Chapter 4: The World's Eyes
______
"Go this way. We should meet them soon. But are you just going to leave your ship here?"
Ginny roughly determined the direction, then looked at Oran's ship. Although the canyon was sparsely populated, there was still a possibility of it being discovered.
"Of course, I've prepared for this kind of situation. You'll understand once you see it," Oran replied.
When Oran and his companions left the valley, Ginny was surprised to find that the ship, which had been parked there moments ago, had vanished.
"Hey, where's the boat?"
"It's still there," Oran said. "I activated the ship's holographic mimicry. You can't see it unless you step inside. With the automatic weapons on board, it'll be fine for a short while."
Oran vaguely remembered that an unprecedented war would soon break out on this island, one that would eventually wipe it off the map. Otherwise, he might have simply relied on hiding the ship.
Normally, Oran's ship was moored at a standard dock, which meant there was no need to activate the holographic system. That was why Ivankov and Ginny had been able to see it earlier.
"But we need to move quickly. Some of the equipment on my ship is damaged, including part of the power supply system. The backup energy won't last long. Also, take this."
Oran handed Ginny something resembling a gas mask. It was actually an air filter, a necessity for survival in Zaun, but at this moment, it was being used to conceal her face.
"Cover your face. I have other plans after we escape. I don't want to end up on their wanted list. You don't want to be targeted by the World Government's agents after you get out, do you?"
The World Government's control over intelligence wasn't particularly strong. After all, they didn't even fully control public opinion, likely because they didn't see the need to.
Theoretically, as long as someone didn't touch on the Void Century, the World Government wouldn't pay much attention to them.
Oran's precaution was simply a safety measure. Considering how widespread face blindness was on the seas, wearing a mask was already a gesture of foresight.
"What about... mine?"
Ivankov assumed Oran would give him one too. But after waiting for a long time, even after Ginny had adjusted her mask, Oran didn't move.
"Your face is too big. I don't have anything that fits you. Just use a cloth to cover it."
It wasn't that Oran was discriminating against Ivankov. It was simply that his body shape—or more specifically, his face shape—made it impossible to use standard equipment. In the end, he had no choice but to resort to a makeshift solution.
---
At the same time, in an open area of the Valley of Gods, tall stone pillars rose into the sky. Sparse shrubs and moss grew around them, and a small stream meandered down from the mountains, producing a gentle gurgling sound.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps shattered the calm.
A boy, stronger than the average adult but with a childish face, was running for his life.
His shaved head was covered in scars, and his tattered clothing hung in rags. The chains on his wrists and the targets printed on his clothes marked him as a slave.
But those chasing him weren't the navy or the Celestial Dragons—they were other slaves dressed in a similar manner.
Amid shouts and curses, a stone flew from behind and struck the boy on the back of his head.
His eyes rolled back as the impact hit, and his massive body collapsed onto the grass.
The man who caught up with the boy was still furious. He raised the stick in his hand and struck the boy's body repeatedly, cursing:
"Idiot! The ten-man team has joint responsibility! If you run away, we will all die! Who told you to run away?"
It wasn't until the stick broke that the man finally calmed down. He then called his companions to help drag the boy back.
But just as he grabbed the boy's feet, a rope net flew in from a distance, tying him up tightly.
"Sir! Sir! We've caught the runaway! Please don't hurt me! We've made up for our previous mistakes!"
The man bound by the rope net didn't even try to break free. Instead, he lay on the ground and began praying loudly. The other slaves nearby knelt in orderly unison.
In the eyes of these people, in the Valley of the Gods, only the Celestial Dragons could possess such a weapon. Obedience had been deeply ingrained in their very bones when it came to dealing with the Celestial Dragons.
"You're a bunch of fools. No one is watching you, yet you're willing to work for the very people who want to kill you. You really enjoy being slaves, don't you?"
A slightly mocking voice came from a distance. It was Oran, who had fired the net gun.
Ginny, unable to handle the recoil of the weapon, had passed it to Oran, who had taken over and used it himself.
Looking at these pitifully obedient slaves, Oran could think of no better word to describe them than pathetic.
The boy who had fallen to the ground slowly opened his eyes, dazed.
By this time, Ivankov and Ginny had caught up with Oran.
"Is this a member of the Buccaneer tribe? He's enormous! I've heard your people have the blood of giants. Is that true?"
Ivankov examined the boy curiously. According to the information Ginny had intercepted earlier, the Celestial Dragons were particularly interested in this unique type of prey.
"Ivan, we'll talk about that later. For now…" Oran turned to the boy. "How are you? Can you stand up?"
Oran extended his hand, and the boy, sensing the kindness, accepted it and stood with Oran's help.
"Thank you… who are you?" the boy asked weakly.
"Just some people planning to leave this place. At least you've tried to escape. Do you want to join us?" Oran replied.
In Oran's mind, there was no point in helping those who didn't even dare to think about escaping. As long as such people didn't cause trouble, that was good enough.
The boy agreed without hesitation. For him, there was no other option.
"Wait! You can't take him away! If he escapes, we won't have anything to report to the Celestial Dragons!" one of the other slaves shouted.
"Let's capture them all! Maybe the Celestial Dragons will reward us if we turn them in!" another slave suggested.
Some slaves, too scared to resist the powerful, chose instead to curry favor with their masters by oppressing the weaker ones. This was the path they had chosen.
But even when they wagged their tails and begged for mercy, they were still nothing more than prey for the Celestial Dragons' amusement.
The group of slaves, having superior numbers, exchanged glances and seemed to agree with the suggestion. Several of them approached in a semi-circle.
"You're all complete idiots. Even if you catch us, do you really think the Celestial Dragons will let you go?" Ivankov said, pointing his gun at them.
However, Oran's earlier actions had demonstrated that the gun only fired non-lethal rope nets, which gave the slaves confidence, and they continued to advance.
"What else can we do? We can't escape from here. They're the Celestial Dragons…"
Even though they spoke the weakest words, they still approached. In response, Oran silently raised his arm, and the blue cylindrical tube embedded in the exoskeleton of his arm began to charge.
Bang!
With a muffled sound, several sharp ice spikes were released from Oran's arm armor.
There was no loud explosion, but when the ice spikes hit the ground, they created a small-scale ice storm.
When the storm subsided, all that remained were frozen sculptures scattered across the ground.
The Hextech GLP-800 , commonly referred to as the "Ice Gun," was far more lethal than the police net gun, thanks to its Hextech core.
Having lived in Valoran for so many years and experienced countless vivid "dreams," Oran had learned not to hesitate when action was needed. He had no time to engage with people who only sought to please their masters, so he resolved the situation swiftly and decisively.
"Don't just stand there dazed," Oran said. "This isn't just a simple escape—it's a special kind of war. If they choose to become enemies, this is the inevitable result. In war, people will always die.
Let's move on and find some people who are willing to resist. I hope we encounter fewer fools like these."
After signaling Ginny and the others, the group continued their journey through the mountains of the Valley of the Gods.
---
Compared to the situation in the Valley of the Gods, the outside world was even more tense.
Some time ago, on Beehive Island in the New World—a place also known as Pirate Island because of the sheer number of pirates gathered there—the strongest group of all was undoubtedly the Rocks Pirates.
Having received Ginny's message, the Rocks Pirates had already begun sailing toward the Valley of the Gods.
"The Rocks Pirates have set sail! They're heading there first!"
"Hurry up and follow them—this is a major event in the pirate world!"
Countless pirates began to emerge one after another, crossing the Calm Belt from the New World and heading toward the West Blue.
Not long after, the navy also received word that the pirates had set sail.
At Marine Headquarters, the current Grand Admiral Kong fiddled impatiently with the Den Den Mushi in his hand, growing annoyed at the intelligence being reported by the navy.
"This is the situation, Garp. Although it hasn't been confirmed yet, if it's true, it'll be troublesome. I have no choice but to ask for your help."
"Huh? Why would the Celestial Dragons go to such a remote island? What is it, a school trip? I'm not going. They should've brought enough guards with them. There's nothing to worry about."
On another island, Garp lounged leisurely on a chair, showing no intention of moving.
"I can't give you the details," Kong said, "but I've heard that Roger is also heading to that island."
"What? Why didn't you say so earlier? I'm leaving right now!"
Suddenly, the strongest forces of both the pirates and the navy began moving toward the Valley of the Gods, marking the beginning of a battle that seemed destined to usher in a new era.