Ahead, the fleeing Rocks suddenly felt a lightness on his shoulder.
Eris had used all her strength to break free from his arm, tumbling to the ground while holding little Teach.
"Eris! What are you doing?!"
"Do you think you can deal with those monsters behind us with just one hand?" Eris stood up, her eyes resolute.
"Listen, Rocks, for someone bearing the name of Davy, if we're caught... what awaits us is a torment more terrifying than hell itself! I know this very well!"
Rocks roared, "So get back on!"
Eris continued, "Although I was once a pirate, after marrying you, everyone in this family accepted me with sincerity. I have long understood the fate this surname carries! So, you must leave me behind! If I can't even protect our child, if I'm just a weak woman who needs your constant protection, you wouldn't have fallen in love with me in the first place, would you?!"
Rocks froze, at a loss for words.
"If I am truly unfortunate enough to be captured..." Eris hugged the oblivious little Teach tightly in her arms. Tears finally streamed down her face, but her voice was resolute. "I will end Teach's life first, then my own! We'll split up and survive on our own! See you in 'Lulusia,' Rocks!"
She called out their promised meeting place, took one last, deep look at her husband, then resolutely turned and rushed down another path, carrying their child.
Rocks's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, then slowly clenched into a fist.
He could finally... turn around without any reservations.
The pursuers had already closed in.
Saint Garling watched as Rocks stopped and turned to face them alone, a curious smile on his face. "Finally dropped the burden... So, what will your next move be?"
Rocks did not answer.
He slowly raised the Black Blade in his hand, his eyes becoming a dead calm, and then—
He swung the sword down!
Swoosh—BOOM!!!
A colossal slash that seemed to cut through heaven and earth split the entire island of God Valley horizontally in two.
A bottomless chasm, dozens of meters wide, was created.
The pursuing army of demons was forcefully blocked by this abyss.
Everyone fighting on the island, whether Marines or pirates, was stunned by this world-cleaving strike. They involuntarily stopped their actions, staring at the terrifying fissure that now divided the battlefield.
Rocks stood alone at the edge of the chasm, his Black Blade pointed diagonally, roaring at the monsters on the other side.
"You will not take another step forward!"
"Come on, you monsters—!!"
Eris, who had already run some distance, looked back just in time to see the flash of the slash that tore the world apart and the lonely figure of her husband standing before the abyss.
"Rocks—!" she let out a mournful cry but dared not linger. She hugged little Teach tighter.
Tears blurred her vision as she desperately ran toward their rendezvous point.
Young Teach seemed to sense something, squirming in his mother's arms and looking back in his father's direction.
That towering figure was eventually swallowed by the endless flames and smoke of war.
...
Inside the first warehouse, where the prizes were kept.
Linlin caressed the Azure Dragon Fruit in her hand, a satisfied smile returning to her face. "Mamamama... It's good enough to have gotten this Mythical Zoan-Fish-Fish Fruit. I'll take it back for Katakuri to eat. My future pirate crew will need such a powerful fighter."
She was completely immersed in the joy of obtaining the treasure, utterly oblivious.
Outside the warehouse, a fierce-looking young figure was rapidly approaching—it was Kaido!
The moment Linlin's guard was down, Kaido raised his spiked club, "Eight Precepts," and with the force of a thunderbolt, brought it crashing down on the back of Linlin's undefended head!
BOOM!!!
A solid, heavy blow!
Caught completely off guard, Linlin's body staggered forward from the impact, and the Azure Dragon Fruit flew from her hand.
Although she was known as the "Iron Balloon" with astonishing natural defenses, and Kaido's long-planned, full-power sneak attack failed to inflict a fatal wound, the immense impact still made her head buzz, plunging her into a brief, blank daze.
It was only for a few seconds of stupor!
Kaido's eyes had been locked onto that Azure Dragon Fruit from the very beginning. In the shadows, he seemed to hear a summons from the depths of his bloodline, a powerful, almost instinctual craving seizing him.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kaido's legs pushed off the ground, his body launching like a cannonball. In mid-air, he opened his mouth wide and precisely caught the Azure Dragon Fruit.
"Ugh... cough, cough!" The moment he swallowed the fruit, a scorching torrent exploded within his body, making him grunt. But immediately after, an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and power surged through him.
At the same time, Linlin shook her head, recovering from her daze. She swayed as she stood up straight and immediately saw Kaido standing not far away, licking his lips with a satisfied expression.
After a brief moment of shock, Linlin's gaze shot to the ground—it was empty.
Looking back up at Kaido, she instantly understood what had happened.
"Kaido—!!!" Extreme rage completely twisted Linlin's face. She drew her Emperor Sword, and a ferocious Conqueror's Haki, mixed with a tangible killing intent, erupted from her.
"You bastard!! How dare you steal my fruit!!!"
She swung the Emperor Sword with both hands, bringing it down on Kaido's head. Before the Sword Qi even arrived, the warehouse floor began to crack and splinter.
But Kaido just laughed heartily. Faced with Linlin's furious strike, he showed no fear. Instead, he met it with excitement, swinging his spiked club with abandon. "Worororo! You say Haki trumps all... but I love this world of 'possibilities' that fruits bring!!"
The Emperor Sword and the spiked club collided with a deafening crash!
A terrifying shockwave exploded from the two of them. The already dilapidated first warehouse could no longer withstand the force and burst apart.
At the same time, Dragon fled with Little Shanks, and Eris with Teach, each running for their lives.
...
Meanwhile, in the second warehouse, which held even more of the Celestial Dragons' wealth, a different scene was unfolding.
The crew members of the Roger Pirates threw open one heavy treasure chest after another, their eyes instantly dazzled by the brilliant golden light and sparkling jewels within.
"Captain! Look! I've never seen so much treasure!"
"There's more here! A whole chest of gems!"
"Devil Fruits! More than one! Haha, we're rich!"
The treasures that the Celestial Dragons had failed to move in their hasty retreat now became easy spoils for the pirates.
An atmosphere of ecstasy spread through the Roger Pirates.
However, this joy did not last long.
"Hand it over, Roger Pirates—!!!"
With a furious roar, a Rocks Pirates Officer—Silver Axe—was the first to arrive, his giant axe, wreathed in Haki, chopping viciously at Gaban, who was moving treasure.
Gaban reacted with extreme speed, crossing his twin axes. With a loud clang, he blocked the powerful blow, the ground beneath his feet cracking.
Following closely behind Silver Axe, more figures surged forward with murderous intent.
"Lion's Might: Wave Slash—!!"
Shiki floated in mid-air, crossing his twin swords for a slash. Two massive golden shockwaves in the shape of a cross swept towards the Roger Pirates below.
"Yo, Shiki, no need to be in such a hurry!"
Roger laughed loudly and leaped into the air, drawing his Meito 'Ace'. Instantly, black and red, lightning-like Conqueror's Haki erupted from the blade. He met the cross-shaped wave cut with a swing of his own!
"Divine Departure—!!"
There was no fancy name, only the purest, most extreme application of Haki and swordsmanship.
The dark red slash and the golden cross-shaped wave cut collided violently in mid-air!
In an instant, black-red and golden Haki lightning crackled madly, eroding each other. The resulting shockwave spread in all directions. The treasure chests stacked in the warehouse were sent flying, and gold, silver, and jewels rained down like a storm.