A Pirate Version of the Paramount War?

"My guess was right. You really were here."

"What brought you looking for me?"

"Those guys are boring. You're more interesting."

"Is that so?"

At the highest point on Hachinosu, atop the island's skull-shaped rock mountain, Kaya and Rocks stood shoulder to shoulder.

Rocks was bare-chested, with a black coat draped over his shoulders. Kaya still wore his white knight's uniform, with a white cape on his back.

The wind at that height caught their clothes, their long hems fluttering gently around their calves.

"When I came out and looked up, I saw you here. Is the view that good?" Rocks had both hands in his pockets, his usual rugged grin on his face.

"I had nothing to do, so I came to take a look." Kaya gazed into the distance, looking past the buildings and sweeping his eyes across the sea.

"That bored? Then give me an idea. After Kong lost contact, the Marines must have noticed by now. What should we do with him?" Rocks said leisurely.

"Shouldn't you be the one deciding that?" Kaya said indifferently. "Kill him. That would be more interesting."

"But that's a little beyond my plans." A hint of resignation appeared on Rocks's face. "I wasn't planning to take on the World Government yet!"

"You have the strongest pirate crew on the seas. Isn't that enough?" Kaya seemed to understand something and smiled faintly.

"No. Even though I told them I'd show them a better view if they followed me, the truth is that all these people have only joined forces temporarily." Rocks had a very clear understanding of himself.

"That's how a pirate crew brought together by strength works." Kaya's tone remained even.

"No way. Are you trying to say friendship and bonds are more reliable than strength? Of all the pirates out there, only that bastard Roger would say something like that!"

"No. Strength means absolute control. Only control is the foundation of stability."

"Heh, you seem to have let something incredible slip pretty easily."

"I have an idea now."

"What?" Rocks paused.

"A public execution," Kaya said airily. "Execute Kong publicly on Hachinosu."

That left Rocks speechless.

Pirates executing a Marine? Wasn't that turning the world upside down? And without a doubt, the execution wasn't the point. The real goal was to force the Marines to come and fight!

A Marine Admiral had been captured alive by pirates, who had even set a time and place for his public execution.

That would be like grinding all the authority the Marines had built up over the years into the dirt in front of the whole world.

It was an open ploy. Even if the Marines knew it was a trap, they would have to fight, or justice would collapse completely.

And Kong's first reaction would probably be to kill himself!

"No wonder you're the one I value most. You really have a knack for this sort of thing." Rocks pondered for a moment, then spoke from the heart.

"Don't admit defeat, Rocks. This world doesn't belong to you or me yet," Kaya said with a smile.

"You saw right through me again. Looks like you really never intended to join me. You're just like that guy Harald!"

"Do you regret that the three of us can't join forces?"

"Of course! Do you know how the World Government was established? Eight hundred years ago, the allied forces of twenty kingdoms fought a great war against the coalition of all races led by Joy Boy. That's how they won that great war. If it weren't for Joy Boy..."

"What about Joy Boy?"

"Hahahaha~ Nothing, nothing."

Rocks scratched his head and gave a few awkward laughs. Kaya stared at him for a few seconds, then chuckled and looked away.

In truth, after being rejected time and again, Rocks had thought it through. Perhaps Harald and Kaya would be more interesting as enemies than as companions.

Without a doubt, there was no greater challenge than that, and it only made things more exciting!

At the same time, Kaya knew what Rocks was thinking.

Rocks's ultimate goal was the World Government, but that didn't mean he was a reckless fool. He was still in the process of building up his strength.

Later, at God Valley, Rocks had no choice but to go back, and that led to his downfall.

"Then it's decided!"

Rocks suddenly raised both hands, a terrifying grin gradually spreading across his commanding face.

"No one has ever publicly executed a Marine Admiral before! Will it anger the Marines? Who cares about that?!"

"Even if this land is completely engulfed in the flames of war, we still won't know our limits or what it means to be afraid!"

"We're pirates!!"

Even without him unleashing the slightest bit of Haki, anyone who heard those words would agree that this guy was a madman!

And when Rocks told the rest of the crew about the plan, their jaws all dropped.

"Wouldn't that mean going to war with the Marines head-on?!" Charlotte Linlin shouted.

"The strongest! The greatest war..." Kaido clenched his fists, his expression inscrutable and a faint glimmer in his eyes.

"Are you serious?" Newgate frowned. "The Marines will go completely mad. Even if we win, this island will be torn apart..."

"Then let it be torn apart! This is a new path for us to take into the future!" Shiki excitedly smashed a bottle of fine liquor.

"Though saying this makes it sound like I agree with this bald chicken, I think it sounds good too." Kyo bared his teeth in a bloodthirsty grin.

"Hahahaha! It's like we're announcing some kind of future!" John pounded the table and laughed.

"This is insane. Are you all crazy?!" Gloriosa turned to Shakky and complained, "What do you think, Shakky? They're idiots, right?"

"It sounds fun." Shakky smiled.

"This is wonderful! This is what I wanted to see, a real war at the top of the world!" Loki was thrilled and glad he had left Elbaf.

"Then let's call it the Paramount War!" Maron bit down on his cigar and grinned fiercely. "I'm really pissed off right now."

Hey, hey! What the hell is going on here?

Keel sat off to the side, watching the group of people who had suddenly gone mad, feeling somewhat apprehensive.

If they really did it, the Marines would surely mobilize all their forces. The World Government might even send reinforcements. How could the forces of a single island stand against them?

He thought that if he hadn't thrown his lot in with Kaya, he might as well sneak away as soon as they started something like this.

Now he had no choice but to stay and laugh heartily along with the others, as though he approved of this incredible undertaking from the bottom of his heart.

Pirates really were a lawless bunch. Rocks made the proposal, and everyone agreed.

And so the plan was settled.

The process had been simple and rough, but it was an open ploy. An open ploy was the kind where you knew there was a trap, yet still had to step into it.

Once the decision was made, word quickly spread.

They said a single stone could stir up a thousand waves, but this was more than a stone. It was a meteorite striking the earth!

All of Hachinosu erupted! Some pirates might have thought this was a little too brazen, but many more showed intense enthusiasm.

"Fight! Kill all those damned Marines! These seas belong to pirates!"

"That's right! I... Huh? Jackson, what are you doing?"

"Spreading the news, of course. There must be plenty of people out on the seas who'll be interested, right?"

"Hahaha! Let's liven things up!"

In a tavern boiling with activity, a young man sat alone in a corner, drinking. When he heard the news, determination flashed in his eyes.

This war... is a good opportunity! I have to make a good showing in front of that person!