Chapter 2: My Name Is Akane—Gu Yue Akane
Half a day later, in a remote stretch of sea in Paradise on the Grand Line.
Rocks was extremely satisfied with today's masterpiece.
Once again, he had successfully slapped the World Government across the face.
He struck right at the Navy Headquarters' doorstep—so what?
What could those Navy powerhouses and World Government experts do to him?
After escaping danger and finally relaxing, Rocks at last had time to check his Heavenly Tribute treasure, as well as the slaves in the ship's hold.
"Hey, hey, hey!! You little trash—get the hell out here!"
Inside the Heavenly Tribute warship's prison hold, Rocks looked at the slaves' numb expressions and barked roughly.
They were just some elite soldiers.
He didn't need followers that weak.
"Benefactor, our country has fallen. Please, take us in!"
A few young soldiers gradually regained their spirit and spoke excitedly.
They truly hadn't expected anyone would dare attack the World Government's Heavenly Tribute warship.
That meant they wouldn't be sent to the Holy Land Mary Geoise to become miserable slaves to the Celestial Dragons.
"Wororororo! People of a fallen nation, huh? I'm a great pirate wanted by the World Government across the entire world now!"
"You want to follow me? Are you ready to die?"
"But forget it. You're too worthless. I'm not interested."
Rocks bared his teeth in a grin, looking down at these despairing slaves without a shred of pity.
"We're not afraid to die!! Sir!"
Among the fifty or sixty prisoners, nearly half of the soldiers from the fallen nation hurriedly spoke up.
But most of the soldiers hesitated. As warriors of a nation, they truly didn't want to become pirates hunted by everyone.
More importantly, they still wanted to return to their homeland and see it one last time.
They wanted to find the bodies of their dead family members and give them a proper burial...
And then find a way to take revenge...
Rocks watched their reactions closely.
"Hmph. Right now, my ship needs a dozen or so sailors and laborers...
At the next island, anyone who wants to leave can get the hell off my ship!"
In the end, Rocks didn't kill these soldiers from a fallen nation. He gave them a way to live.
"Thank you, benefactor!"
Some of the soldier-prisoners immediately dropped to their knees and kowtowed in gratitude.
...
As Rocks' gaze shifted.
"Hey, kid. Tied up like this and locked away on your own—what special ability do you have?"
Rocks noticed the black-haired youth who had been isolated and bound up like an iron ball.
"Cough, cough... Help me take off the explosive collar, and the Sea-Prism Stone cuffs and shackles on my hands and feet..."
The youth coughed, his voice weak, carrying a faint hunger to survive.
The moment he saw that domineering figure, he knew he wouldn't end up as Saint Saturn's undead experimental subject.
If he became an experimental subject, he would truly suffer a fate worse than death.
"Hey, kid. Answer my question first. You're my loot now!"
Rocks laughed. This kid not only didn't answer—he even dared to make demands. He had some nerve.
"I have information about the King of the World in the Holy Land Mary Geoise."
"And my name is Akane—Gu Yue Akane!"
Akane felt Rocks' violent aura pressing down, yet a hint of a smile surfaced on that pale face. In that instant, Akane's spirit seemed to loosen instead.
"What?!"
"Kid, do you know what happens if you lie to me!"
Rocks' expression shifted sharply, tiger-like eyes staring at Akane.
He didn't really believe some prisoner brat could know anything about the King of the World.
Even within the Clan of D, information about Imu was vague and fragmented.
"One of the original Twenty Kings from over eight hundred years ago—Nerona Imu—the King of the World who sits upon the Empty Throne. Even the Five Elders are nothing but Its fangs and slave-hounds..."
Akane's dry, cracked lips moved slowly. The voice was feeble, like it might cut off at any moment.
"Wororororo! You actually know? And you're not afraid of It?"
Rocks' eyes lit up. This brat not only knew the King of the World existed, but didn't even seem frightened.
That took guts.
Rocks started to like this little bastard.
Plenty of people on these seas— even some great pirates—would feel fear creep in the moment they heard the World Government and Celestial Dragons mentioned.
Rocks casually snapped the iron chains off Akane, unlocked the Sea-Prism Stone cuffs and shackles, pried open the explosive collar, and tossed it into the sea.
Boom.
With the explosion, the shadow of death hanging over Akane vanished.
"Why would I be afraid? I'm not facing It head-on right now."
"Bring some water and food. I'm about to die of hunger and thirst..."
Akane spoke weakly, treating Rocks, the brutal great pirate, as if he were one of Akane's own.
"Wororororo! Kid, you've got some damn nerve!"
Rocks nearly got annoyed by Akane's attitude, but he still handed over water and food.
After Akane wolfed it down...
"Finally, I'm alive again!"
"Those damned Cipher Pol agents—didn't even give me a bite or a sip. They almost killed me."
Akane's complexion improved noticeably, and the crescent mark on the forehead regained a faint deep-blue sheen.
"If you hadn't kept trying to escape and attacking those men in black, why would they treat you like that..."
A young soldier muttered softly.
Because of Akane's resistance and escape attempts, even they had been punished—beaten for no reason and given less food and water.
"Heh! So I should've just waited to die like you?"
Akane snorted. If these soldiers hadn't failed to defend their country, bringing about the nation's ruin, Akane's plan to lie low wouldn't have collapsed, forcing self-preservation and exposing those abilities.
How else would things have ended up like this?
"Wororororo! Good! You've got backbone, kid!"
"If you've got the strength, stay on my ship. If not, after you tell me what you know about the King of the World, you can get the hell off my ship too!"
Rocks liked Akane even more.
But his plan wouldn't change.
He only needed powerful subordinates and partners.
As for sailors and laborers, they were only temporary—just there to keep the ship running.
"Rocks, I saw a fragment of the future. Since fate chose us, we'll end up on the same ship."
After recovering some strength, Akane slowly climbed to their feet and looked Rocks up and down—this wild, monster-like member of the Clan of D.
Akane met Rocks' gaze head-on.
"Saw the future? Kid, then tell me—what did you see?"
Rocks grew increasingly interested in Akane's confidence and calm. He folded his arms and grinned.
"I saw you recruiting people and building your own pirate crew. I also saw you going to Elbaf to find the Giant King Harald."
Akane stood up and casually grabbed more food, continuing to eat.
"Harald? So he's the Giant King. No wonder he was that strong!"
Rocks' eyes blazed. He had only met Harald once.
He still didn't know Harald's full background.
He really did want to pull that powerful giant into his crew.
And the idea of recruiting Harald had only been born in Rocks' mind over the last couple of days.
Could this kid truly see the future?
A prophecy-type Devil Fruit power?
No wonder Cipher Pol had locked this one up separately.
"Rocks, want to know more information—enough to change the world?"
"Help me get stronger!"
"The stronger I am, the more future I can see. I can even predict information about the three Ancient Weapons."
After eating and drinking their fill, the crescent mark on Akane's forehead emitted a faint blue glow, and Akane stated their needs and purpose directly.
"The three Ancient Weapons??!!"
"Wororororo!! Akane, I hereby declare you officially my first partner!"
"I'll make you stronger!"
"Let's turn this world upside down together and drag that King of the World off its pedestal!"
Rocks' eyes burst with golden light. He never imagined that stealing Heavenly Tribute to secure funds and a pirate ship would also net him a subordinate who could foresee the future.
It seemed even fate was on his side.
He would crush that ancient monster, seize the entire world, and become the King of the World himself!