Of course, it wasn't just Rocks who came back. Charlotte Linlin and Kaido, who had been absent for a while, also returned.
I have to say, Linlin was a stunning beauty in her youth. She was plump, alluring, and captivating. But she was a bit too tall. A nearly nine-meter-tall beauty was definitely over the top.
But that didn't matter. There was no shortage of brave men in the world, like Gaban.
Kaido was also very young then. His long legs hadn't yet become short and stocky, and he had already started growing a mustache. Paired with his prematurely aged face, he didn't look like a 21-year-old at all.
"Mama mama! Little Roya! My dear child, come to your auntie!"
Charlotte Linlin waved at Roya with an unusually gentle look on her face.
Roya knew that when Big Mom encountered children under ten, she sometimes entered a special state, displaying unexpected tenderness.
But unfortunately, she didn't feel that way about him.
Roya put on a bright smile and walked over cheerfully. "Auntie Linlin is still as beautiful as ever."
"Mama mama! You're still such a smooth talker!"
Linlin giggled.
Kaido snorted unhappily. "Oi, brat. Don't you see me standing here?"
"So, Brother Kaido,"
Roya asked teasingly, "Did you fight Roger this time?"
The Roger Pirates were the only crew currently capable of competing with the Rocks Pirates, and Gol D. Roger himself was the greatest threat to their dominance.
Not just the older ones—Kaido, too, was obsessed with that man.
"Snort."
The young and proud Kaido sneered. "Roger's nothing special! I'm not afraid of him!"
"Don't listen to this guy bragging,"
Charlotte Linlin said as she picked up Roya and placed him on her shoulder with a smile. "As soon as the fight started, I charged at Roger—and he nearly killed me with a single counterattack."
"As expected of Brother Kaido!"
Roya gave Kaido a thumbs up. "Even the gods avoid you, but you charge in. You're worse than a god!"
"Snort!"
Kaido turned his head away with another disgruntled grunt.
"So what was the final outcome?" Roya asked curiously. Although he knew Roger wouldn't lose here, there was always the possibility of a butterfly effect.
"That bastard Roger got away, of course."
Linlin frowned, clearly dissatisfied. "He's already so strong that even Rocks can't do anything to him. And Rayleigh and Jabba are ridiculously powerful too."
"Even though I brought Wang Zhi and the others, without Newgate and Shiki, we couldn't do anything to them."
Roya nodded in understanding.
Although the Rocks Pirates had a terrifying roster, the Roger Pirates were led by three monstrous figures themselves. Unless the Rocks crew fought with their full strength, defeating them wouldn't be easy.
"By the way..."
Roya turned toward the bloodied Whitebeard and asked, "Uncle Newgate, what happened?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to talk about,"
Charlotte Linlin said as she turned toward Edward Newgate and Stussy. "Don't just stand there. The captain needs to leave the meeting."
Later, in a large conference room inside the Skull Fortress—
The core members of the Rocks Pirates were all gathered.
Shiki the Golden Lion, Gloriosa, and others had arrived early.
Among the gathered were also a burly man in armor, a thin, sharp-eyed man in a top hat, and a drunkard with a wine bottle constantly at his lips.
They were the remaining top officers: Silver Axe, Wang Zhi, and Captain John.
With Roya's arrival, all the top officers were present.
"Hey, little Roya. Haven't seen you in a few days—you've grown taller again!"
As the most popular member of the crew, nearly every officer greeted him warmly.
The most polite seven-year-old on Beehive Island responded to each with a grin.
Being average-sized, Roya sat beside Shiki and asked curiously, "What's going on? Why did the Captain fight with Uncle Newgate? What's this meeting about?"
"Because my treasure was stolen!"
A deep voice thundered as a man strode into the room.
He wasn't especially tall, but still above average. He was far from handsome, with unkempt hair trailing down the back of his head, giving the impression it hadn't been washed in weeks.
Overall unremarkable, yet exuding a domineering aura that could shake the world.
The room fell silent instantly.
"Captain!"
Roya eagerly raised his hand. "What treasure are you talking about?"
"You don't need to know, kid."
This was Rocks D. Xebec, captain of the Rocks Pirates—the uncrowned king of the New World.
He looked visibly irritated, slamming the table and glaring at Whitebeard. "Newgate, you fool! Even though I asked you to secure it, you still let it get stolen!"
"You bastard! You didn't tell me someone else would be after it! How was I supposed to know something would go wrong?"
Whitebeard retorted angrily. "You've already hit me a few times over this, what more do you want?"
"I ought to kill you, you dumbass!"
Rocks's fury crackled in the air like lightning. Cracks formed in the walls and the table from his pressure.
"I support that!"
Shiki said gleefully, ever the chaos-lover. "Hahaha! We wouldn't miss him anyway."
"All right,"
Gloriosa clapped the table gently. "There's no point in fighting among ourselves. Captain, what exactly was stolen?"
"You don't need to know for now,"
Rocks replied curtly. "Just mobilize all our intelligence. I will get it back!"
Roya was deep in thought.
In the original timeline, the Rocks Pirates appeared at God Valley because something of theirs was stolen.
Was this the treasure in question?
What was it? The Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu? Or something else entirely?
A wide grin spread across Roya's face.
The God Valley Incident was truly about to happen.
"In addition,"
Rocks added, "I'm heading to Elbaf next. It's time the giants made their decision."
"Elbaf?"
Linlin's eyes lit up. "I want to go too!"
"What the hell for, you idiot?"
Rocks snapped. "You think the giants have forgotten your reputation?"
"Newgate,"
He turned to Whitebeard. "You're coming with me."
"Hmph. Fine by me."
Whitebeard snorted.
"So, Rocks,"
Kaido said with some excitement, "Are you trying to win over the giants? Are we finally going to war with the World Government?"
Rocks smirked. "That's right. Buckle up, trash. We're close to our goal."
The monsters of the Rocks Pirates had gathered for one reason: to pull off something world-shaking.
"Ugh! So exciting!"
"Hahahahaha!"
"Kulalalalalala!"
"Mama mama mama!"
A chorus of strange, chaotic laughter echoed.
Roya, realizing his own laugh was far too normal, felt a little left out.
After settling down, Roya raised his hand again. "Captain, I want to go to Elbaf too!"
Rocks gave him a glance, then nodded. "Fine. Your ability will be useful there."