ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

"Apart from Rocks, no one can truly suppress the others."

Caesar nodded in a daze. That meant the Rocks Pirates were not in harmony. They were either considering splitting off to form their own factions or plotting to replace Rocks and take over as captain.

Whitebeard's words gave him deeper insight into the current state of the Rocks Pirates.

The ship's various captains were ambitious by nature.

More so, those who possessed Conqueror's Haki—Whitebeard, the Golden Lion, Big Mom, and Kaido.

Even he himself was unwilling to be subordinate to others.

The name God Valley flashed in his mind—the legendary battleground where Garp and Roger teamed up to defeat Rocks.

So…

He frowned, lost in thought.

After the battle at God Valley, the Rocks Pirates would disband, and the powerful figures aboard would go their separate ways, eventually becoming dominant rulers in different parts of the world.

Especially Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom—each would go on to make an indelible mark in history.

Looking at Whitebeard's towering figure, Caesar thought to himself:

One day, Whitebeard will undoubtedly begin his "fatherly" legacy, taking in son after son.

Big Mom, on the other hand, would become a true "Mama" in every sense—bearing children throughout her life.

Even now, she already had several sons, but the eldest was only ten and had been placed on an island for safekeeping.

Kaido had consumed a Devil Fruit that perfectly suited him, greatly boosting his abilities and giving him the foundation to one day become one of the Four Emperors.

And what about me?

Caesar closed his eyes, contemplating his own path forward.

---

[17] The Banquet and Rocks' Ambition!

Night.

The moon hung high in the sky.

Calm had returned to the island.

But before long, a new commotion arose—this time, not the screams of the residents, but the drunken revelry of pirates.

"So much… so much!"

"Treasure! We hit the jackpot!"

Rocks' men—vicious, cutthroat pirates—hauled crates of stolen goods onto the ship.

The once-thriving island was now littered with corpses, blood soaking the ground like ink spilled on parchment.

Caesar walked slowly through the carnage, watching as his crewmates fought each other over loot, stabbing and bludgeoning for the largest share.

If he had not followed Rocks onto the ship that fateful day, perhaps he wouldn't have even been given a choice.

His hometown would have ended up like this…

The flames of war burned in the background, illuminating the pirates' raucous feast.

Pirates always found an excuse to throw a banquet—whether it was celebrating new recruits, mourning the dead, or simply reveling in their latest plunder.

Tonight was no exception. The island's largest tavern had been occupied, now filled with deafening roars of drunken revelry.

The banquet was wild—filled with endless drinking, yet devoid of song and dance.

Instead, there were fights.

Some punched each other mid-meal. Others, after one too many drinks, drew their blades at the slightest provocation.

Duel betting rings formed, and soon, blood stained the tavern floor once more.

Some sat quietly in the corner, focused only on devouring food and drink.

Before Big Mom, the table overflowed with cakes, sweets, and chocolates.

As long as it was sweet, it was piled in front of her.

Her jaw widened, stuffing her mouth with desserts, chewing loudly in ecstasy.

Kaido, his horns glistening under the dim light, chugged sake by the barrel, his drunken haze growing heavier with each gulp.

At the heart of it all sat the star of the show—Rocks D. Xebec.

His cheeks were flushed from alcohol, yet his eyes burned with undisguised excitement.

"Another island conquered! Cheers, my crew!"

He raised an enormous wine jug, its mixture of red and white wines sloshing as he swayed.

"Cheers!"

The pirates roared, clinking their glasses together in unison.

They had gathered under Rocks for one purpose—to cause mayhem, seize riches, and shake the world itself.

The veteran officers, however, remained indifferent, their reactions flat.

Rocks didn't bother with them—he never cared for those who didn't match his grand ambitions.

Then, suddenly, Rocks' drunken gaze sharpened.

"Now… the real test begins."

His voice, though slurred, carried an unmistakable weight.

"Do you know of the Celestial Dragons?"

The hall fell silent.

Even Whitebeard and the others turned to look at him.

"T-T… the Celestial Dragons?"

Some pirates looked at each other in confusion.

"Shhh!"

One of them nervously hushed his comrade.

Another covered his mouth. "Shut up! Do you have a death wish?"

Rocks' eyes turned frigid, his expression as sharp as a blade.

He shot a cold glance toward the two whispering pirates.

They stiffened, sweat dripping down their backs.

"What is there to fear? They're just Celestial Dragons."

Rocks' voice was laced with disdain.

His eyes burned with raw, unyielding ambition.

"My dream is to annihilate the Celestial Dragons and the World Government behind them!"

"Then, I will seize the highest throne of power! One day, I will replace them and become the King of the World!"

He stood, chugged another jug of wine, and grinned wildly. His declaration was bold, arrogant—overflowing with unrestrained ambition.

"After crushing those wretched nobles, I will rebuild the Kingdom of D!"

The pirates' eyes widened in shock.

"NANI?!"

Gasps filled the tavern.

But soon, shock gave way to fervor.

"The captain is incredible!"

Caesar looked toward a pirate kneeling on the ground—a warrior clad in armor, with a long sword at his side and a long, wispy beard. His eyes were filled with admiration.

Wang Zhi.

A name only briefly mentioned in history.

But after Rocks' downfall, he would rise as a fearsome pirate in his own right.

The confidence in his gaze was undeniable.

"What's so scary about the Celestial Dragons? Our captain is invincible!"

The pirates, a ruthless band of cutthroats, quickly shed their fear.

Fueled by their captain's words, their ambitions swelled.

They cheered.

They drank.

They roared their defiance, swearing to topple the Celestial Dragons and destroy the World Government.

It was as if they were heroes rising in rebellion.

Too bad… they were anything but.

Caesar glanced at Rocks, who was laughing maniacally, then lowered his eyes, concealing the mockery within them.

He despised the Celestial Dragons just as much.

But toppling them?

That was an impossible dream.

The greatest obstacle wasn't just the Celestial Dragons themselves.

It was the World Government and the Navy—both led by the Five Elders, the true rulers of the world.

Without overthrowing them, bringing down the Celestial Dragons was nothing but a fantasy.

And Rocks…

Was doomed.

At God Valley, Garp and Roger would join forces.

And Rocks would be sent straight to hell.

---

[18] The Golden Lion's Victory!

The day after the banquet, the Rocks Pirates set sail once more.

Ever since Rocks had made his declaration, tension on board had risen.

Caesar observed from the sidelines, sensing the growing ambitions of the crew.

All because of that dangerous man—Rocks D. Xebec.

The Rocks Pirates were in constant turmoil, with daily battles breaking out.

Caesar adapted, taking part in fights to hone his strength.

At the same time, his bond with Whitebeard grew stronger.

"Newgate, how do you train your combat skills?"

Whitebeard smirked. "Just keep pushing your limits. That's what real strength is."

And so, Caesar continued his relentless training—knowing that to survive in this crew, strength was everything.