Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Roger's Anger
Countless naval warships surrounded the island, their cannons aimed at the sea, marking the Marine Headquarters at Marineford.
"Admiral Brack, urgent news: the G-10 fortress in the New World has been destroyed by the Rocks Pirates. Everyone there was killed by them," a captain burst into the admiral's office to report.
"What? Isn't Rocks on Hive Island? How could he destroy the G-10 fortress in the New World? Get Admiral Steel Bone, Vice Admiral Tsuru, Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr here," ordered Fleet Admiral Brack, massaging his temples as he reviewed the intelligence.
He needed to understand how the Rocks Pirates managed to destroy the G-10 fortress while their captain was supposedly on Hive Island.
The current naval strength wasn't as formidable as it would be forty years later, with only one admiral, Steel Bone Kong, after one was killed by Rocks and another retired.
Brack valued Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr, but they weren't yet at their peak, not ready to be admirals.
More importantly, Brack wanted to protect Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr from facing the extremely dangerous Rocks, which could easily lead to their deaths. He intended for them to fully mature before taking on such roles.
"Damn, it turns out Rocks has a secret force under his control. These aren't even his officers, but their strength is just a notch below, equivalent to naval vice admirals," Brack realized after reviewing the intelligence provided by the World Government.
Apart from the visible strength of the Rocks Pirates, Rocks also controlled a force that only he could mobilize.
This force, comprised of individuals trained or recruited by Rocks, acted as the hidden strength of the Rocks Pirates.
The G-10 fortress in the New World was destroyed by these individuals, along with numerous pirates recruited under the Rocks Pirates' name.
Soon, the messenger ran out, and Steel Bone, Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru appeared in the admiral's office.
"Steel Bone, take a look at this message," Brack handed the intelligence to Steel Bone Kong.
"The G-10 fortress in the New World was destroyed by the Rocks Pirates, and all naval personnel perished!" Steel Bone Kong's expression changed as he passed the message to Sengoku and the others.
After reading the message, they fell silent. The G-10 fortress had housed three thousand elite naval personnel, all of whom were now dead.
"Admiral, give the order. Let's enter the New World and capture Rocks!" Garp stood up, furious after reading the message.
"Sit down!!!" Steel Bone Kong pressed Garp back into his seat with a stern expression, causing Garp to comply quietly.
"Our naval forces are spread too thin. Germa is causing chaos in the North Blue, the Eight Treasures Navy is in the West Blue, and there are many pirates wreaking havoc in the East and South Blue. We need to stabilize the situation in the Four Seas before entering the New World," Steel Bone Kong analyzed.
"But we can't let the Rocks Pirates continue destroying our fortresses in the New World, or we'll lose our foothold there!" he continued.
"So, Kong, I'm assigning you to oversee the naval fortress in the New World. Sengoku, you and the others need to suppress pirate disturbances in the Four Seas and do it quickly," Brack instructed seriously.
"Rest assured, Admiral, I won't let the Rocks Pirates continue destroying our fortresses," Steel Bone Kong vowed.
"However, if you encounter Rocks himself, don't engage him alone. Notify me in advance—it's crucial. Do you understand?" Brack emphasized.
Rocks' power was formidable and terrifying, so much so that even Admiral Steel Bone Kong couldn't handle him alone. Facing Rocks solo could lead to death.
Brack had once teamed up with another admiral to fight Rocks, only to be defeated, with the other admiral killed by Rocks. That battle solidified Rocks' reputation as the world's strongest man.
It's worth noting that admirals are the navy's strongest force, yet Rocks defeated two of them, killing one. This demonstrates Rocks' immense strength.
Now, ten years after that battle, no one knows how much stronger Rocks has become.
Brack's warnings to Steel Bone Kong were prudent; even if they joined forces, they might not defeat Rocks.
If Rocks appeared, Brack needed to alert the Five Elders so the World Government could dispatch additional powerful forces for support.
"I understand, Admiral," Steel Bone Kong replied.
"Admiral, we'll quickly suppress the pirates in the Four Seas," Sengoku assured.
"Admiral, this is intelligence from the World Government," a captain entered, handing the report to Brack.
"A new officer has appeared in the Rocks Pirates. He's very young and highly potential. The World Government's order is to capture him alive," Brack said after reviewing Li Yuan's file.
"Damn it, why does the Rocks Pirates keep producing monsters?" Steel Bone Kong was particularly shocked by Li Yuan's age—sixteen—and his rank as an officer of the Rocks Pirates. If he matured, he could potentially reach admiral-level strength.
"Put a bounty on him!"
"Li Yuan, officer of the Rocks Pirates, swordsman, bounty 550 million, extremely dangerous, dead or alive."
Although the World Government wanted him captured alive, they wouldn't blatantly announce it. That would only alert the target that the World Government and navy intended special treatment.
Roger Pirates
"Roger, look at this. It's the latest intelligence on the Rocks Pirates. They've made a bold move, destroying the navy's G-10 fortress in the New World," Rayleigh said, handing over the newspaper with the latest news on the Rocks Pirates.
"It's indeed a bold move, but the Rocks Pirates are despicable, a blight on the New World. They've dominated it, and we can't sail freely," Roger said through gritted teeth. Encountering the Rocks Pirates forced them to avoid, frustrating Roger, who yearned for freedom.
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