"Father, Father!"
Hearing Athena say that, Rhea and Esdeath happily called out.
"Ah, my good daughters, come, Father will hold you!"
Hearing his daughters call him Father, Nox was happy from the bottom of his heart. After all, these were his daughters.
Nox picked up Rhea and Esdeath and put them on his shoulders.
"Wow, wow, so high!"
"So fun, so fun!"
Rhea and Esdeath were very happy to be lifted high for the first time.
"Athena, I'm back!"
Nox walked towards Athena with Esdeath and Rhea. All the longing was contained in this one sentence.
"It's good that you're back!"
Athena's eyes became moist.
Nox held Athena with both hands to comfort her.
"Wow, wow!"
The two little ones, Rhea and Esdeath, no longer supported by Nox's hands, quickly grabbed Nox's head with their hands, afraid of falling.
"Father, Father!"
After returning to the room, Gaenie and Drake, who had gone out to play, also returned.
They all looked at Nox, who was their Father, with curious faces.
"Hmm, not bad!"
"Come, I brought you delicious food."
After Drake and Gaenie returned, Nox hugged all four little ones together.
Esdeath and Rhea were on Nox's shoulders, and Drake and Gaenie were on Nox's thighs. The nearby Ann took out the food Nox brought, and the family enjoyed themselves.
After arriving at Amazon Lily, Nox rarely engaged in high-intensity training. Every day, he practiced swordsmanship, did normal physical exercises, and spent time with Athena and his four child.
Waiting for the child in Athena's belly to be born.
A month later, Athena gave birth. It was a smooth delivery, and she gave him a son.
"Nox, give him a name."
Holding her child with a pale face, she showed a motherly smile.
"Then let's call him Alucard Valent."
Nox smiled. Naming was not difficult for him at all.
"Valent, you must be good."
After hearing the name, Athena also felt it was quite suitable.
After his child was born, Nox stayed on Amazon Lily for another month.
Then he left Amazon Lily, found his original ship, and returned to Beehive Island.
After the Rocks Pirates plundered 20 portions of the World Government's celestial tribute, the Gorosei, after discussing with the Celestial Dragons, successfully obtained more celestial tribute shares from the Celestial Dragons.
Following that, funds were injected into the Marine, Impel Down, and various other areas that needed to be compensated or expanded.
The Marine also recovered some of its vitality from the previous war with the Rocks Pirates.
Now that the Marine was forced to withdraw from the New World, they focused on the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line, aiming to completely clear out the Pirates in their rear first.
And the various Executive Officers of the Rocks Pirates began to frantically expand their territories.
Even the remote Sea areas that were not valued by the Rocks Pirates became targets for those Executive Officers.
Golden Lion was the most insane. He occupied any island he fancied, and even used his ability to make islands float, moving them all into the same Sea area to form his base.
Whitebeard, this guy, ever since realizing he was looking for family, has been wandering the Sea, taking anyone he found agreeable as his son.
Charlotte Linlin also took a liking to a territory, which was the Totland Sea area, a Sea area composed of 34 islands.
However, this Sea area was currently the territory of the Rocks Pirates, specifically Rocks' territory, and she was unable to seize this territory from Rocks.
Other Executive Officers were like this, and so was Nox. He sent people to occupy the Sea areas around Wano Country and planted his flag.
Even the territories outside the Sea area near Wano Country were within his target range.
But now, his subordinates were not strong enough to occupy so many territories, so he could only wait until his power developed before occupying them.
Thus, the New World ushered in the darkest era.
The Executive Officers of the Rocks Pirates were not good people. Their method of occupying territory was slaughter. Anyone who resisted was met with one word: kill!
Heads rolled, blood flowed like rivers, and there was no sound of resistance anymore.
After the defeat last time, the Marine did not continue to enter the New World to fight the Rocks Pirates head-on, but chose to bide their time.
They allowed the Rocks Pirates to develop and expand their territories in the New World.
In this way, the New World completely became a Pirate paradise, and the Rocks Pirates reached an unprecedented peak era.
Almost every Executive Officer had at least tens of thousands of subordinates, including cannon fodder.
Including the affiliated Pirate Crew of the Rocks Pirates, the entire Rocks Pirates combined had at least a million people.
This number was still increasing with the passage of time.
Time came to the year 1483. In this year, Nox was 18 years old.
His long, blood-red hair blew in the Sea breeze. Nox, who was three meters tall, combined with his sunny and handsome face, was simply a killer of women!
More than half a year had passed since the last time the celestial tribute was plundered. Counting the time, it was only a few months until the annual celestial tribute payment again.
And it was at this time that the Executive Officers of the Rocks Pirates were once again gathered by Rocks.
It was obvious to everyone that Rocks was once again planning to target the celestial tribute.
"Yo ha ha ha ha, Captain, are we going to plunder the celestial tribute again? I'm already thirsty for treasure!"
After John arrived at the meeting room, he was the first to speak.
"Wa ha ha ha ha, this time we won't plunder the celestial tribute!"
However, Rocks' words stunned everyone present.
What else could they do at this time other than plunder the celestial tribute?
Rocks didn't seem like someone who would be afraid of retaliation from the World Government either.
"celestial tribute is only a small portion of the treasures that the World Government member states offer to the World Government each year. To plunder enough wealth in one go, we still have to look at the World Government member states!"
Rocks said with a greedy expression.
"Yo ha ha ha ha, Captain, I understand. This time we won't plunder the celestial tribute, but instead, before the World Government member states offer the celestial tribute, we will directly plunder the World Government member states! The wealth of the World Government member states is much more than the celestial tribute."
After hearing Rocks' words, John instantly understood.
Plundering the richest World Government member states was the fastest way for them, as Pirates, to accumulate wealth.
"You're half right. The World Government member states in the New World are the poorest World Government member states in the World."
"The richest World Government member states are all concentrated in the Four Seas area. That is the richest Sea area."
As Rocks spoke, he looked at Golden Lion.
"Gyahahaha, Captain, we all understand what you mean. If we plunder the World Government member states in the Four Seas, the Marine and the World Government will definitely not expect us to do this!"
Golden Lion quickly understood Rocks' idea.
It must be said that Rocks' idea was very crazy and very wise. The World Government and the Marine could not have imagined that the Rocks Pirates would make such a move.
"Wa ha ha ha ha, assemble all the fleets, don't tell the subordinates our destination, and set off!"
Rocks laughed wildly.
After the meeting was adjourned, the entire Rocks Pirates were mobilized.
The movements of the Rocks Pirates could not be hidden from the World Government and the Marine.
Marineford:
"Notify Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and the others to be ready to set off at any time!"
After seeing the movements of the Rocks Pirates, Kong immediately notified the high-level Marine forces to return, ready to meet the Rocks Pirates at any time!
"Fleet Admiral, the Rocks Pirates are on the move again?"
Sengoku asked after arriving at the office.
The current Sengoku was also promoted to Admiral when Kong was promoted to Fleet Admiral.
"Yes, a large number of Rocks Pirates' fleets have left Beehive Island."
"And all the Executive Officers have also set off together. The direction they are heading is towards the Kingdom of Sicily."
Kong pointed at the Sea chart and said.
"Rocks' target is the World Government member states!"
Hearing Kong say this, Sengoku reacted.
Rocks was planning to plunder the World Government member states again.
But for some reason, Sengoku still had a little confusion in his heart.
Why would Rocks plunder the World Government member states again? Because ever since the last time, Rocks had not targeted the World Government member states.
"That's right, the target of the Rocks Pirates is very clear, it is the World Government member states, and Allied Nations like Sicily have already requested the World Government and the Marine to step forward and assist their kingdom."
"The World Government and the Marine must not delay this, and must immediately get ready to depart!"
Kong said seriously.
This time, it was not just the Marine that would be dispatched to intercept the Rocks Pirates; the World Government would also send personnel to support the Marine.
Otherwise, the Marine would simply not be able to defeat the Rocks Pirates. The World Government had to send at least the same level of combat power as when they fought the Rocks Pirates last time.
However, just two days after the Rocks Pirates' fleet sailed according to the previous route,
When a large number of combat forces from the Marine and the World Government were also heading towards the Kingdom of Sicily,
All fifty-odd fleets of the Rocks Pirates were floated into the air by Golden Lion using his Devil Fruit ability.
And the many Executive Officers of the Rocks Pirates used Haoshoku Haki to destroy all the den den mushi, so that no one on the fleets could transmit any messages to the outside.
"Damn Golden Lion!"
"Immediately contact the CP department and have them find out the destination of the Rocks Pirates!"
Scientific Defense Warrior God Saturn Saint, upon hearing this news at Mary Geoise, immediately became enraged.