Aboard the violently rocking warship.
Sakazuki stood firmly on the deck, watching the world-shattering spectacle.
"The power of a natural disaster..."
Although Sakazuki had played a part in this volcanic eruption.
He had only guided it. The force truly erupting was the mighty power of nature itself.
Such power lay beyond human reach...
Sakazuki silently watched the apocalyptic scene, sighing softly as the thought crossed his mind.
With his current strength.
Destroying an island was not impossible, but the method of destruction would be different.
It depended on how much stamina he had. After all, a Logia Devil Fruit consumed its user's own strength.
To destroy this island, a few full-power Meteor Volcano attacks would suffice.
The magma would scour the land and cover the entire island, leaving not a blade of grass or a single living creature.
But that was only destruction on the surface, and it would do nothing to truly powerful opponents.
He could never erase an entire island from existence like this erupting undersea volcano.
Even a king like Rocks, a man who had faced eight of the world's strongest fighters without flinching.
Once he had been knocked down into it, nature's fury had reduced him to ashes, swallowed by the magma...
Covered in magma, the island was gradually crumbling and sinking.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash, a hundred-meter-wide hole burst open in the magma-covered island.
A golden shock wave shot into the sky, piercing the clouds.
Then eight figures leaped out of it.
They drew their blades and faced off briefly before splitting into two groups, one heading east and the other west.
When Sakazuki saw the golden pillar of light shoot into the sky, he knew Sengoku and the others were there.
He ordered the navigator to sail in that direction.
When they stopped because magma filled the waters ahead.
He activated his ability, forming two enormous lava hands, each the size of a warship. Their outer layers consisted of cooler, slightly solidified magma that would not damage the hull.
The two massive hands gripped either side of the ship, their arms rising straight up to lift it into the air.
Then magma surged beneath the lava arms, carrying the warship swiftly toward the golden light.
Aboard the Oro Jackson.
The members of the Roger Pirates.
Apart from the three who had gone to join the battle.
Everyone else had gone onto the island to loot treasure.
Spencer, his hair tied in a long ponytail, set down the last chest of treasure.
"Phew..."
"What a shame. There wasn't enough time to haul it all away."
By then, the island had already begun to crumble and collapse.
The others chimed in over one another.
"Yeah, there was still so much treasure."
"But even if we'd taken it all, our ship probably couldn't have held it."
"What a waste."
"My heart hurts so much I can't breathe..."
"Yeah."
Just then, three figures appeared in the distance, and Roger, who was in the lead, shouted.
"All hands!!"
"Set sail!!!"
Seeing their captain, everyone aboard cheered excitedly.
"Yeah!!!"
Aboard the Oro Jackson.
Back on the ship, Roger gazed at God Valley.
Suddenly, he noticed something.
"Hmm?"
He turned toward the pile of treasure on the deck and asked.
"Where did this come from?"
Spencer, standing beside him, answered.
"We looted it from God Valley."
"What's wrong, Captain?"
Roger said nothing and walked toward the treasure.
Suddenly, he thrust his hand into the pile and pulled out a chest.
Roger grinned.
He reached out and opened the chest.
Everyone's eyes widened when they saw what was inside.
"Gasp!!!"
"How is that possible!"
"This..."
They exchanged looks. Not one of them had sensed this child...
Rayleigh was also rather surprised. He had not sensed the child before Roger opened the chest, either.
But he realized the problem a moment later.
"Is it because of that chest?"
A flicker of amazement crossed his eyes.
"A material that can block Observation Haki."
Roger nodded.
"That's right. But there's something unusual about this child, too..."
Who knew what his Voice of All Things had sensed...
A faint smile appeared on Roger's lips.
He reached in and lifted out.
The soundly sleeping Red-Haired Child...
Sengoku and the others were making their way off the island.
A moment later, they saw the two enormous lava hands racing toward them with a warship held aloft.
"Is that...?"
"Sakazuki?"
The warship stopped in front of them, and they leaped aboard.
Then the enormous lava hands carried the warship toward the open sea.
"Fleet Admiral, Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp."
Sakazuki greeted each of them in turn, but as for the other two.
He said nothing, letting a look of "confusion" appear on his face.
He remained silent.
Sakazuki knew these two were members of the Five Elders, but no one else knew that he knew, so he could only remain silent and look puzzled.
"Sakazuki, these two gentlemen are members of the World Government's Five Elders."
Fleet Admiral Kong, who intended to give him a leg up, noticed Sakazuki's confusion and explained.
"My lords."
Sakazuki greeted the Five Elders stiffly, his expression solemn.
The Five Elders had also heard Kong mention Sakazuki, the finest Marine of the younger generation.
Upright in character and ruthless in his methods. Looking at Sakazuki, they smiled faintly and nodded in satisfaction.
Ruthlessness was no bad thing. The seas were about to descend into turmoil, and only an iron fist could keep that seaborne trash in check.
"Sakazuki, what happened to the remaining pirates? What are our casualties?"
Seeing the Five Elders' satisfied expressions, Kong felt somewhat pleased as well.
After all, he himself thought very highly of Sakazuki. Then he composed himself and asked about the situation outside.
"On the pirates' side, Shiki, Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, and several mid-ranking officers from the Rocks Pirates escaped."
"Some pirates from the New World escaped as well. Five ships in total."
"As for casualties."
"The Buster Call Fleet lost seven warships, with 323 dead, 1,246 severely wounded, and 3,485 lightly wounded."
"Casualties from the Four Blues branches have not yet been tallied."
"But... only 874 wounded have been recovered."
Hearing that only a few hundred wounded had been recovered from the Marines mobilized from the Four Blues branches.
Apart from the two members of the Five Elders.
Everyone aboard felt heavyhearted, Sakazuki included.
Knowing the figures was one thing. Saying them aloud was another.
By the end, Sakazuki opened his mouth but did not know how to continue. Ultimately, he forced the words out stiffly.
For a time, an oppressive atmosphere settled over the ship.
"Kong, compile a list of the fallen soldiers and pay their families five times the normal death benefits."
"If their children join the Marines, give them preferential treatment."
The burly member of the Five Elders broke the oppressive silence, issuing his instructions to Kong.
Although he had no interest in the lives of these "commoners."
The necessary pleasantries still had to be spoken. They were all shrewd old hands.
Otherwise, status and strength alone would not have brought them to such positions. Brains were necessary, too.
"Yes, sir."
In the year 1484 of the Sea Circle Calendar, Rocks was defeated and killed at God Valley.
The once-mighty Rocks Pirates fell apart.
The remnants who escaped recruited crews of their own and continued to stir up trouble on the seas.
Meanwhile, the Marines concealed the involvement of certain individuals.
They heavily publicized accounts detailing the battle at God Valley.
Marine Vice Admiral Garp was hailed as a "hero" by people around the world and Marine soldiers alike, a guardian of peace on the seas.
That same year, because the Four Blues branches had suffered devastating casualties.
Sakazuki volunteered to patrol the Four Blues and eliminate pirates.
(The next chapter may upset some people. Read with caution.)
(Especially those who favor pirates and believe Roger started the Great Pirate Era to save the world. Please finish One Piece before reading fanfiction.)
(Don't say I didn't warn you.)
Before you continue