Several days later…
Across the vast sea, a steady wind rolled over calm waters.
A large sailing ship painted in gold and crimson drifted quietly along. Its deep-red sails billowed high, bearing a white skull with curled mustache.
At a glance, it didn't seem extraordinary.
But anyone who recognized that flag gave it a very wide berth.
Because this was the Oro Jackson — the ship of the great pirate Gol D. Roger.
On deck, Scopper Gaban and Douglas Bullet stood at the helm. Rayleigh was fishing off the side. Roger sat at the bow, happily gnawing on a grilled fish with absolutely no dignity.
"Captain," Rayleigh called, eyes still on his line, "is that Romu really as important as you say?"
Ever since news broke that Romu killed a Celestial Dragon and drove off Zephyr, Roger had immediately steered them toward Hachinosu in search of him.
"Yeah," Roger replied through a mouthful of fish. "And he's probably even more important than that."
Rayleigh's float suddenly dipped.
Splash!
He snapped the rod upward, flinging a twenty-pound fish into the air. After securing the catch, he set the rod aside and sighed.
"But if he never leaves Hachinosu, what are we supposed to do? The Rocks Pirates aren't exactly people we can just stroll up to."
"And for all we know, Romu already left. We might just be chasing shadows."
They had been circling the waters near Hachinosu for days without a single glimpse of him.
And storming the island outright?
They weren't reckless — or stupid — enough for that.
Even ignoring Rocks himself, those division captains were monsters in their own right.
"It's fine," Roger said casually. "We'll run into him."
Rayleigh and the others exchanged tired looks. Following a captain this unpredictable came with its own brand of suffering. Sometimes Rayleigh genuinely wondered how he'd let Roger talk him into boarding this ship in the first place.
Just then—
Pururururu…
A Den Den Mushi rang inside Roger's cabin.
Rayleigh tossed the fish aside, grabbed the snail, and brought it to Roger.
Roger flicked a fish bone into the sea and answered.
"This is Roger."
"I'm Garp…"
Rayleigh, Gaban, and Bullet all froze.
Roger didn't even blink.
"Well, well," he drawled. "The Marines really embarrassed themselves this time."
Garp snorted.
"Save it. You don't want Rocks getting any bigger either."
Roger's tone shifted instantly.
"True enough. He's already dangerous. And now there's that monster rookie, Romu. Let them grow any further and the whole world's in trouble."
The Den Den Mushi scratched its nose.
"Then listen. In three months, we're fighting the Rocks Pirates at God Valley. Full engagement. We want you there."
"God Valley…?" Roger frowned. The name tugged at his memory, familiar yet slippery.
"I'll send coordinates," Garp continued. "Bring your whole crew. We end this for good."
Roger nodded slowly.
"Fine. But do you know where Romu is right now?"
"…Why?" Garp's tone sharpened. "Don't start trouble before God Valley."
Roger grinned.
"That's not your concern. If you want my help, tell me where he is."
A brief silence.
"…Don't do anything stupid," Garp said at last. "He's in the Calm Belt."
Roger hung up.
The crew gathered around immediately.
"Captain," Gaban asked, confused, "why's Garp calling you? And what's God Valley?"
Roger looked toward distant Hachinosu, smiling.
"God Valley… is where Rocks falls."
The deck went quiet.
"You're saying," Rayleigh said slowly, "we're fighting Rocks… alongside the Marines?"
"Can we even trust them?"
Roger flicked his cloak back.
"Don't overthink it. Three months. Use that time to rest and train. Get stronger."
"Then we settle everything at God Valley."
None of them liked the Marines. Not even a little.
But Roger had spoken.
They nodded.
After all — they chose to follow him.
Gaban swung his twin axes experimentally.
"And you, Captain?"
Roger scratched his nose.
"I'll train too."
He grinned wider.
"But first… I'm heading to the Calm Belt."
With that, he leapt straight into the sea and began swimming toward the Calm Belt at a speed that bordered on absurd.
The Calm Belt
The Calm Belt stretched along both sides of the Grand Line — waters without wind or current, eerily still like glass.
Most pirate ships, powered by sail, became stranded here.
Worse, this region teemed with colossal Sea Kings.
Which was why pirates almost never entered from this direction, preferring Reverse Mountain instead.
Today, sunlight shimmered across the mirror-like surface.
Then—
A black vine suddenly tore through the air like a lightning strike and plunged into the sea.
"ROOOAAAR!!"
A massive shadow surged upward.
Moments later, a whale-shaped Sea King — several times larger than any normal whale — was violently dragged out of the water and smashed onto nearby land.
It thrashed wildly, its forty-meter body whipping trees into splinters.
Then black thorns stabbed deep into its flesh.
The creature didn't even have time to scream.
Its enormous body visibly shrank… drained dry.
Minutes later, only skin and bone remained.
"…Not enough. Still far from enough."
A calm voice cut through the air.
A red flower descended.
A young man stepped down lightly from it — expression thoughtful, dissatisfied.
Romu.
After weighing his options, he'd chosen to grow stronger by absorbing Sea Kings.
Because right now?
Charging Rocks head-on would be suicide.
His real plan was simple:
Wait for God Valley.
Strike when Rocks was weakened.
That was his endgame.
As Romu prepared to hunt again, his eyes narrowed.
"…Someone's coming?"
The air shifted.
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