The world did not wait to react.
The sea was quiet, but the world was not.
Word of God Valley had spread like wildfire — whispered first by frightened Marines, then shouted by pirates, and finally broadcast by the World Government itself.
No one knew what truly happened on that island.
Only that it had vanished — burned off every map — and that the Rocks Pirates, the most fearsome crew ever assembled, had fallen.
From Marine Headquarters in Marineford, Fleet Admiral Kong stood before the press.
Behind him hung a massive banner: Justice Prevails.
"The pirate crew known as the Rocks Pirates has been destroyed," he declared, voice booming. "The combined efforts of the Marines, World Government, and Vice Admiral Garp have prevented an unprecedented catastrophe."
He paused, scanning the crowd.
Reporters shouted questions — about casualties, about the Celestial Dragons, about rumors of other survivors.
Kong ignored them all.
"Let it be known," he said gravely, "that Vice Admiral Garp has displayed unparalleled valor. From this day forth, he shall be recognized as the Hero of the Marines."
Flashbulbs went off.
The crowd roared.
And in that noise, the truth of God Valley was buried — rewritten by justice and fear.
But behind closed doors, the tone was different.
In a sealed chamber of the Holy Land, the Five Elders sat before the empty throne.
In Marijois, one of the Five Elders — observing the broadcasts from afar — clenched their fist.
The air was heavy, dark — the scent of ash and blood still fresh in memory.
One elder placed a bounty poster on the table.
It was burnt at the edges but clear enough to read.
Nyx D. Ada — "The Crimson Shadow"
Bounty: 3,542,000,000 Berries
"She lives," murmured one elder. "After everything."
Another adjusted his glasses. "And her name… she bears the initial. The Will of D."
"The D. bloodline… it stirs again," they murmured. "And the Crimson Shadow… Nyx D. Ada… she survived God Valley."
Imu's eyes, hidden beneath the shadows of their throne, narrowed. "She will either die… or become something even more dangerous than we feared."
The chamber went silent.
Then, from the darkness above, Imu spoke again — a soft, serpentine whisper.
"A D. who walks unseen… who lives in shadows. Keep her alive… for now. The storm needs its lightning."
Flashback
From the towers of Marijois to the farthest reaches of the Blues, news of God Valley's destruction spread like wildfire. Den Den Mushi broadcasts crackled in every port, every naval base, every pirate haven.
The official statement was careful, sanitized, and heavily controlled.
"God Valley has been decimated. The combined forces of the Marines engaged an all out war with the Rocks pirates. Casualties are high. Survivors are presumed dead or scattered."
But whispers traveled faster than official statements.
Pirates, Marines, and civilians alike shared rumors.
"Rocks… is dead?"
"I heard Ada Wong was there — some kind of assassin with the Rocks crew!"
"Linlin, Kaido, Newgate… all fighting together?"
"The Marines had to retreat! Even Garp couldn't stop the chaos!"
Even the World Government was shaken. In a private chamber, Sengoku, Kong, and Tsuru sat around a large map of the burning island.
Kong slammed his fist on the table. "Impossible! Rocks and his crew… we thought they were all dead!"
Sengoku adjusted his glasses, voice measured but tense. "Reports confirm it. The casualties are unprecedented. This… changes everything."
Tsuru's face was grave. "The world knows now. They've heard the name — Ada Wong."
Kong's eyes widened. "Wha… Ada Wong? She's alive?!"
Sengoku nodded. "The informants confirm. Her bounty alone exceeds that of Edward Newgate, Whitebeard."
Sengoku then leaned over a map of the world. "Even in defeat, they've changed everything," he said quietly. "We'll be cleaning up this mess for decades."
Beside him, Tsuru sighed. "Ada Wong… no, Nyx D. Ada. A D. hiding among the shadows. Who would have thought?"
Sengoku frowned. "She's more dangerous now than when she was in the Rocks crew. She's a ghost with a name the world fears."
Kong slammed a fist on the table. "And that's why we'll bury her name — like God Valley itself!"
Kong then shouted to a nearby marine. "Tell the media that we are holding a press conference now!"
Across the world, bounties were updated simultaneously by the World Government:
Across the seas, new wanted posters hit the black markets, taverns, and ports by the thousands. Each one soaked in ink, blood, and infamy.
Gol D. Roger — 4,320,000,000 Berries
Silvers Rayleigh — 3,400,000,000 Berries
Scopper Gaban — 2,980,000,000 Berries
Nyx D. Ada ("The Crimson Shadow") — 3,542,000,000 Berries
Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate — 3,200,000,000 Berries
Charlotte Linlin ("Big Mom") — 3,100,000,000 Berries
Kaido — 3,060,000,000 Berries
Shiki the Golden Lion — 2,960,000,000 Berries
Captain John — 1,870,000,000 Berries
Stussy — 1,400,000,000 Berries
Gloriosa — 1,200,000,000 Berries
Gill Bastar — 1,180,000,000 Berries
Silver Axe — 1,000,000,000 Berries
The people trembled.
For decades, pirates had terrorized the seas — but the Rocks Pirates had been more than that.
They had been legends.
And now, the world saw their names rise again, not as ghosts, but as warnings.
The revelation shocked even seasoned pirates. Rumors of Rocks' downfall, Ada's true identity, and her connection to the mysterious D. bloodline spread like wildfire.
"Nyx D. Ada," one informant whispered. "She has the D… and she survived God Valley… alone."
News outlets scrambled. Bounties printed in bold letters across every bulletin board in the world. Marines panicked. Pirates rejoiced at the chaos — and feared what might come next.
End of Flashback
Meanwhile, The world may have declared the Rocks Pirates dead, but across the seas, their ghosts still lived — scattered, silent, and watching.
In the New World, atop a jagged cliff, Edward Newgate sat with a bottle of sake in hand.
The wind howled through the ruins of his temporary hideout as he stared at the fresh bounty posters laid out before him.
He grinned faintly.
"Three billion, huh… Not bad for a little assassin."
He traced Ada's face with one massive finger — the faint smile she wore on the poster reminded him of the way she used to grin before diving into battle.
Then he sighed, leaning back against the rock.
"You really survived, huh, Ada… heh. Guess that's what makes you the Crimson Shadow."
Behind him, a few of his new followers — men who would one day form the Whitebeard Pirates — murmured about the news.
Newgate ignored them, lost in thought.
"The world may think Rocks is dead… but his will is still alive."
⸻
Far to the north, beneath dark storm clouds, Charlotte Linlin devoured an entire wedding cake alone aboard a stolen ship.
Her children played nearby, laughing as she read the news.
Her eyes widened when she saw Ada's name and bounty.
"Nyx D. Ada… three and a half billion berries! MAMA MAMA!"
She laughed, though it sounded more like a growl.
"That brat just keeps getting stronger! I should've inveted her to join my crew!"
She slammed her fist down, cracking the table in two. "But fine! Let her have her fame. I'll build my own kingdom — my own Totto Land! The world will remember me too!"
Her laughter echoed over the storm, thunder rolling in rhythm with her madness.
⸻
On a small, desolate island in the New World, Kaido stood at the edge of a cliff, staring out into the turbulent waves.
His massive frame was scarred, his mind restless.
He read Ada's new bounty, his expression unreadable.
"Three billion, huh… You're one hell of a woman."
He crumpled the poster in his hand, his grin widening into something feral.
"But next time, Ada… I'll be the one they call the strongest."
He turned toward the half-built ship behind him — his future Beasts Pirates — already dreaming of chaos and war.
⸻
Somewhere in the grandline, deep inside a golden cavern, Shiki the Golden Lion laughed maniacally, surrounded by piles of treasure and rum.
"Hah! The world's going mad!" he roared. "Roger's still climbing, Newgate's making waves, and that red assassin's worth more than me?!"
He kicked over a barrel of gold and grinned.
"Well, that just means I'll have to make the world remember the name Shiki! I'll build an empire that'll make Rocks proud — and Ada jealous!"
He raised his drink toward the sky, toasting ghosts only he could see.
⸻
Elsewhere, under the calm skies of Amazon Lily, Gloriosa sat on her veranda, bounty posters scattered at her feet.
Her hands trembled slightly as she looked at Ada's smiling face.
"She's alive…" she whispered, her lips trembling. "She's really alive."
For the first time since God Valley, she allowed herself a smile.
"She saved so many… even when the world called her a monster."
As she folded the poster carefully and set it aside, the sea breeze carried her words away —
"Ada… live quietly, just this once. You've done enough."
⸻
In the underbelly of the world, inside a glittering lounge in the Sabaody Archipelago, Stussy held a wine glass, watching the bounty posters with lazy amusement.
"Three billion for Ada, hm? Guess she finally got the recognition she deserves."
She smiled slyly, twirling the stem of her glass.
"Always the mysterious one… Always two steps ahead of everyone else."
⸻
And somewhere in the depths of the Grand Line, Captain John and Silver Axe huddled around a campfire on separate islands, reading the papers with wide eyes.
Even in defeat, even scattered, they all whispered the same thing:
"She lived…"
"Ada Wong — no, Nyx D. Ada…"
"The Crimson Shadow still walks."
The Rocks Pirates were no more, but their echoes remained — scattered across the world, shaping the seas that would one day be ruled by the next generation of monsters.
⸻
The waves rocked gently beneath the Oro Jackson, its sails patched with salt and ash from the chaos of God Valley. Below deck, in the dim light of a lantern, Ada stirred awake.
Her body ached from the battle — cuts stitched roughly, her crimson dress torn and bloodied. She had slipped aboard during the confusion, unseen by Roger's crew as they made their escape from the burning island.
Slowly, she sat up, clutching her side. Her mind replayed fragments of the battle — Rocks' roar, Imu's chilling voice, and the moment everything turned to fire and thunder.
She pressed a hand to her heart. "Rocks… you fool," she murmured softly. "You really thought you could defy the world itself."
A soft creak echoed from above deck — voices, laughter, the sound of celebration. Roger's crew had survived. They were heading toward their next horizon, unaware that the Crimson Shadow of Rocks lay hidden below them.
Ada leaned back against a wooden crate, exhaustion catching up to her. She didn't yet know that her name was already printed across every newspaper in the world — that her bounty had risen to 3,542,000,000 berries, second only to Gol D. Roger himself.
For now, she only knew the silence of the sea, the scent of salt and blood, and the ghost of a dream she once shared with a man named Rocks D. Xebec.
The lantern flickered, and for a moment, her shadow on the wall looked like it still wore the captain's flag.
She glanced at the sleeping infant nearby — Shanks, oblivious to the chaos that had just consumed the world.
Ada's voice was low but determined. "I survived God Valley… and I'll survive the world too."
As the Oro Jackson disappeared into the horizon, a new era began — one where the Crimson Shadow, Rocks' remnants, and the hidden D. bloodline would shape the tides of history.
And the world would never forget Nyx D. Ada.