God Valley Incident IV

Hachinosu

Dark clouds still hung over the island, but Hachinosu now seemed as though it had been set ablaze.

"Hey, hey, hey! Did you hear?!"

"That news is real?!"

"Shakuyaku is still alive?!!"

That single sentence spread wildly among the pirates like a spark tossed into a powder keg.

At the docks, in taverns, and along the streets, everyone repeated the same name.

"God Valley?! What kind of place is that?!"

"I've never heard of it!"

"Is this real? It isn't a trap, is it?!"

Excitement, suspicion, and anger became entangled, and the air was like boiling seawater, so restless it was suffocating.

The entire island seemed to have been injected with frenzied blood.

Hachinosu · Main Hall

The officers of the Rocks Pirates had gathered together, their presences colliding and faintly forming an oppressive force.

"Looks like the Marines are in complete chaos too."

Someone sneered and tapped the intelligence sheet that had been passed around again and again with his knuckles.

"Information of this level actually got leaked."

"The Celestial Dragons' 'Prize Game'?"

"So... the World Government kidnapped Shakuyaku?!"

The moment those words fell—

"Sha—ku—ya—ku—!!!"

As if struck by lightning, Shiki suddenly leaped to his feet. His eyes turned into exaggerated hearts as he spread his arms and shouted at the sky.

"Wait for me!!"

"I'm coming to save you right now—!!!"

In the corner, cold sweat had quietly beaded on Ochoku's forehead.

He forcibly suppressed his racing heart and deliberately softened his tone as he spoke as though nothing was wrong. "...It sounds very suspicious."

"Is this source of information really reliable?"

His gaze flickered for a moment before he quickly withdrew it.

Newgate slowly raised his head, his brow deeply furrowed. His low voice echoed through the hall. "The Celestial Dragons' 'Human Hunting Competition'..."

"I always