Kill Me

In Nereus's eyes, Garp and Roger had never been particularly normal people. It was hardly strange for them to suddenly lose their minds and do something outrageous.

Nereus simply hadn't expected their condition to have started this early...

"You're still able to speak normally. You really haven't been controlled..."

"Nereus, the situation here is complicated. If you get controlled too, we really won't be able to handle it."

It wasn't as if they had never fought before. They knew exactly what Nereus was capable of. Rocks alone had already given them a terrible headache; if Nereus were added to the mix...

More importantly, God Valley was now shrouded in rain. In this environment, the combat power Nereus could unleash would be even more terrifying.

Though Nereus could not exactly be considered their ally, at least a clear-headed Nereus could listen to what others said. No matter what, that was far better than him being controlled.

However, the two of them did not seem to have heard Nereus's words. Seeing that Nereus's demeanor and speech were vastly different from Rocks's, Garp let out a sigh of relief.

Roger did greet him, but he and Garp seemed to realize something else at the same time and abruptly asked Nereus:

"Wait! Who did you call a cripple?!"

"And what do you mean, senile dementia?! Am I that old?!"

"Ah..."

Nereus did not answer them. Instead, he helplessly covered his face.

At that moment, Nereus felt that he had made a grave mistake. Comparing the brains of those two to the standards of normal humans really had been inappropriate.

Although Garp and Roger had just been driven back, Rocks had likewise been sent flying. Rocks had now gotten back to his feet and slashed at Nereus without hesitation.

Boom!

After a deafening crash, Nereus blocked Rocks's blade with both claws and clearly sensed the changes in him.

"He's stronger than before... His reason seems to be gone, but his battle instincts remain? His Haki hasn't weakened either, but something else seems to have mixed into it..."

"Be careful! That guy isn't the Rocks you know anymore!"

Roger swung his blade at Rocks from the side. Though he failed to break through Rocks's defensive Haki, he forced Rocks back once more.

[Nereus... kill me. I'm begging you... With Roger and Garp helping... you can definitely do it...]

As Rocks was forced back, Nereus heard Rocks's voice. More precisely, he heard his thoughts.

This ability was commonly known as the Voice of All Things, and only some people possessed it.

Those with this ability could hear sounds that ordinary people could not.

The voices of creatures such as Zunesha and Sea Kings were like that.

Roger and Garp possessed this ability, which was why they could hear Rocks asking them to kill him.

Nereus had possessed this ability from the start. He would even communicate with the Fighting Fish and Sea Beasts he raised, something exceedingly rare even among the Fishman Race.

Unlike Mermaids, who were naturally able to communicate with fish, most Fishmen could not understand fish at all. Only a small number could do so.

Nereus's ability to hear them was even rarer.

"Kill you... Xebec... So that's it. It was because of this... How ironic."

Nereus now had his answer as to why Garp and Roger had joined forces.

"You heard Rocks's words too, didn't you? Let's work together for now! Something is seriously wrong with him in that state!"

"How did he end up like this?"

Nereus had originally returned to fight the Celestial Dragons who possessed the Holy Knights' immortality and study that immortal ability.

But now, it seemed that he had discovered something even more troublesome.

If even someone on Rocks's level could be controlled by this method, then the plan ahead would have to be rearranged. At the very least, they needed to find a way to avoid this control before taking further action.

"Earlier, we encountered something pitch-black. Rocks fought it, and then he became like this.

As for what that thing was, I don't know."

Roger took Nereus's words as agreement to join forces and explained what had happened earlier.

"That giant spider is one of the Five Elders, the World Government's highest authority. I think his name was Saturn. As for that black shadow... I don't know either."

Garp walked over as well and shared what he knew. But just because they did not know did not mean Nereus did not.

Nereus remembered that the Five Elders' greatest losses so far had all been caused by Imu.

Those seemingly unkillable Five Elders had turned into dry bones at a single thought from Imu.

The black shadow Garp and Roger spoke of could be no one but Imu.

Even without knowing the full details of God Valley, the answer could be inferred from past memories and the events unfolding here.

Boom!

Before Nereus and the others could finish talking, Rocks, still in that blackened state, moved again. He brought down a mighty slash at the three of them.

It was an order received by Rocks's body. Every living creature on the island was a target for his attacks.

Though all three avoided the strike, God Valley's last remaining mountain became perilously unstable from the aftermath, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Fist Bone Impact!

Divine Departure!

The shockwave from Garp's fist and Roger's slash arrived together. Although they drove Rocks back again, they could both feel that Rocks had not suffered any fatal wounds.

Instead, the aftermath of their attacks completely toppled God Valley's sole remaining mountain, and the entire island began to fall apart.

"Even that didn't work... Armament Haki is already power no weaker than a Devil Fruit ability. Our attacks carry Conqueror's Haki. There's no way they should have no effect..."

"That guy is using Conqueror's Haki for defense too. Our attacks are being canceled out. If this drags on, we'll definitely lose. We can't outlast that monster..."

Garp panted heavily as he answered Roger's question.

A prolonged battle required both sides to be close in strength, but Rocks had clearly exceeded that threshold.

"The quality of your Haki isn't enough. You can't break through his defense like this. Do it again. Fuse your Haki together.

As long as you can wear down part of Rocks's defense, I can break through his line."

A blood-tinged vortex gathered in Nereus's hand. Vast amounts of Conqueror's Haki were compressed and refined in his palm, ready to launch like a drill.

In a one-on-one fight, Nereus would also struggle to determine a victor against Rocks under these circumstances. But with Garp and Roger to help, the outcome would be different.

"How ugly... Xebec..."

Rocks was now weeping uncontrollably. Strange growls occasionally escaped his mouth, while in Nereus's mind, Rocks's voice had been reduced to only three words.

[Kill me...]

Facing Rocks in this state, killing him would instead be a release.

"It seems this is the only way. Nereus, you'd better not miss! Kagutsuchi of Fire: Wisdom!"

"Infinite... Fist Bone!"

Fist shadows and blade light flashed, and a crack appeared in the invisible armor surrounding Rocks's body.

Unlike the original timeline, with Nereus's involvement, Garp and Roger had not exhausted all their Haki and still retained some strength. But that was enough.

Blood Kill: Hell Thrust!

The balance had been broken. Facing Nereus's assault, Rocks could no longer maintain his defense, and the Haki between Nereus's claws pierced through his chest.

[Th... thank you...]

That strange sensation vanished from his body, and Rocks began to regain his senses. But in those final few seconds, he seemed to hear...

"River of Death"