One and a half months later.
West Blue, God Valley.
A nation not affiliated with the World Government, home to over 100,000 citizens. The island was rich in resources, and the people lived peaceful lives, working from sunrise to sunset. However, that peace was shattered by the arrival of uninvited guests.
Fifty high-spec Marine warships, each carrying a thousand armed soldiers—50,000 elite Marines in total—descended upon God Valley without warning. The residents didn't even know what was happening. When they woke up, they found the entire island surrounded by three layers of Marine cordons. A mandatory lockdown was enforced; no one was allowed to leave or enter!
Everyone's movements were restricted to the area inside the blockade. Furthermore, the Marines had brought along slaves of various races and herded them into God Valley as well.
The sudden turn of events filled the residents with dread, but faced with such a massive military presence, they didn't dare resist. The King of God Valley, his heart pounding with anxiety, went to meet Fleet Admiral "Steel Bone" Kong to ask for a reason.
Why were there so many soldiers? Why were they being besieged?
However, his questions were like stones dropped into the ocean. Kong said nothing, giving the King a long, meaningful look before ordering his officers to escort the King back into the blockade. He issued a warning: anyone who attempted to leave the perimeter would be executed on sight!
Terrified by the killing intent radiating from Kong, the King returned empty-handed. Kong's silence and attitude made the King's heart sink to his stomach. Though he didn't know what was coming, he had a premonition that God Valley was facing an existential catastrophe.
God Valley was now tightly sealed by 50,000 Marines. At regular intervals along the perimeter, Rear Admirals or even a Vice Admiral stood guard. The defense was absolute. Not even a wild rabbit or a bird could escape their notice. For a human to slip through was an impossible feat.
Marine Temporary Command Center.
The Marine high command, led by Kong, was holding a secret meeting.
"Admiral Kong, the 50,000 soldiers have completely surrounded God Valley. Every movement on the island is under our control!" a hawk-faction Vice Admiral reported.
"Good work," Kong nodded. "In one month, 200 Celestial Dragons will arrive. We must guarantee their absolute safety. There can be no accidents! Sengoku, take some men and conduct another thorough search for any vulnerabilities. Do not miss a single corner!"
"No one is to leave God Valley, and no information is to be leaked. Is that clear?!" Kong demanded, knowing the gravity of the situation.
Sengoku, who knew the full truth of the matter, opened his mouth to speak, hesitating with a deep frown. "Admiral Kong... must we really do this? There are 100,000 civilians on God Valley. Are we just going to stand by and watch the Celestial Dragons hunt them like animals?! Even if they aren't part of a member nation, most of them are innocent civilians!!"
By the end, Sengoku's voice had risen sharply, his emotions getting the better of him.
"Silence!! Sengoku, do you realize what you're saying?!" Kong's face darkened with rage as he barked an interruption. "Keep your voice down!!"
Aside from the residents of God Valley, even the 50,000 Marine soldiers were being kept in the dark. They didn't know the true purpose of this operation because it couldn't be told—not yet. If they knew the Celestial Dragons were going to hunt 100,000 people for sport, what kind of chaos would erupt? These were 50,000 soldiers; even if most obeyed orders, what about those with a conscience? Who could guarantee they wouldn't leak the news?
If morale crumbled, uncontrollable events would follow. To ensure the safety of over 200 Celestial Dragons, they couldn't afford a single variable. The news had to stay buried.
Even the arrival of these fifty warships was the result of Sengoku using all his resources to evade the surveillance of Rocks, Roger, and Reyno. They had taken a remote route and cleared all obstacles along the way to arrive here in secret.
The goal was twofold: to protect the Celestial Dragons, and to prevent the likes of Rocks from taking advantage of the empty Marine Headquarters.
Kong glared at the assembled high command. "Listen well. Not a word of this is to leak before the Celestial Dragons arrive. No matter what you think or how much resentment you have, keep it bottled up! If a leak leads to an accident for the Celestial Dragons, or if Rocks attacks the Headquarters because of this, you know the consequences. No one will be able to save you then! Do you understand?!"
"Yes, Admiral Kong!" the Vice Admirals responded in unison.
Only then did Kong's expression soften slightly.
"Admiral Kong, since we are protecting the Celestial Dragons, should we notify Vice Admiral Garp?" a scarred Vice Admiral asked.
After years of bitter cultivation, Garp's strength was far superior to what it had been back then. If he were here, the safety of the Celestial Dragons would be even more guaranteed.
"That won't be necessary. There is no need to notify Garp of this matter!"
The words had barely left the Vice Admiral's mouth before Kong sternly rejected the idea. If Garp found out about this, given his stubborn temper, he would turn the world upside down. He had zero tolerance for the Celestial Dragons. Ordinarily, he might turn a blind eye to some of their antics, but if he knew they were planning to hunt 100,000 civilians, he would be the first one to step in and stop it.
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ONEPIECE My Crewmates Are All God-Tier! (152 Chapters, Ongoing)
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"Isn't that man busy chasing Roger all over the world? Let him keep doing that. The World Government will be sending their own people anyway; it doesn't matter if he's here or not."
"Admiral Kong..." A moderate Vice Admiral interrupted. "I recently received reports that Vice Admiral Garp's pursuit of Roger has led them toward the West Blue. In the event that they—"
"There is no 'in the event.' The West Blue is vast; could it really be such a coincidence? Garp chasing Roger and landing exactly at God Valley? I'd sooner believe in ghosts! Just focus on your duties and get out."
Seeing Kong's growing impatience, the Marine officers said no more and filed out of the tent.
Inside God Valley.
A small group of teenagers was huddled together.
"Ivankov, what do they plan to do with us?!" Kuma, sporting a buzz cut and wearing tattered clothes, looked warily at the nearby Marine soldiers. They were originally slaves of the Celestial Dragons. Recently, thousands of slaves sharing their fate had been gathered and brought here by the Navy.
"I don't know, but I have a feeling it's nothing good," replied 15-year-old Ivankov, frowning beneath his thick, purple afro. He didn't believe for a second that the Celestial Dragons would just let them go.
"Maybe I have a way to find out what they're up to!" A sweet-looking girl in the group spoke up, her eyes dancing with mischief.
"Ginny, what's your plan?!" Kuma asked eagerly.
"First, we need to get our hands on some Transponder Snails. If I have those, I can wiretap their conversations and find out their true goal." Though Ginny was only 13, she was already an expert in theft, eavesdropping, and communications.
"Stealing from the Marines? Isn't that a bit risky?" one of the companions hesitated. Getting caught would mean certain death.
"Hahaha... I don't like my fate being in the hands of others. Ginny, I'll help you!" Kuma declared his stance immediately.
"I'm in too," Ivankov added, stepping forward.
"Alright, here's the plan..."
West Blue, a Secret Base.
A few days prior, Reyno and Lingling had successfully met with Kaido at their underground base. As for Flame Flower? After being left alone for years, she wasn't exactly in a welcoming mood and refused to see Reyno at first.
To make it up to her, Reyno did nothing else since arriving in the West Blue. Every day was spent "making up for lost time"—tumbling, turning, and creating storms in the bedroom—until Flame Flower's resentment was thoroughly exhausted and replaced by exhaustion of a different kind.
Lingling, being tactful, didn't disturb them. Instead, she caught up with Kaido on their progress over the years.
"Are you sure?! Your people really saw Steel Bone Kong arriving in the West Blue with dozens of warships?!" Reyno stood up, shocked by the news.
"Of course I'm sure," Flame Flower replied, rolling her eyes. "Do you think the intelligence network I've spent years building here is just for show? However, shortly after that agent reported to me, I lost contact with him. He was likely taken out. As for whether they went to that specific place you mentioned, I can't be 100% certain."
"It has to be!" Reyno said decisively. Deploying fifty warships and the Fleet Admiral himself at this time could only be for God Valley. The Navy's foundation was indeed deep; despite all the eyes he had on them, he hadn't detected their route out of the New World.
"I didn't expect them to move so stealthily. Kong and the others are likely already fortifying God Valley. I wonder if the Five Elders have arrived yet?"
Reyno didn't hesitate. "Lingling, contact Jess. Tell them to head toward Mary Geoise and cause some trouble for the Celestial Dragons! Tell them to stay safe—I need to know if the Five Elders and the God's Knights are still at the Holy Land. Notify me the moment you confirm!"
With Kong and the top generals in the West Blue, the Navy was spread thin. If the Five Elders or the God's Knights detected Jess and the others, they would have to step in personally. If they appeared, they would likely stay to guard the Holy Land to prevent any accidents. If they didn't appear, it meant the Celestial Dragons were already in the West Blue.
"Brother, I've already contacted Jess. They'll move tomorrow and report back immediately!"
"Good!" Reyno nodded. "Since the Navy has begun deployment, the God Valley Incident is about to begin!"
The only reason he hadn't leaked the news to lure Rocks and Roger yet was because the Fish-Fish Fruit was in the hands of the Celestial Dragons, and he couldn't confirm if they had arrived. If he leaked it too early, the Celestial Dragons might abandon the hunt out of fear of Rocks, and his chance at the fruit would vanish.
The Next Day!
"Brother, it's confirmed—the Five Elders are still at the Holy Land!" Lingling informed Reyno immediately.
"It seems the Navy was sent ahead to set the stage," Reyno noted. "Tell Jess and the others to keep causing trouble for the World Government, provided they stay safe. Keep the Five Elders pinned down at the Holy Land!"
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The atmosphere in the massive hall was suffocating.
"What do those bastards from the Reyno Pirates want?!"
"I thought they actually had the guts to attack the Holy Land, but the moment we showed ourselves, they ran. Useless cowards!" the balding Elder fumed, his mustache twitching.
"Doesn't it strike you as a bit too coincidental?" the sword-wielding Elder spoke in a low voice. He never underestimated his opponents, especially those who had defeated the Navy twice. Reyno was not a man who took aimless actions.
At his reminder, the others realized the gravity of the situation, a sense of unease creeping into their hearts.
"Could Reyno know about the God Valley plan? Is he trying to draw us out so he can attack the Holy Land while we're gone?" the blonde Elder speculated.
"The plan shouldn't have leaked. Kong called yesterday; everything is normal. There are no rumors of God Valley in the outside world. I just feel the timing is too perfect," the sword Elder shook his head, unable to put a finger on it.
"CP0 reported that four members of the Reyno Pirates have appeared: Jess, Redfield, Hajrudin, and Black Shadow. No sign of Reyno or the others. Regardless, this is serious. God Valley is important, but while Lord Imu is slumbering, we cannot risk a sneak attack. Our plans must change."
"What do you mean? We're staying at the Holy Land?!" the long-bearded Elder asked.
"Correct. If Reyno disturbs Lord Imu's slumber, you know the consequences." The Elders shivered at the thought of Imu's methods. It was a terror that chilled even them to the bone.
"But God Valley... over 200 Celestial Dragons are going. If Reyno knows our plan and has Redfield stall us here while he attacks them..."
"Should we cancel—"
"Absolutely not!"
The blonde Elder was cut off by a stern voice. Everyone turned to see a man wearing a hooded dark coat that reached his ankles, decorated with light-colored medals. Most striking was his hair, shaped like a crescent moon.
It was the Supreme Commander of the God's Knights: Saint Figarland Garling.
The God's Knights were responsible for the safety of the Celestial Dragons and the maintenance of their rule, comprised entirely of powerful Celestial Dragons.
"The word has been sent. Over 200 Celestial Dragons are ready to depart for God Valley! You know what it means to cancel now. And as you said, Reyno doesn't know our plan. Even if he did, should we abandon a centuries-old tradition just for one man? Have you forgotten who the masters of this sea are?!"
As he spoke, a powerful aura erupted from Garling, sweeping over the Five Elders and jolting them.
"You lot will stay here at the Holy Land. I will personally lead the God's Knights to God Valley. If Reyno dares to show his face, I will personally send him to the gallows!"