...
"You guys…"
Lying on the ground and looking at Roger and Rocks standing in front of him like two towering mountains facing off against the highest authority of the World Government, the young Monkey D. Dragon felt huge waves surging in his heart.
His face was filled with an incredibly complex expression of disbelief.
He was actually being protected by the two most notoriously vicious and powerful pirates recognized worldwide…
The impact of this situation was simply too immense, even overturning some of his ingrained beliefs.
"Hey! Kid!"
Roger turned his head and glanced at Dragon—whose face was covered in blood but whose eyes remained stubbornly defiant—grinning widely with a rough acknowledgment and unabashed incitement in his tone.
"You've gotta grow up strong for me, got it! Your future is way more promising than a bastard like me who can only be a pirate!
Remember this: you've got to push harder and, in the days to come, really piss off these self-righteous bastards for me—for everyone who can't stand these scum!"
Roger's words were blunt and straightforward.
He was well aware of his own position: a pirate chasing freedom and adventure, in the eyes of most ordinary people, no different from a murderous, plundering villain.
But Dragon was different. In the future, he would lead the Revolutionary Army—an organized "legitimate resistance force" with clear political goals and action plans.
For the civilians and nations struggling under the oppression of the World Government and Celestial Dragons, Dragon and his Revolutionary Army were the banner more likely to be entrusted with hope and willingly followed.
Hearing Roger's blunt yet powerful words, the young Dragon was momentarily stunned. Then, the somewhat dim eyes that had been clouded by anger reignited with an even firmer flame.
He nodded forcefully, saying nothing more. He simply locked his gaze—cold as a blade, filled with endless hatred and determination—firmly on Saint Saturn in the distance and the cowering yet arrogant Celestial Dragons behind him.
That chill was so piercing, it already seemed to foreshadow the storm that would sweep the world in the future!
The scenes on the light screen flipped like pages in a book, with the flow of time quietly accelerated within it.
Two years passed in a flash under the light screen's playback.
The scene shifted to Amazon Lily, that secluded place of training.
As the two-year agreement with his crew drew near, Silvers Rayleigh concluded his final guidance and bid a simple farewell to Luffy!
He set off ahead of time, returning to Sabaody Archipelago to await the boy who was about to emerge from his cocoon reborn.
Several more months passed. On a snowy morning, a figure slowly emerged from the depths of the dense forest.
It was none other than Monkey D. Luffy.
Compared to the impulsive, green young boy from two years ago, he now appeared more lean and upright in build. The restlessness in his brow had faded considerably, replaced by a measure of calm and restraint.
Though his signature bright smile remained, deep in his eyes lay a unique resilience and dependability forged through immense pain and grueling trials.
He walked to a tree, picked up the straw hat that had lain quietly for two years, gently brushed off the accumulated snow, and solemnly placed it back on his head.
At this moment, he was fully prepared. A new journey was about to begin—destination: Sabaody Archipelago!
At Shakky's bar in Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh was sipping his drink leisurely while waiting.
At that moment, the bar door was pushed open, letting in a slight breeze.
A tall figure stepped inside: green hair, sharp hawk-like eyes, three long swords at his waist, and a deep scar over his left eye that only added to his fierce aura.
One of the Straw Hat Pirates' officers, the "Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro, had arrived first!
Earlier segments of the light screen had already shown the God Valley audience many of the Straw Hat crew's adventures before their separation:
To rescue their comrade Robin, they boldly declared war on the World Government and stormed Enies Lobby.
They defeated Gecko Moria on the ghost ship Thriller Bark.
They rode the upward current to conquer Skypiea.
They witnessed the giant warriors' duel in Little Garden.
In the Kingdom of Alabasta, they foiled Crocodile's conspiracy and liberated the suffering people…
These experiences had already outlined what an extraordinarily unique and captivating pirate crew this was.
The scenes continued to unfold separately.
In some inconspicuous little tavern, the Straw Hat Pirates' navigator, the orange-haired Nami, was gathering information but unexpectedly heard that someone was impersonating the "Straw Hat crew" in Sabaody Archipelago, swaggering around and recruiting followers.
At the same time, in another lively performance venue, the skeletal yet impeccably dressed Brook—with his explosive afro—was passionately playing music, drawing cheers from the audience.
This "Soul King" was none other than the Straw Hat Pirates' musician!
The news of the fake Straw Hat crew reappearing in Sabaody and causing a stir naturally reached the Marines' ears as well.
The Marines of this time were completely different from before.
In the two years following the Summit War, to cope with the enormous pressure brought by the drastic changes in the New World's Yonko landscape, the Marine Headquarters had undergone unprecedented strategic adjustments.
After "Akainu" Sakazuki took over as Fleet Admiral, he implemented a bold measure: he swapped the functions of the original Marine Headquarters at Marineford with the G-1 Branch located on the frontier of the New World.
The former G-1 Branch site was massively renovated and fortified, becoming the brand-new Marine Headquarters—New Marineford!
This move symbolized the Marines shifting their combat and deterrence focus heavily forward into the New World, directly confronting the Yonko's edge, and demonstrated Fleet Admiral Akainu's more aggressive and hardline style.
[From the God Valley perspective outside the light screen]
"Garp…"
Zephyr walked over from the Marine formation and plopped down on a rock next to Garp, his face carrying a mix of emotion and amusement.
"Your grandson's pirate crew… is really something else, huh? They sure know how to stir up trouble! Look at these adventures— Enies Lobby, Alabasta… full of fireworks!
I wonder if the future me will get a chance to meet this kid? I probably… won't die that early, right? Hahahahaha!"
Zephyr tried to dispel some of the heaviness with laughter.
Soon after, Sengoku and Tsuru also quietly walked over.
They sat down beside Garp and Zephyr, temporarily stepping away from the main Marine lineup to form a small, subtly atmospheric "old friends circle."
"Hahahaha! Do you even need to ask?!"
Garp reverted to his carefree, hearty laughing self and slapped Zephyr hard on the back.
"You think you can mess with my grandson?! My grandson can't possibly turn out mediocre!"
...