"..."
Whoosh…
Only the wind could be heard.
The sound of the waterfalls crashing down echoed faintly across the ruins.
No one spoke.
No one dared to.
This was not a moment for words.
Everyone on the battlefield understood that silence was the only fitting tribute.
---
"Hah… hah…"
Garp and Roger gasped for breath.
Their bodies trembled, their faces pale as they stared at the man who—despite being dead—remained standing on his feet.
Rocks D. Xebec.
They knew the truth.
That final strike had already killed him.
What they destroyed at the end wasn't a living man—only the body of a monster whose will refused to fall.
Because of that, neither Roger nor Garp felt pride in this "victory."
They simply stood there, silent, watching the fallen king who had terrified the world.
And they knew—they could never speak of what they had just witnessed.
The truth of this moment must never leave this island.
—
"ROAAAAAR!"
"Victory!"
"The Marines have won!"
The exhausted soldiers burst into wild cheers.
After all the horror and despair, the invincible pirate Rocks D. Xebec was finally dead.
For the Marines, it was triumph beyond imagination—
and yet, even as they cheered, the emptiness in the air made that victory feel hollow.
Still, the surviving Marines rallied together, their morale ignited.
They screamed until their throats tore, ready to chase down the remnants of the Rocks Pirates, determined to erase them completely.
...
"Let's go."
Arthur turned away.
He knew the truth—The War of God Valley was already over.
More than a war, it had been a stage play.
The final performance of Rocks D. Xebec,
the last act of a man whose life was already burning out.
This was how he chose to die—
in madness, in glory, in defiance of the world itself.
"..."
Galahad followed Arthur without a word.
Behind them, Kaido and Shakky also turned away after one last glance at the battlefield.
"Gurararara… So it's over, huh?"
"Yeah… it's done."
Edward and Shiki exchanged weary smiles before leaving as well.
"Oi! Men! We're done here—move out!"
"ROAR!!!"
Even the Rocks Pirates—once madmen who feared no one—fell silent.
Their captain was gone.
The war had no meaning anymore.
And so, they too left.
---
The Marines watched in silence.
Part of them wanted to give chase—
but reason stopped them.
Their own forces were devastated.
Fleet Admiral Dawn was dead.
Two Admirals—Vixen and Gray—were dead.
Kong was half-dead.
And no one even knew who else was still breathing.
If they continued fighting now, they'd only meet the same fate.
The truth was clear.
Only one man had died on the Rocks side—Rocks D. Xebec.
On the Marine side, the toll was catastrophic.
Even among the elite:
Sengoku, Zephyr, and Garp were barely standing.
The Roger Pirates were down to Roger and Rayleigh, both barely conscious.
And the Rocks Pirates' top officers—Arthur, Kaido, Edward, Shiki—hadn't even fallen.
So who really won?
Victory?
Defeat?
No one could say.
No one dared to say.
---
"Ah, right…"
Arthur suddenly turned his head, smiling faintly.
"Then, we'll be taking Captain Rocks' body.
I trust none of you have objections?"
Without waiting for an answer, Arthur stepped forward, lifted Rocks' corpse, and walked away calmly—
not even pretending to be cautious.
The meaning was clear.
You're in no position to stop us.
...
The Marines said nothing.
Even Garp and Sengoku didn't move.
If these monsters decided to fight again now, it would be a massacre.
The wind blew... and the sea roared.
One by one, the ships of the Rocks Pirates departed, leaving God Valley behind forever.
Though the Marines had "won,"
none of them felt triumphant.
They had protected nothing.
The Celestial Dragons they were meant to safeguard were almost all dead.
Out of thousands, only a few dozen remained.
And that victory… felt like charity. A gift from the enemy.
That humiliation—the sense of being spared—
was worse than any defeat.
---
"Cough… cough…"
Roger groaned, struggling to stay on his feet.
"Rayleigh… you alive?"
"Barely."
Rayleigh forced a grin, dragging Roger's arm over his shoulder.
"Rocks… that monster really was something else. The strongest creature alive—no doubt about it."
Roger nodded weakly.
"Yeah. Come on—we're done here."
The two of them limped away with the last of their crew.
--
Garp watched their retreating backs in silence.
He clenched his fists but didn't move.
He knew.
One spark—one wrong move—and the powder keg that was God Valley would explode again.
The balance was fragile.
If the battle reignited, the world itself might burn.
"Gol D. Roger… the Roger Pirates…"
Garp muttered under his breath.
"That man's dangerous. More dangerous than Rocks ever was."
"If he's allowed to grow unchecked… the next storm will be far worse."
Even after fighting beside him once, Garp could already see it—
Roger's will, his freedom, his defiance.
That man was destined to shake the world again.
"Cough… cough…"
"Garp, you still alive?"
The voice belonged to Tsuru, who had just arrived, battered but standing.
Garp smiled weakly.
"Alive, yeah. Barely. What about Sengoku, Zephyr, and Kong?"
Tsuru replied softly,
"Kong's unconscious, but stable.
Sengoku and Zephyr are seriously injured, but they'll recover in a month or two."
"Hah… thank god."
Garp exhaled in relief—and then collapsed face-first into the ground.
"Garp!"
Tsuru rushed to him, only to find he'd fainted from exhaustion.
She sighed in relief.
"As long as he's breathing, that's enough…"
She turned her gaze to the sea—
to the retreating silhouettes of pirate ships disappearing beyond the horizon.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"It looks like it's finally over… but is it, really?"
She shook her head.
Even if this war had ended, Tsuru knew a greater storm was coming.
The Age of Rocks had fallen.
But in its ashes, something new was stirring.
The Age of Legends was about to begin.
---
Red Line — Holy Land, Mariejois
At the same time.
In a pristine white room filled with sunlight,
the Five Elders convened.
Their faces were calm, almost bored.
To them, the slaughter at God Valley was nothing more than a scheduled correction.
...
"Dawn, Gray, and Vixen are dead,"
the blond Elder said matter-of-factly, crossing his legs.
"One Fleet Admiral, two Admirals.
Kong is gravely injured, but alive.
Originally, we planned to promote Sengoku to Fleet Admiral—but since Kong survived, that can wait."
He spoke as if listing weather reports, not deaths.
The long-haired Elder gazed out the window.
"The losses are acceptable. The Navy's power has been trimmed to a controllable level again. They always grow too ambitious every few decades—it's a necessary purge."
The curly-haired Elder nodded.
"Yes. Replacing them would be troublesome anyway. Power corrupts equally—whether it's the Navy, the Army, or the Cipher Pol.
As long as they remain dependent, the balance endures."
"Indeed."
The blond Elder continued,
"With Rocks dead, his crew has dispersed.
The Rocks Pirates are finished.
But two names deserve attention."
He raised two fingers.
"Arthur Pendragon — Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Red Dragon Model."
"Kaido — Oni Tribe, Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Azure Dragon Model."
"These two killed Admiral Vixen together.
For now, they're insignificant. But in the future… they could become problems."
The bald Elder nodded slowly.
"If they rise too quickly, eliminate them.
Balance is everything."
That was the World Government's greatest law—maintain balance.
As long as the balance of power stayed intact, their rule would never be threatened.
The sword-bearing Elder spoke next, his tone cold.
"The Marines, the Pirates, the Celestial Dragons—all are within our control once more."
"The numbers are balanced, and the world is stable. Peace will last another hundred years."
The others nodded in satisfaction.
They were unaware…
That even without Arthur's existence,
a man named Gol D. Roger would one day reach Laugh Tale, ignite the Great Pirate Era, and shatter their illusion of eternal balance.
-----------------------------///
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