One Piece: The Vengeance for My Family's Massacre-Kill Every Celestial Dragon!

Rono had never laid a hand on a civilian.

As far as Garp was concerned, capturing a Celestial Dragon had even rid the people of a menace and upheld justice on the Marines' behalf.

After all, the Celestial Dragons did things ten times more evil than any pirate!

But if Rono intended to join the Rocks Pirates, Garp had to step in.

As Admiral Kong had said, the Marines could still suppress the Rocks Pirates, if only barely.

Once Rono joined them, though, the balance between the two powers would collapse!

"Jaya Island, huh?"

Garp checked the chart and found that Jaya Island was nearby.

"I'll go ahead. Follow as soon as you can!"

He leaped from the top of the warship and flew off using Geppo.

The Marines he left behind stared in stunned silence.

At the very same time Garp set out,

pirates were keeping watch at the harbor on Jaya Island.

They had seen Rono treat a Celestial Dragon like an animal.

And after doing all that, he hadn't even tried to flee. He had stayed on Jaya Island to wait for a Marine Admiral!

Only then did those small-time pirates realize what a real pirate was.

Compared with Rono, they were just playing pretend!

They dropped to their knees and begged to join him.

Rono turned down every one of them.

The pirates in the first half of Paradise were too weak. His future enemies were the World Government and Marine Headquarters.

Weak companions would only be a burden!

Undeterred, the pirates volunteered to keep watch for Rono, hoping to persuade him to take them aboard.

"Th-there's a ship coming!"

A few sharp-eyed pirates spotted a vessel sailing toward Jaya Island.

"Is it a Marine Admiral?"

"N-no!"

"It's... it's...!"

The pirates who recognized the newcomer trembled so badly they could barely speak.

"Who is it?"

"It's Edward Newgate—Whitebeard, captain of the Rocks Pirates' First Division!"

"Whitebeard! Edward Newgate!"

The pirates gaped at the newcomer, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.

Whitebeard, Edward Newgate!

Among the Rocks Pirates, he had risen above monsters like Shiki, Charlotte Linlin, John, Silver Axe, and Ochoku

to become captain of the First Division!

His bounty stood at 995 million!

His strength rivaled a Marine Admiral's. He was among the mightiest fighters on the seas!

"What's a man that powerful doing in Paradise?"

The small-time pirates watched Whitebeard with awestruck curiosity.

A man who should have been making waves in the New World had come to Paradise. He had to have a special reason!

Could Whitebeard and Rono have known each other?

Or had Whitebeard simply come for a drink?

Whatever his purpose, Mock Town was unlikely to stay peaceful.

They had to tell Rono at once!

"Finally found you, Rono!"

Whitebeard moored his sailing ship at the harbor and immediately reached out with his Observation Haki.

Someone on Jaya Island had a presence utterly unlike those of the small-time pirates.

In fact, nowhere in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line, had Whitebeard sensed such a powerful presence!

Given the rumors of the past few days, the man he sought was almost certainly on this island.

After coming ashore, Whitebeard wasted no time sightseeing. He headed straight for the powerful presence he had sensed.

At Whitebeard's speed, it took only a few breaths to reach Mock Town from the harbor.

"A Celestial Dragon...?"

Whitebeard had meant to go straight to Rono, but the sight that greeted him in Mock Town stopped him cold.

The blazing sun beat down, and the air carried the sharp stench of blood and sweat.

He looked up. In the harsh sunlight, a Celestial Dragon with all four limbs missing was bound to the Bell Tower, the highest point in Mock Town!

The once-pristine Space Suit was soaked in filthy blood. The blood at the stumps of the Celestial Dragon's limbs had dried under the sun.

None of the World Noble's former arrogance remained. The Celestial Dragon looked like a butchered pig.

"S-save me... I... I don't want to die..."

The Celestial Dragon kept mumbling, apparently still clinging to life.

"The World Government must be furious that someone treated a Celestial Dragon like this."

Whitebeard smiled faintly, but then his expression changed as something occurred to him.

Wait. Something's off.

Anyone who attacked a Celestial Dragon usually fled as soon as the deed was done.

The moment a Celestial Dragon came to harm, the Marines would send an Admiral.

So why was this fellow still here?

Or did that powerful presence on the island belong to someone else?

Before Whitebeard could work it out—

BOOM!

A terrifying slash of sword energy burst from the tavern ahead of him!

CLANG!

Whitebeard reacted at once. Just before the slash struck him, he raised Murakumogiri and coated it in Armament Haki.

The clash rang out like metal striking metal.

SKREE!

Whitebeard slid back two meters. His heels shattered the ground beneath him before he managed to stop the slash.

That was sharp. Whoever launched it is at least a master swordsman.

Whitebeard fixed his gaze on the tavern the slash had come from.

A figure stepped outside.

He stood around two meters tall, wearing a fitted white shirt and black trousers.

He looked neat and tidy.

"Rono, it really is you! You stayed on Jaya Island? I didn't expect that!"

Whitebeard was surprised to see him.

After tormenting a Celestial Dragon that badly, Rono hadn't left. He was lounging around right where he had done it!

Wasn't he afraid a Marine Admiral would come after him?

"Hm? Whitebeard? What are you doing here? I thought you were a Marine Admiral!"

Rono froze at the sight of him.

He had never met Whitebeard before, so he didn't recognize his presence.

His Observation Haki had only sensed someone powerful arriving on the island. Assuming it was a Marine Admiral sent to hunt him down, Rono had struck first.

He hadn't expected Whitebeard!

Whitebeard was still young, with long, flowing blond hair that reached his shoulders.

If not for his unmistakable crescent-shaped mustache and Murakumogiri, Rono might not have recognized him.

"You thought I was a Marine Admiral? You really are waiting here for one to show up?"

Whitebeard could hardly believe his ears.

The kid had deliberately stayed to wait for a Marine Admiral!

He had guts.

He wasn't even twenty yet, but he was decisive, ruthless, and every bit as wild as the formidable men aboard Rocks's ship.

Whitebeard was certain that, apart from Rocks, no one else on the seas would do anything as crazy as maim a Celestial Dragon and wait at the scene.

"Why wouldn't I? But what brought you here?" Rono asked.

In truth, Rono could guess why Whitebeard had come.

Knowing how eager Rocks was to recruit talent, Whitebeard had surely come to invite him aboard.

Rono did want to join the Rocks Pirates, but he had to pretend he knew nothing.

He wasn't about to beg for a place among them.

Rono knew what happened to people who acted desperate for approval.

Besides, now that Whitebeard was here, it would be a waste not to gain something from him.

"Join my division, Rono!"

"No trials. You'll be my vice-captain from day one!"

After a moment's thought, Whitebeard made his offer in all sincerity.

Rocks had tasked Whitebeard with recruiting Rono.

But after meeting him, Whitebeard had an idea of his own.

This man was so confident that he had brutalized a Celestial Dragon and then stayed put to wait for a Marine Admiral!

He trusted his own strength and was willing to face the consequences of his actions.

Wasn't that exactly the kind of dependable crewmate Whitebeard had been searching for?

So Whitebeard decided to invite Rono into his own division.

Rocks isn't the only one who knows how to appreciate talent.

"Holy crap! Did he just invite Rono to join? Did I hear that right?"

"He offered him the vice-captain's post right away! That puts him second only to Whitebeard himself. That's Rono for you!"

"Exactly. He'll have it made. I hear Whitebeard doesn't care about money and gives almost all of it to his men."

"I'm so jealous. I want to follow Rono and Whitebeard too!"

"Look at yourself. You might want to join, but would they take you?"