Like Ginny, Rocks understood exactly what kind of people they were dealing with.
Just as Nereus had pointed out during their earlier battle, these people had no problem fighting when they held the advantage.
But in a true fight to the death, there weren’t many they could genuinely rely on.
Rocks didn’t claim that the place was his hometown or that his family was there.
Instead, he appealed to everyone’s self-interest.
Besides, he was confident in his own strength.
As long as the rest of the Rocks Pirates went with him, the enemy would inevitably have their attention divided.
In his view, if he could draw off even a portion of their forces, that would be enough for him to accomplish his objective.
Everyone agreed to the proposal for the time being, though they all knew perfectly well that when the time came, whatever spoils they could claim would depend entirely on their own abilities.
Charlotte Linlin then addressed the schedule after everyone had accepted the plan.
“According to the intelligence we’ve received, they’ll be transported to God Valley in two weeks.
If we leave from here…
we’ll have enough time to make it.”
Traveling from Hachinosu in the New World to God Valley in the West Blue would normally require taking a lengthy detour along the standard sea routes.
But they had no intention of taking the conventional route.
By heading south and crossing the Calm Belt, they could reach the West Blue directly.
As its name suggests, the Calm Belt is a vast stretch of ocean where not a single breeze blows.
Together with the Red Line, the two enormous Calm Belts divide the Grand Line and separate the world’s four seas.
The lack of wind alone makes it impossible for most sailing ships to travel through it.
But an even greater danger lurks beneath the surface: the Calm Belt is the breeding ground of the Sea Kings.
Countless Sea Kings inhabit those waters, creatures far more dangerous than ordinary sea beasts.
For most people, sailing into the Calm Belt was little more than a death sentence.
For the monsters of the Rocks Pirates, however, crossing it posed no real challenge.
If necessary, Shiki could even use the powers of his Float-Float Fruit to carry everyone across through the air.
The brief meeting came to an end.
The crew dispersed to prepare fresh water and provisions for the voyage.
No matter how quickly they moved, the journey itself would still take time.
There were other matters that needed arranging as well.
In essence, the Rocks Pirates functioned more like the Rocks Grand Fleet than a single pirate crew.
It was a loose coalition made up of numerous factions.
Some members, like Kaido, traveled alone.
Others, such as John and Nereus, commanded their own groups of loyal subordinates who answered only to them.
Nereus didn’t leave with Charlotte Linlin or Kaido.
Even a temporary alliance required little discussion—they could simply adapt to whatever happened once they arrived.
He had plenty of his own affairs to settle.
Nereus knew full well that the God Valley Incident would mark the end of the Rocks Pirates.
Once it was over, they would most likely never return here.
Even so, they couldn’t depart immediately that very day.
There was no need to rush.
Nereus decided to wait until everyone had returned that evening before making the final arrangements.
Meanwhile, Nanamo, who had gone off earlier to visit some friends, was walking through the town on Hachinosu.
Although it was an island of pirates, the large population living there meant that some semblance of order existed—albeit a fragile one.
Violence still broke out on a regular basis.
Ironically, the most peaceful period on the island had been when Shakky was running her Rip-Off Bar.
She had established one simple rule:
Anyone who came to her bar was forbidden from fighting anywhere on the island.
Many of the pirates became noticeably more restrained because of that rule.
Even notorious pirates who crossed paths would often choose not to fight.
Nanamo was currently in an area away from the island’s center, where order was relatively well maintained.
Even if fights did break out, the consequences were usually minor.
The real reason was simple: the pirates here weren’t particularly strong.
There was a saying on Hachinosu: “The deeper you go, the crazier the people become.”
In truth, that was just something weaker pirates said out of jealousy.
What it really meant was that the farther inland you went, the stronger the pirates became.
Nereus was the lone exception.
Because of the Fish-Men and Merfolk under his command, his territory was located along the island’s outer coastline.
At that moment, a cloud about the same size as Nanamo floated along in front of her.
Further down the street, two pirates were brawling—a common sight on Hachinosu.
It was only a minor scuffle.
When chairs, tables, and other bits of debris suddenly came flying through the air, the cloud immediately rushed forward.
Its fluffy body spread wide like a shield, hovering protectively above Nanamo’s head.
Although it was made entirely of clouds, the incoming objects didn’t pass through it.
Instead, they struck its surface as though they had hit solid steel before clattering harmlessly to the ground.
“Princess Nanamo…
shall I deal with them?”
“Hermes, I’m just out having fun.
Don’t cause any trouble.”
“As you command, Princess Nanamo~”
The cloud named Hermes abandoned the idea of attacking and simply continued floating above her like a living umbrella, escorting her safely through the street.
“You’re really dependable, Hermes.”
“You flatter me!
I, Hermes, am the bravest Homie of them all!
I’ll always protect you, Princess!”
Yes—the cloud was a Homie, one of the living beings created by Charlotte Linlin’s Soul-Soul Fruit.
Using the power of her Devil Fruit, Charlotte Linlin could breathe life into inanimate objects or grant ordinary animals extraordinary intelligence.
These creations possessed unique abilities, and some were even formidable fighters.
Every Homie had its own distinct personality and way of thinking.
Even Charlotte Linlin herself could never predict what kind of temperament a newly created Homie would develop.
Nor were ordinary objects the only things she could animate.
Natural elements were no exception.
Prometheus, who always accompanied Charlotte Linlin, was living fire, while Zeus was a sentient thundercloud.
Hermes, meanwhile, had been created from a combination of the various cloud types unique to Skypiea.
That was why he had been able to reshape his body into a defensive barrier just moments earlier.
Part of his body consisted of IronClouds, a type of Skypiean cloud with the hardness and durability of metal.
Many of Charlotte Linlin’s children had their own Homies to assist them in daily life.
Hermes, however, was special.
Like Prometheus and Zeus, he had been created using a fragment of Charlotte Linlin’s own soul, placing him among the strongest Homies she had ever produced.
After all, Nanamo was Charlotte Linlin’s first daughter.
Not long after she was born, Nanamo displayed exceptional talent, prompting Charlotte Linlin to give her this extraordinary Homie as both a gift and a guardian.
With Hermes constantly by her side, Nanamo had an extra layer of protection.
While a Homie operating independently wasn’t nearly as powerful as Charlotte Linlin herself, it was still far beyond what an ordinary opponent could handle.
“Come on, let’s hurry.
The ice cream’s going to melt.”
“Yes, ma’am!
Mama’s territory is just ahead!
Full speed!”
As he spoke, Hermes reshaped his cloud body into the form of a horse and crouched beside Nanamo, inviting her to climb onto his back.
Nanamo, however, paid him no attention, simply continuing to skip happily down the road.