Chapter 1605 Jabba Wins Twice
The giant fleet, like a moving mountain range, cleaved through the waves and sped across the vast waters of the New World.
These specially made giant ships, each several times larger than ordinary naval warships, were now moving at an astonishing speed thanks to the frenzied rowing of the giant warriors. The white wakes carved out by their bows resembled scars tearing the sea's surface.
Shanks stood against the wind, his only remaining left arm casually resting on the hilt of Griffin's sword at his waist, his fiery red hair flying wildly in the sea breeze.
His eyes were slightly closed, but his body exuded a perception that was extremely refined. His Observation Haki had already reached its peak, allowing him to glimpse brief fragments of the future.
He channeled this unparalleled perception into the sky, into the seemingly empty clouds.
In his mind, Shanks could sense that Uta and Loki's last appearance in that airspace, chasing after their daughter, meant they wouldn't lose their way in the latter half of the Grand Line.
On the other side of the bow, Jaba, an old warrior with a face etched with the marks of time, sat cross-legged.
Before him lay a small Den Den Mushi (transparent telephone snail) that made a sound, transmitting the latest battle situation in Marineford in an intermittent voice broadcast.
The news reports were increasingly thrilling:
The Devil's Triangle has disappeared, and the Blackbeard Pirates have appeared!
Teach claims to be the son of Lox D. Gibbek!
Blackbeard proposed a deal to Whitebeard: to exchange the Tremor-Tremor Fruit for Ace!
As Jaba listened, his usually cheerful old face showed no smile, only a solemnity born of hardship.
He had long since retired and, in the rugged yet peaceful land of Elbaf, married a giant, had children, and lived a peaceful life with his wife, kids, and a warm bed.
He shouldn't have gotten involved in this mess of hunting down Prince Loki and the red-haired girl, but Loki's identity was far too special for Elbaf.
Loki's escape is not only a scandal for the royal family, but it may also trigger violent turmoil within the Giants Kingdom and even affect the already fragile balance with the outside world.
Jabba, who has benefited from the giants and is now closely connected with them, cannot stand idly by. It seems that his old bones are destined to contribute some more in his final days.
"Rocks..."
Jabba muttered the name to himself, "It's been decades since I've heard this name."
His gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he had traveled through time back to that era of heroes rising up.
"That chubby little black guy on the ship, I never imagined he was actually Rocks's offspring?!"
Several years after the God Valley Incident, the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates had a major battle in a certain sea area.
After the fight, the two sides were able to sit down together, drink, and brag.
It was in that setting that Jabba seemed to have seen the chubby little boy who hadn't grown up yet, hiding behind the huge white-bearded figure.
At that time, Teach had none of the domineering and invincible nature that Rocks possessed, as if he could overturn all order.
He was just an insignificant background figure. If the news hadn't been so shocking that Jabba was desperately digging into his memory, he probably wouldn't have remembered ever seeing such a person before.
Shanks raised his only remaining left hand, his fingers gently tracing the three hideous claw marks on his left eye. These scars were a part of his past that he didn't want to talk about, and also proof of his connection with Blackbeard.
"Perhaps Whitebeard knew all along..."
As a former member of the Knights of God, Shanks, during his time in the Holy Land, used his special status to uncover many shocking pieces of information, one of which concerned Rocks D. Giebeck.
It is said that during a certain world conference, Locus brazenly broke into Pangaea and even ventured deep into the legendary Flower Garden.
The verbal provocation of Im was not a top secret within the inner circle of high-ranking Celestial Dragons, but to the outside world it was undoubtedly a fantasy.
It was this arrogant act that touched the wrath of the gods that prompted the World Government to make up its mind to eliminate Rocks at all costs.
They carefully chose the Valley of the Gods, the hometown of Lox, as their hunting ground.
In the end, even Im had to personally intervene to finally bring down the arrogant sea tyrant and remove Rocks from the stage of history.
And Shanks' father, the bloodline he was unwilling to acknowledge, seemed to have taken advantage of the aftermath of that great battle to finish off Rocks.
Based on this achievement, he climbed the ranks within the Celestial Dragons, and his subsequent career progressed smoothly with almost no setbacks.
Thinking of this, a hint of disgust flashed in Shanks' eyes. He had no goodwill whatsoever towards the family that had given him life but also brought him endless pain.
Because Rocks was also born in the Valley of the Gods.
The destruction of God Valley was not only the end for Rocks, but also the beginning of Shanks losing his homeland.
“Teach is not as straightforward and domineering as Rocks. He went to the other extreme and might outlive Rocks.”
This is not praise, but an assessment of evil. In this era, good people are destined to live short lives, while only the completely selfish bad people can live long lives.
Jabba had no particular interest in the man himself, but when he thought of God Valley and that era, another beautiful figure involuntarily came to mind.
That was Shakky in her youth, so beautiful that she captivated everyone. Shakky was also one of the catalysts for the God Valley War.
Later, Shakky and Rayleigh, that lecherous old man, ended up living together. Their true feelings for each other were revealed in the desperate situation of God Valley, a place teeming with corpses and blood. There's some truth to that.
Jabba curled his lip; it was no wonder he was envious that his brother had won the heart of a beauty.
However, the thought that Rayleigh and Shakky still didn't have a child brought an undisguised smug smile to Jabba's old face.
His wrinkles seemed to smooth out a bit, and he felt like he had won.
After all, Jabba had a giant wife and a descendant, ensuring the continuation of his bloodline.
And after Rayleigh's death, not even a descendant poured wine at his grave. How tragic! How truly tragic!
He had even begun to imagine that many years from now, his descendants could proudly explain history to outsiders, saying, "My ancestor was the second-in-command of the Roger Pirates!"
As for Raleigh?
Anyway, he has no descendants and can't refute it; the right to interpret history still depends on the living.
Jabba felt he could win twice, once in life and once in history.
To put it more bluntly, later generations may remember Roger and his contributions to the era, but they may not remember Rayleigh and Jabba. However, Jabba's descendants will certainly remember their ancestors.
Even if their descendants become impoverished and fall on hard times, they might still be able to piggyback on Captain Roger's history and make a living.
