"Damn it, how dare they interfere with our hunting game!"
"Holy Knights! Kill these fools who don't know their place!"
Saint Garling pointed his longsword straight at the harbor.
Although Garp had warned them against going to Hachinosu to steal things before taking leave.
The arrogant, conceited Celestial Dragons clearly hadn't expected to meet their match.
Before Rocks, they had grown used to treating pirates as a band of outlaws.
Every kingdom on the sea that couldn't afford the Heavenly Tribute.
Regardless of why its citizens set out.
As long as they went to sea, they would be branded pirates.
And so.
Whenever they saw Celestial Dragons or Marines, they were terrified, as though they had seen death itself.
It was precisely this extreme terror that had forged the formidable figures of this era.
The battle descended into chaos, with powerful fighters at every harbor.
"Let those slaves leave!"
Garp fought at the very front.
His adjutant Bogard and the veteran Marines followed close behind.
"I told you not to mess with Hachinosu, you scum!"
Bang!
Garp, still in his youth, sent the pirate before him flying with a punch.
"Where's Roger? I have to deal with him myself!"
The last time they had met was the last time!
But neither of them had been normal back in the East Blue, and they had often stirred up trouble.
Who could have imagined that their running battle would take them all the way to the New World, and that both would become outstanding figures?
At the front harbor.
The Rocks Pirates unleashed a frenzied onslaught.
Shane's Demon Compass stopped again.
[Fate Singularity detected. New choices unlocked.] [Choice 1: Fish in troubled waters. Just kill a few slaves-reward: an Automatic Gun produced ten years from now.] [Choice 2: Slaughter five hundred Marines and demonstrate the power of pirates-reward: Kaya the Skillful Blade.] [Choice 3: Slaughter a random Celestial Dragon-reward: Rokushiki, Tempest Kick; Rokushiki, Iron Body.]
"Tempest Kick, Finger Pistol, and Iron Body could be called the easiest ways to get started with Armament Haki."
"I still prefer landing solid punches. Fighting like that feels so good!"
"Three! You compass pretending not to be a system!"
After Shane made his choice, the compass interface quickly registered it.
[Choice confirmed.]
From now on.
He only had to complete the chosen task to receive the rewards.
Tempest Kick looked unremarkable.
But acquiring it would mean taking another step toward Armament Haki.
It would also work even better alongside Finger Pistol and Soru in combat.
Shane disposed of every Marine and Celestial Dragon guard he encountered along the way.
This battle was actually very complicated for the rank and file.
On one hand, the earth shook and massive clashes erupted, leaving them nowhere to stand.
On the other, the ordinary fighters were killed by the great pirates leading the charge.
The battlefield before him looked like the end of the world.
"No slacking! Keep fighting!"
Saint Garling stepped over the corpses of Celestial Dragon guards.
These ordinary guards wore expensive, finely crafted armor that ordinary blades couldn't penetrate.
In this age of flintlocks, the Celestial Dragon guards likewise had nothing to fear.
But facing these lunatics from the Rocks Pirates was another matter.
They could dent steel with a single blow, or even shatter it.
The old approach simply made no sense here!
They swept through the guards like an autumn wind scattering fallen leaves.
"Hey! Stop them! Don't let those filthy, lowborn pirates near me!"
One fat, big-eared Celestial Dragon had a little mustache.
At the sight of the Rocks Pirates charging, even his throat began to feel uncomfortable.
He wanted to flee too!
But expecting to leave so easily was underestimating Rocks far too much!
The major figures snatched away treasure chests at incredible speed, while some slaves also tried to take advantage of the chaos.
There weren't even enough Holy Knights for the Rocks Pirates to divide among themselves.
And on top of that, the Roger Pirates came surging in!
Although they disliked Rocks, they disliked the Celestial Dragons even more.
Shane gathered electricity at his fingertip, waiting to kill with a single strike!
"Electro Finger Pistol!"
Whoosh!
Two Celestial Dragon guards stood in front of the pigheaded Celestial Dragon.
Shane pierced through them with one strike.
"Soru!"
In the blink of an eye, he appeared before the Celestial Dragon.
Everyone else tried to flee, but the guards kept dying, and the Marine lines were collapsing too.
The Holy Knights seemed to have underestimated the true strength of the Rocks Pirates!
Saint Garling realized the battlefield was spiraling out of control.
But having always considered himself a god, he still gave an angry order.
"Kill anyone who dares attack a Celestial Dragon!"
"Kill!"
The first to answer was Shane.
The electricity at his fingertip pierced the Oxygen Mask.
How could the Celestial Dragon have had time to close his mouth and hold his breath?
He wished he could take a few more breaths and live a few seconds longer.
"Kill the Celestial Dragons! Seize God Valley! Take every Devil Fruit and all the treasure!"
Rocks gave his own order, punching one of God's Knights away.
He seized one of the treasure chests.
Before anyone could see what he had done, he had already eaten the Devil Fruit.
"Aren't you already a Devil Fruit user?"
Saint Garling turned to face Rocks head-on.
"Who said a Devil Fruit user could only eat one Devil Fruit?"
Rocks unleashed his Haki without restraint.
There was something strange about his aura, with pink and darkness interwoven.
The Love-Love Fruit was quite special, and it had also been the third fruit Blackbeard wanted to eat.
Who could have imagined that Rocks was just such a creation!
The more beautiful the woman, the stronger its effect.
The greater the man's spirit, the stronger its power.
Whoosh!
In an instant, large numbers of Marines, slaves, civilians, and Celestial Dragons were petrified!
Darkness swept in!
Smiling, Rocks tore everyone who had been petrified to pieces!
Only now had God Valley begun to descend into darkness.
"Saint Garling! Are you ready to meet your doom?"
No one could be more terrifying than Rocks.
Even Whitebeard didn't recognize the Dark-Dark Fruit, because Rocks had eaten it long ago.
Possessing a Mutant Physique before Teach did.
Rocks had also eaten a second Devil Fruit!
Blackbeard would also regard this as one of the best combinations in later years.
Darkness and petrification!
Haki unmatched throughout the world!
This was Rocks!
It was also precisely because he could utterly counter Devil Fruit users.
That Rocks had been able to bring so many powerful fighters under his command.
Saint Garling was bound to lose; otherwise, Garp and Roger wouldn't have needed to join forces.
The so-called king of the Celestial Dragons had also once lost to the King of the World!
"Kill! Let these beasts see our fury too!"
Rocks's fist collided with the blade.
Saint Garling couldn't stop him at all.
In the distance.
"I'm a Celestial Dragon!"
"You lowlife, you'll die a horrible death!"
"H-help me! Holy Knights!"
Shane thrust out a finger, blasting the Celestial Dragon's head apart.
"Woo!"
The pirates raised their blades in celebration.
At that moment.
The so-called god was dead, and the slaves went wild.
"Well done! You've got the potential to become an Apprentice Crew Member, kid!"
"Without the courage to slay gods, you'll never stand at the pinnacle!"
"Besides, the Celestial Dragons aren't gods at all!"
Rocks's strength gave him an almost overwhelming advantage.
Every punch slammed heavily into Saint Garling.
Whenever he tried to get away, the darkness pulled him straight back.
With a man's spirit and the Love-Love Fruit enhancing him, he could further complement the power of his Haki!
"Stealing my things! Garling! Who do you think you are?"
Rocks attacked even more ferociously, punching Garling in the stomach and blasting him toward the deep valley.
On the battlefield.
Shane heard the clamor around him.
The compass bestowed its rewards, pushing him further beyond his limits.
As he learned new Rokushiki techniques, his overall strength rose as well.
The addition of Iron Body meant his defense improved further.
There were three foundations before awakening Armament Haki.
Defense, attack, and range.
They corresponded to Iron Body, Tempest Kick, and Finger Pistol respectively.
Once he mastered all three, he could take the next step and awaken true Armament Haki!
Shane kicked a guard away.
But the Marine Vice Admiral's voice rang out nearby before he arrived.
"Are you the Rocks Pirates' new Apprentice Crew Member, kid?"
Garp broke through the encirclement, his iron fist heading straight for Shane.
"Garp!"
Roger charged onto the battlefield. He was so young that he hadn't even grown a mustache yet.
He slashed his sword horizontally.
Shane immediately used Soru to evade.
The instant he dodged.
A Haki shock wave swept across the plaza!
"Roger!"
Garp's buzz-cut head had never expected so many chunks of rubble.
Beyond the dust of the ruins.
Haki clashed everywhere.
Devil Fruit powers soared through the sky and burrowed underground in a dizzying display.
God Valley was like hell on earth.
At some unknown point.
Even the Celestial Dragons had begun to weep and tremble!
Before you continue