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In the instant the terrifying pressure from the Five Elders' inhuman forms swept across the entire field, the battlefield—previously locked in fierce combat—suddenly fell into an eerie stagnation.
Whitebeard Newgate, just about to shatter the armor of several God's Knights members ahead of him, was drawn in by this aura.
The countless giant boulders and wrecked ships floating in midair under Golden Lion Shiki's control froze as though gripped by an invisible hand.
Rayleigh's sword tip halted three inches from his opponent's throat; Scopper Gaban's twin axes stiffened in the air…
Everyone's eyes and attention were irresistibly drawn to those four newly arrived figures, as though they had stepped straight out of mythical hell.
This wasn't fear, but the instinctive shock and wariness that the strong feel when confronted with beings of a far higher order.
"Tch…"
Whitebeard let out a cold snort. His massive body moved with surprising agility as he leaped backward, almost simultaneously with Rayleigh, Gaban, and the others. In perfect tacit understanding, they converged beside Roger and Rocks, forming a loose yet unbreakable frontline of top-tier powerhouses.
They might be rivals or enemies to one another, but when facing these "Five Elders"—beings that surpassed common sense and embodied the deepest darkness of the World Government—
An unspoken, temporary alliance had quietly formed in the air.
Whitebeard and the azure dragon-transformed Kaido stood to Rocks' left and right, while Rayleigh and Gaban flanked Roger protectively.
"Hey, hey, hey—this joke's gone way too far!"
Scopper Gaban slung his twin axes over his shoulders, staring dumbfounded at the true forms of these monsters.
His eyes widened as he scanned them one by one: Saint Saturn (Ox Demon), Saint Mars (Itsumade), Saint Warcury (Houki), Saint Nusjuro (skeletal horse), Saint Shepherd Ju Peter (sandworm)…
These grotesque and bizarre beastly forms made even this seasoned pirate feel his scalp tingle.
"I've seen my share of rare and exotic beasts, but ones that look like this… this is a first! Are these really the highest authority in the world?"
"Gulalala… Who cares what they are!"
Whitebeard slammed Murakumogiri heavily into the ground with one hand; cracks spread outward. His lion-like eyes locked onto the Five Elders—especially the four who had just arrived—his battle intent blazing like wildfire.
"But this hair-raising malice and danger? That's real enough!"
"Hey! Who cares if they're monsters!"
High in the sky, the azure dragon that was Kaido let out a deafening roar, his serpentine body coiling and stirring the clouds.
There was no trace of fear in his eyes—only near-maniacal excitement: "Perfect timing! I've only just gotten this power, and I was worried I wouldn't find anyone worthy enough to test my claws on!
The World Government's supreme authority? Today I'll rip off that mask and see whether gods or demons are hiding underneath!"
Even so, deep in Kaido's dragon pupils, the fleeting shock he felt upon first glimpsing the Five Elders' true forms could not be completely hidden.
Rocks planted one foot on a half-shattered stone pillar beside him. His stance, together with Whitebeard on the ground and Kaido in midair, subtly formed a triangular formation.
Iconic scene!
Rocks' gaze sliced like the sharpest razor across the five ominous "monsters," then swept over the God's Knights standing ready, their auras growing ever more condensed.
Finally, the corner of his mouth curled into his signature grin—a blend of wild arrogance and boundless ambition.
"These people…"
Rocks let out a sneer. His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a strange penetrative power that echoed across the suddenly silent battlefield.
"They sit atop the clouds, seemingly holding all authority, looking glamorous and radiant…"
As he spoke, Rocks' finger pointed imaginatively at each of the Five Elders in turn: "But in the end, they're just higher-level 'watchdogs.'
Behind their filthy thrones, the one truly perched at the pinnacle of the Red Line, sucking the marrow from the entire world…"
"Shut your mouth!!!"
Before Rocks could finish his near-blasphemous revelation, Saint Mars in his Itsumade form erupted in fury!
The sharp beak opened—not to emit sound, but to instantly condense an ultra-compressed, blinding white ball of terrifying flame inside!
That fireball radiated not ordinary heat, but an aura capable of scorching souls and incinerating rules themselves!
Without any warning, the fireball tore through the air along a path of destruction, hurtling straight toward Rocks!
This strike was fast, ruthless, and merciless! It proved that the Five Elders possessed not only overwhelming presence—their power was equally horrifying!
"Hmph! (ò_óˇ)ᕤ"
At that critical moment, a mountain-like burly figure stepped sideways, positioning himself in front of Rocks.
It was Whitebeard Newgate!
He didn't even draw Murakumogiri. His right arm's muscles bulged, fist clenched, and a pale white glow instantly enveloped it.
With a deep shout, Whitebeard swung his right fist fiercely toward the incoming incandescent white fireball!
"Crack!!!"
The sound of impact didn't come first—instead, the atmosphere shattered like glass!
Centered on Whitebeard's fist, the air ahead fractured into a dense, visible spiderweb of cracks!
In the next instant, an indescribable shockwave, carrying tangible vibrational force, erupted outward!
The incandescent white fireball, in the face of this unreasonable, top-tier vibrational power, was like a fragile bubble slamming into an invisible barrier!
Before the attack could even fully reach Whitebeard's fist, the spreading shockwave ripples forcibly compressed and distorted it…
Until finally—"Bang!"—it exploded in midair into countless scattering, rapidly vanishing sparks!
Yet the aftermath of Whitebeard's punch went far beyond that!
"BOOM!!!"
A terrifying shockwave blast expanded outward in a hemispherical pattern!
The first to bear the brunt was the large stretch of ground in front of Whitebeard. The already ravaged rock layers were violently plowed away by an invisible giant blade, instantly collapsing, pulverizing, and flipping over!
Wherever the blast passed, anyone nearby—whether Marine soldiers or pirates under Rocks and Roger—whose strength was even slightly inferior was helplessly hurled away like leaves in a gale, unable to react or resist!
Sengoku's expression changed dramatically as he saw soldiers being swept away.
He activated his Human-Human Fruit, Model: Daibutsu form. Golden Buddhist light surged violently, instantly enveloping and protecting the Marines…
Other powerhouses also displayed their abilities—some slashing the blast apart with swords, others enduring it with sheer physical toughness.
But at the battlefield's edges, it was already a scene of utter chaos!
Merely the residual wave from one attack and its interception was this horrifying!
As the dust settled slightly, Whitebeard stood firm in place. He slowly lowered his right fist; at some point, Murakumogiri had returned to his left hand.
"Hey, Newgate—you went way overboard! I almost got blown away!"
Golden Lion Shiki complained from the sky. If he had been just a fraction slower, that violent blast might really have swept him away.
"What strange creatures… today's been one strange day!"
Captain John, Ganju, and Silver Axe stood behind Rocks, eyeing the monsters opposite and the Marine camp. Though they disliked each other, internal strife clearly wasn't the priority now.
"Looks like they're really scared of you saying that name!"
Kaido's gaze fell on Saint Mars (Itsumade) in the sky, whose eyes had grown even colder after his attack was blocked, and on the other four Elders whose auras were now rising in unison.
The Five Elders had fully descended!
This meant the World Government was determined to erase every "destabilizing element" in God Valley—along with the island itself—at any cost.
And Roger, Rocks, and the others had absolutely no intention of sitting idly by.
Kaido's dragon roar shook the heavens as he broke the suffocating silence first: "Enough talk! If we're fighting, then fight!
I'll tear all you pretentious, god-pretending bastards to shreds!"
His azure dragon body coiled, scorching breath flames beginning to gather in his maw.
"Commence!"
Saint Saturn (Ox Demon) rasped hoarsely, issuing the final order. His massive body moved first, charging toward Roger and Rocks once more with crushing momentum!
At the same time, Saint Mars (Itsumade) flapped his wings and soared toward Kaido in the sky.
Saint Warcury (Houki) bared his tusks, transforming into a yellowish-brown violent hurricane that barreled toward Whitebeard and Gaban.
Saint Nusjuro (skeletal horse) assumed a horse-bodied, human-headed form; his Supreme Grade Blade "Shodai Kitetsu" emitted a shrill cry as its edge pointed straight at Rayleigh.
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter (sandworm)'s enormous segmented body eerily sank into the ground—no one knew what kind of attack was coming, but its threat enveloped the entire field!
The God's Knights members also roared in unison, each seeking out their opponents. The flames of war reignited at an even higher, more brutal level!
And this time, the aftermath of the battle would truly decide the fate of this island—and perhaps the future of the world…
Garp and Zephyr each punched away charging pirates. Garp growled to Sengoku beside him: "Sengoku! What do we do now?! Those five old monsters…"
His eyes were filled with unprecedented gravity.
Sengoku gazed at the battlefield now plunged into total chaos, its level elevated to an unbelievable degree. His golden-light-shrouded face was utterly solemn.
"At this point… priority is ensuring the survival of the Marine elites while looking for any opening! The Five Elders…"
He glanced at those five inhuman figures: "This battle is no longer just about suppressing pirates."
God Valley had fully transformed into the ultimate battlefield where gods and demons fall, and legends are born!
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