Ambush

That sentence was like a silent bomb, exploding in the deathly still air.

"...!!"

Shanks' pupils contracted sharply as three familiar killing intents locked onto him from all directions, and his hand involuntarily went to the hilt of his sword.

The auras of the Three Admirals intertwined instantly, and the three completely different forces trapped him in an invisible "killing formation".

He had no doubt that if Roy showed any murderous intent, even if he was now the "Commander of the Holy Knights, Saint Shanks," he would be killed on the spot at the summit of this Holy Land.

The air was so tense, like a string about to snap.

The wind dares not blow.

Dust dares not settle.

Just then, Roy chuckled softly.

"Never mind..."

He raised his hand and waved it slightly, and the killing intent dissipated.

The air finally loosened, Shanks' hand remained on the hilt of his sword, but his palms were already sweating profusely.

Roy lowered his head, his gaze falling on Saint Garling, and said calmly, "We have already notified everyone of the selection of the Fleet Admiral."

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

At this moment, everyone looked at Saint Garling.

But suddenly, a strange whisper seemed to seep out from the cracks in the air.

"Gurgle... cluck cluck cluck..."

Shanks frowned, his expression instantly changing; he had heard the meaning behind it.

His heart tightened, and he quickly looked up at the Saint Garling.

That gloomy face now revealed an almost eerie smile.

Saint Garling spoke slowly, his voice low and sinister, yet carrying a chilling, sarcastic tone. "Heh—the Navy..."

"A bunch of pathetic playthings."

He slowly stepped forward, his gaze landing on Sakazuki, his tone calm, cold, and chillingly mocking.

"Akainu... no, Sakazuki."

"Your belief in 'Absolute Justice' sounds so grand it's laughable."

"Do you think that once you become Fleet Admiral, the navy will have independent dignity?"

He smiled slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"From that day on, every campaign you launched, every judgment you made, every killing you committed—"

"They're all just washing their hands of 'God's' hands."

"Your Justice fist will ultimately become a 'pillar of fire to cover up the truth'."

"When that day comes, your so-called Justice will be even dirtier than evil."

Sakazuki's fist began to drip molten lava, scorching the ground and causing the temperature to rise sharply.

Saint Garling, however, continued to approach, his tone growing increasingly sarcastic. "And you, Kuzan?"

"Your so-called 'freedom Justice ' -- hahaha..."

"It sounds noble, but in practice it's nothing but laziness."

"You don't want to obey God, yet you dare not rebel against Him."

"Lazy Justice is just an excuse for your inaction."

He grinned, a dark red aura seeping from between his teeth. "In the end, you—"

"They're nothing more than two watchdogs kept by the gods."

--boom.

Kuzan's aura instantly darkened, and frost spread from his feet, freezing the earth.

On the other end, a blazing heatwave was burning fiercely.

Sakazuki's rage erupted completely.

Lava spewed from the crack beneath his feet, its intense red light staining the sky crimson, the heat so intense that even the air hissed and crackled.

His steps were heavy, yet terrifyingly steady.

With every step, the ground melts.

His face was expressionless, only a suppressed rage burning within.

"You--"

He raised his head, his eyes like the crater of a volcano that could devour the heavens and the earth.

"Say it again?!"

The deep voice was like a volcano suppressed to its limit.

He lifted his foot and walked step by step toward Saint Garling.

"Sakazuki--!"

Kuzan extended his hand, his tone more solemn than ever before.

Before he could take a single step forward, the ground was scorched through by the molten lava.

"Oh dear~ this is really bad~"

High in the sky, Kizaru's voice carried its usual laziness, but the tone was lower than ever before.

Roy remained silent, his gaze fixed coldly on the Saint Garling below.

That aura... something's not right.

He felt an unusual pulse, a darkness that was both strange and familiar.

The next instant, a familiar scene flashed through my mind.

--Valley of the God Valley.

That scene of "darkness engulfing," that eerie fluctuation of divine power;

The cracks in the sky, the collapse of the earth, and the eerie darkness when Rocks was manipulated and roared...

Roy's expression changed, and he roared angrily, "Saint Garling--!"

But it was too late.

Saint Garling's smile completely shattered, his hands slamming to the ground, his voice low and menacing like a spell:

"--Black Transformation: Domination!!"

"Boom--!"

The world changed color.

The ground beneath Sakazuki's feet cracked instantly!

A colossal black magic circle instantly unfolded--

The runes flipped and twisted in a counterintuitive trajectory, as if they were alive, and deep within the central ring was a bottomless abyss!

All light was swallowed up in that darkness.

"Varied--!"

Sakazuki's feet sank, and even the magma beneath his feet was swallowed up and vanished into nothingness!

The air was distorted, the temperature was disappearing, as if even the world itself had been erased.

"Kuzan —retreat!"

He and Kizaru attacked at almost the same instant.

"Call out!!"

Roy Teleportation and grabbed Sakazuki's cloak with one hand, his Conqueror's Haki exploding instantly and shattering the magic circle!

"Buzz--!"

Photons and black flames intertwined as the two forcefully grabbed Sakazuki and Kuzan from either side, disappearing in Flash with them!

"Boom--!"

The next moment, the ground where Sakazuki had been standing was swallowed by darkness, and even the rocks, air, and blood were swept into nothingness.

When the magic circle finally collapsed, all that remained was a Scorched Earth riddled with cracks, and—a chilling silence.

The smoke and dust cleared.

Saint Garling stood amidst the ruins, his hair disheveled, yet a smile still lingered on his lips.

That was the laughter of the victor, and also the laughter of the madman.

He licked his lips, a glint of violent rage flashing in his eyes.

"Snort..."

Dozens of kilometers away from the Holy Land, on an unnamed island, the sea wind howls and seabirds take flight in fright.

"Buzz--!"

Space suddenly distorted, and Roy and Sakazuki appeared first, the ground beneath their feet cracking from the Impact.

Immediately afterwards, Kizaru transformed into countless golden specks of light, carrying Kuzan as he slowly descended from the sky.

Sakazuki gasped for breath; the magma's residual heat had not yet completely dissipated.

He looked up at Roy, his voice low but sincere. "... Thanks, Roy."

Roy didn't respond, he just waved his hand slightly.

His gaze remained fixed on the distance, where, at the horizon, swirling dark clouds could be faintly seen, like a colossal abyss beast that had not yet dispersed.

Roy's expression was more serious than ever before. "So... fast."

Kizaru's frivolous smile vanished, and he fell silent, a rare occurrence for him.

Roy was silent for a moment, then a cold smile slowly crept onto his lips, and he said in a low voice:

"But--"

"It's not like there's no way..."

In that instant, the wind stopped.

Sakazuki and Kuzan exchanged glances, both sensing a long-lost premonition of a hunt within Roy's smile.