...
After dealing with the God's Knights, Rocks did not pursue Eris as she fled while holding the infant.
His gaze locked dead on the surging darkness in the distance. There, a massive shadow exuding an ancient and ominous aura was slowly rising.
His heart sank.
Rocks could clearly sense that the thing's level of danger far surpassed anyone present—even possibly exceeding the scope of human comprehension.
Without hesitation, he turned and charged toward the core of that darkness.
Just as he burst out of the ruins, a towering figure stepped out from the dust on the flank and advanced shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
"You're coming to help me?"
Seeing who it was, Rocks's lips curved into a grin as he asked without turning his head: "There's no reward in this, you know—no good food either."
"You need not concern yourself with that…"
Whitebeard Edward Newgate gripped the Supreme Grade Sword "Murakumogiri," his steps steady and powerful, eyes sharp as an eagle's.
"After all, I've been mooching your booze this whole time…"
Whitebeard's words and stance already gave his answer: no matter what lay ahead, he was willing to face it alongside Rocks!
"Hey!!! You two, look over here! I got powers too now! This feels so damn good!!!"
A booming, boyishly excited roar came from the sky.
Kaido in his azure dragon form rolled and coiled through the clouds, his enormous dragon body nearly blotting out half the sky.
The Azure Dragon Fruit he had just acquired granted him near-limitless stamina and heaven-rending, earth-destroying power. Right now, he was reveling in unleashing it.
"Well done! You must be thrilled right now?! Hahahahaha!"
Rocks threw his head back and laughed. There was no jealousy in that laugh—only pure gratification at Kaido's growth.
Kaido spiraled downward, his massive dragon head hovering to Rocks's left, scorching-hot steam blasting from his nostrils and burning the air.
Whitebeard stood to the right, both hands gripping Murakumogiri, body tensed and ready to engage the monster before them at any moment!
In front of the light screen, the onlookers in God Valley felt a strange sense of déjà vu at the sight.
"This positioning…"
Scopper Gaban pushed up his glasses and smiled at Rocks.
It was almost identical to the stance the three of them had taken when confronting the Five Elders earlier.
Rayleigh nodded: "Only the enemy has changed."
Yes—the enemy had changed.
From the Five Elders, who represented the highest authority of the World Government, to something… far older, far stranger.
Perhaps history always has parallels, many similarities, just expressed differently and developing in alternate ways…
"Though I hate to kill the mood…"
Whitebeard looked up at the increasingly clear massive shadow in the distance, brows tightly furrowed: "But can I ask—what the hell is that thing?"
His question echoed everyone's.
The thing was "crawling" out from the central area of God Valley. The first things to come into view were several thick lower limbs like palace pillars, covered in black scales and twisted runes.
That form was exactly the same as the lower body of Saint Saturn's "Gyūki form" from earlier.
But when its upper body fully emerged, everyone sucked in a cold breath.
This was not the "Gyūki" from before at all—nor was it any known living creature!
Its torso twisted grotesquely, like a malformed creation.
Most horrifying of all was its "head"… if that could even be called a head.
"What… what the hell is that thing?!"
At the God Valley scene, a young Marine screamed in terror and collapsed to the ground, legs giving out.
Not just in God Valley—across every island and kingdom covered by the light screen, countless civilians screamed in horror the instant they saw the monster.
Children burst into tears, women covered their eyes, even some timid men turned deathly pale and trembled uncontrollably.
Some even rolled their eyes back and fainted outright.
"What is this thing?! That voice… is this monster what Saint Saturn turned into?!"
Cold sweat beaded on Scopper Gaban's forehead. His eyes behind his glasses were gravely serious: "The Five Elders… actually have this kind of trump card?!"
If that were true, their entire assessment of the World Government's combat power would have to be completely overturned!
Almost every powerhouse's gaze locked onto the Five Elders' position—especially Saint Saturn himself.
Saint Saturn's face could no longer be described as merely "ugly."
It was a complex mix of rage, terror, and a deeper, more profound unease.
His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to explain something but couldn't find the words.
Golden Lion Shiki's originally wild and unrestrained expression also restrained.
He narrowed his eyes, staring at the monster on the screen, then at Saint Saturn. The wariness and caution in his gaze reached an unprecedented peak.
"Interesting…"
Outside the light screen, Rocks murmured softly, but the corners of his mouth curved into a dangerous smile: "Looks like these guys are hiding even deeper than I thought."
At that moment, an even more hair-raising scene appeared in the light.
Atop the massive monster's head—above the constantly writhing mass of flesh—there actually "stood" a blurry human silhouette!
Due to distance and lighting, its exact appearance couldn't be made out—only that it was a thin, slender figure.
He (or she? or it?) seemed to have feet connected to the monster's fleshy tendrils, like a parasite—or a puppeteer pulling strings.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each step made the earth quake and sent rocks flying.
Its target was not Rocks and the other two, nor any specific faction—it was the entire battlefield!
"ROAR!!!"
The three left-side limbs thrust out violently, instantly piercing through a dozen Marines and pirates locked in combat!
Those impaled didn't even have time to scream before their lives were mercilessly taken…
The five right-side tentacles swept like giant whips. Wherever they passed—trees or humans alike—were coated in viscous, corrosive slime that sizzled and rapidly dissolved flesh.
"Ah!!! My body!!!"
"Save, save me!!"
…
Indiscriminate slaughter spread madly across the God Valley battlefield.
"Saint Saturn-sama?! Is that Saint Saturn-sama?! Why is he attacking us?!"
A Marine officer recognized Saint Saturn and screamed in utter horror.
But the only reply was another deadly thrust!
Marines, pirates, even some slaves who hadn't escaped in time… before this suddenly descended monster, all became prey to be hunted.
It distinguished neither friend nor foe, neither side nor stance—it simply executed the order to "erase."
At the God Valley scene, dead silence fell.
Everyone was so shocked by the hellish sight on the light screen that they couldn't speak.
This had gone beyond the scope of war—it was unilateral… extermination.
"This…"
Sengoku opened his mouth but found himself unable to produce sound.
As a Marine, he had experienced countless brutal battles and witnessed every kind of cruelty.
But what this monster was doing went even further…
All eyes turned toward the Five Elders like tangible swords.
Veins throbbed on Saint Nusjuro's forehead. Saint Topman Warcury met them with cold eyes. Saint Shepherd Ju Peter and Saint Marcus Mars exchanged uneasy glances.
And Saint Saturn himself stared at the "self" on the screen.
He could not explain.
He could not explain.
Because the monster on the screen, the monster believed to be its "core," and the figure standing atop the monster represented…
one of the World Government's deepest, darkest, most untouchable secrets.
...