...
The battle between the Gyūki monster controlled by Imu and Rocks fully erupted.
It had already surpassed the conventional meaning of "fierce combat."
Every clash caused the earth to shake and mountains to tremble; every energy impact tore through space.
Blade aura intertwined with dark-green venom in midair; ancient power and destructive Haki mutually annihilated each other.
Though the ordinary pirates around them were filled with hot-blooded eagerness to join the fight, merely approaching within a hundred meters of the battlefield sent them spitting blood and flying backward from the scattered energy aftershocks.
Even the slightly stronger pirates could only barely protect themselves and had no way to interfere in a confrontation of this level.
The Marines, meanwhile, fell into a state of chaotic indecision.
"Should we provide support? Support whom?"
A pale-faced major officer asked his superior.
Behind him, Marine soldiers held their guns and cannons, yet stood bewildered and directionless.
Their gun barrels pointed sometimes toward Rocks, sometimes toward the monster, and sometimes hung limply downward.
"Support Saint Saturn-sama?"
Another commodore hesitated: "But that monster just attacked our own people too…"
"Support Rocks? Are you kidding?! He's a pirate! The Navy's greatest enemy!" an aggressive officer roared.
"But… that monster doesn't look like 'justice' at all…"
A young soldier muttered under his breath.
This was the shared confusion in every Marine's heart.
On one side was the ferocious pirate overlord; on the other was a "highest authority of the world" who had transformed into a monster and was slaughtering indiscriminately.
Both sides were enemies; both sides represented an "evil" they could not comprehend.
Help whom?
Who should they help?
"Rear Admiral! What the hell are we supposed to do?!"
The soldiers anxiously looked toward their highest-ranking commander. The questioned rear admiral's lips moved slightly, but no order came out.
His gaze darted back and forth across the battlefield; cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
This decision could affect the rest of his life—even the entire Navy's stance.
If he helped Rocks and the Five Elders found out, his life was surely forfeit.
But if he helped the Five Elders… his life might end right here and now…
In the midst of this deadlock, a rough voice exploded like thunder: "Get out of the way!!!"
Garp charged into the battlefield from the flank like a rampaging beast.
Black Armament Haki coiled around both fists; every step shattered the ground, sending dust and debris flying in his wake.
The Marine soldiers' spirits lifted—Vice Admiral Garp had arrived!
He would surely make the right choice!
However, when they saw the expression on Garp's face, an ominous premonition rose in their hearts.
Garp showed no anger, no urgency, not even the seriousness one should have when facing an "enemy."
He was smiling.
It was a wild, battle-hungry smile mixed with cold killing intent and a certain near-"excitement."
"This isn't a fight you can get involved in!"
Garp roared without looking back: "Everyone fall back! Secure the perimeter! Don't let any more civilians get close!"
"But Vice Admiral Garp! You're going to support—"
The rear admiral's words cut off abruptly.
Because he saw that Garp's charge was not directed toward Rocks.
It was toward the Five Elders!
"V-Vice Admiral Garp… he isn't going to attack the Five Elders at the same time, is he?!" a lieutenant cried out in shock.
The mere thought made every Marine suck in a cold breath.
At the same time, on another side of the God Valley battlefield, the area had completely devolved into a Shura field of greed and betrayal.
The remaining members of the Roger Pirates and Rocks Pirates were frantically looting the treasure left behind by the Celestial Dragons. Golden jewels, ancient artworks, treasure chests containing Devil Fruits…
These items, normally rare and priceless, now lay scattered on the ground like trash, fought over, snatched, and stuffed into burlap sacks by the pirates.
Some Marines tried to stop them, but what greeted them was the pirates' ferocious counterattacks and mocking laughter.
"Whoever grabs it first owns it!"
"Get lost! Don't get in the way of me getting rich!"
…
Gunshots, clashing swords, curses, and screams blended together.
Though the Marines were well-trained, facing the elites of two pirate crews—plus the exhaustion from earlier fighting—they simply could not withstand this torrent of greed.
At the edge of the battlefield, a man draped in a cloak and holding a wine bottle coldly watched it all.
Captain John.
One of the core members of the Rocks Pirates. Right now, he drained the last of his fine wine and smashed the empty bottle hard against the ground.
"Too damn noisy…"
He wiped his mouth and watched as the pirates gathered mountains of treasure at the designated spot. A frenzied, greedy smile curled across his lips: "Transport preparations… are they ready?"
In his eyes reflected the glittering hoard, the "comrades" desperately fighting over treasure—and also… the distant back of Rocks locked in battle with the monster.
"Farewell… Rocks Pirates."
Captain John murmured to himself and slowly raised his right hand.
A strange metallic sheen appeared on his palm; the surrounding air began to distort faintly.
"Metal is reacting…"
Scopper Gaban suddenly frowned and looked down at the axe in his hand. The alloy-forged weapon was now trembling slightly, as if pulled by some invisible force.
The next second, Captain John's hand clenched violently!
"Violent Redemption: Magnetic Grip!!!"
"Come to me… all you treasures—!!!"
BOOM!!!
With Captain John at the center, a violent magnetic force covering the entire area erupted!
All metal objects—gold coins, metal fittings on jewelry, weapons, even the metal buttons on the pirates' clothes…
Everything was forcibly yanked upward by the terrifying magnetism, as if seized by an invisible giant hand and hurtling wildly toward Captain John!
"What?!"
"My sword!"
"My treasure! My treasure!"
…
Shouts of alarm and curses rang out in waves.
The pirates watched helplessly as the treasure they had just grabbed flew from their hands; when they tried to hold on, they were dragged along by the magnetism.
Even more shockingly, this magnetic force reached far…
Monkey D. Dragon, who was carrying Shanks and attempting to evacuate, suddenly felt his body lighten. His entire person was uncontrollably pulled toward the magnetic center!
He struggled desperately to stabilize himself, but the force was too strong—even he couldn't easily break free…
"Damn it!" Dragon's face changed dramatically. He clutched the infant tightly to his chest.
Shanks's fate, in this moment, took an unexpected turn.
"Get out of my way! Do whatever the hell you want!"
Roger's voice rang out like a stabilizing anchor.
He stood in place, bursting with astonishing Haki that forcibly canceled the magnetism acting on him.
But he did not intervene. His gaze remained locked on the distant battlefield where Rocks fought the monster.
That was the "adventure" he cared about.
"Damn you, John!!!"
A furious roar came from the side.
Ganju—another core member of the Rocks Pirates, wielder of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit!
Seeing John's arrogant demeanor, he viciously picked his nose, then flicked that "secret weapon" toward John! "Heavenly Snake Red Cannon!!!"
Whoosh—!!!
The unremarkable "booger" rapidly expanded and deformed in midair, turning into a crimson energy serpent. With its mouth full of sharp teeth wide open, it instantly swallowed Captain John's figure!
BOOM!!!
A heaven-shaking explosion!
Flames and smoke engulfed the area; the shockwave sent nearby pirates and Marines flying.
The magnetism came to an abrupt halt.
The treasure, weapons, and even Dragon and Shanks soaring through the air all lost their pull and rained down toward the ground!
"Cough!"
Dragon twisted his body midair, turning his back toward the ground and shielding Shanks tightly against his chest.
BANG!!!
He crashed heavily into the earth, sending dust flying.
"Hey!!! Ganju! Why the hell did you attack John?!"
Golden Lion Shiki's furious roar echoed across the battlefield.
He had been suppressing the Marines from the air; seeing this sudden turn of events, he was both shocked and enraged.
Ganju, however, planted his hands on his hips with righteous indignation: "John that bastard wanted to hog all the treasure and run!
I heard him clear as day—he said 'Farewell, Rocks Pirates'! And besides…"
He pointed at the scattered treasure still glittering temptingly on the ground: "That treasure chest alone has stuff worth over a billion berries each! He wanted to take it all for himself! In his dreams!"
"Ten… ten billion?!" Shiki's eyes widened instantly.
Even for a pirate of his caliber, ten billion berries was an astronomical figure.
Let alone items worth "over ten billion each"…
Greed flickered through Shiki's eyes.
But the next second, Ganju's "bomb" came hurtling toward him!
"Ganju! You—!!!"
In this chaotic hell, Golden Lion Shiki—the future legendary sky pirate—was experiencing, for the first time, what it felt like to be backstabbed by a "comrade."
Outside the light screen, at the God Valley scene.
"Damn it!!!"
Golden Lion Shiki's roar nearly shattered the sky.
He floated in midair; his golden mane stood on end from sheer fury. Broken rocks, shattered weapons, and even small ship wreckage around him began slowly levitating due to his fruit's power.
"Do you people have no sense of camaraderie at all?!!!"
Shiki's voice was filled with the violent rage of betrayal.
Though he knew the Rocks Pirates had gathered out of mutual interest and ambition—each person with their own agenda…
At the very least, they had drunk together, fought together, faced powerful enemies together.
That counted as a kind of "comradeship," right?
But John and Ganju's actions had completely torn away that fragile pretense.
"Hey hey…"
In reality, Ganju hurriedly waved his hands, trying to "explain": "There's no such thing as that much camaraderie among pirates! We followed Captain Rocks each for our own reasons!"
He glanced nervously at the expressionless Rocks beside him, shrank his neck, and lowered his voice: "Besides… John was the one who betrayed first!
He wanted to hog the treasure and run! I was just… uh… stopping him!"
Ganju tried to shift the blame onto Captain John, who was now slumped nearby, snoring loudly in a drunken stupor.
The top-tier Celestial Dragon wine had put John into a deep, coma-like sleep; even if the sky fell, he wouldn't wake up.
Rocks stood with arms crossed, coldly watching the chaotic infighting on the screen, then looking at these "future" subordinates who would betray him in reality…
The corners of his mouth curled into an icy arc.
He said nothing.
But that look said everything.
...