Chapter 957

Chapter 957 is titled "Ultimate".

Cover Page
Color Spread - The Straw Hat Pirates are racing a duck speed boat with some turtles.

Short Summary
Sakazuki and Fujitora talk about the fate of the recently-ousted Shichibukai while the other Marines discuss the recently-formed alliance between Kaido and Big Mom, with some worrying that Rocks has returned. Afterwards, they discuss Rocks and his crew, the Rocks Pirates, in which three of the Four Emperors have been members as well as a team-up between Garp and Roger to defeat them. Afterwards, Roger's and all the Emperors's bounties have been revealed.

Long Summary
The chapter begins at Marine Headquarters. Fleet Admiral Sakazuki is talking with Admiral Fujitora on the radio, remarking how pleased the latter must be with the abolition of the Shichibukai system. Sakazuki was against it, but was powerless to do anything in the face of world's royalty. Fujitora retorts that the good far outweighs the bad and how Sakazuki fails to see that. He tells Sakazuki to put his faith in the SSG and how the balance of power in the world will now change dramatically. Sakazuki agrees, and changes the subject to Wano and the Four Emperors, going on about Big Mom and Kaido's tentative alliance. This startles Issho, who calls it Rocks' second coming. Sakazuki tells him not to be so dramatic, saying how this is all real and when it rains, it pours.

Elsewhere inside Marine HQ, Brannew and Sengoku are briefing a group of Marines about the Emperor alliance. Brannew clarifies that Kaido and Big Mom are planning to form an alliance and have not done so yet. The pair has yet to make a move, but their goals and intentions remain unclear, thus combatting them will be difficult. Information about the Rocks Pirates is still scarce. Sengoku likens the two Emperors as cat and dog, so their alliance is certainly surprising, and he comments how most Marines today don't know who Rocks was. He then goes on to tell the Marines present in the room about Rocks.

The Rocks Pirates, as they were called, formed when a group gathered on the pirate island Hachinosu. They were a violent bunch who would kill each other regularly, even on the same ship. Kaido, Big Mom and Whitebeard were members of this crew, along with many other pirates who made a name for themselves such as "The Golden Lion", "Captain John", "Silver Axe" and "Ochoku". The Marines present are shocked that so many famous pirates are connected and so few people knew. Sengoku explains that one reason is due to the unfriendly relationship among the crew, not many lived to tell about it. Rocks wanted to be the King of the World, and he wielded his crew akin to a terrorist organization. The other reason is that the World Government erased most of the crew's acts from history. Their infamy reached people at the time, however.

Events came to a head 38 years ago, on an island known as God Valley. News of the Rocks Pirates' defeat spread world-wide. On that day, Monkey D. Garp defeated the crew, earning him the title of "Hero of the Marines". The Marines listening to Sengoku talk about how they never knew which of Garp's heroic feats gave him that title. Sengoku adds that Garp tends to keep mum about the whole ordeal aside from the known historical facts. The scene changes briefly to Garp on his ship, ascending from Fish-Man Island, making a vague comment Big Mom and Kaido's alliance.

The first reason Garp likes to keep quiet about the battle is one that never made it into the public record. Garp had to fight alongside a pirate. The other reason is that Garp fought to protect the Celestial Dragons. The introduction of Celestial Dragons into the story and Garp's secrecy about protecting them surprise and confuse the present Marines. Sengoku explains that Garp's moral code does not allow him to protect Celestial Dragons. It's also the reason he never accepted the rank of Admiral, because he would be directly under their control. The true story of the event known as the "God Valley Incident" is that Garp and Gol D. Roger met there by chance, teamed up, and defeated the Rocks Pirates. This revelation surprises the Marines most of all. Sengoku goes on to say that God Valley is no longer found on any maps. In reality, the entire island disappeared without explanation as if it never existed. Sengoku rephrased his description, saying that an island the World Government wanted to keep secret disappeared, and asked if they still wanted to ask questions. Sengoku caps the story off summarily by saying that once a man named Rocks wanted to be the King of the World. Rocks, who is no longer alive, stepped into some parts of history that he shouldn't have, and as a result little to no information about the Rocks Pirates survives, save for the memories of some of the older Marines. The Marines are stunned to think that there was once a man who commanded three people who would later become Emperors.

Sengoku goes on to talk about how Rocks was Roger's first and possibly greatest enemy. Everyone called him Captain Rocks, but his full name was Rocks D. Xebec, another pirate to bear the initial D. Sengoku ends his story as the inspector general concludes that Big Mom and Kaido as they are now are far greater threats than they were under Rocks, and their alliance is far more dangerous than the Rocks Pirates. He then turns the floor over to Commodore Brannew as he asks for Kaido and Big Mom's current bounties. Brannew explains that the members of the recently dissolved Shichibukai need new bounty figures. He then turns everyone's attention to the Four Emperors.

Blackbeard became an Emperor about a year ago. His attack on Impel Down gave him powerful new subordinates and he is presently the de facto don of the pirate island Hachinosu. Boss of the Blackbeard Pirates, Admiral Marshall D. Teach, with a bounty of 2,247,600,000.

The next man became an Emperor about six years ago. He is the youngest of the group and has the trust of those under him. His executives, Lucky Roux, Yasopp, and Benn Beckman, are all famous in their own right. His crew has a high average bounty and Brannew considers this crew the most balanced of the four. Leader of the Red Hair Pirates, Captain "Red Hair" Shanks, with a bounty of 4,048,900,000.

Third on the docket, this pirate allegedly attacked Elbaf while still only a child. She doesn't trust anyone she's not related to. The 85 offspring serving under her created the country of Totto Land. Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Linlin, with a bounty of 4,388,000,000.

Following Big Mom, the next pirate was but an apprentice during his time with the Rocks Pirates. Using only his raw strength, he gained the admiration of many pirates, and in doing so, came to be an Emperor. The Governor-General of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido "of the Beasts", with a bounty of 4,611,100,000. The Marines are in shock from seeing so many high bounties.

Brannew states that they can no longer rely on the Shichibukai to keep the Four Emperors in check and whether or not it was a good idea will be decided later by the Special Science Group, or SSG. Brannew then puts up two more wanted posters as a means of comparison. The captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Edward Newgate, with a bounty of 5,046,000,000 and the captain of the Roger Pirates, none other than Pirate King Gol D. Roger, with a bounty of 5,564,800,000. Brannew explains how Roger and Whitebeard have the two highest bounties in history but should an alliance between Kaido and Big Mom happen, their combined bounties would surpass either Roger or Newgate's alone, and that is exactly what is about to happen in Wano. Before Brannew can continue, he is interrupted by Sakazuki, who enters the briefing room. Sakazuki tells Brannew to leave Wano alone for now as they don't have the resources to deal with two Emperors at once.

He then addresses Sengoku, who has no intention of getting involved but was simply sharing his knowledge and wisdom with the younger generation, understanding relationships is key, and not knowing the past will lead to a dark future. Sengoku then recalls that Roger, Shanks, and Newgate all took a liking to a pirate from Wano. Sakazuki presumes Sengoku means Kozuki Oden, who was a division commander in the Whitebeard Pirates. Sengoku reminds him that Oden was later recruited by Roger to go on his famed last voyage. The chapter ends with Sengoku asking Sakazuki why so many powerful individuals have ties to Wano.

Chapter Notes

 * The Marine science unit are working on a project known as SSG that is intended to replace the Shichibukai system.
 * Information on Rocks is revealed.
 * It was a powerful pirate crew called the Rocks Pirates. Their captain was Rocks D. Xebec who was considered Gol D. Roger's first and greatest enemy.
 * The crew was first formed on Hachinosu.
 * Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom were once members in the crew, as were Shiki and John.
 * Kaido was an apprentice during his time with the Rocks Pirates.
 * Two other members with the epithets "Silver Axe" and "Ochoku" are mentioned for the first time.
 * 38 years ago, the Rocks Pirates attacked several World Nobles and their slaves on a island known as God Valley. Garp and Roger worked together to defeat the crew. This event, in which Rocks lost his life, is known as the "God Valley Incident".
 * After the incident, God Valley mysteriously vanished, leaving no trace of its existence behind and no longer showing up on maps of the world.
 * The information about the alliance between Garp and Roger was covered up by the World Government. In addition, any information about the Rocks Pirates was suppressed by the government since Rocks knew too much about subjects that the government tried to hide. Because of this, according to Sengoku, the existence of the crew is mostly unknown to the current generation of Marines.
 * The main reason Garp has refused a promotion to admiral several times is because he does not want to become a direct subordinate of the World Nobles.
 * The Marines are working on updating the bounties of those who just lost their Shichibukai title.
 * The bounties of all the Four Emperors as well as Whitebeard and Roger are revealed.
 * Shanks' bounty is 4,048,900,000.
 * Big Mom's bounty is 4,388,000,000.
 * Kaido's bounty is 4,611,100,000.
 * Whitebeard's bounty was 5,046,000,000.
 * Roger's bounty was 5,564,800,000.
 * Their wanted posters (current in Big Mom's case) are shown for the first time.
 * According to Brannew, Roger and Whitebeard have the two highest pirate bounties in history.
 * Shanks has been an Emperor for six years.
 * Benn Beckman, Yasopp, and Lucky Roux are executives in the Red Hair Pirates.
 * Kozuki Oden was a division commander when he was still a member of the Whitebeard Pirates.
 * Sakazuki refrains from sending Marines to Wano Country due to the lack of manpower.
 * Sengoku states that many powerful individuals have a connection to Wano Country.