One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 126: Valley of the Gods?

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"You've all seen the news, haven't you? I'm planning to take you all on a major mission!"

Rocks grinned, his voice echoing through the hall.

But his words did not elicit smiles from the gathered officers.

"Captain Rocks, what exactly is this big deal?"

Whitebeard's deep voice broke the silence as he locked eyes with Rocks.

Rocks chuckled, clearly savoring the suspense.

"Maybe some of you don't know what the Valley of the Gods is," Rocks began, his tone laced with temptation. "I've received word that it's located in a mysterious area of the New World, opening only once every 40 years.

"Each time it opens, it becomes a grand celebration for the Celestial Dragons, akin to the opulence of Mary Geoise. At this event, the Celestial Dragons bring their vast treasures and countless slaves to revel in luxury."

His voice rose with excitement.

"In other words, the Valley of the Gods will be brimming with unimaginable treasures! And I believe none of you would want to miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"The wealth of the Celestial Dragons… You all know how immense it is. This will be a haul beyond anything we've ever seen!"

Rocks' words hung in the air, igniting greed in the hearts of his crew.

Even Whitebeard, usually so composed, felt his resolve waver. He needed money to fulfill his dream of raising his family of sons.

Golden Lion Shiki's ambitions were simpler: without money, he couldn't expand his power or dominate the seas.

The other officers harbored their own thoughts, their eyes reflecting the allure of unimaginable riches.

Charlotte, too, felt a flicker of greed. Though he had recently amassed wealth, he knew he'd need much more to secure his independence after leaving Rocks.

"Captain Rocks, when do we set sail for the Valley of the Gods?"

Shiki broke the silence, his eagerness evident.

"Hahahaha! It's already April 25th. The celebration is on May 4th, so we'll set off in a day. But mark my words: no one leaks our plans. Not a soul! We're going to catch the World Government off guard!"

Rocks' eyes swept the room, his gaze sharp and commanding.

"Understood!" the officers responded in unison.

"Good! Now go and prepare!" Rocks waved them off.

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When the hall emptied, Rocks leaned back on his throne, his expression darkening.

"Wahahaha! Once I get my hands on the King of Heaven, I'll rule the world!"

His laughter rang out, filling the empty hall.

After a moment, Rocks' expression turned cold.

"Any updates on Shakky?"

A shadowy figure stepped forward.

"Captain Rocks, Shakky disappeared after reporting the Celestial Dragons' movements. Our search across the New World has yielded nothing."

Rocks' face twisted with fury.

"Imbeciles! Keep searching! If she's alive, find her. If not, bring me her corpse! Shakky knows too much. If she falls into the wrong hands, eliminate her immediately."

"Understood!"

The shadowy figure trembled before retreating.

Rocks sat in silence, his unease growing. Deep down, he felt that Shakky could jeopardize his plans.

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Roger Pirates

"Roger, there's a message from Shakky. I think you'll find it useful,"

Rayleigh said as he approached the bow of the ship.

Roger, wearing his signature straw hat, looked up in surprise.

"Shakky? Isn't she the intelligence officer for the Rocks Pirates? Why would she contact us?"

Rayleigh scratched his head, offering a sheepish smile.

"She's no longer with the Rocks Pirates. She's gone rogue."

Roger's expression grew serious.

"I thought no one could leave the Rocks Pirates. Could she have betrayed Rocks?"

Rayleigh shrugged. "Seems that way."

"What's the message?" Roger asked.

"Shakky says the Rocks Pirates are planning a major operation in a place called the Valley of the Gods. Apparently, the Celestial Dragons will be there. She also mentioned something about Rocks searching for the 'King of Heaven,' one of the three ancient weapons."

Roger's face darkened at the mention of the Valley of the Gods and the King of Heaven.

"We can't let Rocks succeed," he said firmly.

Rayleigh frowned. "What's so important about this?"

Roger's tone turned grave. "The King of Heaven is a weapon capable of unparalleled destruction. If Rocks gets his hands on it, the world will be plunged into chaos."

Roger grabbed Rayleigh by the shoulders.

"Contact Shakky. We need to know where the Valley of the Gods is."

Rayleigh nodded. "I'll try, but she's in hiding. Rocks has been searching for her like a madman."

Roger's determination was evident. "Please, Rayleigh. We need that information."

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Meanwhile, on a Slave Ship

Disguised as a captured slave, Shakky sat quietly in a corner, her gray robe concealing her identity.

No one knew that the former intelligence officer of the Rocks Pirates was hiding among them.

She glanced at the recording pointer on her wrist, a replica of the Valley of the Gods' signpost. It was her trump card.

"Rocks, you'll never get your hands on the King of Heaven," she thought, her expression calm but resolute.

Her destination was the Sabaody Archipelago, a place close enough to the Navy Headquarters to ensure Rocks' influence wouldn't reach her.

For now, she would bide her time and wait for the right moment to act.

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