Plan in Motion, the Marines Respond

"Shiki, Silver Axe, I'm leaving the rest to you."

With G40 Fortress destroyed, the Rocks Pirates' plan could finally begin.

The force would now split in two. Lion Ghost Shiki and Silver Axe would lead one group toward G-5 Fortress.

Rocks would lead the main force onward to their true target.

Rock Country!

"And I'm leaving the disguise to you."

Rocks addressed a beautiful young woman with blue-green hair, dressed in a red kimono.

"Don't worry, Captain. Leave it to me."

Her sly grin looked so out of place on her face that it was almost eerie.

Behind her stood a young man in a kimono holding a biwa. He was her younger brother.

Before everyone's astonished eyes, she patted her face lightly and transformed into Rocks.

"How's this, Captain Rocks?"

Even her voice sounded exactly like Rocks D. Zebek's.

The two were officers of the Rocks Pirates.

The woman was an ordinary officer and a Clone-Clone Fruit user.

The young man, however, was extremely powerful. As a Barrier-Barrier Fruit user, he possessed a power said to provide absolute defense.

Both kept a low profile among the Rocks Pirates.

Not far away, Hades watched them and guessed who they were.

Kurozumi Higurashi and Kurozumi Semimaru were members of the fallen Kurozumi Family of Wano Country who lived abroad.

They would one day work behind the scenes to help Kurozumi Orochi overthrow the Kozuki family's rule.

Hades had not expected them to join the Rocks Pirates so early.

That meant he might still be able to work with them.

Though the Kurozumi Family had declined and its members were hunted for rebellion, it still had considerable hidden strength.

Helping Kurozumi Orochi rise to power would take more than the efforts of just three people.

Hades was close to Whitebeard, but he