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Just as Saint Saturn issued the order to Saint Garling, instructing him to dispatch members of the God's Knights to keep watch on and seize the opportunity to eliminate the future leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon…
This overtly hostile action was immediately detected by Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, Tsuru, and the others who had been constantly monitoring the developments in God Valley.
When Garp saw the two God's Knights, Saint Sommers and Saint Maffey, walking toward Dragon—who was leaning against a rock, almost completely powerless to resist—with icy expressions…
In an instant, a ferocious glint burst from his eyes, and a surge of hot blood rushed straight to his head! His fists clenched tightly, knuckles cracking with a "creak creak" sound!
Without a second thought, Garp was about to step forward and use his own body to shield his son!
No matter who it was—the Five Elders, the God's Knights—if anyone dared to touch his son, he would fight them to the death!
However, just as Garp was on the verge of exploding, a figure moved even faster than him!
Like a cheetah pouncing on prey, or a gust of wind flashing past!
Gol D. Roger was at it again!
At this moment, the "Pirate King" in the prime of his life unleashed his terrifying explosive power to the fullest!
In the instant before anyone could react, he had already turned into a blurry afterimage, crossing the center of the battlefield at an unbelievable speed…
He precisely intercepted them before Saint Sommers and Saint Maffey could reach Dragon, hoisted the heavily injured Dragon onto his shoulder in one motion, then without pausing, executed a dashing spin and "whoosh"—darted straight back to the pirates' side!
The entire process was lightning-fast and flowed like water.
It even carried a hint of… inexplicably practiced familiarity?
"?????" × 10086
"Eh!" [Two tones]
The scene first fell into a deathly silence, then erupted with countless silent question marks mixed with shock, bewilderment, and utter disbelief.
Whether it was the ruthless thugs of the Rocks Pirates, the comrades of the Roger Pirates, or the Marine soldiers standing by in full readiness all around…
Even the pirate grunts who had gathered to watch the show—all of them were dumbfounded, jaws nearly dropping to the ground.
Again?!
Why does this move look so damn familiar?!
Wasn't that exactly how he "snatched" away Garling's two red-haired babies earlier?!
Second time's the charm?!
Someone let out a soulful exclamation that perfectly captured everyone's feelings at that moment.
"It's you again?! Roger!!!!!!!!"
Saint Garling's roar thundered across the entire God Valley like a tiger whose tail had been stepped on, filled with extreme frustration and rage!
He felt his sanity burning away madly!
First he stole his son! His crew member (Rayleigh) ran off with his "fiancée" (Shakky)!
Now he's even snatching the mission target he was ordered to control?!
Was this guy born under a star that clashed with his fate or what?!
Specially targeting him, Saint Garling, to fleece?!
Honestly, Saint Garling was really about to lose his mind right now.
Even if he hadn't originally had any mental illness, being provoked and "robbed" by Roger in such relentless, varied, and outrageous ways would absolutely drive him to severe schizophrenia and heart disease!
Saint Saturn watched as Roger blatantly defied his order right in front of him and snatched away an important "hidden danger" target…
The killing intent and fury in his eyes surged like magma about to erupt from a volcano, twisting the surrounding air slightly with his terrifying aura.
However, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the cane bulged repeatedly, yet in the end he forcibly suppressed the urge to act immediately.
The lesson from earlier—when he attacked the light screen and was ruthlessly suppressed, vomiting blood in embarrassment—and that near-uncontrollable loss of composure were still fresh in his mind.
In this bizarre rule-bound place, impulsiveness would only bring greater humiliation and loss. He had to endure and wait for the right moment.
On the other side, Garp—who had been ready to fight to the death—watched as Roger carried Dragon away like a gust of wind, then cheekily winked at him…
Garp was stunned for a moment, then a complex mix of amusement and deep gratitude surged in his heart, nearly making him burst out laughing on the spot.
As old rivals who had clashed countless times over the years, perhaps some strange "friendship" had formed amid all those battles. Garp knew Roger too well.
He instantly understood Roger's intention—this bastard was afraid that if he, as a Marine, openly defied the Five Elders and God's Knights, it would bring irreversible consequences upon himself…
So he had acted first, using his status as a pirate to snatch Dragon back without any burden!
What was this… a twist of fate, or a ridiculously ironic act of repayment?
Images from the light screen flashed through Garp's mind—of himself raising Ace in the future… He would later save Roger's son, and now, this guy Roger was actually turning around and saving his son!
This wondrous chain of cause and effect left Garp with mixed feelings, but his genuine gratitude for Roger's timely intervention was very real.
"Hey! Rocks!"
Roger ran back to the core area of the pirate camp like he was carrying some priceless treasure, full of energy and momentum.
Roger had just carried Dragon back like this!
He set Dragon down on relatively safe ground, checked his wounds, then looked up with that signature grin—part rogue, part "I love chaos" mischief!
He shouted loudly toward Rocks, deliberately raising his voice so that Saint Saturn and Saint Garling in the distance could hear clearly:
"Look at this kid! The light screen said it—he's going to start a revolution in the future and overthrow the World Government! A real hardcore guy!
Unlimited potential! I think right now, we've gotta "protect" him properly. Even if you and I die later, it doesn't matter, but we've got to slap these old bastards hard in the face!
I bet you'd love to see those self-proclaimed "gods" in the future, tossing and turning with headaches because of this kid, right?! Huh? Hahahaha!"
Roger's words were bold and blatant, full of incitement and provocation.
"Jie hahahahahaha!!!"
Rocks was stunned for a second upon hearing this, then burst into deafening laughter, his eyes also flashing with excitement and a love for chaos.
"Well said! Roger, you're fucking right! If this kid really turns the World Government upside down in the future!
Then today, I, Rocks, have to protect him no matter what!"
As he spoke, Rocks stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Roger.
His cold, oppressive gaze swept toward Saint Saturn and the God's Knights, his voice carrying undisguised malice and anticipation:
"I'm really, really looking forward to seeing you high-and-mighty bastards in the future, getting utterly humiliated and disgraced by this kid!
That would be way more fun than plundering any treasure!"
The enemy of my enemy is my friend—Rocks understood this principle perfectly.
Since Dragon had the potential to make even the highest echelons of the World Government wary, he absolutely could not allow this future "troublemaker" to be snuffed out prematurely by these World Nobles!
Protecting Dragon meant planting a future bomb in the World Government—this kind of "investment" was something Rocks was more than happy to make!
"Hey! Ship doctor! Anyone else who knows medicine?! Get over here quick! This kid's wound looks like it opened up again—he's bleeding!"
Rocks stopped the provocation. He crouched down, frowned at the fresh blood seeping from Dragon's abdomen, and shouted loudly toward his own pirate crew and the surrounding pirates.
Although his motive for protecting Dragon included giving the World Government a headache, he also didn't want to watch this future revolutionary spark bleed out and die right in front of him.
Soon, several members of the Rocks Pirates who knew first aid gathered over and began emergency treatment for Dragon.
Seeing Dragon now "protected" by the combined forces of Roger and Rocks—two top-tier pirates—Zephyr's tightly wound nerves finally relaxed a little, and he let out a long breath.
Although Roger and Rocks were undeniably "villains" and "bastards," at this moment, having these two overwhelmingly powerful figures—who openly opposed the World Government—guarding him!
Dragon's life was undoubtedly secured to the greatest possible extent.
At the very least, it was now nearly impossible for Saint Saturn and the God's Knights to bypass Roger and Rocks and make a move on Dragon in plain sight.
Garp also silently walked to the edge of the pirate camp without fully entering. From a distance, he looked complexly at his son being treated, then at Roger over there—hands on hips, face full of "I just pulled off something big" smugness…
In the end, Garp said nothing. He simply sat down on the ground like a guardian deity at the gate, positioning himself right on the invisible boundary line between the pirate camp and the Marine/Celestial Dragon camp.
His posture made it clear: If you want to touch my son, you'll have to get past me first—and now… perhaps you'll also have to get past Roger and Rocks.
The situation in God Valley became even more delicate because of Roger's sudden "third robbery."
The World Government's killing intent was temporarily blocked, while the spark of the future revolution was allowed to continue under the protection of the two most unlikely "villains."
...