someone who makes you proud.

Written personally by Jaygarcia Vikingham."

The letter was not very long, and Saint Saturn finished reading it quickly.

Then a flicker of black flame ignited in his hand and burned it to ashes.

Somaz and Admiral Kong watched this scene with confusion and curiosity in their hearts, but neither dared say anything more.

After a moment, Saint Saturn let out a soft sigh. His tone carried an indescribable complexity as he murmured, "The sea has always favored the brave, and fate has always blessed madness? Vikengam, you little fellow, you truly made a mad choice that Grandfather never expected..."

"Want to seize fate by the throat?" Saint Saturn lightly scattered the ashes in his hand, then muttered to himself, "Then I shall grant you your wish."

Had he not once wanted to seize fate by the throat as well?

In truth, now that things had come to this, what could he do even if he refused to grant Vikengam's wish?

He might as well see what his most favored descendant could make of himself upon this sea!

Once he had gathered his thoughts, Saint Saturn looked at Somaz and Admiral Kong before slowly speaking. "I now understand the cause of this matter. Do not mention it again in the future. You may leave."

Clearly, he had no intention of explaining anything to the two of them.

Somaz and Admiral Kong had no intention of probing for the truth either. Before long, they left the cabin together.

Judging by Saint Saturn's words, they had best refrain from mentioning the name Vikengam in the future.

After leaving the cabin, Admiral Kong bid Saint Sommers farewell and departed. After all, he still had plenty of messes to clean up.

When Somaz arrived on deck, he saw Garling, Gunko, Maffie, and the others waiting there.

"What did Saint Saturn say? Does he need God's Knights to deploy and rescue Vikengam?" Garling was the first to ask.

Maffie bared a mouthful of sharp teeth and teased, "I think you don't want to save Vikengam. You want to snatch back your fiancée, don't you? Hehehe..."

Too lazy to pay Maffie any attention, Garling looked at Somaz and waited for an answer.

Somaz stroked his chin. "No. Saint Saturn told us not to mention this matter again in the future."

"Hmm? What does that mean?" Maffie asked in surprise. "We're just not doing anything? We're going to let that bunch of pirates ruin Vikengam?"

I was still hoping to find another chance to deepen my relationship with him, you know?

Only then did Somaz explain, "From what I saw, Vikengam was not kidnapped by the Roger Pirates at all. That guy ran off after that bastard Rayleigh of his own accord... Saint Saturn must have learned the truth after reading that letter. Perhaps there are secrets involved that we aren't qualified to know. In any case, that's the situation."

"He left on his own?" Garling asked in surprise.

Vikengam had run off with the Roger Pirates, yet Saint Saturn said not to mention the matter again, and that was the end of it?

Did that make any sense?

What exactly was Vikengam now? A pirate? A Celestial Dragon?

By Mary Geoise's rules, if Vikengam willingly descended to the lower world and degraded himself into a pirate, he should be stripped of his divine status so as not to disgrace the family's honor.

Afterward, God's Knights should even have the authority to hunt him down, put him on trial, and execute him.

So why was it that, when it came to Vikengam, Saint Saturn settled everything with a single sentence: "Do not mention it again"?

Though they were deeply astonished and confused, they were not qualified to defy the orders of Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders.

Especially since Saint Saturn had personally overseen the battle of God Valley and eliminated Rocks, the great thorn in Imu's side. This was precisely when he was most favored by Imu.

Who would be bored enough to provoke him at a time like this?

Garling had also gained some credit from this battle. In the end, Saint Saturn had allowed him to personally execute Rocks, which counted as rendering a service before Imu.

He had absolutely no reason to stir up trouble at a time like this.

So after exchanging glances, they all tacitly stopped mentioning Vikengam.

Now that things had come to this, they might as well eat first.