Takuro's understated yet earth-shattering declaration was like a depth charge dropped into the still waters of the deep sea. It instantly stirred up monstrous waves in everyone's hearts, leaving an impact that surpassed even the astonishing battle they had just witnessed.
The air seemed to solidify. Aside from Tiger, who had vaguely known part of Takuro's plan, and Robin, who was no longer surprised by his boldness, everyone else was paralyzed. From the newly subjugated Whitebeard Pirates to Gion standing on the deck of the Conqueror, faces were masks of extreme shock and disbelief.
"Attack... attack Mary Geoise?" Diamond Jozu muttered to himself. His bell-like eyes were wide with absurdity. "Does he even know what he's saying?"
"Crazy... the man is absolutely insane..." Flower Sword Vista subconsciously tightened his grip on his sabers. He needed the cold steel to provide a sense of reality amidst such suicidal rhetoric.
Even the usually steady Marco couldn't help but let his jaw drop. He leaned toward his companions, whispering hoarsely, "Hey, did our new boss get his brain rattled by Pops during the fight? Even if he's as strong as a monster, attacking the Holy Land? That's just a fancy way of leading us all to commit suicide!"
Although they had been forced to surrender to save Whitebeard's life, deep down, they didn't truly agree with this new arrangement. If they were expected to follow Takuro on a suicidal, mad adventure, they would rather die fighting right here and now.
Gion stood by the ship's rail, her purple hair fluttering gently in the sea breeze, but her heart was racing. Finally... finally, I know his ultimate goal. A chill ran down her spine, coursing through her entire body. During her time with Takuro, she had witnessed his recklessness and unfathomable power, and she had spent countless hours speculating about his true intentions. Was he trying to become the new Pirate King? Did he want to establish an independent kingdom?
She had imagined many possibilities, but she never dared to dream that his ambition would swell to directly challenge the absolute core of the world's power—Mary Geoise and the Celestial Dragons! This man wasn't here to play pirate games; he was here to smash the entire chessboard.
Amidst the uproar and questioning, only Whitebeard maintained an unusual silence. His weathered eyes, deep as an ocean trench, stared intently at Takuro. The young man's calm demeanor—as if he were talking about a simple picnic—and his arrogant disregard for the World Government acted as a key. It unlocked a floodgate of memories Whitebeard had kept sealed for decades.
A figure from the past, equally tyrannical and ambitious, slowly overlapped with the man standing before him.
"Gurararara..." Whitebeard suddenly let out a low, incomprehensible laugh, breaking the commotion. His massive body leaned forward as he fixed Takuro with a solemn expression. His tone was no longer one of resignation, but the heavy, admonishing voice of an elder to a junior.
"Boy..." Whitebeard's voice echoed over the silent ruins. "Attacking Mary Geoise? That isn't something you can accomplish just by being strong. Tell me... do you know the name 'Rocks'?"
"Rocks?" Marco and the others exchanged puzzled glances. The name sounded both unfamiliar and vaguely forbidden, a taboo title from an era before their own fame.
Whitebeard didn't keep them in suspense. He took a deep breath, dredging up a bloody, chaotic memory from the depths of time.
"Before the era of Roger, there was a man whose name made the very sea tremble. Even the World Government tries to hide his existence—Rocks D. Xebec." Whitebeard's voice carried the weight of history. "He formed an unprecedented pirate crew, gathering the most lawless and powerful monsters of the age. I... Kaido... Charlotte Linlin... the Golden Lion... we were all on his ship back then."
The mere mention of those names—individuals who were still legends today—was enough to make Marco and the commanders gasp. The Rocks Pirates had such a terrifying lineup?
"Rocks' ambition was almost exactly what you're saying now," Whitebeard said, his eyes sharp. "He wanted to become the King of the World. He wanted to overturn Mary Geoise and pull the Celestial Dragons from their divine pedestals. At the time, we all thought that with our power, we actually could do it."
His tone deepened, carrying a subtle hint of lingering fear. "Until... the 'God Valley' incident."
Whitebeard looked at the horizon, his expression grim. "That year, Rocks found what he wanted—God Valley. It was a place that hid a great secret of the Celestial Dragons, and it was also where they held their 'hunting games.' When we arrived, we saw things that would turn your stomach. The Celestial Dragons were driving slaves and people of different races into the valley like livestock, then using weapons and ferocious beasts to slaughter them for 'entertainment.'"
"What?!"
"Those bastards!"
"They're sub-human beasts!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates erupted in rage. They already detested the Celestial Dragons, but hearing of such heinous atrocities made their blood boil. Tiger's eyes turned crimson, his massive fists clenching until the bones cracked. The deep-seated hatred he had suppressed for decades nearly burst through his chest as he imagined his own people dying in such a place.
Robin's pupils constricted. As an archaeologist, she knew the World Government covered up dark histories, but hearing such a specific, bloody secret firsthand sent a chill down her spine. It only reinforced her belief that the current world order needed to be dismantled.
Gion, however, turned deathly pale. Her stomach churned, and she felt a physical wave of nausea. She knew the Celestial Dragons were corrupt, but she never imagined they treated massacres as "games." It shattered her understanding of "Justice."
"Rocks' target was there," Whitebeard continued. "He wanted to seize their treasures and fire the first shot of the revolution. But we encountered unprecedented resistance. Not only did the Marine elites come out in full force, but two unexpected individuals teamed up."
He slowly uttered two names: "The Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp. And the man who would become Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."
"What?! Vice Admiral Garp and Roger... teamed up?" Gion exclaimed. Her worldview was being shaken to its core. The Marines had to cooperate with the Pirate King just to stop one man?
Whitebeard ignored the shock. "That battle shook the heavens. Although the Rocks Pirates were powerful, they ultimately crumbled under the combined assault. Rocks himself died at God Valley. His dream, along with his fleet, turned to dust."
Silence fell over the area, broken only by heavy breathing. Whitebeard refocused on Takuro. "Now do you understand, boy? Rocks had an army of monsters and he was still annihilated. The World Government's foundation is deeper than you can imagine. They have hidden powers and the ability to turn mortal enemies into allies. What you want is even more insane. To fight the entire world's order alone is like trying to smash a rock with an egg."
Whitebeard admitted Takuro was strong—perhaps even stronger than Rocks. But that was exactly why he wanted to dissuade him. He didn't want this young man of infinite potential to repeat the mistakes of the past.
However, Takuro's expression remained completely unshaken. He wasn't angry; instead, he looked like he had heard a very amusing joke. His lips curved into a smile filled with mockery and immense self-confidence. It was a look of pity, like a man looking down at a group of primitive creatures.
"Gurararara... boy, what are you laughing at?" Whitebeard frowned.
Takuro shook his head, his laughter fading. His crimson pupils swept over the crowd. "Indeed..." his voice was clear and calm, yet carried an indifference that felt as vast as the stars. "A frog is a frog. Even if it reigns supreme in its well, it will never understand... the vastness of the universe."
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