ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

Valley of the Gods Aftermath – Hive Island

"What? Captain Rocks... was killed by the Navy...?"

"No way! Are you kidding, Captain Shiki?! How could Captain Rocks be killed?"

"This is impossible! Captain Rocks is the strongest pirate in the world! The Navy has fought us countless times, and they've never been able to touch him!"

"Don't joke about something like this, Captain Shiki!"

A heavy silence followed.

"Well, well, well..."

A chilling voice broke through the tension.

"You don't believe Rocks was killed?"

Charlotte Linlin smirked, her slender frame draped in an elegant yet eerie presence. Her piercing eyes gleamed with something between amusement and malice.

*"Rocks was killed by Garp and Roger. And now, here—we have the final say!"

"Whoever doesn't like it, step forward!"

Shiki, the Golden Lion, took a step forward, his imposing aura spreading like a storm, suffocating the weaker pirates. His golden hair swayed as his raw ambition radiated outward.

Caesar stood off to the side, arms folded, saying nothing. But his sharp gaze was like a blade—none of the gathered pirates dared to meet his eyes.

Hearing Shiki's words, murmurs spread among the crew.

"Captain Rocks... really fell to the Navy?"

"That bastard Roger would team up with the Marines? Impossible!"

"The captain is dead… what happens to us now?"

"Damn it! Hey, Captain Shiki! If Rocks was really taken down, then why are you all still alive?"

"Did you run away?"

"Hah! You expect us to believe you didn't abandon him?! You must have your own motives for coming back here, right? Despicable!"

Another pirate clenched his fist and shouted, rallying the others.

"Let's take them down and claim our own future!"

But before the pirate could finish, Charlotte Linlin's grin widened.

"Well, well, well…"

In an instant, she swung her blade. Blood sprayed as the pirate was sliced clean in half.

"Jihahaha! Those who don't want to die should keep their mouths shut!"

Her laughter was bone-chilling.

"Now, be good little brats and gather up all of Rocks' treasures."

Shiki's domineering voice rang out, sending shivers down the spines of the pirates. Their resolve crumbled. Without hesitation, they turned and scurried off to retrieve the riches left behind by their fallen captain.

---

The Division of Rocks' Legacy

After a while, the gathered loot was piled up before Shiki, Whitebeard, Linlin, and the others. The sheer volume of treasure was staggering. Even though Fullalead (Hive Island) wasn't the main vault of the Rocks Pirates, the gold stacked up into a mountain—easily worth over a billion berries.

"Jihahaha! That bastard Rocks sure hoarded a lot!"

Shiki's golden eyes gleamed as he took in the 137 chests of treasure before him.

Caesar remained silent, standing to the side. But his gaze betrayed his thoughts—he was calculating.

"We split it five ways. Any objections?"

Shiki's eyes swept across the gathered pirates before settling on Caesar.

Though Caesar was still young—only in his teens—and had never been a formal officer under Rocks, his strength had been undeniable. Even now, he was regarded as an equal among those who once served under the strongest pirate in the world.

"Well, well, well…"

Charlotte Linlin let out a low chuckle.

"No objections from me."

Kaido remained silent. He had yet to reach his peak but had enough strength and potential to demand a share. The other officers, such as John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe, were not present.

As for the true fortune—the hidden stockpile of Rocks' greatest treasures—it lay somewhere deep in the Calm Belt, a secret only Rocks himself had known.

Now, however…

Everyone's eyes turned toward the eternal pose pointing toward the island where the real prize lay.

Shiki and Caesar exchanged a knowing glance.

Shiki wanted to create the strongest pirate fleet in history.

Caesar, on the other hand, envisioned a different path—an elite crew, one that would shake the world.

They both knew that what lay ahead was worth far more than what was in front of them now.

---

[78] – Journey to the Treasure Island

With no objections raised, Shiki stepped forward and used his Devil Fruit powers to divide the treasure into five hovering portions. Each pirate took their share—around two to three hundred million berries' worth.

But the true challenge was still ahead.

"What about the ships and supplies?" Shiki asked.

Caesar barely glanced at them.

"I'm not interested. Leave me a small boat—I'll take care of the rest myself."

He turned on his heel, gathering his treasure using his abilities, then left with Brad and Gliner.

Ordinary weapons and ships held no value for him. His vision for a pirate crew was different.

He wouldn't settle for second-hand vessels or weak recruits. He wanted a ship that was powerful yet luxurious, built for both battle and comfort.

Somewhere out there, Rocks' hidden weapons and Devil Fruits awaited.

"If my future crewmates want Devil Fruits… wouldn't that be perfect?"

Caesar smirked to himself.

---

Whitebeard Takes Control

"Kuhahahaha!"

Whitebeard reached out and plucked the eternal pose from the pile of loot, tucking it into his pocket.

"I'll hold onto this. Any objections?"

His deep voice carried authority.

Shiki, Linlin, and Kaido exchanged glances but said nothing.

No one wanted to push their luck now.

They were exhausted.

After battling for days in the Valley of the Gods and escaping the Marine pursuit, even the mightiest among them needed time to recover.

They all knew it—this incident was far from over.

At any moment, the full force of the Navy could descend upon them.

Linlin grinned.

"Well, well, well…"

Shiki exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Jihahaha! Fine. Rest up—we set sail tomorrow."

Whitebeard simply laughed and walked away, treasure in tow.

As for Kaido, Linlin, and Shiki, they each took their share and dispersed.

---

A New Beginning

On the beach, Caesar stood with his two closest men.

"Captain, what's the name of our crew going to be?" Gliner asked eagerly.

Brad grinned.

"Boss, you're the captain now! When do we set sail?"

"What kind of crew are we recruiting?"

Caesar looked out at the sea, his expression unreadable.

"I won't form a crew just yet. No name for now."

He smirked.

"But when we do… it'll be an elite crew. A navigator, a helmsman, a shipwright, a cook, a doctor, musicians, scouts… and, of course, the strongest fighters."

He turned away, already thinking of the next step.

"For now, let's eat. I'm starving."

With that, they walked off, leaving behind the embers of the past and stepping toward an uncertain, yet undeniable future.

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