Bang!
The Azure Dragon Kaido had transformed into was violently sent flying by a suddenly lashing tentacle, his massive body plowing a deep trench through the ground.
"Worororo...!"
He had barely struggled to his feet when more Haki-coated tentacles followed like shadows.
At the critical moment, a dazzling blade flash swept past.
Slash!
Several tentacles were severed at once. Whitebeard's towering figure stood before Kaido, the vibration sphere around Murakumogiri humming without end.
"Thanks, Newgate!"
Kaido spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, reverting to human form with his spiked club clenched tightly in hand.
"Don't get too reckless, Kaido."
Rocks's voice came from the other side.
He swung his blade, cutting through a spider limb that had attempted to ambush him, his gaze sharp.
"This monster isn't like the opponents you've faced before!"
At that moment, a delicate balance had formed at the center of the battlefield.
Rocks stood shoulder to shoulder with Whitebeard, while Charlotte Linlin rode lightning and fire as she circled to one side.
On the other side of the battlefield, Roger and Garp, those mortal enemies, stood not far apart as they jointly faced that enormous, indescribable demon.
"Rapid Assault!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Divine Departure!"
"Fist Bone Meteor!"
Powerful techniques continuously bombarded Imu's body, sending Haki lightning bursting in every direction.
Yet no matter how gruesome the wounds they inflicted, that column-like creature always recovered as good as new.
Every attack was futile.
Of everyone on the field, only Rocks did not rush to attack. He carefully observed from the side instead.
"Rocks, what's with you today?" Linlin asked irritably as she controlled Zeus to evade a sweeping strike.
"You were never this hesitant in a fight before."
Rocks knocked aside a stabbing tentacle and said in a low voice, "Can't be helped. I promised that brat."
"I never expected you to listen to an apprentice crew member," Whitebeard said, laughing as he swung his weapon and unleashed a massive vibration shockwave.
"Gurararara! I'm getting more and more interested in that little fellow!"
The group drew together again, their breathing noticeably ragged.
The prolonged high-intensity battle against an almost immortal monster was rapidly draining their stamina.
"This won't work!" Linlin shouted impatiently.
"This damned thing can't be killed! Its strength is absurd too! If this keeps up, we'll be the first ones to collapse!"
"I know!" Rocks frowned deeply, his mind racing. "I'm thinking of something too!"
Elsewhere, Garp roared as he charged forward again, both fists covered in Armament Haki.
"You filthy bug! I won't let you do whatever you want again!!"
"Fist Bone Impact!"
At nearly the same time, Roger's eyes sharpened nearby. His famed sword Ace crackled with Conqueror's Haki lightning as he unleashed a heaven-splitting strike!
"Divine Departure!"
The two attacks, each powerful enough to easily destroy mountains, struck Imu's body solidly.
Yet black light surged, and those wounds regenerated again at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Roger! I didn't ask for your help!" Garp shouted unhappily as he landed.
"This isn't the time to fight over prey, Garp!" Roger's expression was grave.
"You've noticed it too. Fighting like this is completely pointless!"
Just then, Imu seemed to have been enraged. An even more terrifying, heavier wave of Conqueror's Haki swept across the entire island.
Even the clouds in the sky were scattered.
Its icy gaze pierced through the barriers of space and locked onto Rocks.
"Those... women... and children of the Davy Family... and you..."
A broken yet infinitely malicious thought entered Rocks's mind.
"I won't... spare... a single one..."
"Stop!!! What are you trying to do?!!" Upon hearing Imu's voice deep within his mind,
The fury Rocks had long suppressed instantly overwhelmed his reason.
His eyes turned bloodshot, and Conqueror's Haki erupted out of control as he charged forward without a care!
"Don't be reckless, Rocks!" Whitebeard shouted urgently.
But Rocks had already become a streak of black lightning, his curved blade carrying hatred fierce enough to tear apart everything as it viciously cleaved toward Imu!
Clang—!!
An even thicker spider leg blocked his slash.
At the same time, several tentacles silently curled around behind him and stabbed toward Rocks's defenseless back.
At that critical moment—
"Rocks—! Duck!!"
A familiar shout came from the horizon, drawing closer and closer.
Rocks's pupils contracted. He exerted force and knocked away Imu's block, then ducked low and swung his curved blade repeatedly behind him, temporarily forcing back the attacking tentacles.
Then he raised his head.
In the sky, a magnificent Phoenix spread its burning wings and dived toward them at astonishing speed.
It was Lin Nuo, in his complete form!
"!..."
Imu also noticed this sudden change.
The column-like creature slowly turned and looked toward Lin Nuo in the sky.
When it sensed the aura of the Lunarians, the "natural enemies of the gods," even more violent fury spread outward.
A tentacle instantly shot toward Lin Nuo in midair.
"Watch out!!"
Facing an attack that could instantly kill the vast majority of powerful fighters, Lin Nuo showed no fear.
"I knew this would happen!"
"Gaban! Rayleigh! Cut her down for me!!" Lin Nuo roared!
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!!"
"Brat! Don't order me around!!"
The two men hanging from his left and right hands erupted with powerful auras at the same time!
"Eighty Owl Commanders!"
"Sky-Splitting Fall!"
Dazzling slashes flashed forth as Rayleigh and Gaban, the two pillars of the Roger Pirates, swung their blades simultaneously.
With precise, violent strikes, they severed and shattered every tentacle closing in around them!
Thus, Lin Nuo was like an agile heavy fighter jet, with Rayleigh hanging from his left hand and Gaban from his right.
He evaded attacks with superb flying technique while relying on the two supreme fighters to cut through any encirclement he could not dodge.
They successfully crossed the zone of death. After a dashing turn, he landed steadily beside Rocks!
"Roger! Are you okay?" The moment they landed, Rayleigh and Gaban released Lin Nuo and hurried over to Roger.
Rocks, meanwhile, simply raised his hand and lightly knocked Lin Nuo on the head.
"Did you finish the mission?" he asked, his tone betraying neither pleasure nor anger.
"Of course I did!" Lin Nuo said, dismissing his Phoenix Model and rubbing his head.
"Then why did you come back?" Rocks stared at him. "This still isn't a battle you can interfere in!"
"I already ate the Phoenix Fruit. If I still act timidly when it's time to get things done, wouldn't that mean I ate it for nothing?"
Lin Nuo raised his chin, a confident, even somewhat arrogant smile on his face as he fearlessly met Rocks's gaze.
Whitebeard, Linlin, and Kaido also gathered around, each studying this audacious "apprentice crew member" with different expressions.
"Gurararara! You've got guts, brat!" Whitebeard was the first to let out a hearty laugh.
Curiosity flashed through Linlin's eyes, while Kaido merely snorted, seemingly still doubtful of Lin Nuo's strength.
"Don't worry." Lin Nuo swept his gaze over these future Emperors of the Sea, his tone firm. "I have a way to get all of you out safely!"
He turned to Kuma, who had been gripping his shoulder tightly. "Kuma, how is it? Can you still use your ability?"
Kuma's little face had gone somewhat pale from strain. He tried with all his might, but ultimately shook his head.
"No... It's too heavy. I can't use it."
The terrifying Haki Imu had cast over the entire battlefield was like shackles, severely suppressing the use of Devil Fruit abilities.
As everyone exchanged information, Imu had already completely recovered from its injuries.
Several spider legs came crashing down toward where they stood once more!
Boom—
Rocks, Whitebeard, Linlin, Kaido, Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban struck simultaneously.
Haki of every kind erupted as they forcibly withstood the blow! The ground cracked inch by inch!
Before you continue