Night had fallen completely over God Valley.
The hunting grounds fell silent as the Celestial Dragons retreated to their palaces to rest. As per their own twisted rules, any slave killed after dark wouldn't earn them points—and that was the only reason the slaughter paused.
From the original hundred thousand slaves shipped to this island, barely a fraction remained. The rest had been hunted down like animals, feeding the Celestial Dragons' twisted idea of sport.
On a grassy patch under the moonlight, Jace lay beside Bear, their heads nearly touching as they stared up at the stars. The moon hung full and bright overhead, casting silver across the jungle canopy.
Jace exhaled softly. If he hadn't met Bear, Ivan, and Ginny... he'd probably already be dead.
The fact that his clothes didn't have a target on the back hadn't saved him. The Celestial Dragons didn't need a reason to shoot a kid for fun. Whether he counted for "points" or not didn't matter. He was still prey in their eyes.
Across the clearing, the soft murmurs of conversation drifted over. Ivan and Ginny were chatting, their voices low and thoughtful. Then Ginny turned toward Bear and asked with genuine curiosity,
"Hey, Bear... if we make it out of here, what's the first thing you'll do?"
Bear didn't even hesitate. "Easy! I'll live happily—with all of you."
Ginny giggled. "Of course! But I meant your dream. What do you want for your future?"
Bear blinked, then sat up, eyes sparkling.
"My dream? I want to be like Nika! I want to bring freedom to everyone!"
The name—Nika—lit a fire in his eyes. Hope. Joy. The dream of liberation.
Ivan sat up too, pumping a fist into the air. "That's an awesome dream! I believe in you, Bear!"
Bear blushed a little, rubbing the back of his head. But then his gaze drifted toward Jace. Quiet. Distant.
For all his childlike appearance, Bear was more perceptive than he let on. He could feel it—Jace was different. Older, maybe not in age, but in the way he carried himself.
While the three of them were all battle-hardened by pain and experience, they were still kids in many ways. There was a softness in their eyes that hadn't been worn away completely.
But Jace? Jace had seen too much.
He was sharper. Quieter. Like someone who didn't believe in fairytales anymore but fought anyway.
And Bear... looked up to him.
When Jace noticed Bear watching, he smiled. "You're gonna make it happen, Bear. I believe in you. You'll do even better than Nika. You've got the heart for it."
Bear's mouth opened in surprise. He hadn't expected such praise. His cheeks flushed, and he looked down, suddenly bashful.
Ivan and Ginny both stared at Jace in shock—then awe.
Ivan leaned closer, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "What about you, Jace? What's your dream?"
Jace didn't look at them. He rolled onto his side, resting his head on Bear's stomach and said flatly,
"I don't have one of those."
Ivan frowned. "Come on, you must want something."
"Sure," Jace muttered. "To survive. To get stronger. That's all."
Ivan crossed his arms. "That's a boring dream."
Jace smirked. "Once I have power, there's a lot I could do. Like help Bear reach his dream. Help you with yours—assuming it's not turning the world into a giant disco party."
Ivan gasped dramatically. "How could you, Jace-chan! That hurts my soul!"
But despite the teasing, Ivan smiled. And so did the others.
Bear and Ginny both looked at Jace with shining eyes, moved beyond words.
Then—almost in unison—they said it for the first time:
"Brother Jace."
Jace blinked, surprised. He hadn't expected the title. But it filled something in him he hadn't realized was missing. A bond. A family.
He smiled faintly.
It wasn't something he faked. In this cruel, lonely world, the connection he shared with these three was real. Precious.
They weren't just tools or allies.
They were his friends.
Eventually, the fatigue of the day caught up to them. One by one, Ginny, Ivan, and Jace laid their heads on Bear's broad belly, using him like a giant warm pillow.
As sleep began to claim them, Jace spoke quietly.
"Don't forget. If any of you find a Devil Fruit tomorrow—any fruit—eat it. No hesitation. Even if it's just a bite."
Bear raised a fist solemnly. "Got it, Brother Jace!"
"Me too!" Ginny and Ivan echoed.
"Good," Jace murmured. "Get some rest. We'll be running again tomorrow."
"Okay…"
Sleep came fast.
The island was quiet.
But the sea... was not.
Far off the coast of God Valley, a fleet of enormous ships loomed in the dark like jagged silhouettes against the stars. Their sails bore the same flag: black background, skull insignia.
A fleet that struck terror across the world.
The Rocks Pirates.
Onboard the largest ship—massive, towering, monstrous—the air inside the cabin crackled with tension.
This was no ordinary pirate crew.
Gathered around a long, rugged table were some of the most dangerous figures the world would ever know: a young Edward Newgate, muscles like steel and his iconic crescent mustache already in place; Charlotte Linlin, already a mountain of a woman with wild eyes and hunger in her soul; and Kaido, the future Beast King, still rough around the edges but burning with raw power and ambition.
Kaido didn't hold the same status yet as Whitebeard or Big Mom, but he was climbing fast—especially with his mysterious connection to Linlin backing him up.
Any one of them could dominate a sea alone.
But here?
None of them were the main event.
At the head of the room, lounging like a lion on a throne, sat a man whose presence filled the entire space with dread.
Long black hair flowed down his shoulders like a storm cloud. His cloak was heavy and dark, his arms thick with muscle and scars. He sat hunched forward, one boot resting on a smashed crate like a man too restless to be still.
Captain Rocks D. Xebec.
He raised a barrel of wine and downed it in one monstrous gulp before slamming it down hard enough to crack the floorboards.
"Damn the World Government!" he snarled. "This time, I'm settling everything—old debts, new insults—all of it!"
BOOM!
A blast of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him like a thunderclap. Purple-black lightning arced through the room. The weaker crewmates outside the door collapsed instantly. The rest just clenched their jaws and endured.
Rocks' eyes burned.
The World Government had sent spies into his ranks. Stolen his treasure. Turned it into some sick prize for their twisted slave hunt on God Valley.
It was more than an insult.
It was war.
"Let them cower behind their Celestial Gods," he growled. "I'll tear their whole world down."
The Rocks Pirates were here.