While the enemies were being cleared out on one side, another pirate ship was approaching Hachinosu. Before long, it arrived at the port where Logan was located.
On the ship's black sails, the letters ROCKS were highly visible, with the letter "O" replaced by a crimson skull. This was the flagship of the Rocks Pirates.
The man standing on the prow was none other than Rocks himself. He had blue and white hair with a lock falling over his forehead, and a lightning-shaped tattoo on his left cheek. Although he bore a slight resemblance to Blackbeard, he possessed a domineering aura that Blackbeard could never match. Before the ship even docked, he leaped down with a hearty laugh.
"Wahahaha! Logan, I'm back! Have you considered what I talked to you about before?"
Rocks, having jumped off the ship first, walked over to Logan with great familiarity. Two folding tables were set up there, topped with fruit and bottles of liquid. This was the setup Logan had found when he arrived. Neither Logan nor his officers, like Sebastian, took the human traffickers seriously—they were merely targets to test their combat strength. Thus, the atmosphere was relaxed.
Rocks grabbed a bottle from the table and poured it into his mouth, but immediately frowned.
"Why is this grape juice? I thought it was red wine."
"I don't drink," Logan replied calmly. "That stuff does nothing but taste bitter and numb the nerves."
"Honestly... a man who runs a tavern but doesn't drink. Do you know how much effort brewers put into removing the sweetness from grapes?"
"I have no idea. I think they're wasting their time. There's orange juice here too, want to try some?"
"Forget it, I'll stick to this. This is West Blue wine, after all."
As Rocks settled in, the surrounding Fish-Men and Merfolk stepped away, leaving plenty of space. For them, keeping a distance was a matter of survival. The man before them might seem boisterous, but his name struck terror across the seas.
Rocks D. Xebec. Captain of the Rocks Pirates and currently the most notorious pirate on the ocean.
In the two years since the Rocks Pirates were formed, they had become a massive headache for the World Government. Rocks alone was enough to make them lose sleep, let alone his crew. He had sixteen recorded major attacks, seventy-six sunken vessels (mostly large Marine warships), fourteen burned ports, five destroyed towns, and one annihilated nation.
He had three special cases involving violations of Article 18 of World Law, and twenty-five criminal records that were directly erased because the World Government didn't want the public to know about them.
And that was only from those first two years.
Rocks himself had become the personification of this era. Though there were many powerhouses on the sea, Rocks was fixated on two people: Jarl Ha of the Giant Kingdom, and Logan. These were two men who could face him 1v1 in terms of raw power, and it was because of this strength that Rocks treated them with special consideration.
"So, what's your answer?" Rocks asked, wiping wine from the corner of his mouth as he waited.
"Xebec, my answer remains the same as before," Logan said flatly. His refusal was absolute.
"Aha? Why? If you join forces with me, and we find a way to convince that fellow Jarl, the three of us would have enough power to stand at the top of the world and rule it!"
"Didn't you swear back in Elbaf that you would never invite him again?"
"Exactly. That's why you should go invite him."
Two years ago, Rocks and Jarl Ha had fought a battle. Jarl Ha wanted to lead the Giant Kingdom of Elbaf toward peace and join the World Government. The Government made it a condition that Jarl Ha deal with Rocks. The two fought to a stalemate, and Logan didn't know the details of their conversation. However, since then, they hadn't looked each other in the eye, though Rocks grumbled about it constantly back at Hachinosu.
It seemed Rocks hadn't given up; he had just come up with the new idea of using Logan as a middleman. This "spark of inspiration" had hit him during this voyage—especially since that specific Devil Fruit was best suited for a Giant. Only if Jarl Ha ate it could its true power be unleashed. If possible, Rocks still wanted him in the crew.
Logan had heard similar pitches countless times. Perhaps because he couldn't have them, Rocks wanted them even more. Rocks' obsession with Jarl Ha was part respect for his strength and part personal sentiment.
"You... you don't actually believe those World Government bastards like Jarl does, do you?" Rocks' gaze turned strange. He couldn't understand why the two powerhouses he respected most were so skeptical of his plan.
"No," Logan replied. "I never trust them. Whether it's 'peace' or 'racial equality,' those Celestial Dragons who call themselves gods are nothing but parasites that need to be exterminated."
"However," Logan continued, "I don't support your idea either. The World Government isn't a good thing, but it has ruled this world for eight hundred years. Throughout that long history, its position has remained stable. Over 170 allied nations recognize its existence. You can think they are stupid, but they are not weak. The Marines, the CP agencies, the Holy Knights... these are all violent institutions the World Government can mobilize."
Beyond that, Logan knew that the so-called World Government was just a tool in the hands of Imu, serving the Celestial Dragons. He knew exactly what kind of people the Celestial Dragons were; if they existed in reality, they'd all be sent to "Heier's soap factory."
Furthermore, even though Logan lacked specific details about the era after the Egghead arc, he knew one thing for certain: Rocks would fail at the God Valley Incident.
Logan wasn't here because he wanted to be a pirate. He was here because of a series of events triggered by him liberating slaves—specifically, being branded a pirate by the World Government after wiping out the Marines sent to capture him. He stayed at Hachinosu because it was out of the Marines' reach and allowed him to hone his strength. He did not align with Rocks' vision.
"You want to use the power boost from two Devil Fruits to win a quick war," Logan said. "But you don't understand the World Government's trump cards. And have you considered how to handle the aftermath?"
"Why do you sound exactly like Jarl... He's a Jarl, but you aren't. Even if you have high prestige on Fish-Man Island, still..."
"What a coincidence," Logan interrupted. "Becoming the King of the Ryugu Kingdom is also part of my plan."
Rocks looked at him as if he had just heard something unbelievable. "Huh? What did you say? Someone like you is interested in playing 'King'? That makes you just like Jarl! Don't tell me you're going to beg for scraps from the World Government in exchange for 'peace' like that idiot! Bastard!"
Rocks was visibly annoyed by Logan's "naive" words. He couldn't wrap his head around why both Logan and Jarl Ha—men with such immense physical power—refused to acknowledge his "perfect" plan.
"Of course not," Logan said. "I simply need that status to better implement my plan. As for the specifics, that's my secret. For now, it seems we'll stick to the usual routine. See you at the old spot."
As he spoke, a pair of wide, bat-like wings suddenly sprouted from Logan's back. He took flight toward the giant, skull-shaped rock mountain in the center of Hachinosu. The mountain hadn't originally looked like a skull; it was only after Silver Axe joined and blasted two "eye" holes into it to show off his strength that it took that shape. The summit was where Logan and Rocks often sparred.
"Tch. No wonder that brat Kaido gets along with you. You're the real battle-maniac here," Rocks muttered to himself as he watched Logan fly high into the air.
The "usual routine" Logan mentioned was simple: whenever Rocks talked about his plans, they eventually ended up fighting. For Logan, this was a way to grind his strength. There weren't many people on the sea who could serve as a whetstone for him, but Rocks fit the bill perfectly.
Rocks shook his wrists, his legs exploded with power, and he shot upward, stepping through the air to give chase. It was a technique similar to Moon Walk (Geppo)—a means of temporary mid-air suspension. For top-tier powerhouses, achieving this through pure physical technique wasn't complicated; it just wasn't as free or convenient as true flight.
"Let's change locations this time," Rocks called out. "If we fight there, that rock won't survive our play. I spotted a reef shore on my way back; let's do it there."
"Choosing a battlefield in the middle of the ocean? Are you serious?"
"Of course. I know you're special. Even though you're a Devil Fruit user, knocking you into the sea doesn't do much. But this time, I want to see what you look like when you truly go all out."
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