Inside the secret chamber behind the door.
This was the private vault of Rocks D. Xebec, the core of the wealth he had plundered from the Celestial Dragons across the world over several decades.
Within the chamber, the brilliance of the jewels was almost blinding!
Mountains of gold and silver treasures glittered incessantly under the light of the torches.
Countless riches piled up into golden dunes, with all sorts of gemstones scattered among them.
At the peak of these mountains of gold and seas of silver, one could spot famous blades and oddities that existed only in legends.
A katana with a simple, rustic scabbard lay amidst a pile of gems, radiating an ominous, malevolent aura.
Inside an ancient wooden box sat a fruit, pitch-black and covered in eerie spiral patterns, emitting a heart-pounding magic; it was clearly a powerful Devil Fruit.
These were treasures that could drive anyone to madness.
This was the private vault of Rocks that Golden Lion Shiki had longed for.
However, the three men currently standing in this vault didn't have the slightest interest in looking twice.
Wealth sufficient to buy dozens of kingdoms was, in their eyes, no different from pebbles on the side of the road.
The three of them casually found a few treasure chests filled with gold coins and sat down.
Behind them, the ten-thousand-ton stone door slammed shut, driven by its mechanism.
Rumble—!
The dull roar echoed through the chamber, cutting off all sound from the outside world.
The entire world now consisted only of the three of them.
And the soft "crackle" of the burning torches.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Rocks D. Xebec was the first to break the stillness.
His massive frame leaned against a throne cast in pure gold, his face twisted in an unrestrained, wild laugh.
"Speak, brother!"
Rocks' voice was raspy yet magnetic, sounding exceptionally clear in the enclosed space.
"What is it you want to know? Here, in this forbidden land that belongs only to me, Roger and I will tell you everything! Zehahahaha!"
Roger also nodded solemnly. He cast aside his usual nonchalant expression, and an unprecedented seriousness flickered within his clear eyes.
He sat cross-legged atop a similarly massive treasure chest, his sword, "Ace," resting horizontally across his knees.
Those eyes, which always sparkled with the light of adventure, were now bottomless.
"That's right," Roger said in a deep voice.
"There is no need for secrets between us."
This was the highest promise the two powerhouses of the sea could make to Lucian.
On this ocean, there was no third person besides each other who could make them both commit to such a statement.
Lucian didn't beat around the bush.
He calmly swept his gaze over the two men before him and posed the question directly.
"The meaning of 'D'... what exactly is it?"
One sentence.
Just one sentence.
The moment the words fell, the air in the chamber seemed to be sucked dry, and the flickering torchlight froze for an instant.
The wild laughter on Rocks' face and the curve of Roger's lips vanished instantly.
In their place came an unprecedented gravity.
A solemnity that felt as though it were touching the very origin of the soul.
Rocks slowly raised his hand, his rough fingers rubbing the needle-like stubble on his chin, making a soft "shhh" sound.
His gaze became incredibly deep, as if piercing through time and space to see a history buried in blood and fire eight hundred years ago.
Memories surged back like a tide.
His expression became profoundly complex.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Regarding the meaning of 'D'..."
"I saw some things within the memory fragments I inherited from 'Davy Jones'."
"Davy Jones?"
As the name left Rocks' lips, Roger showed a look of complete unfamiliarity for the first time.
He searched through all his knowledge and experiences, only to find that this name was a total blank in his memory.
Was there still a powerhouse on the high seas that he, Gol D. Roger, didn't know about?
Rocks ignored Roger's astonishment entirely.
He shot him a glance but didn't address his question, continuing his explanation to Lucian, as if only Lucian was worthy of knowing this secret.
He continued.
"'D', in a strict sense, is not a surname."
"It is an alliance!"
"And more importantly... a legacy of will!"
Every word struck Roger's heart like a heavy blow.
An alliance?
A will?
But Rocks' next words were the real bombshell.
His tone shifted abruptly, and his gaze became intensely aggressive.
That look swept over Roger, and even the air beside Roger, as if another arch-rival—invisible but clearly sensed—was standing there!
"However!"
Rocks' voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable arrogance and dominance.
"I, Roger, and that bastard Garp from the Marines!"
"The 'D' we inherit are completely different!"
"Completely! Different!"
Before the words had fully faded, Rocks' massive palm, like a folding fan, turned into a thick finger that poked hard against his chest, which was harder than steel.
Thump!
A dull sound.
The beat of a war drum.
His face wore a natural, supreme conceit that looked down upon all living beings.
"I inherited the 'D' that belongs to 'Davy Jones'!"
His tone was that of someone declaring a truth.
An irrefutable fact.
Davy Jones!
The name represented darkness, dominance, and an ambition that devoured everything!
It was the ultimate source of Rocks D. Xebec's power and will!
His voice carried an innate pride and arrogance that looked down upon the world, as if this name alone represented the highest honor!
Then, he slowly turned his head, his eyes burning with the fire of ambition, locking onto the bewildered Roger.
Word by word, he uttered a speculation that left Roger profoundly shaken.
"As for you, Roger..."
"If I'm not mistaken..."
"It is highly likely that you represent another lineage—"
"Joy Boy!"
Joy Boy?
A completely foreign name.
A bolt of lightning seemed to strike out of nowhere, instantly splitting Roger's thoughts and leaving his mind a blank.
The expression on his face froze completely.
Shock, bewilderment, disbelief.
Ultimately, it coalesced into a look of utter vacancy.
He had never imagined that he had a lineage, let alone one with such a specific name!
And it was a name he had never heard of in his life!
"Joy Boy..."
Roger blurted out subconsciously, his voice filled with pure confusion and emptiness.
Those eyes, which always flickered with confidence and fearlessness, now held nothing but a void.
He just stared blankly at Rocks, his mouth hanging open unconsciously.
It took several seconds before he seemed to find his voice, asking almost impulsively:
"Joy Boy..."
"...Who is that?"