Thirty-eight years ago, three days after the God Valley Incident ended, the Rocks Pirates disbanded, and their captain, Rocks D.
Xebec, fell in that battle.
In an unknown sea, a tattered small sailboat sailed lonely on the azure ocean, with seabirds occasionally flying across the sky.
Suddenly, a News Coo wearing a newsboy cap and carrying a small bag cawed as it flew past the small sailboat.
A large hand reached out from the cabin and grabbed the doorframe, followed by a tall, exceptionally burly figure slowly appearing.
The man was shirtless, with scars scattered across his body, many of which were still unhealed, oozing drops of fresh red blood as his muscles contracted and stretched, making him look even more ferocious against his granite-like muscles, as if he could unleash world-destroying power at any moment.
The man, with long blond hair, walked out of the cabin.
His massive body, over six meters tall, appeared on the sailboat’s deck.
He held a large jug of wine in his left hand and lightly stroked a crescent-shaped white mustache on his lip with his right hand, shouting loudly at the News Coo in the sky,
“Hey, News Coo, give me a newspaper!”
The News Coo heard the voice, glanced down and saw the man, and immediately turned pale with fright, almost falling from the sky.
It quickly stabilized itself, somewhat tremblingly took out a newspaper, and respectfully delivered it to the man with its beak.
The man was not surprised.
He dropped the wine bottle, took the newspaper with one hand, and reached into his pocket with the other.
Then, his thick fingers held two coins, which he casually tossed to the News Coo.
He then ignored it, sat down with the newspaper, and began to read.
The News Coo quickly caught the coins with its beak and flew away without looking back, as if the man was some kind of monstrous beast that would take its life at any moment.
The man looked down at the newspaper, then suddenly grinned, and a somewhat peculiar but exceptionally hearty laugh instantly echoed throughout the entire sea.
“Gurarararara!
Shiki… Linlin… so you monsters made it out alive too, huh!”
While the man was laughing loudly, a bold headline on the newspaper could be seen, clearly stating:
“God Valley Incident Concludes Hero of the Marines, Vice Admiral Garp, and the Pirate King Gol D.
Roger Defeat Rocks D.
Xebec!”
Below the headline, in smaller font, it read:
“Remnants of the Rocks Pirates Scatter Across the Seas Following Their Defeat.
Latest Known Bounties Are As Follows:”
“Whitebeard” Edward Newgate, Bounty: 2,245,000,000 Berries, Dead or Alive!
“Golden Lion” Shiki, Bounty: 2,030,000,000 Berries, Dead or Alive!
“Big Mom” Charlotte Linlin, Bounty: 500,000,000 Berries, Dead or Alive!
…”Apprentice” Kaido, Bounty: 200,000,000 Berries, Dead or Alive.
The laughter ended, and the man raised his hand to rub a deep, bone-visible, ferocious wound on his chest.
Feeling the throbbing pain from the wound, his expression became solemn, as if recalling the great battle three days prior.
He muttered to himself,
“What terrifying power… so that was the man who stood at the top of that era.”
After a pause, the man’s solemn expression suddenly vanished, replaced by his usual rough and hearty smile.
“But I am Whitebeard!
Gurararara… I won’t fall that easily!”
The man was none other than the great pirate renowned across the seas, with a bounty of 2,245,000,000 Berries, “Whitebeard” Edward Newgate!
Whitebeard leaned against the cabin, stood up, and took a big gulp of strong liquor from his jug.
He casually tossed the read newspaper into the sea and turned to walk into the cabin, which was somewhat small and awkward compared to his body.
When he emerged again, the wine jug in his hand had been replaced by a broken mirror shard.
With his thick fingers awkwardly pinching the mirror shard, Whitebeard sat on the deck, looking into the mirror, and began to gently tidy his crescent-shaped white mustache with his other hand.
He looked quite comical, like a fierce beast carefully grooming itself.
Just as Whitebeard stuck out his tongue to moisten his fingers, stroking and smoothing his mustache with focused attention, a cannon shot suddenly rang out.
A huge splash erupted in the sea next to the small sailboat, and the scattered water drenched Whitebeard, who was diligently working.
His blond hair became soaking wet, not to mention his once firm and upward-curving crescent mustache, which now hung limply over his lips, soaked through by the seawater.
Although drenched by seawater, Whitebeard remained motionless, sitting in his spot, his expression stunned.
Just then, an arrogant voice came through:
“Gagagaga, lads, pull the ship alongside!
I am the great pirate ‘Bone Crusher’ Jackman, with a bounty of 100,000,000 Berries.
To dare block my path, you must be tired of living!”
Whitebeard, brought back to his senses by the grating voice, his already narrow eyes widened.
In his tiger-like gaze, a burning fury ignited.
His long blond hair moved without a breeze, and his massive body slowly stood up.
He turned toward the foolish Mr.
Bone Crusher.
“You bastard… how dare you ruin my freshly groomed mustache!
Do you even know who I am?!”
A furious voice erupted from Whitebeard’s mouth.
His angry expression made him resemble a ferocious beast ready to devour a man.
Before he could finish speaking, Whitebeard, furious, laughed instead.
He suddenly swung his right fist.
With a “bang,” the air shattered, and cracks rapidly surged forward.
In an instant, the so-called “Bone Crusher” Jackman was reduced to a bloody mist.
After pulverizing the 100,000,000 Berries bounty pirate with one punch, Whitebeard’s anger still hadn’t subsided.
With a leap, he jumped onto the opponent’s large ship, ready to unleash a massacre.
Seeing Whitebeard, like a fierce beast, jump onto the deck, the remaining ruffians were not idiots.
They naturally knew what he was going to do.
Without any thought of resistance, they all slid to their knees in front of Whitebeard.
A man who looked like a vice-captain cried out in panic,
“Mercy, mercy, sir!”
Whitebeard ignored them.
With just one punch, the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit turned dozens of kneeling ruffians into minced flesh, sending them to join their captain.
Whitebeard strode towards the cabin, spitting casually, “I hate spineless cowards the most!”
Since he was already on board, he might as well make the trip worthwhile.
So Whitebeard plundered treasures and killed the remaining ruffians along the way.
Before long, he reached the Captain’s cabin.
Whitebeard, carrying bags full of treasure in both hands, kicked open the locked cabin door.
The Captain’s cabin was very spacious, almost as large as Whitebeard’s original small sailboat.
Inside were several chests full of treasure, but Whitebeard paid no attention to them.
His eyes were fixed on a naginata leaning in the corner.
He took two steps forward, picked up the naginata, brought it closer to his eyes for a careful examination, then brandished it with one hand.
Instantly, blade auras flashed, and the entire Captain’s cabin was torn apart.
After waving it for a moment, Whitebeard caressed the naginata with both hands and murmured,
“Murakumogiri… one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades.
It came at just the right time.”
Greatly pleased to acquire this weapon, Whitebeard no longer cared about the scattered treasures.
He was about to leave when he suddenly saw a Devil Fruit that had rolled into a corner.
The fruit resembled an apple but had mysterious swirling patterns.
Seeing this, Whitebeard grinned, stepped forward, and picked it up.
“These fools… a Supreme Grade Blade and a Devil Fruit… did they rob a Celestial Tribute?”
He then nonchalantly put away the Devil Fruit, disdainfully saying,
“Gurararara… wasted on trash.”
He then strode towards the cabin below the deck, because if this pirate crew had robbed the Celestial Tribute, they would certainly have slaves, as those Celestial Dragons had no other hobbies.
And these pirates would most likely not kill these “goods” that could be exchanged for money.
Entering the cabin below the deck, Whitebeard activated his Observation Haki and carefully sensed his surroundings.
His expression immediately turned cold.
He then twisted and turned, finally arriving at a cabin serving as a prison.
Inside the small prison, more than twenty men and women were huddled together, staring at Whitebeard in terror.
Only one scrawny boy stared at him with bright, sparkling eyes showing no fear whatsoever.