God Valley Intelligence

"So this was a legendary battle."

Kaya had come purely to watch the show.

The two most at ease on the entire battlefield were the ones on the Execution Platform, one standing and one sitting.

Young Garp had seemingly endless strength. As energetic as a young bull, he could have fought an enemy for ten days and ten nights without a problem.

Newgate went without saying. When it came to destructive power, there were probably few on the entire sea who could compare to him.

Yet no matter how much commotion there was below, none of it reached them. On one side, heaven and earth were shattering; on the other, all was calm, as though they were in two different worlds.

Beside Kaya, Kong was inwardly astonished.

Let alone the shockwaves from the fighting-even the wind couldn't reach them. It was as though some invisible air pressure had cut them off.

Just as he was thinking that, he suddenly looked up and noticed a white bird descending from the sky.

A bird could get through... It really had!

Kaya raised a hand and caught the bird. It perched on the back of his hand and cocked its head, while the Den Den Mushi it wore on its head stared at him.

"What?" Kaya's interest was piqued.

"Ahem, ahem... Sir, a pleasure to meet you." Suddenly, a voice came from the bird.

Clearly, the bird wasn't the one speaking.

Kaya pulled aside its tie and noticed a small snail attached to its body.

The snail wore a smile, its eyes half-lidded. It was clearly mimicking someone's manner of speaking, giving off a rather mysterious air.

"Big News Morgans?" Kaya ran through what he knew and called out the other party's name at once.

The snail's expression abruptly froze, reflecting the mood of the person on the other end of the call. The imitation was remarkably lifelike.

Morgans? Kong silently lowered his head.

"...That's uncanny. You recognized me at first glance," Morgans said in a low, measured voice, though he couldn't quite hide his surprise.

"Who else but you would show up here like this?" Kaya said with a smile.

Morgans was sorely tempted to retort. He did want to build his news agency into something great and glorious, but surely he wasn't that famous yet?

For all the exaggerated reports in his earlier newspapers, he had actually only been influencing the narrative within a limited circle.

There were many news agencies across the seas, including quite a few old papers that had been around for decades or even a century. At best, his was an up-and-coming newcomer.

In short, he had yet to become the News King.

But... the opportunity was right in front of him!

"Sir, I have a piece of information. I wonder if you'd be interested." Morgans gathered his thoughts and got down to business.

"Let's hear it." Kaya showed little reaction.

"The World Government—those Celestial Dragons have recently mobilized on a large scale. Everyone knows they live in Mary Geoise year-round, and even when they go out, it's only a few of them."

The World Government was making a large-scale move?

Kaya's gaze shifted. He couldn't think of anything other than the human hunting game.

Surely the Celestial Dragons weren't planning to move house!

"Go on," Kaya said.

"All right, I'll get straight to it. The World Government went to an island in the West Blue called God Valley. It's not an Affiliated Nation, and they have a Marine escort with them."

Morgans paused there, as if to let Kaya take it in.

After a moment, Morgans continued, "Strange, isn't it? At a time when the Marines are at war with pirates, the World Government is still pulling personnel away from them."

"I can't think of any reason other than protecting the Celestial Dragon masters."

"So what exactly are they going to do?"

The timing was off because something had gone wrong?

Morgans was still being deliberately mysterious, but Kaya already understood completely. It was indeed the Celestial Dragons' traditional game of wiping out a country every three years.

Normally, it should have happened a year later, but this time Shakky hadn't been captured. Had it been brought forward by a year instead?

There was no doubt the Davy Clan had been exposed.

If the Celestial Dragons' game weren't about to begin, Morgans wouldn't have come straight here to reveal the information.

As for why he had done it?

"For the news!"

Morgans suddenly grew excited. Even through the Den Den Mushi, Kaya could feel his enthusiasm.

"You people wouldn't understand! Seeing the news firsthand, spreading it, watching it cause a sensation all over the world!"

"What changes will the news bring about? How will people react? The possibilities are always unknown!"

"Plenty of people can change the world, but only we can shape the direction of public opinion!"

"All of that matters more to me than my life!!"

"That's why I'm giving you the information for free. Find a chance to tell Rocks. The fighting around him is too fierce, and I don't dare send a News Coo over there."

"That guy's a madman. Once he hears about this, he might stir something up."

"So what do you say? Consider it the start of a friendship."

Morgans's thinking was actually quite simple.

He had already received the information. Wouldn't it be a waste not to use it? The worst thing wasn't having someone else report a big story first. It was knowing perfectly well that there was a big story and doing nothing!

"After meeting you, I see that this sea really is full of eccentrics," Kaya said, sharing his impression.

"An eccentric? High praise!" Morgans perked right up when he heard that.

Morgans had been willing to speak to Kaya because he had seen Kaya standing with Rocks earlier, making him look like someone of considerable standing.

And then? There was nothing more to it.

"I'll leave you the Den Den Mushi. If you make any moves, be sure to let me know!"

The News Coo shook itself, and the little Den Den Mushi fell into Kaya's hand. Then it spread its wings and flew back into the sky to continue broadcasting the battlefield.

Kaya looked at the Den Den Mushi in his hand. It had the appearance of a bird's head wearing a black top hat.

What on earth was going on...?

Kong, who was sitting nearby, had listened to Kaya and Morgans's conversation from beginning to end.

Kong was astonished by the intelligence-gathering ability of the man on the other end of the call, but he was also full of doubts about what the Celestial Dragons were planning to do.

"If that's the case, this war can't be allowed to drag on any longer." Kaya took a few steps forward, his gaze sweeping over the battlefield below.

Rocks was locked in a fierce battle with Harald, and no one else could get anywhere near them.

The giants were advancing the front line. The Marine forces had all landed on the island in succession and, under the lead of their officers, had launched an assault.

Among them were some familiar faces who stood out, such as Sengoku and Zephyr.

They were already engaged with some of the notable members of the Rocks Pirates, and it didn't look as though their fights would end anytime soon.

Garp and Whitebeard were causing the greatest commotion.

But after watching them for a moment, Kaya came to a conclusion: whatever those two could do, he could do as well.

That being the case, he was already standing at the pinnacle of the sea.

The incredible power in his body was gradually reawakening, evolving on its own with every breath he took.

But that process would only grow slower and slower, because it was passive. If he took the initiative, he would grow stronger still.

He hadn't come just to watch the show, either. Perhaps he could stretch his legs a little, as preparation for the event to come.

First, he had to pick someone interesting...

"Kong, watch closely. This is the power of a Quincy," Kaya suddenly said to Kong behind him.

Quincy...!

The word exploded in Kong's mind.

Kong remembered the report he had received from a subordinate before setting out: a special pirate who used a bow and arrow and called himself a Quincy.

"You're Kaya!?!"