"I'm afraid our operation was under his control from the very beginning!"
Rayleigh's words, filled with extreme wariness, made the smile slowly fade from Roger's face.
He raised his head again and looked toward the lone peak.
This time, his eyes no longer held only excitement and curiosity. There was also a trace of something called vigilance.
A man whom even Rayleigh would call unfathomable.
A man whom even Rocks would take seriously and designate as his own opponent.
A man who had coldly watched everything from above like an outsider from beginning to end, as though he had everything under control.
Since when had the Marines produced a monster like this?
"Mahahahaha! Doesn't that make it even more interesting?!"
After that brief moment of solemnity, Roger burst into his signature laughter again.
"A pawn? I've never been anyone's pawn!"
"I don't care if he's a god or a demon! If he dares stand in the way of my treasure hunt, I'll send him flying!"
An undying flame called freedom burned in Roger's eyes.
Meanwhile, atop the lone peak.
Yas slowly withdrew the Observation Haki that had covered the entire island.
He had "seen" enough.
He had also "eaten" his fill.
He slowly rose to his feet.
The terrifying suction that had spent days devouring the island's resentment like a black hole abruptly stopped at that moment.
Without the resentment sustaining it, the gray sky over God Valley, filled with despair and sorrow, miraculously regained a hint of clarity.
Sunlight pierced the thick clouds and spilled over the ravaged land.
The entire island seemed to let out a satisfied sigh of relief.
Yas felt the changes in his body.
The vast soul energy, cleansed and refined, flowed slowly through his Body of God like the gentlest stream, making every cell