The demon Rocks stood by the shore, his pure black eyes fixed on the direction where Eris had disappeared, remaining motionless for several seconds.
He seemed... to be confirming something.
Then, he turned around.
Cannon fire rained down upon him, explosions engulfing his form.
Yet when the smoke cleared, he emerged completely unscathed.
"Target disappearance confirmed," the demon Rocks murmured to himself, his voice devoid of emotion. "Executing second directive: Eliminate all life on the island."
He charged back into the island.
This time, it was indiscriminate slaughter.
"Stop! Captain Rocks!" An old crew member of the Rocks Pirates blocked his path. "Don't you recognize me? I'm—"
A black blade flashed, and a head went flying.
"What's happened to Captain Rocks? How did he become this monster?!"
"Run! The captain's gone mad!"
But escape was futile.
The demon Rocks moved too fast, his strength too overwhelming, his defenses too impenetrable.
He moved through the island like the grim reaper, leaving only corpses in his wake.
Just as he was about to descend upon a group of fleeing Marines—
From the left, a figure shot toward him like a cannonball!
"Meteor Fist—"
Garp's right fist was wreathed in black and red Haki, the air before his fist compressed to its limit, forming a visible conical shockwave!
Almost simultaneously, a blade gleamed from the right!
"Divine Departure—"
Roger's slash was no longer mere Sword Qi, but a blade radiance forged by compressing Conqueror's Haki to its extreme—capable of severing concepts itself!
The two attacks struck the demon Rocks simultaneously from left and right!
BOOM——!!!
The demon Rocks was sent flying.
From within the dust cloud, the demon Rocks slowly rose, seemingly unaffected by the earlier assault.
It turned out Rocks had cultivated his Conqueror's Haki to the point of materialization.
He could form it into a shield that neutralized all Haki-based attacks.
As long as the opponent's Haki attack was inferior to his own Haki defense,
Then all of their Haki attacks would be rendered completely ineffective.
Garp lamented, "Rocks, how did you become this... monstrosity?"
Roger's expression was grave. "I can't let you harm my comrades."
The demon Rocks stared at the two, his pure black eyes showing no emotional fluctuation.
But at that moment—
A faint voice echoed simultaneously in both Roger and Garp's minds.
The voice was hoarse, pained, yet carrying an undeniable plea: Roger, Garp, I'm begging you—please kill me!
Both men froze in shock.
"What?" Garp's eyes widened. "This voice... Rocks?!"
Roger's pupils contracted slightly. "You're still conscious?!"
Tears streamed uncontrollably from the demon Rocks' eyes, yet his body surged forward with thunderous speed.
The black blade in his hand carried destructive dark Haki as it descended toward Roger and Garp!
Before the blade even landed, the ground beneath their feet began to crack.
"Rocks!" Roger roared, raising his Famous Sword Ace horizontally to block. "Your words, your attitude, your expression—they don't match your actions at all!"
CLANG——!!!
The moment the blades collided, a circular shockwave erupted from their point of impact!
At the critical moment of their clash, Garp seized the fleeting opportunity.
He pushed off the ground with both legs, his body coiling like a spring compressed to its limit, then shot forward like a cannonball.
"Fist Bone City Breaker!"
His right fist, wrapped in black and red Haki, landed squarely on Rocks' face!
Boom—!!
The massive form of the demon Rocks was sent staggering backward by the punch, taking three consecutive steps back.
However, this action thoroughly enraged the demon Rocks.
The Black Blade in his hand erupted with even more powerful Haki, followed by a furious slash.
Boom—!!!
Roger and Garp were blasted away by the powerful Shockwave, their bodies flung uncontrollably backward!
They plowed a trench over a hundred meters long in the ground before finally crashing into a mountainside and coming to a stop.
Yet the slash did not cease.
It soared into the sky, cutting straight upward.
Above God Valley, the thick cloud layer was split cleanly in two by the blade!
A vacuum zone hundreds of meters wide appeared in the center of the clouds, sunlight pouring down through the fissure like a divine miracle.
But at this moment, no one had the heart to admire the breathtaking sight.
Every survivor on the island looked up at the sky, their minds filled with a single thought:
Escape.
At any cost, escape this island.
Silver Axe cut down a pirate trying to seize his treasure, roaring at his subordinates:
"Don't just stand there! Go seize a ship! Any ship! Get off this island now!"
"Aren't we returning to the fleet?"
"Idiot!" Silver Axe kicked his subordinate over: "Who still wants to go back?! Rocks has become a monster, this crew is finished!"
Not far away, Golden Lion Shiki stood atop a pile of treasure, looking at the crack in the sky, and grinned:
"Gyahahaha... It's over. The legend of the Rocks Pirates ends here today."
He hoisted the two largest treasure chests onto his shoulders: "Men! Get a ship and set sail immediately! Those who don't—good luck to you!"
"Run—!"
The crowd surged toward the coast like a tide.
...
By the shore, the fleet Garp had brought was adjusting its formation.
On the dog-headed warship, Garp's adjutant Bogard held a Den Den Mushi:
"Vice Admiral Garp, what did you say? Please repeat!"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Garp's weary but resolute voice:
"I've made myself clear. Take all Marines, as well as the civilians and slaves on the island, aboard the ships.
Then leave this place immediately, putting at least twenty nautical miles between us and God Valley."
"Understood." Adjutant Bogard took a deep breath:
"All warships, heed the order! Take aboard any civilians and slaves who wish to board. In five minutes, full withdrawal!"
Elsewhere, the Oro Jackson was anchored along the relatively intact southwestern coast.
The crew members left on the ship crowded along the railing, anxiously gazing toward the island.
The Den Den Mushi finally connected.
"Captain Roger! What exactly is happening at the island's center? That slash—"
"No time to explain." Roger's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, accompanied by heavy panting and the roar of battle:
"As soon as Rayleigh and the others arrive, set sail immediately! Then move away from the coast and wait for me in safe waters!"
"But Captain, you—"
"That's an order!"
The Den Den Mushi went silent.
The crew exchanged glances, and finally the helmsman gritted his teeth: "We follow the Captain's orders! Prepare to weigh anchor!"
...
At the island's center.
Roger and Garp gave their final instructions, then almost simultaneously tore off the cloaks behind them.
The Marines' cloak of justice and the pirate captain's cloak lost all meaning in this moment.
They were merely burdens, restraints.
Garp flexed his shoulders as Haki gathered around his fists once more:
"Rocks, Roger, I came here originally intending to arrest both of you."
Roger grinned, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth: "And my original goal was to take the treasure and rescue Shakky, then immediately make my escape."
He looked at Garp: "So, how about a temporary truce? Let's deal with him together."
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