"Don't panic! Keep your balance, and hold on to your friends and family!"
The Hex Gate transit instructions had long since been distributed to them, and people in the crowd were still shouting reminders about what to watch out for.
Thump!
Another dull impact rang out. This time, Bear himself returned alongside the paw-shaped bubbles. His body bore quite a few wounds, but a satisfied smile rested on his lips.
With his own two hands, he had completed the "rescue."
As planned beforehand, if Bear and the others failed, they would simply use the transmission. If they succeeded, they would first use their Devil Fruit abilities to send several one-time positioning markers to the islands outside.
The Black Ship became the core, while the equipment built around it served as the foundation.
Compared to Piltover's, this Hex Gate looked exceptionally rough, but that did not affect its operation.
The core had finished charging, and the beacons were in place. Dazzling light began flashing within the canyon.
This technological gateway from another world, like a miraculous project from the future, slowly began to activate.
As the gate activated, the surrounding air itself seemed to warp under that mysterious power.
The light gradually grew fiercer, forming beams that danced through the air like lively ribbons.
A deep, powerful hum accompanied it, as though announcing the arrival of some important moment.
The people in the canyon gradually turned into blue motes of light as well.
"Benefactor! I'll remember what you said! If I ever get the chance, I'll repay the kindness you've shown us today!"
"You're our hero! Even if we don't know your name, we'll never forget this!"
Before the crowd gradually dissolved into blue light, people one after another shouted toward Oran.
Yet aside from the small group who had first come into contact with Oran, most people did not know his name, nor did they know what his face looked like beneath the mask.
The Hex Gate's roar drowned out many voices. Oran did not care what they were saying. He turned and stepped into the blue light, completing the transmission along with them.
He had never considered himself a hero.
As blue light shot into the sky, the people in the canyon gradually vanished, leaving behind only an empty canyon and the still-operating Hex Core.
On the battlefield, both the pirates locked in fierce combat and the Marines beginning their counterattack were drawn to this sudden phenomenon.
Many stopped fighting, their gazes converging on the center of God Valley.
"Is that the treasure even Rocks wanted? It doesn't look much like the rumors."
"Who cares what it is? Rocks is tied up now. Go grab it!"
Swish! Swish!
Before they could act, flashes of blades sliced across their throats.
"Vermin. That is not something you are allowed to touch."
Gringo, who had arrived at some point, likewise looked toward the center of God Valley. His face was filled with fury. According to the earlier records, that was precisely the area where Elatin had been active.
As for how Gringo had managed to break away and come here...
The Marines' situation had originally been far from favorable, and they had been at an overall disadvantage. Yet for some reason, in the middle of the battle, the Roger Pirates suddenly switched sides and joined forces with Garp against Rocks.
"Wait, Rocks!"
"Roger, you bastard, stop getting in my way!"
Roger's actions changed the situation on the battlefield, freeing up some members of the Divine Knights to begin investigating the deaths of the Celestial Dragons.
When Gringo followed the disturbance caused by the Hex Gate's activation to the canyon, the place was already deserted. Only Elatin's headless corpse still hung from the rack, while his head lay rolled onto the ground nearby, its eyes unable even to close.
"These... bastards..."
Gringo's hand would not stop trembling. It was not fear, but rage. However, the arrival of another person made him calm down.
"Saint Saturn, why have you come here? Have you received any news?"
Celestial Dragons generally did not append "Saint" or "Palace" when addressing one another, using them only as honorifics on special occasions. Gringo held no low status among the Celestial Dragons, but compared to those five, he was insignificant.
The man who arrived wore a black suit, held a cane, and had his hair styled into curls.
He was Saturn, one of the Five Elders—the Warrior God of Science and Defense, Jaygarcia Saturn.
"The disturbance here drew me over, but regrettably, I do not know what exactly happened here either."
As the Five Elder in charge of science and defense, Saturn was also a scientist himself. He could tell that the things here were some kind of unknown technology, but nothing more. With only a brief look, even after living through countless years, Saturn could not determine what this was.
The cause of the Celestial Dragons' deaths also required investigation. Saturn had just been about to say something when his pupils suddenly contracted. Without another word, he grabbed Gringo and pulled him behind himself.
"Saint Saturn, you..."
BOOM!!!
Boom! Boom!
A world-destroying force erupted from the energy core, instantly sweeping through the entire canyon.
The force was like a berserk beast, mercilessly devouring everything around it.
The canyon's trees and boulders were reduced to dust in an instant beneath the impact of that energy. The ground shook violently, as though it were about to split apart.
Because of Oran's design before leaving, the overflowing energy current seemed to be guided, like a sharp blade that violently cleaved God Valley in two along the canyon.
Even the clouds in the sky were torn apart by the force, revealing savage fissures, as though the heavens themselves were wailing over this catastrophe.
On these seas, the human body could be called the strongest shield. With Saint Saturn's protection, Gringo naturally emerged unharmed, but several grotesque wounds had appeared on Saturn's body.
"Saint Saturn! You!"
"It is nothing. If I wished to block it, I could naturally defend against it. I merely did this to better experience the power."
Saturn's body rapidly regenerated, quickly returning to its original state. This was one of the abilities possessed by the Five Elders; even having their heads cut off could hardly kill them.
Though their defenses appeared low and many people could break through them, it was difficult to inflict any effective damage. In the blink of an eye, they would recover completely.
And that was Oran's handiwork.
He could not possibly leave the ship and the Hex Gate for the Celestial Dragons. This grand self-destruction program was the final gift he had left behind. If ordinary people had come to investigate, the results would have been far more fruitful.
Nothing remained within the annihilation caused by the explosion except ash. Even the center of the blast had sunk into the deep sea along with the splitting island.
Saturn could only take Gringo back to where the Celestial Dragons had gathered. Yet the dark expression on Saturn's face as he left showed that he was far from calm inside.
Meanwhile, on the beach of another island, Oran calmly watched the horizon.
"The time is about right. I hope you like this gift. It doesn't matter if you don't. After all, this is only the beginning."
Before you continue