Chapter 36 Distroyed Hachinosu
Two years passed, and there was still no news of Ron on the seas. It was as if he had simply vanished. Many accepted that he had died in some storm or disaster.
The Rocks Pirates searched the New World but found nothing. After fruitless efforts, even they stopped looking.
Gloriousa and Shakky kept training and living their lives normally. They had absolute confidence that he would return.
But the effects of Ron's disappearance had already begun. Rocks had seen it—the once united crew was becoming restless.
Because of his strength, and with Newgate and Ron supporting him, the others had suppressed their ambitions. But now, with Ron gone, things were getting out of control.
Even Newgate had lost his heart in the Rocks Pirates. With Ron around, it had felt like living with family. Ron was like his little brother. Now, all that was left were bastards ready to betray each other at any moment. Rocks could only sigh.
---
The World Government had also noticed it.
"Good. So he is dead," St. Saturn sighed.
St. Nusjuro gritted his teeth. "If that monster had been allowed to keep growing, he would have become a nightmare to deal with."
St. Warcury sighed. "Taking him down without him knowing Conqueror's infusion was already difficult. Even then, he managed to use infusion once before falling into the sea. His growth was absurd, but we stopped a calamity before it grew out of control."
The Five Elders sighed in relief.
---
On the seas, Garp chased the Roger Pirates relentlessly. All his frustration was directed at Roger as cannonballs rained down on their ship.
On Elbaf's lowest realm, Loki trained with nightmare beasts. In Elbaf's library, Ripley learned about medicine and biology.
---
One day, while the Rocks Pirates were out on a raid, two figures arrived at Hachinosu.
"Tsk, why do I have to come to this filthy land?" one of them complained.
"To take her, of course," the other muttered. "But she has a troublesome Devil Fruit. If she wants to escape, we can't stop her."
"Hey, who are you people?" the pirates at the port noticed them and started questioning.
The man snorted. Thorny vines erupted from his hand, killing the pirates instantly. The others grew enraged and attacked them.
The one with the crescent moon hairstyle drew his sword. "These filthy pirates never learn, do they?"
The two began massacring everyone.
---
Suddenly, a beam of white flashed. Sommers' body was pierced with a hole.
He coughed blood. "Damn… who was that?"
The other man, who had dodged, looked toward Skull Mountain.
A beautiful woman with long black hair stood there, puffing on a cigarette.
Thunderclouds gathered in the sky.
"My… what do we have here? Some monsters attacking weak pirates?" Shakky smiled sweetly, but her eyes were cold.
That guy recovered from Railgun? But his Devil Fruit is a Paramecia?
Ron's warning surfaced in her mind.
"You two must be careful around people from the World Government. There are two groups you should watch out for."
"The first is the Five Elders. They are all awakened Mythical Zoans, with some having advanced Conqueror's Haki."
"The second is the God Knights."
"What makes them dangerous isn't just their strength, but their supposed immortality. They can recover from almost any wound. Only attacks with Conqueror's infusion can delay their regeneration."
---
Sommers looked at her with hearts in his eyes and licked his lips. "No wonder you wanted her as a prize, Garling."
Shakky looked at them calmly. "So, what brings the God Knights here?"
Garling raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you know about us? That makes things easier—"
Before he could finish, his knees buckled as gravity suddenly increased.
"Oh? And you think we care?" Gloriousa's voice echoed.
She floated in the air, looking down at them with indifferent eyes as massive rocks began falling.
Garling gritted his teeth and swung his sword. Sommers created thorny vines to shield himself.
"You dare come here?" Gloriousa said coldly.
Shakky flashed in lightning, appearing beside her. Thunder roared across the sky.
Garling and Sommers stood up again, completely recovered.
"Tsk, you lowly women. How dare you attack a Cel—"
Pillars of lightning rained down on them.
"Fuck you, you Celestial pigs," Shakky said, raising her middle finger.
Her body dissolved into lightning as she appeared behind Sommers.
"Know how a lightning shock feels at 100 million volts?"
Her kick, coated in lightning, slammed into his legs. Sommers' eyes rolled back as unbearable pain froze him in place.
Lightning surged through his body.
---
Garling turned toward Gloriousa, sweat running down his back.
Stones and debris floated around her at high speed, forming a rotating shield.
She released them all at once. Garling cut them with flying slashes, but more kept coming.
His Observation Haki screamed. He moved just in time as another white beam narrowly missed him.
His clothes and skin were torn by the shockwaves.
"Agh!" Blood leaked from his ears.
Shakky clicked her tongue. "Tsk, missed again."
She took out another small coin as lightning coiled around it.
Sommers, charred black, twitched on the ground, unable to move his legs.
Shakky prepared another railgun while Gloriousa attacked from above, pinning Garling down.
Sommers forced himself up, vines coated in Armament shooting toward Shakky.
Shakky fired the railgun at Garling and vanished again.
Garling dodged, just as Gloriousa descended with a kick.
Shakky appeared above Sommers, bringing down a thunder kick.
---
Garling swung his sword as Gloriousa's kick met it.
A massive explosion erupted. The ground shattered, shockwaves destroying nearby buildings.
Gloriousa raised her hand. "Shinra Tensei."
Another repulsion wave sent Garling flying. His internal organs were damaged, but began recovering almost instantly.
---
Sommers' face turned pale. "No!"
Thorny vines wrapped around him, coated in Armament.
Shakky's thunder kick smashed into him. Another explosion followed, tearing apart his vines.
But he had already escaped.
"Damn, that was close," he muttered, glaring at Shakky. "You dare kick me?"
A thorn club formed in his hand as he attacked.
Shakky appeared beside him and struck again. He blocked with his club but was pushed back.
"Emission Armament?" he muttered.
She reappeared behind him, forming a lightning spear and thrusting it toward his head.
Vines blocked it, buying him time to counter.
---
On the other side, Gloriousa faced Garling.
Their eyes met as Garling attacked with Conqueror's Haki coating his blade.
Gloriousa didn't move. The sword stopped mid-air, as if hitting an invisible wall.
She jumped back.
"Hm… so a gravity shield can block Conqueror's infusion at your level," she said calmly.
Garling roared, "You wretch! How dare you use me as a test subject?!"
Gloriousa tilted her head. "Didn't I just do it? Didn't you see?"
She dashed forward and attacked again.
"Tsk… defending against Conqueror's Haki with just a Devil Fruit consumes too much stamina. No wonder Ron always says Haki is true strength."
Her expression darkened.
"Tsk… so what if I don't have Conqueror's Haki? I'll push this Devil Fruit to a level where even Conqueror's Haki won't be a threat."
She attacked again.
---
On the Saber of Xebec, Rocks roared, "Who dares attack my island?!"
"Tsk… someone dares move against Shakky?" Shiki snarled.
"How dare those bastards?!" pirates shouted.
Shakky was the treasure of Hachinosu.
Newgate's eyes narrowed. Gloriousa was Ron's woman. If something happened to her, what face would he show Ron?
"Boys, back to Hachinosu!" Rocks ordered. "Let's see who dares lay their hands on Shakky!"
---
On the Roger Pirates' ship—
"Who dares attack Shakky? Rocks, you bastard! How dare you let this happen?!" Roger roared.
"Boys, to Hachinosu! Full speed!" he shouted.
---
Eight days later, Rocks arrived.
Hachinosu was destroyed.
Smoke rose everywhere. The ground was charred, massive craters covered the land, and debris lay scattered.
"What the hell did Shakky and Gloriousa fight here?" Newgate muttered.
Everything was destroyed except Skull Mountain. Even it had a massive scar across one eye—a sword slash stretching from the sea to its base.
"Shakky-chan!" Shiki and others ran across the island, searching.
At the same time, the Roger Pirates appeared on the horizon.
"Mamamama… that troublesome guy is here too?" Linlin said.
Kaido rested his kanabo on his shoulder.
Roger's crew stared at the destruction.
"Damn… who the hell fought here?" Rayleigh muttered.
Roger drew his sword and attacked Rocks.
"You bastard! Where is Shakky?!"
Rocks blocked the strike. "Why should I answer you?"
Their blades clashed.
Rocks was already furious. Everything was spiraling out of control.
"You want a fight? Then come," he growled.
Rocks grabbed his sword and attacked Roger.