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Chapter 184: Blasting Rocks to Pieces
🕑 Added 2025-09-11 14:39:58 +0000 UTCChapter 184: Blasting Rocks to Pieces
Seeing the face before him—a face nearly identical to Blackbeard's—Shane's eyes narrowed to pinpricks.
Rocks?
But he's supposed to have died over thirty years ago.
Is this real? An illusion?
...It didn't matter.
He looked up, meeting the torrential flood of Conqueror's Haki that was crashing down upon him.
You think you can overwhelm me with this level of Haki?!
In your dreams!
A savage grin split Shane's face. He threw his arms wide, and a wave of Conqueror's Haki, every bit as powerful as his opponent's, erupted from his body and slammed head-on into the terrifying pressure!
BOOM!
The two tides of will clashed violently in mid-air. A spiderweb of black-and-red lightning crackled across the void, and the very fabric of the space began to tremble violently.
"Oh?"
A look of surprise crossed Rocks' face, the gale-force winds whipping his cloak about him. "Haki of that caliber... Now that's a rare sight. Hey, kid. What's your name?"
Shane didn't answer immediately. Instead, his eyes scanned his surroundings once more.
The shattered moon hanging high in the sky, the sheer cliffs... everything felt terrifyingly real. He could even taste the unique, salty tang of the coast on the wind blowing against his face.
But... that was only his immediate surroundings.
After being hit by Shane's own Haki, this virtual space seemed to be struggling to maintain its integrity.
Looking closely—
In the far distance, at the horizon and beyond the mountain ranges, the image was blurry and indistinct, as if covered by a cheap mosaic filter. No details were visible.
"So, it's a fake after all," Shane said, looking back up at the figure on the cliff. "I'll give you this, though. The grand entrance and the ability to mimic Conqueror's Haki would be enough to scare the pants off most people."
"Fake?" Rocks' brow twitched, and the savage grin on his face widened. "Fake?! HA! You've got some nerve, kid!"
He stomped his foot, shattering the clifftop, and launched himself into the air. In the next instant, he was rocketing down toward Shane, his fist cocked back.
"Show some respect, you little punk! I am the one and only, the genuine Rocks D. Xebec! If it weren't for those bastards ganging up on me, I'd be King of the World by now!"
"This illusion is just as much of a blowhard as the real deal, I see!"
Shane didn't back down an inch, meeting the attack with a powerful punch of his own. "Speaking of which, there's something I've always been curious about. Can you answer it for me, on Rocks' behalf?"
CRACK!
Their fists collided, unleashing a violent shockwave that sent sand and stone flying. Rocks spat a pebble from his mouth and snarled, "On his behalf? I told you, you damn punk, I am him! If you've got a question, just spit it out! Stop wasting my time!"
"Everyone's known by their family name and then their given name. Why are you the only one who's different? Why does everyone just call you Rocks?"
Rocks' advance screeched to a halt. He stared blankly for a second, scratched his head, and then roared in frustration, "What kind of stupid question is that?! Because I damn well feel like it! What's it to you?!"
He looked up. Shane was gone. Rocks' expression changed instantly.
"Can't answer, huh? Then you're a fake!"
Shane's voice suddenly echoed from directly above.
Rocks instinctively looked up just in time to see Shane descending from the sky, his right fist wreathed in black-and-red lightning, aimed squarely at his head.
CRACKLE!
Before the fist even connected, the terrifying Conqueror's Haki alone began to shred the illusory space. Rocks' "body" started to fissure under the immense pressure, his face frozen in a state of shock. Like a shattered mirror, his entire form exploded into a million pieces.
In the next moment.
RUMBLE!
A seemingly endless storm of black-and-red lightning erupted from his disintegrating form, filling the entire space with a maelstrom of chaotic energy. The sheer volume of Haki that had been compressed and sealed within the "Rocks" construct was staggering.
But Shane's own Conqueror's Haki was just as formidable. Why would he be affected?
He stood calmly with his fist lowered, watching impassively as the aftershocks faded. He watched the blood moon and the cliffs twist and collapse into darkness, before the rest of the illusion receded like the tide—
And in the next instant.
WHOOSH!
His vision cleared, and he was back in the wooden hut.
The leaf of the pitcher plant drooped limply, as if the energy stored within it had finally dissipated.
But on the bed, the old chieftain suddenly began to cough violently, his eyes fluttering open.
"Grandfather!"
"Chieftain!"
Kia and Noah cried out in a mixture of shock and joy, rushing to the bedside. The other warriors were also overcome with emotion.
Meanwhile, the members of the Curtain Call crew waiting outside in the hallway looked at each other in confusion. As far as they could tell, their captain had just stood there, spaced out for a minute, and somehow managed to wake the old man up.
"Noah... and Kia... you're both here. My head aches... How long was I asleep?" The old chieftain struggled to sit up. His gaze fell upon the pitcher plant, and he froze, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Hm? This is... Has someone released the power sealed within the Sacred Fruit?"
"If by 'sealed power,' you mean Rocks' Conqueror's Haki," Shane interjected coolly, "then yes, that was me."
The old chieftain's pupils contracted. He snapped his head toward Shane. "You? You... were able to withstand Rocks' Haki?"
He pointed a trembling finger at the pitcher plant. "That thing... Rocks left it for me all those years ago. Sealed inside is that man's purest Haki, compressed to its absolute limit! Even the slightest leak is enough to make the beasts of the forest and passing Sea Kings foam at the mouth in terror..."
"So that's how it protected your tribe as a 'Sacred Fruit' for decades, isn't it?" Nico Robin said as she entered the hut. She kept a respectful distance, admiring the drooping pitcher plant. "What a fascinating and adorable little plant..." she mused with a soft smile. "But, old sir, you shouldn't underestimate our captain. He is..."
"I got this! I got this!" Nami zipped past her, eagerly thrusting her arm into the air. "I'm the expert here, let me handle it, Robin!"
She cleared her throat, holding a fist to her mouth like a microphone, then pointed dramatically at Shane and announced with immense pride:
"Listen up, old-timer! Standing before you is none other than—"
"Shane, the World's Greatest Swordsman in the making! Captain of the Curtain Call Adventurers! A super-criminal with a bounty over two billion Belly! The bane of the World Government's existence! The man who severed the arm of the Dark King Rayleigh! Who fought an Admiral to a standstill and clashed with the Yonko Kaido—OW, OW, OW! Brother, what was that for?!"
She clutched her head, which now sported several large lumps, tears of pain welling in her eyes. Behind a plume of white smoke, Shane retracted his fists, his face dark.
This girl, I swear, she never knows when to stop!
After kicking Nami out of the hut, he shot a strange look at Robin.
The pitcher plant was interesting, sure.
But in what universe did it qualify as "adorable"?
"..."
The old chieftain stared blankly, as if it was taking him a moment to process Nami's grand introduction. When he looked at Shane again, a flicker of understanding crossed his face. "A bounty of over two billion... I see... So, an Emperor of the new era has graced our humble island..."
"That's not all, Grandfather! Big Brother Shane also..." Kia leaned in and quickly whispered the story of what had happened.
"The flamingo is dead? And this young man saved you too, you little rascal?" The chieftain glared at Kia first. "You're only thirteen, what were you thinking, running off to play hero... I'll deal with you later!"
He then turned to Shane and struggled to get out of bed. Shane placed a hand on his shoulder. "Easy there, old man. You just woke up, your body is still weak. There's no need for formalities. Rest."
"No... I must thank you personally." The chieftain insisted on rising. Supported by his two grandsons, he gave Shane a deep, formal bow. "My name is Link, Chieftain of the Agatha Clan. You have not only saved me and my grandson, but you have avenged the blood debt of my entire tribe. This kindness..."
"It was nothing, really," Shane said with a weary wave. He felt like he'd said that phrase a hundred times. Perhaps this was the hidden perk of killing a universally reviled villain; you randomly ended up a hero to countless people. He was sure there were others like this in Paradise, the New World, and probably even Doflamingo's old turf in the North Blue...
He didn't dwell on it. After helping old Link sit back down, he smiled. "Don't worry about it, sir. To be honest, I'm more curious about your relationship with Rocks. Could you tell me about it?"
Rocks...
Old Link sat on the edge of the bed, heaving a long sigh as his gaze grew distant. "That... was a story from a long, long time ago..."
In the light, drizzling rain, the streets were muddy.
In Raijin Town, outside a run-down diner, a ragged, red-haired boy was curled up in a corner, so hungry his eyes were green with starvation. He was on the verge of collapse.
A young cook glanced his way, then silently turned and went back into the kitchen.
A few moments later, he returned with a steaming plate of stew and two dark loaves of bread, placing them in front of the boy.
The boy looked up, stunned. The young cook crouched beside him, lit a cigarette, and said casually, "Don't just stare. Eat up and get lost. If the boss sees this, I'll lose my job."
The boy stared at him intently. Just as the cook was starting to feel unnerved, the boy began to devour the stew without a word.
After a long while, he mumbled through a full mouth, "Hey. What's your name?"
"Why? Planning to repay me someday?" the cook scoffed. "Save it. In this world... just focus on surviving today."
"My name is Rocks!" the boy declared as if he hadn't heard. "And I'm going to be King of the World! When I get my own ship, I'm coming back to make you my cook!"
"Crazy kid," the young cook muttered. "Should've eaten it myself. Dammit... another weirdo."
"I asked you your name!"
The cook frowned, turning to look at the stubborn brat. The boy had stopped eating, his gaze fixed on him, refusing to back down. There was a light in his eyes that was strangely unsettling.
"You're a real piece of work..." The cook blew out a ring of smoke, looking out at the dreary rain. He cracked a small smile.
"Link. My name is Link."
Ten years later, bandits attacked Raijin Town.
The town was in chaos, filled with screams. The diner door was kicked in, and the cook, now a middle-aged man, was thrown to the floor.
"I told you to give me all of it!" the bandit leader snarled, shaking a money pouch and pressing his boot harder onto the man's back. "Hey! Are you deaf? You still dare to hide this much..."
"Give it back!" Link, pinned to the ground, refused to submit. Tears of humiliation streamed down his face, but he still screamed, "That's the money I need to save my father! It's for his medicine! Give it back!"
"Save him?" The bandit leader sneered, but before he could say more, a black shadow shot toward him.
CRASH!
The bandit leader was sent flying, smashing through the wall of a nearby tavern.
"Who's there?!" the other bandits yelled, drawing their blades in a panic.
As the dust settled, a young man stood before Link, one hand in his pocket. He casually tossed a pouch of money to him. "Hey, old man. This is yours."
Link numbly caught it. When he looked up and saw the young man's face, his eyes widened.
"R... Rocks?!"
"Yo, Cook. You still remember me," Rocks said, not even glancing at the bandits surrounding them. He simply snapped his fingers.
A wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded outwards. The paving stones of the entire street cracked, and the bandits collapsed without a sound, foam frothing at their lips.
Link watched in stunned silence.
The starving little brat from all those years ago... was now this powerful?
"I have a ship now, Cook." Rocks turned and extended a hand to him, laughing boisterously.
"Look at you, still stuck here being a cook after all these years, getting pushed around by everyone. How pathetic. Why don't you just come out to sea with me?"
Link clutched the money pouch, hesitating.
"Relax, I know what you're worried about," Rocks rolled his eyes. "If you join my crew, as your captain, my first stop will obviously be to take you home so you can say goodbye to your old man!"
"It's to cure him, you idiot!" Link roared back, fangs bared. "This money will cure him! It's not for a damn funeral!"
"Same difference!" Rocks laughed, hands on his hips. "So, starting today, I've got myself a cook, right?"
He extended his hand again.
"Did you just ask for my name back then for nothing?" Link glared at him, but finally, he took the offered hand.
"Link. Call me Link."
A small ship cut through the waves on the endless ocean.
"Rocks, a storm's coming! Can you stop eating and help me secure the deck?!"
"Don't rush me, Link! Your stew is too good! Nom nom nom..."
THWACK!
A fist connected with his head.
"Less talking, more working!"
"Owww... that hurt! Alright, I get it! Freaking out over a little wind and rain... One day, I'm gonna get a super-sized ship! Dammit! Who's the captain here, you or me?!"
"New recruit, Rocks?"
"Yeah, Link! Come meet him! This guy's got potential! Hsss, I forgot... what was his name again?"
"Edward Newgate."
"Oh, right, right! Newgate! Haha, look at my memory. We've got almost a hundred people on this ship now. The more subordinates I get, the worse my memory gets..."
"Link, these are our new crew members, Streusen and Charlotte Linlin! And that guy, Kaido! Go round up the rookies and have them say hi to the First Mate."
"Nice to meet you, First Mate!"
"Streusen is an amazing cook, Link! With him on board, you won't have to work so hard in the galley all the time!"
"Rocks, the crew is fighting again. They're getting more brutal, and they're not listening to me anymore. Can you stop them?"
"Let 'em fight. The rougher, the better. The World Government's gone soft lately, and I'm bored. It's good entertainment."
"How can you say that? Some of them... I may not approve of them, but they're still your nakama..."
"Pffft-hahahaha! So what? We're pirates! This is what we do! In this world, the strong eat the weak! Only the survivors are worthy of being my subordinates!"
"Rocks, Raijin Town is gone."
"Hm?... Oh, it's you, Link. What do you mean, gone?"
"Just... gone. The island's magnetic field went haywire. The landscape changed, and now near-constant thunderstorms cover the whole island. The town was wiped out. It's probably uninhabitable now..."
"Is that all? I was having a good nap, and you woke me up for that? If it's gone, it's gone! You only worked there for a few years. It's not like it was your hometown!"
"...I see. I just thought... if we ever passed by again, you might want to walk through the town with me..."
"Zzzzzz..."
"Rocks? Rocks?"
"Link! Are you insane?! I told you to keep firing on that area! Why did you change course?! You let the Marine warships escape!"
"Am I insane? That's a civilian port over there! Full of people! Didn't you see them?!"
"Yeah, I saw them. So what?! As long as we annihilate those Marines and strike fear into the World Government, nothing else matters, right?!"
"..."
"Hey! Link! Why aren't you talking?! Cat got your tongue?!"
"Rocks, you've changed too much. Or maybe... this is who you always were. We're not on the same path. I'm sorry. I can't be your nakama anymore."
"Who cares?! Get lost! You're so weak you need rookies to protect you, and you can't even cook a decent meal anymore! What right do you have to stay on my ship?!"
"Don't forget, your so-called one-billion-Belly bounty is only because you're my First Mate! Without that title, you're nothing!"
Rocks stood on the deck, his crimson hair whipping in the wind. Behind him stood Whitebeard, holding his naginata; a stone-faced Kaido with his arms crossed; a young and voluptuous Linlin...
He watched Link's departing figure, a flicker of something complex in his eyes, but his face was a mask of contempt and brutality.
"Hmph. Worthless. I'll conquer this sea just fine without you!"
He spun around and roared, "Men! Full speed ahead! Our target—the Roger Pirates!"
"And that's more or less how it went," old Link finished, looking up at the pitcher plant, which seemed to be slowly regaining some of its vitality.
"After we parted ways, I returned to my homeland and never went back to sea. As for him... over thirty years ago, just before he headed to that place called God Valley, it was as if he knew he was going to die. He announced to the world that he was leaving behind a great treasure, and said that the map to it was hidden... in the old place."
The crew in the hut, who had been completely engrossed in the story, slowly came back to reality, sighing with a mix of awe and sorrow.
"The old place?" Nami asked, utterly confused. "What old place? Don't stop there!"
