ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

Next to Big Mom's blazing Prometheus, an extravagant feast of desserts lay scattered—towering cream cakes, golden-baked biscuits, and rivers of rich chocolate sauce.

Charlotte Linlin, her face smeared with chocolate, licked her lips hungrily, smacking them with satisfaction.

Seated beside her was Streusen, the chef responsible for many of her creations, along with several of her children, who indulged in the spread with equal enthusiasm.

Not far from them, the heart of the banquet roared with revelry. At the center of it all, commanding the chaos, sat Rocks D. Xebec himself. Beside him, his notorious lieutenants—Captain John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe—each nursing their own ambitions while reveling in the fleeting camaraderie.

Caesar, seated at the edge of the gathering, curled his lips into a knowing smirk. "A crew like this... with so many clashing egos... and yet, they aim for the world?" he mused silently.

Rocks was well aware of this disharmony, yet he made no effort to change it. Arrogance blinded him, or perhaps it was simply in his nature.

His crew—monstrous in strength but divided in spirit—each harbored their own agenda.

"Hey, hey, hey..."

The mechanical croak of a Den Den Mushi interrupted the feast. Rocks cast a glance at the gathered pirates before rising, taking the call in stride.

"...The Celestial Dragons..."

On the other end was an informant—one of the many spies Rocks had planted worldwide to track the movements of the World Government and the nobility.

A slow, sinister grin crept across Rocks' face. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"Bahahahahaha... Excellent work," he rumbled.

"It's my duty," the voice replied respectfully before the call ended.

Standing alone, Rocks clutched the Den Den Mushi, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Then, unable to contain himself, he threw his head back and roared with laughter.

Nearby, Caesar observed him from the corner of his eye before looking away, lost in thought. The rest of the crew cared little for Rocks' movements, focusing solely on their indulgences.

Caesar sighed. "A crew like this… in God Valley… will they even stand together?"

He shook his head. Thinking too much was pointless. Time would provide the answers.

---

[54] Navy Pursuit!

Marine Headquarters

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Urgent footsteps echoed down the hall.

The doors swung open.

"Report!"

Fleet Admiral Kong barely glanced up. "Speak."

"The Rocks Pirates have disappeared near the Calm Belt."

"…What?"

---

Holy Land Mary Geoise – Pangaea Castle

Within one of the most central chambers of Pangaea Castle, the Gorosei sat in a heavy silence.

Each of them exuded a terrifying presence—not only the strength of warriors but the suffocating authority of those who sat at the peak of the world.

One of them finally spoke.

"It's about the Celestial Dragons…"

"But more importantly—Rocks."

At the mere mention of his name, tension crackled in the air.

"The Rocks Pirates have vanished from our surveillance."

A few of them raised their brows.

"At this moment?"

"With such a crucial Celestial Dragon event approaching… and now they disappear? It's impossible not to be suspicious."

Their gazes darkened.

"So… what do you propose?"

After a brief discussion, a call was made.

---

Marine Headquarters – Admiral's Office

Fleet Admiral Kong received the transmission.

"The Rocks Pirates…"

His brows furrowed. That accursed crew.

A pirate fleet that openly declared war on the Celestial Dragons… and now, of all times, they had gone missing?

The voice on the other end continued.

"Find them. And cripple their forces as much as possible."

Kong exhaled sharply. "Understood."

After hanging up, he wasted no time.

"Prepare for deployment."

Within moments, Marine Headquarters stirred.

One Admiral.

Four Vice Admirals.

A massive fleet set sail for the New World.

---

On a Remote Island

The banquet had long since ended. The pirates lay in deep slumber, sated and careless.

Caesar, however, rose early.

He ran along the island's edge, both to train and to survey the unfamiliar terrain.

The island itself was barren, save for dense jungles crawling with venomous creatures.

For days, they survived off the land, feasting on the beasts of the wild.

Three days later, they returned to the sea.

They paddled through the Calm Belt—an unusual sight for a crew of their infamy.

As the sun shone upon the tranquil waters, Caesar found himself lost in thought.

Then—

Puff.

Hrooooooo…!

The water split apart. A massive shadow loomed beneath the surface.

A monstrous sea beast emerged—easily half the size of their ship.

"A Neptune-class creature…!" one of the crew gasped, stepping back in alarm.

All eyes turned toward the commanders.

"Tch. What are you scared of?" someone scoffed. "With our commanders here, we'll be fine."

Despite their usual in-fighting, the officers of the Rocks Pirates were more than capable of handling external threats.

Caesar flexed his fingers, preparing to act—

BOOM!

A massive kanabo smashed into the creature's skull, flattening its face with a sickening crunch.

Kaido yawned, swinging his club back onto his shoulder. The sea beast's lifeless body sank into the abyss.

More Neptune-class creatures began surfacing.

Yet none dared to approach further.

Standing off to the side, Kaido and a few others easily repelled them.

Once past the Calm Belt, the crew let out a collective sigh of relief.

---

Meanwhile – Naval Pursuit

The moment the Rocks Pirates' ship reentered the New World, they were spotted.

Aboard one of the Marine warships, a towering man—over two meters tall—exhaled thick clouds of smoke from the three cigars between his teeth.

"Rocks' ship detected near the West Blue."

The thick haze made nearby marines cough.

Zefa, standing just downwind, twitched in irritation.

"Ugh! You smoke-obsessed bastard!" he snarled, veins bulging.

The smoker—Admiral Sengoku—exhaled another lazy puff.

"Relax. We'll follow them closely."

"Yes, sir!"

The fleet adjusted its course, accelerating toward its target.

On another ship, Vice Admiral Tsuru sat calmly, waving away the smoke.

She turned toward Garp, who was lazily munching on a biscuit.

"You heard that? We found the Rocks Pirates."

Garp chewed slower, his expression serious.

"Looks like we've got another big fight coming."

A moment of silence.

Then he grinned.

"…Heh."

---

An hour later.

Onboard the Rocks Pirates' ship, Caesar's expression darkened.

He could feel it—an approaching storm of immense power.