Foolish Loyalty

"An eyesore of vermin."

Imu's enormous black silhouette floated behind Ushi-Oni, controlling its grotesque spider limbs as they stomped into the muddy ground.

The earth rumbled and shook as though countless gigantic living creatures were scurrying beneath it.

Then, thick black spikes shot up from the ground, indiscriminately piercing and slaughtering Marines and pirates alike.

Imu was greatly disappointed.

Imu had thought they would get to watch those vermin tear into and kill one another, but a few words had been enough for them to reach an agreement.

Imu had even deliberately given them time to argue. What a waste of anticipation!

"Why is he attacking the Marines? Aren't they on the same side?"

"Who cares? Run!"

The pirates were terrified. No longer caring to watch the Rocks Pirates' spectacle, they hurriedly fled in every direction while clutching treasure chests.

A Marine rear admiral wore an incomparably grim expression, yet he could only roar instructions at the soldiers.

"All personnel, fall back and widen the distance! Attacking that lord is strictly forbidden!"

Watching Marine soldiers who had failed to retreat in time get impaled by the spikes, Garp's fists cracked as he clenched them, his rage reaching its limit.

"So you're one of the Five Elders? This is my first time seeing the leader of maggots. You certainly look the part."

"Vice Admiral Garp, please watch your words!"

The rear admiral was so frightened by Garp's words that he was nearly in tears. He hurriedly grabbed him and desperately pulled him back.

Although he had fallen into becoming the Celestial Dragons' loyal hound in their slaughter of innocent civilians, he still deeply respected Garp, a superior who cared for his subordinates.

Besides...

God Valley was a "non-World Government member nation." It did not belong to the World Government's camp and was even considered hostile.

When slaughtering God Valley's civilians, he could deceive himself into believing that he was eliminating enemies who threatened the World Government's security.

But Garp was not only his superior; he was also angrily speaking up for everyone from the standpoint of Marine soldiers.

He felt responsible for protecting his superior!

Most Marine officers who had submitted to authority had this mindset, maintaining their laughable logic of "justice" amid extreme contradictions.

Only in this way could they avoid breaking down.

"Hey, King of Rats hiding in the sewers, did you come here specifically to kill me?"

Amid the chaos, Rocks approached the Ushi-Oni monster with his sword in hand, raising his head to stare directly at the crowned black shadow behind it.

The crowned shadow looked down at Rocks, its strange pupils filled with the cold indifference of one looking at an ant.

"So it's you, Davy Jones."

"Hm?"

Rocks raised an eyebrow, then showed a contemptuous expression.

"I'm not him, but I'm from the Davy Family. Didn't you come all this way because of the name 'Davy'?"

"Why do you look like you've only just recognized me? Then what did you come here for? Is your brain broken?"

He was not insulting the other party. He was stating a fact.

This Rat King had clearly come for "Davy," yet now acted as though he had only just discovered him.

Its actions before and after were simply too contradictory!

Its brain had to be broken!

Insulted, the crowned black shadow glared furiously and raised a grotesque spider limb, stomping it down at Rocks' head.

"Davy must be destroyed. You must be completely erased from history!"

"If you have what it takes, then try it!"

Black-red lightning flickered around the rapier in Rocks' hand as he swung his arm, slashing upward at an angle.

Rip—

The instant they collided, the spider limb was severed by a single slash, and blood sprayed out in torrents.

"That bastard Rocks actually dared attack Saint Saturn!"

The Marine soldiers who had retreated far away reacted as though their own parents had been harmed. Powerless with rage, they could only denounce him with words.

John, who stood silently among the Marines, tilted his head in utter confusion.

This blind loyalty was a little excessive, wasn't it?

"If my subordinates were Marine soldiers like these, then even if I chopped them up, they wouldn't betray me."

For some reason, John felt a little envious, even jealous, of the Five Elders and Imu.

People really did die from comparison, and goods were thrown away when compared.

"If I get the chance, I'm becoming a Marine too!"

At that moment, John made up his mind.

If he could escape his certain fate of death, he would definitely turn over a new leaf and sneak into the Marines with a sanctimonious facade.

And he would rise to the top!

"We're going to provide support, right, Rear Admiral?"

Seeing Saint Saturn steadily lose ground under Rocks' attacks, the Marine soldiers made an urgent request to their commanding officer.

At that, the rear admiral's eye twitched, and a bead of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

He could not understand why the soldiers were being so foolish and opened his mouth, preparing to find an excuse to refuse.

"N—"

"Of course we're providing support. Move aside!"

Before the rear admiral could finish, Garp pushed aside the soldiers crowding around him and strode toward the enormous Ushi-Oni monster.

"Vice Admiral Garp! If you make a move, those pirates will definitely—"

"Huh? Wait! Which side are you going to support?!"

Before the soldiers could cheer, Garp suddenly accelerated, leaping forward and raising his fist to smash it into the Ushi-Oni monster.

The rear admiral was so terrified by Garp's actions that his heart trembled. His eyes darted around as he hastily came up with an idea.

"What are you idiots standing around for? Those pirates stole the Celestial Dragons' treasure! Go stop them and arrest them!"

He did not dare stop Garp, nor did he want to help the terrifying-looking Saint Saturn deal with Rocks, and he certainly could not stand around doing nothing.

Otherwise, if the Celestial Dragons held him accountable afterward, he would not escape responsibility.

Therefore, arresting those "ordinary" pirates was the best option!

It was relatively safe, gave them something to do, and would prevent them from being punished for neglecting the battle.

Perfect!

Soon, dense gunfire rang out as the Marine soldiers, as if injected with stimulants, chased the "ordinary" pirates all over the place.

The Marine soldiers around John suddenly scattered, leaving only Alice and Teach at his sides.

"No workplace is easy to survive in."

John shook his head helplessly and turned his gaze toward the Ushi-Oni monster being beaten by both Rocks and Garp.

So far, Saint Saturn possessed by Imu had performed rather... ordinarily.

It seemed so weak that John felt he could pin it to the ground and pound it himself.

"It's all an illusion. It's all fake. Calm down!"

John took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the restless urge in his heart.

After calming down, he began to think about what to do next.

Clearly, events were still moving in the direction indicated by fate. Rocks simply could not be persuaded.

"Next comes Black Transference."

John's eyes flickered as he mentally simulated the feasibility of blocking the "fatal" blow for Rocks.

No!

In just an instant, John realized that this path was completely unworkable.

The Ushi-Oni monster might look dull-witted now, but the Haki it unleashed surpassed his in every respect.

If he approached and was accidentally hit, then subjected to Black Transference, he would definitely die here.

He could not gamble!