Just like Ginny, Rocks knew exactly what kind of people he was dealing with.
As Logan had pointed out during their earlier clash, these men were fine when the wind was in their sails, but when it came down to a desperate life-and-death struggle, very few could be relied upon.
Rocks didn't claim that the destination was his hometown or that his family was there; instead, he used profit to guide them all. Besides, Rocks believed he was strong enough. As long as the rest of the Rocks Pirates arrived together, the enemy would naturally be too distracted to focus on him. As long as a portion of their energy was tied up, Rocks believed he could achieve his goal.
The proposal received unanimous approval for the time being, though everyone knew in their hearts that when the time came, how much they could actually seize would depend on their own individual capabilities.
"According to the intelligence, those people will be sent to God Valley in two weeks. If we head there from here... we should have enough time."
After everyone agreed on the distribution plan, Charlotte Linlin clarified the timing. Traveling from Hachinosu in the New World to God Valley in the West Blue would require a long detour via conventional routes, but they didn't need to take such paths.
By heading south and crossing the Calm Belt, they could reach the West Blue smoothly.
As the name implies, the Calm Belt is a realm of absolute stillness with no wind. These two vast belts of water sandwich the Grand Line and, along with the Red Line, form the boundaries that divide the four seas. Beyond the lack of wind—which makes it nearly impossible for wind-powered ships to move—the Calm Belt is also a nest for Sea Kings.
Countless Sea Kings dwell beneath those waters; they are marine creatures far more dangerous than ordinary sea beasts. For an average person, sailing into the Calm Belt is a death sentence. However, for the monsters of the Rocks Pirates, crossing it was not difficult. If necessary, Shiki's Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Float-Float Fruit) could even carry them directly across.
The brief meeting concluded. The group began preparing the fresh water and food needed for the journey. No matter how fast they moved, the voyage would take time. Furthermore, they had other arrangements to make. The Rocks Pirates were essentially a "Great Fleet" rather than a single crew—a complex organization. There were "lone wolves" like Kaido, but also those like Captain John and Logan, who led their own circles of trusted subordinates who answered only to them.
Logan did not walk with Charlotte Linlin or Kaido. Even a brief alliance didn't require much discussion; they would simply adapt to the situation when the time came. He had plenty to arrange himself. Logan knew well that the God Valley incident would mark the disbandment of the Rocks Pirates. After this, they likely wouldn't be returning here.
However, no matter how fast they moved, they couldn't depart today. Logan wasn't in a great rush; he planned to wait until everyone returned in the evening to settle the specific details.
Meanwhile, Nanamo, who had gone off to play earlier, was walking through the urban district of Hachinosu.
Although it was a "Pirate Island," the massive gathering of residents meant there was a certain level of order—though it was unreliable and violence was frequent. The most stable period had actually been when Shakky ran her "Rip-off Bar" on the island. She had established a rule: no one coming for her shop was allowed to fight on the island. This had kept many pirates in line, preventing even the most vicious from brawling when they crossed paths.
Nanamo was currently in an area away from the island's center. Overall, the order here was decent; even if pirates fought, the consequences weren't severe. This was actually because these people weren't strong enough. There was a saying on Hachinosu: "The further inland you go, the more madmen you find." In truth, it just meant that strength increased the further in you went. Logan was an exception; because of the Fish-Men and Merfolk, his base was located on the outermost coast.
At this moment, a cloud roughly the same size as Nanamo was floating in front of her. In the street ahead, two pirates were brawling—a common sight on Hachinosu. As various bits of debris like tables and chairs began to fly out, the cloud immediately rushed forward. Its body expanded like a shield, hovering over Nanamo's head.
Despite being made of cloud, the flying objects didn't pass through it. Instead, they hit it as if striking an iron plate, clattering to the ground.
"Lady Princess Nanamo, should I..."
"Hermes, I'm just out to play. Don't cause trouble for me."
"As you command, Lady Princess Nanamo~"
The cloud named Hermes abandoned its thought of attacking. It simply acted as a protective umbrella, escorting Nanamo through the street.
"You really are reliable, Hermes."
"Don't mention it! I, Hermes, am the bravest Homie. I will surely protect your safety, Princess."
Indeed, this cloud was a Homie, a creation of Charlotte Linlin's Soru Soru no Mi (Soul-Soul Fruit). Using her powers, Linlin could grant life to inanimate objects or bestow superior intelligence upon animals. This gave them various special abilities, and some even possessed formidable combat power.
These Homies had different personalities and unique thoughts. Even Linlin couldn't be certain what kind of personality a created Homie would have. This applied not just to objects, but to natural elements—like Prometheus (fire) and Zeus (thundercloud).
Hermes was made from a composite of various clouds unique to Skypiea. This was why it could change its body structure earlier to achieve a defensive effect; it utilized Skypiea's "Iron Cloud," which has the properties of metal.
Many of Linlin's children had their own Homies to assist them, but Nanamo's cloud was special. It was created by Linlin splitting a piece of her own soul. Like Prometheus and Zeus, it was a top-tier Homie.
After all, this was Linlin's first daughter. Not long after her birth, Nanamo had displayed incredible talent, leading Linlin to gift her this very special Homie. With it following her, it served as a double layer of insurance. While a Homie's combat power was not as great as Linlin herself when operating independently, it was still more than most people could handle.
"Alright, hurry up. This ice cream is going to melt."
"Understood! Mama's base is just ahead. Full speed ahead!"
As it spoke, Hermes transformed its body into the shape of a horse and crouched beside Nanamo, intending for her to ride. However, Nanamo ignored it, continuing to skip forward on her own...
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