The missing Roger

By the time Sakazuki reached the shore, the Buster Call Fleet had already arrived.

Large numbers of Marines disembarked to gather the wounded from the Four Blues' branch bases and dress their injuries.

Sakazuki walked over, clutching his chest.

Vice Admiral Morris, who was directing the operation, turned and saw that the front of his body was a bloody mess.

Seeing Sakazuki approach with blood dripping from both hands, he hurriedly called for the fleet's medical officers.

"Medic!"

"Quick, take a look at Sakazuki."

"How did you get hurt so badly?"

"No... cough... cough..."

Sakazuki raised an eyebrow at the medical officers approaching with a stretcher, his expression darkening.

He had just been about to refuse, but a sudden coughing fit made him obediently lie down on it.

"I ran into Charlotte Linlin while chasing down a pirate."

"Unfortunately, I couldn't kill him in time. Charlotte Linlin got him away."

Lying on the stretcher, Sakazuki explained what had happened to Morris while the medical officers examined him.

Once his wounds were bandaged, Sakazuki pushed away the medical officer trying to keep him on the stretcher, got up, and moved around a little.

"I see. No wonder."

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"No wonder Charlotte Linlin attacked the fleet like a madwoman. Quite a few soldiers were injured."

"Uh... cough, cough."

"Hahahaha! It's not often I see that look on your face, Sakazuki."

Sakazuki coughed awkwardly. After all, he had been the cause.

But Morris reacted as though he had discovered a whole new world and started teasing him.

At the heart of the battlefield in God Valley.

Clang!

Crackle!

Two long blades wreathed in Conqueror's Haki crossed.

The ring of clashing metal echoed out.

Yet the blades never actually touched.

Instead, a small black-and-purple sphere flickered where they crossed.

With a crackling hiss, countless bolts of black-and-purple lightning erupted and ravaged their surroundings.

Everything in their path was annihilated, reduced to ash.

Suddenly, a figure appeared on Rocks's left.

Armament Haki flowed outward from his right fist, so dense it was almost solid.

His fist was barely visible through it as he hurled a punch at Rocks.

Rocks roared:

"Hah!!!"

Another surge of power erupted from within him, forcibly blasting Roger away as their blades locked.

Boom-

Roger crashed through countless ruined walls.

Then Rocks coated his left hand in Conqueror's Haki and drove his fist into Garp's iron fist.

The same metallic clang rang out, followed by the sound of shattering glass in the air.

Crack!

Countless fractures spread from where their fists met, as though they had shattered space itself.

They remained deadlocked for a moment.

Then space burst apart completely, sending both men flying backward.

The sword-wielding member of the Five Elders appeared behind the airborne Rocks.

Black-and-red energy flowed over his cursed blade as he slashed at Rocks, who was flying toward him.

Rocks twisted around in midair and swung his blade, coated in Conqueror's Haki, to meet the attack.

Clang!

Crackle!

The Conqueror's Haki coating their blades collided.

A blinding white light flared.

Endless black-and-purple lightning erupted, as though the world were ending.

Everything in its path was annihilated, and Rocks used the impact to propel himself backward into the sky.

Immediately afterward, the burly member of the Five Elders appeared. Facing the white light, he stamped down and shot into the air.

He flew toward Rocks, drawing his right arm back as far as it would go before unleashing a punch wreathed in Conqueror's Haki.

There was no time to adjust.

Rocks raised his blade to block.

Then he hurtled toward the ground like a meteor, where Kong had appeared at some point and threw a punch!

A cone of energy, compressed until it was solid, slammed toward Rocks.

Boom!

The thunderous roar tore through the sky.

Every Marine stationed on the shore involuntarily turned to look.

It was like a thunderbolt striking out of nowhere.

The clashing Conqueror's Haki shredded the dark clouds overhead. Countless flashes of lightning and peals of thunder erupted as the battle raged on.

Sengoku, Rayleigh, and the others guarded the four directions from a distance, keeping their Observation Haki at full output and watching Rocks constantly.

But Roger, who had been sent flying, had not reappeared for some time now...