God Valley Incident · Seventeen

High above the battlefield, the wind and clouds suddenly rolled backward.

The sky was torn open.

Amid the churning Cloud Sea, a massive dragon-shaped figure spiraled forth.

Its scales reflected lightning and fire like molten steel. Its enormous body charged against the currents toward the heavens, as if it meant to pierce the world itself.

In an instant, the killing cries across all of God Valley fell into a brief, eerie lull.

"W-What is that--?!"

"A dragon...?!!"

Marines, pirates, fleeing civilians, and slaves alike all instinctively looked up.

Fear, shock, and bewilderment filled every face at the same moment.

Somewhere else, Kuma had finally figured out his ability amid the unending chaos. Without another moment of hesitation, he spread his palms and activated it.

"Pop."

A crisp yet heavy sound rang out.

It was as though space had been slapped apart by an invisible palm, waves of distortion spreading outward.

Batch after batch of slaves and civilians were stripped directly from the battlefield and sent toward some unknown but safe place.

"Th-Thank you!!"

"Thank you so much!!"

Crying, sobbing, and near-hysterical words of gratitude rose one after another.

Yet amid those voices, there were always a few particularly strange whispers.

"Just now... it wasn't only him..."

"There was a flash of lightning... it suddenly appeared..."

"That lightning pulled me away from the blade..."

Kuma and Ginny both caught these scattered words.

They exchanged a brief glance and pieced together the same conclusion from the chaotic, fragmented accounts--

"A flash of lightning has been saving people across the chaotic battlefield."

Just then, an indescribable presence descended upon God Valley without warning.

The air froze, the earth groaned, and invisible pressure spread like a tsunami.

Those weak-willed did not even have time to scream before they collapsed on the spot.

Garp suddenly