...
The runaway truth and the hidden fear
The Five Elders were as if roasted over an open flame…
They watched helplessly as the light screen uncontrollably played forbidden scenes, even broadcasting the mental communication between "that person" and Saint Saturn for all the world to hear.
Saint Nusjuro's hand repeatedly clenched and unclenched the hilt of the First Generation Kitetsu. Fine cold sweat beaded on Saint Topman Warcury's forehead. Saint Saturn himself had turned deathly pale…
They had tried to interfere, but it was all in vain.
Moreover, deep in their hearts, they harbored profound dread toward whatever lay behind the light screen. To so easily peer into and display everything—this power had already surpassed their realm of understanding.
In the light screen scene, Saint Saturn stood at the edge of the God Valley battlefield, reporting in a low voice to the void:
"Sir, although this 'extermination operation' has caused massive destruction and chaos, according to observations… it seems to be generating a special aura that will give birth to something new.
The entanglement of the threads of fate is intensifying. Certain originally dormant 'factors' are beginning to stir…"
"Absolutely not allowed!"
These three words echoed clearly across the world through the light screen.
Everyone watching pondered the meaning behind those four words as the scene returned to the God Valley battlefield hours earlier.
The sky had been dyed a bizarre dark red.
Kaido, in his azure dragon form, rolled through the clouds. Every tail swipe triggered hurricanes; every breath ignited forests and mountains.
This young pirate—who would one day be called the "Strongest Creature"—was now wantonly displaying the heaven-rending, earth-destroying power of the Azure Dragon Fruit he had just seized.
On the ground, Bartholomew Kuma carefully used his massive palms to "repel" injured slaves and unconscious civilians to safety zones.
Each gentle slap came with a soft "bang"; the victims' pain would temporarily vanish as their bodies floated lightly into the distance.
Ginny stood beside him, watching this taciturn giant extend help again and again. Tears streamed down her face: "Kuma... thank you..."
Ivankov darted across the battlefield like an agile conductor: "Left side! Three critically injured on the left! Right side! The Marines are trying to flank us!"
This super-scale melee—initiated by the Rocks Pirates, intervened in by the Marines and God's Knights, and dragged into by the Roger Pirates.
Three factions… no, counting the small pirate crews trying to protect themselves or fish in troubled waters, it was four, five, or even more sides
frantically slaughtering one another across the island.
Yet just as the chaos reached its peak…
An indescribable "presence"—so intense it made souls themselves tremble—errupted without warning from the very center of the island!
It was not Haki, not killing intent, nor any known form of energy.
It felt more like the proclamation of some "existence" itself—a "pressure" transcending the level of life.
Almost in the same instant, the top-tier powerhouses on the battlefield—Rocks D. Xebec, Monkey D. Garp, Gol D. Roger…
All of them halted.
The three turned their heads in unison toward the deepest part of God Valley.
Their expressions had never been more grave.
"Hey! Wait, something incredible is coming!"
A young member of the Roger Pirates was still panicking from clashing with Rocks Pirates elites, but Roger had no time to spare.
He gripped the hilt of his sword "Ace" so tightly that veins bulged on his arm—an instinctive bodily reaction to mortal danger.
"What… is that?"
Garp slowly clenched his iron fists. He could feel it…
The danger level of that thing surpassed even Rocks himself.
Rocks said nothing. He simply bared his teeth in a grin that mixed excitement and wariness.
Interesting.
Way too interesting.
This island still hid a "surprise" even he hadn't known about.
The scene abruptly switched to another battlefield on the opposite side of God Valley.
This place had already become a one-sided slaughterhouse.
Or perhaps "slaughter" wasn't accurate—because what lay fallen were not flesh-and-blood bodies, but an army of "demons" formed from dark energy.
Rocks stood amid the corpses, his black coat whipping wildly in the bloody wind.
The long sword in his hand dripped viscous black liquid—the residue left when these "demons" were sliced apart.
Not far in front of him, the entire God's Knights—including their commander, Figarland Garling—lay sprawled haphazardly on the ground.
They weren't dead yet.
But death wasn't far off.
Garling's ornate armor was shattered in large sections, exposing mangled, blood-soaked flesh beneath.
He tried to crawl up, but every exertion tore at his wounds. The agony forced him to writhe and tremble on the ground like an insect.
The God's Knights' vaunted self-regeneration had completely failed against Rocks's utterly unreasonable, overwhelming assault.
Every wound was infused with Rocks's signature destructive Haki, wriggling into the flesh like living things, blocking regeneration and amplifying pain.
"Damn it!"
Garling's throat rasped like a broken bellows. He lifted his head and glared at Rocks with bloodshot eyes: "You filthy, lowly pirate… how dare you…"
"How dare I?"
Rocks slowly advanced toward Garling, each step feeling like it stomped on the man's heart: "How dare I what? How dare I beat you self-proclaimed 'gods' into the dirt?"
He looked down at Garling, eyes blazing with fury: "Using my family as tools…"
Rocks's smile vanished, replaced by pure, bone-chilling killing intent: "Rather than let scum like you kill them, I'll send you all to hell first."
Garling's pupils contracted violently.
In this man's eyes, the so-called God's Knights, the so-called pinnacle strength of the Celestial Dragons, the so-called authority of the World Nobles… were nothing more than insects he could crush at will.
"You… just who…" Garling's voice began to tremble.
Rocks stood tall, looking down at him from above: "I'm Rocks. The one who's going to drag you parasites down from your 'divine thrones' and grind you into the mud…"
"…a pirate."
At the God Valley scene, reactions to this moment varied wildly.
"Hahahahaha!"
Golden Lion Shiki slapped his thigh and roared with laughter: "Rocks! You're too damn ruthless—going straight for the heart! But that's exactly why I like you! So bold! So vicious! Hahahahaha!"
His laughter held no jealousy—only pure admiration and respect for the strong.
Shiki knew full well: without this overwhelming strength and audacity, no one would follow Rocks!
The Marine side fell deathly silent. Garp crossed his arms, expression complicated.
Sengoku furrowed his brows tightly. Tsuru's gaze deepened.
The overwhelming power Rocks displayed weighed heavily on their hearts.
How could they possibly deal with an enemy like this in the future?
Meanwhile, some lower-ranking pirates—or those already resentful of the Celestial Dragons—openly mocked without restraint: "Hey hey! That so-called 'opportunist king'! Weren't you acting all high and mighty earlier? How come you're lying on the ground now?"
"Scum! You're not even fit to be called scum!"
"Trash like this dares call themselves 'gods'? Pfft!"
…
Insults and jeers rose one after another.
Marine officers secretly felt a thrill of satisfaction but outwardly had to maintain discipline, barking at soldiers to stay quiet.
Yet the glints in their eyes betrayed their true thoughts.
Garling…
The real Garling, in the present, cycled through shades of green and white across his face.
Though the one being beaten down on the screen was his "future" self, the humiliation was shared.
What enraged him even more was that these "lowly vermin" dared mock him openly!
He clenched his fists. Shame, rage… emotions roiled in his chest, nearly driving him mad.
But his last shred of clarity warned him: acting out now would only make the situation uglier.
He could only grit his teeth, swallow the humiliation, and etch it deep in his heart.
Meanwhile, Rocks stood with arms crossed, expressionless as he watched the "future self" on the screen crushing the God's Knights.
His gaze was calm—neither smug nor excited—as if this were simply the natural outcome.
Until, in the scene, a massive shadow—like an ancient reptilian creature—slowly rose from the very center of God Valley…
Rocks's pupils contracted slightly.
...