What If the Five Elders Came? These Celestial Dragons Had to Die

"No wonder the Navy was defeated so thoroughly!"

"With another Admiral-level fighter, the Rocks Pirates have become far more dangerous!"

"Exactly. One Admiral-level fighter has a far greater impact on a war than a hundred thousand ordinary soldiers!"

"That guy's growing too fast!"

Seeing Rono unleash Conqueror's Haki Coating,

not only were the Navy's top brass deeply shaken.

The Five Elders, who had just joined the battlefield, looked calm on the surface, but inside, their hearts pounded as if thunder had suddenly exploded!

He had been at sea for barely three months, yet he had already reached the ranks of Admiral-level fighters!

They had never heard of such monstrous talent in all their years of history!

Thinking back to three months ago, when Rono had first burst onto the scene, he had hijacked the Heavenly Tribute in the East Blue!

What level had he been back then?

His Third-Tier Haki had only put him at an advanced level.

He hadn't known Ryuo or Conqueror's Coating at all.

With that level of strength, he might have been a Great Pirate in the weakest sea, the East Blue, where no one dared provoke him.

But in the New World, he would have been nothing special!

It might be an exaggeration to say you could find one wherever you looked.

But it was definitely no exaggeration to say you could find one in every handful!

And how long had it been since then?

Barely a little over three months!

In that time, this guy had gone from being nothing special in the New World to reaching Admiral level!

What did Admiral level mean?

It was practically the ceiling!

The Five Elders knew all too well how terrifyingly difficult it was to start from nothing and train to Admiral level!

Even though they had begun training as children, it had taken them nearly fifty years to become genuine Admiral-level fighters!

Only at the age of fifty had Imu promoted them to become the new Five Elders!

Only they knew the hardships they had endured along the way!

But now, Rono had undergone the same transformation in just three months!

The Five Elders were so furious they felt like vomiting blood.

Had they wasted their fifty years living like dogs?

"That's enough. Let's call it here. Everyone, retreat!"

Just then, Rocks spoke to the members of the Rocks Pirates present.

The Rocks Pirates might have seemed to hold the advantage, but their situation was grim.

Although Kong, Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and the others were gravely injured and might be unable to fight for a while,

with the monstrous physiques and recovery abilities of Admiral-level fighters, they could return to battle after just half an hour of rest.

And now the Five Elders had all joined the fight!

The Rocks Pirates could still contend with five Admiral-level fighters alone!

But if Kong, Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and the others recovered during that time and joined the battle again, the situation would become extremely unfavorable for the Rocks Pirates!

At that point, it might be the Rocks Pirates who were wiped out.

They had killed three Celestial Dragons in this war. They hadn't fully achieved their goal, but they hadn't come away empty-handed, either.

What's more, this war had dealt a heavy blow to the Navy's morale. Next time, they would think twice before facing the Rocks Pirates alone!

So Rocks made his decision at once and ordered a retreat.

There would be plenty of opportunities to kill Celestial Dragons in the future. There was no need to risk the entire crew being wiped out.

At his words, Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, Silver Axe, Ochoku, John, and the other Division Commanders of the Rocks Pirates agreed.

Continuing the fight would indeed put the Rocks Pirates at too great a disadvantage.

So they all prepared to retreat from the Golden City.

"After slaughtering the Navy like this, you think you can just leave so easily, Rocks Pirates?"

Kong spoke up then, voicing his intense displeasure.

With his intelligence, he had also realized that continuing the war would greatly benefit the Navy and the World Government.

It would be most unfavorable for the Rocks Pirates!

This was the best time to deal with the Rocks Pirates!

Give him another ten minutes, and he could recover somewhat.

Then, working with the Five Elders to wipe out the Rocks Pirates here would be the best choice.

"Kong, let them leave."

Just then, the Sword-Wielding Elder among the Five Elders spoke.

"He's right. Let them go."

The other four Five Elders also agreed.

Although they very much wanted to reclaim their lost face here, there were still so many Celestial Dragons present!

These Celestial Dragons were important figures from their respective families.

If they really resumed the full-scale fighting and any of the Celestial Dragons were caught in it, they would have a hard time explaining themselves to Imu when they returned to the Holy Land.

"But... if we don't kill them, it'll damage the Navy's image of justice!"

Kong was unwilling to accept this!

He knew the Five Elders were holding back because the Celestial Dragons were present and they didn't want to fight anymore!

But the Navy had been beaten by pirates. If word got out, it would be humiliating and damage the Navy's prestige!

If they didn't reclaim their lost face here, how could the Navy still call itself just in front of the whole world?

"Exactly, Five Elders! This is the best opportunity to destroy the Rocks Pirates!"

"If we miss it, we won't get another chance!"

It wasn't just Kong!

Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, Tsuru, and the other Navy leaders were all extremely unwilling to let this go!

This was a perfect opportunity to deal with the Rocks Pirates. Once they missed it, it would be hard to find another!

"You dumbass Navy! Are you trying to get us killed if you keep fighting?"

"Exactly! You useless Navy! Three Celestial Dragons have already died under your protection!"

"Damn it, if you weren't a Marine Admiral, I'd shoot you dead!"

Just then, the sixteen Celestial Dragons spoke up!

They immediately unleashed a string of obscenities at Kong, Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr, who had just risked their lives to protect them!

In their eyes, these Navy men were all useless, a bunch of good-for-nothings!

If the Five Elders hadn't arrived, they might all have died here!

"What... did you just say?"

Kong's anger flared as he looked at the sixteen useless Celestial Dragons, his eyes burning with fury!

If it weren't for saving you useless Celestial Dragons, the Navy wouldn't have suffered such heavy losses!

And now, for your sake, we even have to let the Rocks Pirates go!

Kong felt so aggrieved.

And it wasn't just Kong. How could Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and the others not feel aggrieved, too?

They had gone all out to save these useless Celestial Dragons and nearly died, yet now they were being cursed at!

How could they put up with this kind of humiliation?

Garp even rolled up his sleeves, preparing to step forward and take action.

Even though he was gravely injured, dealing with useless Celestial Dragons would be a piece of cake.

"Stop right there! Kong! Garp! What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to rebel?"

Seeing the Navy glare at the Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders were furious and shouted at them.

A mere Marine Admiral and an Admiral Candidate actually dared to glare at Celestial Dragons!

Even if you were the Fleet Admiral, or even the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies,

before the noble Celestial Dragons, you were nothing but a dog!

Could a dog really bite its master?

"Hahaha! Keep tearing each other apart, then. We're leaving!"

Rocks laughed loudly and waved his hand, preparing to lead the Rocks Pirates out of the Golden City.

"Wait! Everyone!"

Just then, Rono, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly spoke.

The moment Rono spoke, everyone present turned their eyes toward him!

"So what if the Five Elders are here? These Celestial Dragons have to die!"

"Everyone in the Rocks Pirates, buy me another ten minutes. I'll kill every one of these Celestial Dragons!"