...
On the light screen, Rocks' body was undergoing a hair-raising transformation.
Beneath his skin, it looked as though countless venomous snakes were writhing and bulging; his bones emitted a teeth-grinding "crackling" sound.
Most horrifying was his face—his lips tore apart to the sides, revealing everted, dagger-sharp stark-white fangs.
His nasal bridge twisted and deformed, protruding forward like a beast's…
The once arrogant and sharp eyes now had vertical pupils, the whites streaked with scarlet blood vessels, radiating chaotic and ferocious light.
How could this still be called human?
This was clearly a demon wearing human skin!
"Rocks in this state…"
Garp's brow, which hadn't relaxed since earlier, now furrowed even deeper into a knot: "This is exactly the same as when his loved ones turned into monsters before! Could it be!"
As Garp spoke, he whipped his head around and stared fixedly at the Five Elders—especially Saint Saturn: "These monsters aren't just strong and quick to recover—they can even convert living people into this kind of abomination?!"
The words landed like a basin of cold water poured into a pot of boiling oil.
Whoosh!!!
Whether in the Marine camp or the pirate camp!
Almost everyone—including some members of the Rocks Pirates, and even a few Celestial Dragons—involuntarily took several steps back, creating a clear distance from where the Five Elders stood.
Countless gazes filled with shock, wariness, and even outright fear stabbed toward the Five Elders like needles.
They weren't afraid of powerful enemies or brutal wars, but this method of twisting humans into monsters, stripping away their will, and turning them into puppets…
This had clearly crossed into the most fundamental taboo of life!
"What the hell is this thing?!"
Giant Dorry wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had lived many years, experienced countless wars, and witnessed all kinds of cruelty…
But this… had already surpassed the scope of "cruelty." It felt more like some kind of sorcery that blasphemed life itself.
"Don't talk like you're the only one—who's ever encountered something this sinister?"
Brogy, too, could no longer laugh. The giant's face, usually always bearing a bold grin, now held only gravity and lingering dread: "This world… really is 'interesting' enough to make your scalp tingle."
The Giant King Harald remained silent the entire time. His gaze lingered for a long while on the figure in the light screen—Rocks, pierced by black tentacles and undergoing mutation…
Then he slowly shifted his eyes to the real Rocks in front of him, his expression complex and unreadable.
In the light screen scene, even though his body was pierced by black tentacles, fangs everted and face twisted into something hideous, in Rocks' eyes:
The will that belonged to a "human" had still not been completely extinguished.
He was struggling.
Rocks was using his Haki—using that terrifyingly tenacious will—to engage in a desperate life-or-death battle against the "power of domination" flooding into his body!
Dark-red Conqueror's Haki erupted from within him like boiling magma, clashing fiercely with the black corrosive force…
With every collision, Rocks' body shuddered violently, yet the fire of defiance continued to burn in his eyes.
"Stubborn, aren't you…"
For the first time, a trace of perceptible "surprise" appeared in Imu's hollow voice, as though observing some intriguing experimental phenomenon.
"Don't… underestimate… humans… you… monster!!!"
Rocks forced the hoarse roar through gritted teeth, each word flecked with bloody foam.
With all his strength, he raised his head. Those already beast-like vertical pupils locked dead onto Imu right in front of him.
In a fleeting moment, those spiral pupils seemed to tremble ever so slightly.
Imu "watched" Rocks' desperate resistance, and it appeared to stir some long-sealed fragment of memory… from ancient times.
After staring at Imu for a long while, Rocks suddenly laughed.
That laugh was mixed with pain, madness, and an almost provocative mockery: "Davy D. Jones…"
The name exploded across the silent battlefield like a thunderclap!
"That was once… the name of the 'King of the World'!!!"
"Nonsense!!!"
Imu's ever-hollow and icy voice suddenly rose sharply in this moment—even carrying a clearly perceptible burst of rage!
It was the violent reaction of someone whose sore spot had been struck, whose scar had been ripped open!
Everyone outside the light screen in God Valley, and all the viewers watching, heard it crystal clear.
The emotion contained in that "Nonsense" was far more intense than anything Imu had said before.
"You…"
Imu's voice trembled slightly from anger: "You… have never been a king—not even for a single second!"
"The grudge between me and Davy… has nothing to do with you!!!"
Before the words finished, the black tentacles piercing Rocks' body suddenly swelled!
A far stronger, thicker, colder "corrosive will" surged in violently!
"Urrraaahhh!!!"
Rocks let out another blood-curdling scream. His body convulsed wildly, the signs of demonization intensifying further…
"Rocks!!!" Whitebeard, Roger, and Garp roared in unison and launched attacks once more!
"Tremor!!!"
"Divine Departure!!!"
"Galaxy · Impact!"
The three attacks struck the monster's torso almost simultaneously, blasting open another massive gash!
But it was useless.
The flesh at the wound writhed madly again, regenerating—even faster than before!
Physical attacks—ineffective!
"Then… what exactly are you afraid of!!!"
Amid the excruciating pain and corrosion, Rocks roared hoarsely, his voice nearly tearing his throat: "It's just… the mere name of Davy!!!"
He jerked his head around. His gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, locking onto the figure deep in the forest—the one desperately fleeing while clutching the infant… Eris and Teach.
"You've always been afraid… always terrified, haven't you…"
Rocks' voice suddenly dropped low, yet carried a soul-piercing sharpness: "Afraid that Davy's will… would be inherited!!!"
"Afraid that the 'promise'… would be fulfilled!!!"
Imu fell silent.
The monster ceased its attacks; even the writhing flesh seemed to freeze for an instant.
The entire battlefield plunged into an eerie, unnatural stillness.
Only Rocks' ragged breathing and the sticky sounds of the black tentacles squirming could be heard.
As if something had occurred to him, Rocks split open his fang-filled mouth into a smile that was utterly mad—and utterly mocking.
With the last of his strength, he enunciated word by word the forbidden name that haunted Imu's dreams and had terrified the entire World Government for a century!
"Which one are you more afraid of?"
"Is it Davy D. Jones…"
"Or—"
"Joy Boy!!!!"
...