Chapter 3

The sky had completely darkened, and the Celestial Dragons had all returned to their palace to rest. If they hunted slaves now, it would be considered a foul, and their so-called points would be deducted.

After several days of slaughter, most of the 100,000 slaves brought to the Valley of Gods were dead, their lives reduced to nothing more than points for the Celestial Dragons to claim rewards.

Carl and Kuma lay on the ground, staring up at the bright moon. If not for Kuma and the others, Carl was certain he would have been dead by now—just another victim of the hunt.

Although, for some unknown reason, his clothes bore no target pattern, Carl wasn't naïve enough to think he could avoid being hunted. The Celestial Dragons wouldn't care about the details. Even if killing him didn't earn them points, they wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. To them, it was all just sport.

In this rare moment of peace, Ivankov and the others chatted quietly. Ginny turned to Kuma and asked,

"Hey, Kuma, if we manage to escape, what do you want to do?"

Kuma responded without hesitation, "Of course, I want to live happily with everyone!"

"Haha, of course! But that's not what I meant." Ginny grinned. "I'm asking about your dream."

Kuma paused for a moment before his eyes lit up with determination. "I want to be like Nika! I want to bring freedom to everyone!"

Hearing this, Ivankov suddenly sat up and gave him a big thumbs-up. "What a great dream! Kuma, I believe you'll succeed!"

Kuma scratched his head, a bit embarrassed, before turning to Carl.

Despite his gentle and somewhat naïve appearance, Kuma was more perceptive than most realized. He could sense that Carl was different from the rest of them.

The three of them—Kuma, Ginny, and Ivankov—had endured unimaginable hardships, making them far more mature than their peers. But they were still children, carrying traces of innocence and idealism.

Carl, however, was different.

Despite being the youngest among them, he carried himself with a level of composure and insight that felt more like an adult's.

Kuma couldn't explain it, but he instinctively saw Carl as someone to rely on.

Noticing Kuma's gaze, Carl let out a rare smile and nodded. "Come on, Kuma, your dream will definitely come true. I believe you'll do even better than Nika. You're better than him."

Kuma's eyes widened, clearly surprised. Even Ginny and Ivankov turned to look at Carl in shock.

Ivankov grinned. "What about you, Carl? What's your dream?"

Carl turned his gaze back to the sky. "I don't have one," he said flatly. "If I had to say something, I guess… I just want to be strong. Strength is everything."

Ivankov frowned. "And after you gain that strength? What then?"

Carl thought for a moment before replying, "There are a lot of things I want to do. Helping Kuma achieve his dream, for one. And yours, and Ginny's. But if your dream is to make the whole world look like you, Ivankov, forget it."

"Ugh, Carl-chan, you're so heartless! That hurts!" Ivankov clutched his chest dramatically.

Even so, he was clearly moved.

Ginny and Kuma, however, had tears in their eyes.

"Brother Carl!" they called in unison.

Carl smirked at their reaction. He hadn't said it for effect—he meant it.

After spending his life alone, he had learned to value connections like these. They were rare, and he wasn't going to take them for granted.

Their bond had only grown stronger after this conversation.

Eventually, Carl, Ivankov, and Ginny drifted off to sleep on Kuma's belly. Just before closing his eyes, Carl murmured,

"Remember, if you find a Devil Fruit, don't hesitate. Eat it. Even if it's just a small bite—understand?"

The three of them nodded seriously.

"I got it, Brother Carl (chan)!"

"Good. Get some rest. We have to keep moving tomorrow."

"Mm!"

As they fell asleep, the sea beyond the Valley of Gods churned in the night.

Several massive ships approached the island like looming storm clouds. Their sails bore a familiar emblem—a skull on a black background.

The Rocks Pirates had arrived.

Aboard the largest of the ships, the most infamous crew of the era had gathered. Among them stood legends in the making—Golden Lion Shiki, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and a young but formidable Kaido.

Though Kaido was still a step below the others in rank, his raw talent had earned him a place among them. His connection to Big Mom only strengthened his standing within the crew.

But even these monstrous figures were not the ones who commanded attention in the room.

At the head of the table, seated upon a throne, was the true force of nature.

Rocks D. Xebec.

His rugged face was framed by wild black hair, and his towering frame was draped in a dark cloak. Even seated, his sheer presence was suffocating. A silent but overwhelming pressure filled the room—an aura of pure dominance.

The most notorious pirate captain in the world.

He lifted a massive barrel of liquor with one hand and took a long, deep drink. Then, with a furious growl, he slammed the empty barrel to the floor.

"Damn that World Government!" he roared. "This time, I'll settle old and new scores together!"

A crackling surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, sending purple-black lightning streaking through the cabin.

Not long ago, World Government spies had infiltrated his crew, striking while many of his strongest fighters were away. They had stolen the treasure he had hidden on his home island.

It was a direct challenge. An insult that could not be ignored.

And Rocks was not the kind of man to forgive.

Tonight, the Valley of Gods would burn.