God Valley Incident · Eighteen

The lightning gradually faded, leaving behind the scorched heat of thunder in the air.

Rock stood beside Garp, his gaze passing through the rolling smoke and dust before settling on the massive black shadow that was still slaughtering indiscriminately.

His expression was unusually calm, even cold.

"Big Brother Garp."

Rock spoke as though he were merely making small talk.

"Did you ever imagine things turning out like this...?"

Garp did not answer immediately. He stared at the monster that seemed to have fallen from the heavens into the mortal world—

Marines and pirates alike were trampled, torn apart, and stripped of all meaning in the same instant.

His fists clenched without him realizing it, his knuckles cracking softly.

At last, he spoke in a low voice. "Bogard."

Bogard froze for a moment, then immediately stood at attention.

"Take the Marines who can still move and withdraw."

Garp's voice was low and hard, leaving no room for discussion.

"Now. Immediately."

"Yes!!"

Bogard did not ask a single question. He turned and began organizing the retreat.

Watching this, the corner of Rock's mouth lifted into the faintest curve.

"Actually..."

"I thought about a lot of things on the way here."

He slowly raised his head, allowing that invisible torrent to flood into his consciousness.

Crying.

Prayers.

Curses.

Greed.

Fear.

Malice.

Despair.

Countless emotions overlapped and tore at one another, like an out-of-control tide washing over his senses.

"But when I truly stood here, I realized—"

"I was wrong."

Rock's voice was quiet, yet it carried a weight it had never held before.

"On this chaotic battlefield, listening to these thoughts..."

"I suddenly realized that one person's strength is truly too insignificant."

Garp glanced at him from the side but did not interrupt.

Rock continued, his tone steady, every word striking at the