"Petty skirmishes mean nothing to this world!"
Rocks spread his arms and laughed.
"Remember this!"
"You brats still wet behind the ears!"
"You self-righteous Marines! Celestial Dragons!"
"From the moment madness emerges, everyone who has ever set foot here will never forget."
"No matter where they are, my will shall live on forever."
"And I shall stand at the very pinnacle of the world."
"Since your justice puts the Celestial Dragons first and lets this world descend into chaos."
"Then let the world become utterly mad and lawless!"
"Create a new world without order, without Marines, without Celestial Dragons, where everyone is a pirate!"
"You will all die here, with God Valley as your graveyard!"
Rocks laughed, making a sound that seemed like a dark murmur.
People looked up at him in horror.
They even forgot to breathe.
After offending a monster like this.
No matter how beautiful a world was, it would surely cease to exist!
"Rocks!"
Kong led the charge.
He stood at the forefront of a generation of Marine veterans-Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru.
Saint Saturn of the Five Elders and Saint Garling of the God's Knights had yet to recover from their injuries.
Yet the Rocks Pirates were at their height and still had the strength to fight!
Rocks's fruit countered fighters on his level, while the others had yet to reach that same level.
Because of Rocks's presence, the battlefield was forcibly divided into tiers.
At this point.
Ordinary Marines could only stand in God Valley, despairing and weeping.
They were not even qualified to land a hit on these legends!
Their fruit abilities with their vast destructive range, their Haki that swept through armies!
Every one of them could deal fatal damage to ordinary people.
Rocks was indeed, beyond all doubt, the strongest person here!
"Don't even think about destroying this world's peace!"
Kong roared, pounding both fists into the ground as he transformed into his Kong form.
His Haki coated his entire body, turning it pitch-black.
Blood-red light shone in his eyes!
As the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, he was the strongest Marine fighter of this generation.
If even he lost his nerve, this world would lose all hope!
"Skyburst Kong!"
Kong stamped on the ground, the tremendous force he unleashed launching him straight into the air.
His muscles formed curves, every line sharply defined.
Darkness spread, about to swallow God Valley!
The grievously wounded Marines, the slaves who had fallen to the ground and gazed helplessly at the sky.
They were all hoping to be saved!
Countless times before, Kong had been the Marines' powerful pillar of support.
He was strong, fearless, and righteous.
This time, too, he was seen as a hero!
"Miracles don't happen every time. If you ask where my confidence comes from."
"The answer is already obvious!"
"I'm the strongest in both Haki and martial arts. How many of you can fight me head-on?"
"As for fruits, I naturally counter every ability user. They're nothing but underlings!"
"I'm the King of the World, the strongest man in heaven and earth!"
Rocks slammed his fists together.
Even the Rocks Pirates within the darkness were shocked.
The strongest man!
Proud as Whitebeard was, at this moment, he had to admit it.
Rocks was indeed stronger than him and Golden Lion!
The strongest in heaven and earth!
Kaido breathed rapidly. He had forgotten Shane, the black dragon circling the sky.
He remembered only that title.
The strongest fighters of their era had already gathered here.
Who had the strength to deny Rocks's power!
"This lunatic's ambitions are too big! I only wanted to become king of the seas!"
Even Linlin could not help commenting, her blood surging as she stood atop a thundercloud.
"Newgate, aren't you going to thank me some more?"
Atop the massive rock Golden Lion stood on.
Whitebeard, who had been lifted up, looked at him with disdain.
Stussy also took the opportunity to sit on Newgate's shoulder.
Wang Zhi, who had transformed into an island, hurriedly deactivated his Island-Island Fruit ability.
Captain John clung to Shane's dragon whiskers, still unable to keep his other hand from drinking.
"Hey, John! The captain's about to make his move!"
Silver Axe gripped John's ankle and shouted.
At this moment.
Everyone in the Rocks Pirates opened their eyes wide.
They knew success was no longer a step away, but right within reach!
"Hic, I know!"
John gazed drunkenly down at the ground.
The Kurozumi Siblings hid inside their barrier.
Their eyes burned!
If Rocks succeeded, they would no longer need to scheme so painstakingly for revenge!
When the world descended into chaos.
They could obtain a great deal of fighting strength directly from the Rocks Pirates.
And crush the Kozuki Clan!
Schemes and tricks meant jack shit before absolute strength.
"Hee-hahahaha! Defeat Kong! End his era!"
"Captain! Don't spare these Marines!"
"Rocks! Rocks! Rocks!"
The pirates shouted!
The sea was in an uproar.
Hundreds of pirate crews had already submitted to Hachinosu.
Their pirate ships surrounded God Valley, and although their fighting strength amounted to cannon fodder.
They, too, celebrated the arrival of a new era.
The Marines had arrived aboard warships of the Old Era.
Before obtaining Vegapunk's Seastone technology.
They, too, could not easily sail through the Calm Belt.
Yet they still established branches throughout the world, possessing the most comprehensive intelligence and supplies!
Before Rocks.
The seas had also been quite chaotic, but no one had ever been able to challenge Marine Headquarters head-on!
Bringing everyone together was itself the most terrifying power!
Even a chaotic order was evil!
The Marines stood at the bows of their ships, fear welling up within them at this moment.
Darkness enveloped God Valley.
Seen from sea level.
It was as though the land was being consumed from every direction.
Like an abyss opening its bloodstained maw to swallow even the sky!
The last ray of light was Kong!
"Fleet Admiral Kong!"
"You have to work a miracle!"
"Justice must never lose to pirates!"
The Marines cried out, only this final shred of faith remaining in their hearts.
Drifting across the sea.
A lone small boat sailed away from this place.
The man aboard had already made a great name for himself in this era.
Yet he absolutely refused to join the Rocks Pirates.
He was a loner who trusted no one.
He possessed outstanding Observation Haki and superb swordsmanship.
Thirty-eight years remained before he would eat the Vampire-Form Devil Fruit.
He was known as Red the Aloof!
"Is this your full strength, Kong?"
Red the Aloof's boat was the only one among the many pirate ships to turn around.
Whoever the coming era belonged to, it had nothing to do with him.
In any era.
There were always those who went against the entire world.
Boom!
God Valley.
The darkness closed in completely.
Rocks grinned broadly and hurled a punch at Kong's face!
The Dark-Dark Fruit's power ate into his entire body, directly affecting his Lineage Factor!
But Kong's powerful Haki attempted to neutralize this fruit ability!
"You have Haki, and I don't?"
Rocks followed up with a flying kick, planting his foot on Kong's body.
As Kong's chest turned to stone.
Haki fiercely assaulted his body!
Conqueror's Haki coating!
Boom!
Kong answered with projected Armament Haki!
The two traded punches!
The impact swept through the entire valley!
Unlike the frenzied Rocks.
Kong resisted the Dark-Dark Fruit's encroachment while guarding against the Love-Love Fruit's petrification.
He also had to face attacks enhanced by Conqueror's Haki coating!
The slightest mistake would cost him everything!
"Kong! The justice behind you has been swallowed by darkness!"
A single sentence from Rocks ignited the terror in Kong's heart.
There was no sound!
Sound no longer traveled through the darkness!
Those Marines, the recruits he had trained!
They were all gone!
A moment's worry caused a lapse in Kong's Observation Haki perception.
Darkness's encroachment and the Love-Love Fruit's petrification struck together.
As his Lineage Factor was suppressed and his physical constitution weakened.
A layer of stone appeared on his body!
Rocks's fist followed right after!
"Hesitate, and you lose!"
Bam!
Kong spat blood and was sent flying several feet through the air.
His entire body reverted to human form and fell from high above.
Blood still spilled from his mouth, and his will rapidly faded.
Before his eyes went white.
What he saw was Rocks occupying the last point of darkness.
Whoosh!
God Valley was completely shrouded in darkness!
High in the heavens.
Shane breathed, hot air constantly streaming from his nostrils.
He looked down upon the earth.
The midday sun shone upon the land, passing over God Valley alone.
God said, this place held no life.
Before you continue