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In front of the invisible "barrier" jointly constructed by the three top powerhouses—Roger, Rocks, and Harald—Saint Jaygarcia Saturn ultimately had no choice but to swallow his overflowing killing intent and fear back down!
His face ashen, he retreated into the ranks of the Five Elders. That stifled yet helpless expression brought secret satisfaction to quite a few pirates.
Seeing this, Roger curled his lips into a victor's smile before shifting his attention back to the legend that had him itching with curiosity. "Alright, alright, the annoying fly is gone."
Rubbing his hands together, Roger looked at Kuma with shining eyes: "Kid, keep going? What other interesting stories are there about the Warrior of Liberation, Nika?"
Freed from the oppressive malice of Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's gaze, some color returned to Kuma's face.
He took a deep breath and recounted as completely as possible the fragmented pieces about Nika that he had heard from his father.
The legend of a hearty laugh that could dispel "gloom," the battles accompanied by wondrous drumbeats, the mission to bring hope and laughter to the oppressed…
As Kuma spoke, the atmosphere grew increasingly strange.
The fish-man warrior Barbel from the Rocks Pirates and the mermaid Sunbell from the Roger Pirates—two usually taciturn figures—couldn't help but speak up.
"We merfolk have similar legends as well…"
Barbel's voice was low: "Though the details have blurred over time, the elders would speak of fragments about the 'Pure White Warrior'…"
Sunbell nodded and added: "In the legend, the Pure White Warrior is supposed to lead the entire Fish-Man race out from the depths of the sea to the surface, so they can live under the sunlight like other races…"
Kuma's Buccaneer Tribe legend, the Sun God faith of the giants represented by Dorry and Brogy, the merfolk stories mentioned by Barbel and Sunbell…
The clues were beginning to converge.
Roger stroked his chin, excitement flashing in his eyes: "So that's how it is… This so-called 'Warrior of Liberation,' 'Sun God,' 'Pure White Warrior'… isn't just the fanciful imagination of a single race!
It's a shared memory… passed down among multiple ancient races and special bloodlines!"
This realization shocked everyone. An existence capable of transcending racial barriers and leaving similar legends across different civilizations!
Its authenticity and influence were probably far beyond what they had previously imagined.
At that moment, Harald spoke in a deep voice, drawing everyone's thoughts toward a more concrete focus: "Speaking of the 'Pure White Warrior'… does everyone still remember the final form that straw hat kid displayed in the light screen earlier?"
The crowd was stunned for a moment, then recalled the fleeting glimpse of the white figure at the end of the "Red-Haired Songstress" segment—when Luffy and Shanks teamed up to defeat Totemjika.
"I felt it back then… that silhouette strongly resembled the outline of our giants' legendary Sun God Nika…"
Harald's gaze grew profound: "Though it was only a vague back view at the time, impossible to confirm."
"Hey! That's right!" Roger slapped his thigh, his eyes even brighter: "Garp's grandson! That Straw Hat Luffy! Didn't he transform into exactly that?!
Pure white all over, hair fluttering like flames… Not a bouncy man, not a snake man! A completely new form!"
This connection instantly heated up the atmosphere on the scene.
But just then, a calm and delicate female voice cut in—like pouring a basin of ice water onto red-hot iron!
"Um… actually, I have a question."
Shakky stepped out from beside Rayleigh, cradling Shamrock in her arms, her face carrying an inquisitive expression as her gaze swept over all the powerhouses present.
"Garp's grandson, that Monkey D. Luffy—I remember he always claimed his ability is the 'Rubber Fruit,' right? In battle he keeps shouting 'Gomu Gomu no.'
Shakky paused, then threw out a sharp question: "But… can Paramecia-type Devil Fruits freely transform their own body form the way Zoan-types do?"
The moment those words landed, the entire place fell silent.
Indeed! Among the three main categories of Devil Fruits—
Zoan-types are renowned for form changes (human form, beast form, hybrid form) and enhanced physical attributes.
Logia-types are characterized by elemental transformation and manipulation of natural forces.
Paramecia-types grant all sorts of bizarre special abilities, but very rarely involve fundamental changes to the body's physical form!
Luffy's Gear Second accelerates blood flow, Gear Third partially inflates bones, Gear Fourth inflates muscles and coats them with Haki…
While these appear as form changes on the surface, they are essentially extreme applications of rubber properties and can be understood as "techniques."
But that "white warrior" form?
Pure white throughout, ribbons swirling around, temperament completely different from any previous form!
It felt more like… some kind of "evolution" or "awakening" at the level of life itself!
"Moreover…"
Shakky continued, her voice clear and unusually calm: "After the straw hat kid transformed, there seemed to be… steam clouds around his body! The kind that only appears on awakened Zoan users!!"
These words struck like thunder, instantly making many powerhouses—who had only felt it was "strange" before—realize the gravity of the issue!
How could a Paramecia-type fruit user exhibit the signature traits of an awakened Zoan?!
On the Five Elders' side, all five felt their hearts leap into their throats!
Cold sweat slid down their temples.
This woman Shakky… her powers of observation were terrifying!
She had managed, just from the light screen fragments, to touch one of the World Government's deepest and most forbidden secrets!
An eerie silence fell over the scene, broken only by heavy breathing and gulps.
Everyone was frantically pondering the possibilities and implications behind this question.
Seeing the atmosphere freeze into near-solid tension, Shakky suddenly smiled brightly and answered her own question in a relaxed tone: "But then again, maybe I'm overthinking it.
Look at that Supernova, the 'Magician' Hawkins—his Straw-Straw Fruit is also Paramecia, yet he can transform into a giant scarecrow… Devil Fruits have so many secrets; who really knows?"
Shakky cleverly used Hawkins as an example to ease the tension.
Indeed, Paramecia abilities are incredibly varied; it wasn't entirely impossible for some to produce "transformation"-like effects.
The taut atmosphere relaxed slightly, and many pirates and Marine officers secretly breathed sighs of relief.
After all, if Luffy's Rubber Fruit truly concealed a secret that could upend everything they knew, the ensuing connections and repercussions would likely exceed what anyone could bear.
But the seed of doubt had already been planted.
In the hearts of top powerhouses like Roger, Rocks, Rayleigh, Garp, Sengoku, Whitebeard… a massive question mark now hung over the true identity of the "Rubber Fruit."
Though the Five Elders also breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes toward Shakky grew even more wary.
This woman needed to be watched closely.
The scene continued to advance, pulling everyone from their real-world contemplation back into the blood-soaked hell of the "original future."
Imu saw the violent explosion on the coast and mistakenly believed that Eris and her child had already been reduced to ashes amid cannon fire and slashes.
The hollow, icy voice rang once more in the demon Rocks' consciousness: "Execute final purge: Erase all life in God Valley… completely."
An even more absolute slaughter order was issued.
The last glimmer of struggle belonging to "Rocks" in the demon Rocks' empty eye sockets was thoroughly extinguished.
He slowly turned, facing the vast battlefield that was still in chaotic combat but had fallen into panic at his appearance.
Then, the massacre began.
No longer targeted at specific individuals, but indiscriminate reaping of life.
The pitch-black demonic blade became the scythe of the Grim Reaper; each swing brought a storm of blood and gore.
Whether it was members of the Rocks Pirates still looting treasure, Marine soldiers trying to regroup, or slaves and civilians fleeing in terror…
In the face of absolute power and speed, resistance became laughably futile.
"Cap-Captain?! It's me!"
A member of the Rocks Pirates stared in horror at the demonic blade slashing toward him and screamed desperately.
The blade fell without pause.
"Lord Rocks! Why?! We're on the same side!!"
Another pirate tried to block with his weapon, only to be cleaved in two along with it.
"Run!! The captain's gone mad!!"
Desperate cries echoed across the battlefield.
"Roger!"
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
Crew members and subordinates shouted for Roger and Garp, yet upon hearing the pleas, Roger and Garp made an unbelievable decision.
The two exchanged a glance, as if instantly reading the complex yet equally blazing fighting spirit in each other's eyes.
Roger grinned—that smile held no fear, only a near-pure excitement for the "challenge."
Garp snorted coldly, clashing his fists together as Armament Haki coiled upward.
Almost simultaneously, they turned and issued concise, clear orders to their core subordinates:
"Scopper Gaban, Rayleigh—take everyone and retreat to the sea immediately! This is the captain's order."
"You lot! Rally the Marines and cover the civilians' evacuation… execute now."
The tone brooked no argument.
Their respective crews wanted to say more, but seeing the unshakable resolve in the two men's eyes, they could only grit their teeth and obey.
When they saw their subordinates begin swiftly organizing the retreat, Roger and Garp both took a deep breath.
Then…
"BOOM!!"
Two vastly different yet equally domineering waves of Conqueror's Haki erupted from within them like dormant volcanoes!
Roger's Haki was like the vast, all-encompassing ocean—harboring freedom, adventure, and indomitable will, yet capable of unleashing raging tsunamis.
Garp's Haki was like an unyielding, towering mountain—pure, fierce, representing the most direct "strength" and "protection," crushing all obstacles.
The two Haki waves did not clash with each other; instead, they intertwined in the shattered sky above God Valley, forming a strange signal of challenge that rang out across the entire battlefield!
"Get out here!!! Rocks!"
Roger's roar carried boldness and defiance.
Garp's bellow was filled with fearless ferocity.
Their voices, like war drums, resounded through the blood-drenched God Valley and clearly reached the ears of the demon Rocks amid his merciless slaughter.
The battlefield seemed to fall quiet for an instant.
The demon Rocks halted his massacre of the surrounding fodder and slowly turned. Those empty "eyes" locked onto the two distant figures radiating powerful "provocation."
He appeared to "understand" the challenge; the massive black wings on his back flapped violently!
A explosive gust of wind erupted!
The demon Rocks' colossal body turned into a pitch-black meteor tearing through space, surging toward Roger and Garp with the momentum to destroy everything!
Inside and outside the light screen, everyone held their breath.
It looked like Roger and Garp intended to team up to stop—and confront—the demonized Rocks!
A battle destined to be etched into history was about to erupt!
...