Chapter 26: The Battle of God Valley

The battle had begun in earnest.

Both sides clashed with unyielding ferocity, determined to crush any obstacle in their path to the island's center. Pirates, Marines, slaves—it didn’t matter. Anyone standing in the way was an enemy to be cut down. That was our job.

We were skilled, but so were they. Stronger than the average Marine, perhaps, but still far from invincible.

Yet, neither I nor Kaido faltered.

With a roar, Kaido launched himself into the air, his body twisting and expanding—transforming into his draconic form before leading the charge. I followed suit, matching his momentum.

"What the hell?! A dragon and a UFO?!"

"Stay sharp! They're attacking!!"

The Roger Pirates tensed at the sight of us, but we didn’t hesitate.

"──Bolo Breath!!!"

"──Wrath of the Red UFO Onslaught!!!"

"!!?"

A searing heat beam erupted from Kaido’s maw, a signature technique capable of reducing entire ships to cinders in an instant.

Meanwhile, I unleashed a new technique—one I had only just mastered. Eight crimson UFOs materialized above me, raining down explosive fireballs upon the battlefield. Just moments ago, I could only summon seven, but now, I had pushed my limits further. Progress.

This is why battle is the greatest teacher. Especially a battle like this—one where survival isn’t guaranteed. If I made it through, I’d be even stronger.

Sure, a lot of Marines were about to get caught in the crossfire, but hey, bad luck for th—

"──They’re allies for now. Don’t slaughter them all…!!"

"──You’ve gotten stronger, Kaido…!!"

"Rayleigh! Garp!!"

Our attacks—which should have thinned the enemy ranks—were intercepted. Rayleigh’s blade deflected Kaido’s breath, while Garp’s fist shattered my UFOs mid-flight.

Tch. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. And damn, having my UFOs wrecked by a single punch stung. They could withstand cannon fire, but Garp’s fists were on another level. Note to self: improve durability.

Still, that just made it more thrilling. A grin tugged at my lips.

"Heh. I’m still growing! This is just the beginning!!"

"Worororo…!! Try and stop me if you can!!"

Kaido and I prepared to charge again—until—

"──Outta my way!!"

"Eek!?"

"Tch!!"

Linlin barged past us, her right hand wreathed in the sentient flame, Prometheus. She smirked, utterly disregarding us, and unleashed her attack.

"Let’s see you block this fire!! ──Heavenly Firestorm!!!"

"!!!"

A compressed sphere of flames erupted, scattering devastation across the battlefield. Whoa, that’s dangerous!

Her flames did hit the enemy—but they also engulfed our own allies, the Rocks Pirates caught in close combat.

"GYAAAAHHH—!!?"

"Damn it, Linlin!! Cut that shit out!!"

"Friendly fire…!!"

"Mamamama!! Shouldn’t have been in my way, idiots!! If you can’t dodge, die with the enemy!!"

Linlin cackled, reveling in the chaos.

Then, from above—

"Tch… You wiped out my pawns… Then you’re no better!!"

"!!?"

Everyone—Linlin included—looked up in shock.

There, hovering in the sky, was Shiki, the Golden Lion. He had torn a massive chunk of rock from a cliffside and now held it aloft, ready to drop it indiscriminately.

Those of us airborne could evade, but the fighters on the ground? Not a chance.

"Oh shit!! It’s coming down!!"

"EVERYONE, MOVE—!!"

"WAAAAAH—!!?"

The Roger Pirates and Marines alike panicked as the shadow of the colossal boulder loomed over them.

But it never landed.

"Tch… Like always… Stop dragging allies into your mess, you damn fools!!"

"!!?"

"Whitebeard!!"

It was Whitebeard, mid-clash with Roger. With a single swing of his naginata, he sent Roger flying, then channeled his quake powers into the blade and slashed upward.

The shockwave split the sky, the force alone enough to fracture the falling rock—shattering it into harmless debris. But the attack didn’t stop there. The aftershock ripped through a distant mountain, reducing it to rubble.

The sheer scale of his power was terrifying. In raw destructive force, he might have even surpassed Captain Rocks himself.

Of course, the aftermath still rained down smaller debris, stirring chaos across the battlefield. The lines between friend and foe blurred further as attacks like these—ones that spared no one—continued to fly.

But this was how the Rocks Pirates fought.

A relentless storm of individual might. No coordination, no teamwork. Just pure, unchecked carnage.

And yet, against this enemy, even that wasn’t enough to guarantee victory.

"Tch... Hey, you bastards!! Cut it out already!! Aim for the damn enemy!! If you keep hitting allies, we'll lose even a winnable fight!!"

Whitebeard's roar of frustration echoed across the battlefield, but the response from his so-called "comrades" was anything but cooperative.

"Shut your mouth, Whitebeard!! Don't you dare order me around!!"

"The hell?! Who said anything about orders?! We ain't your damn subordinates!!"

"You wanna die first or something?!"

"...!! These idiots...!!"

Whitebeard's attempt to rally some semblance of teamwork was met with open hostility. The Rocks Pirates didn’t follow anyone’s orders—not unless Rocks himself gave them. This crew was a gathering of monsters, each more bloodthirsty than the last. Even among the so-called "officers," infighting was constant. They’d stab each other in the back the moment an opportunity arose.

Case in point—Linlin and Shiki were already at each other’s throats.

"You bastard, Shiki...!! Attacking me means you’ve got a death wish, huh?!"

"Shut the hell up!! I’m busy!! Gotta wipe out these losers and recruit some new lackeys!! Or what, you wanna go first?!"

"Oi, Linlin!! Shiki!! You two seriously fighting now?! The enemy’s right here!!"

Whitebeard’s warnings fell on deaf ears. Linlin and Shiki barely spared him a glance before turning their fury toward each other—until the Roger Pirates seized the opening.

"Infighting, huh? Too bad—we’re not gonna just stand around and watch..."

"Now’s our chance!! Thin their numbers!! They’re strong, but they’re disorganized!!"

"Right!!"

Rayleigh, Gabban, and the rest of Roger’s crew surged forward, targeting the Rocks Pirates’ key fighters—Linlin, Shiki, and the others.

Meanwhile, Whitebeard found himself locked in combat with the one man who could match him blow for blow.

"Wahaha!! You’re strong, ain’tcha?! Newgate, was it?! Never thought Rocks had someone like you under him!!"

"Tch... Quit laughing in the middle of a fight!!"

Roger, grinning like a madman, effortlessly parried Whitebeard’s quake-infused strikes. The sheer force of their clashes sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, carving fissures into the earth.

Whitebeard was a monster in his own right, but Roger? Roger was laughing.

"Nah, I’m having fun!! How often do I get to fight someone as strong as you?!"

"Damn cocky bastard...!!"

"—Says the guy who looks like he’s not having fun!! You’re a pirate, ain’tcha?! Where’s the joy in that? You good?!"

"...!!"

Whitebeard stiffened, as if struck by an uncomfortable truth. But he quickly bared his teeth, glaring at Roger.

"...Don’t waste your breath worrying about the enemy!!"

"—Oh, right!! I gotta go after that guy!! Sorry, but move aside!! We’ll finish this another time!!"

"Like hell I’ll let you—!!!"

"No? Wahahaha!!"

Whitebeard’s attacks grew fiercer, and Roger’s blade met them with equal intensity. Their duel was a masterclass in combat—a whirlwind of Haki, technique, and raw power.

But as spectacular as it was, the rest of the battlefield demanded attention. Rayleigh and Gabban clashed with Linlin and Shiki in a chaotic free-for-all. And then there were the Marines—

"Don’t underestimate them just because they’re kids!! They’ve got bounties for a reason!!"

"Right!!"

"Ugh, seriously! The Marines just keep coming!!"

"GYAAHH—?!"

I twirled my trident, cutting down Marines left and right, relishing the madness around me. Flames and lightning scorched the earth, the ground quaked, and the sky itself was split between Kaido’s dragon form and my UFOs.

It was like the end of the world. Every second, someone’s voice was silenced. I took lives, and if I slipped up, mine could be next.

And it was exhilarating.

"『Peaceful Dark Cloud』!!"

"Wha—?! The sky’s...!!"

"GUAHH?! What the hell’s flying at us?!"

I unleashed a storm of dark clouds, raining down lasers and bullets on the enemy. Even fighting Marines was fun when it was like this.

But this wasn’t a one-sided slaughter.

"—Ugh...!!"

"! Kaido?!"

Kaido suddenly convulsed, his draconic form flickering before he plummeted to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth.

I rushed to his side, cutting down Marines in my path—only to come face-to-face with a familiar foe.

"Hmph... Big targets are just easier to hit."

"Garp!!"

His fist, hardened with Armament Haki, was still smoking from the punch that had sent Kaido crashing down.

I swung my trident, coating it in Haki—but Garp blocked it effortlessly with his forearm.

"Huh... So you can use Haki too... You and Kaido are already proper pirates, huh..."

"We're still just apprentices!! But we'll get even stronger from here on out...!!"

Grrrrgh...! No matter how much strength I put into it, I couldn’t budge him. Not even a twitch. Even with Observation Haki predicting his movements, he was still faster. Seriously, is this matchup just unfair?! Garp shouldn’t be someone we have to fight! Hey, someone help us out here!

"Guh... The gap in strength is brutal...!!"

"...Hmph."

"KYAAH!?"

A single punch sent me flying. Ugh, damn it...! This monster...!!

"ROOOOAAAR...!!!"

"Tch... These damn brats are growing into real terrors...!!"

While I was still recovering, Kaido had already gotten back up, swinging his club down at Garp with all his might. Normally, that kind of strike—imbued with Armament Haki—would crush even steel. But against Garp? It barely made him flinch.

"You bastard...!! I ain’t losing...!! I’m gonna be the strongest pirate there is...!! UGH!?"

"Kaido!!"

Garp’s fist buried itself in Kaido’s gut, sending him flying again. This is bad. He won’t die from that, but fighting Garp any longer is suicide. I tried rushing to Kaido’s side—

"RAAAAH!! We’re stopping you right here!!"

"Just surrender quietly!!"

"Tch... Damn... pests...!!"

Marines swarmed me, blocking my path. Ugh, their numbers are such a pain! This is more annoying than fun now. No matter how many I cut down, more keep coming. Agh, seriously!

"Would you just... MOVE ALREADY!!!"

"!!"

"Hm...!?"

I screamed—and for a second, it felt like the battlefield paused.

Huh? What—?

Wait... did I just—?

"Opening!!"

"Ah!?"

I leaped into the air, soaring toward Kaido while cutting down Marines in my path. Then, staring down Garp, I forced a smirk.

"How immature! Picking on kids when there are way worse guys to fight!"

"...Fair point... But more importantly—was that you just now?"

"Huh? ‘Just now’?"

Why’s he asking me that? I tilted my head in confusion. I didn’t do anything special...?

"...Conqueror’s Haki... To think you could use it too..."

"...Hweh?"

...Huh?

...Wait, WHAT!?

Conqueror’s Haki!? For real!? But...!?

"...N-No way, nobody even fainted!"

"...That’s just ’cause you’re still weak. You can’t knock people out unless the gap in strength is big enough."

"...Ugh. That’s embarrassing..."

Ehhh...?

I mean, sure, I’m happy, but this is just humiliating...!

Activating Conqueror’s Haki for the first time, and all it does is make a few people notice? Nobody even collapsed! That’s so lame!! At this point, it’d be better if I hadn’t used it!!

"...At least one person could’ve fainted!! I should be stronger than these Marines!!"

"—A few did stagger. Look."

"Guh... That was close... Almost blacked out..."

"Barely held on... But I managed..."

"Huh...? I usually pass out when Vice Admiral Garp accidentally lets his Conqueror’s slip... But this time I could take it...? Does that mean... the gap isn’t that big...?"

"—WHY IS EVERYONE JUST BARELY HANGING ON!? THIS IS BULLSHIT!! GIVE ME BACK MY COOL CONQUEROR’S HAKI AWAKENING SCENE!!"

Uuuugh... This is the worst...!

Conqueror’s Haki awakenings are supposed to be dramatic! Like, you lose something important, or something unforgivable happens, and then—BAM!—everyone around you drops like flies in awe of your power!!

But mine just... happened randomly. No big moment. No fear. No praise. Half the battlefield didn’t even notice! What’s the point of having "king’s disposition" if nobody treats you like one!?

"Ugh... This is humiliating...! I wanted to be praised...!!"

"Heh... Your Conqueror’s is pathetic... Impressive..."

"THAT’S NOT A COMPLIMENT!! And it’s not that my Conqueror’s is weak!! It’s about control, not raw power!! It didn’t work ’cause there weren’t any weaklings around to knock out!! ...Which is even sadder when I say it out loud!!"

"...Are we fighting or not?"

"SHUT UP, GARP!! ...Just gimme a sec... Ugh... Wait... I-I totally meant to stumble over my words just now!!"

(You didn’t have to point it out yourself...)

Ugh... This is bad.

I can feel the pity in their eyes. If this keeps up, my "mysterious terror" image is ruined! My whole thing is being cute but terrifying! If I look too pathetic, they’ll start underestimating me.

I’ll figure out the Conqueror’s Haki thing later.

"...Anyway, let’s get back to fighting!! C’mon, Kaido!!"

"Rrgh...!! Let’s go...!!"

We raised our weapons, ready to clash again. The Marines tensed—

——And then.

"——SHOOOOORT CAAAAAAKE!!!"

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAH!!?"

"!!?"

That voice.

That power.

Every member of the Rocks Pirates knew exactly what had just happened.

No way... At a time like this—!?

"OH SHIT!! BIG MOM’S HUNGER PANGS!!!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT!!?"

"HEY, STREUSEN!! HURRY UP AND MAKE SOME DAMN CAKE!! WE’RE GONNA GET WRECKED TOO!!"

"—I’M WORKING ON IT!! JUST HOLD ON, LINLIN!! ...Wait, actually—! HEY, LINLIN!! MAYBE THE MARINES HAVE SOME CAKE OVER THERE!!"

"Huh?"

The battlefield descended into chaos as Linlin’s hunger rampage erupted. In this state, she was an indiscriminate monster—utterly uncontrollable.

The only solution was to get Streusen to whip up her favorite shortcake...

But for some reason, the bastard decided to lie and say the Marines had it.

And so, with the last shreds of her rationality, Linlin turned—

"——GIVE ME THE SHORT CAAAAAAKE!!!"

"!!?"

—and charged straight toward us on Zeus.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

I get the idea, but this is insane!! We’re gonna get caught up in this too!!

"Fine... We’ll just back off for now—"

"SHOOOOORT CAAAAKE!!!"

"WHOAH!? SHE’S COMING THIS WAY!?"

"THE HELL WOULD WE HAVE CAKE, YOU OLD HAG!!?"

Even Kaido couldn’t help but yell at her. But of course, reasoning with her was pointless—that’s why it was called a "hunger pang."

"——『EMPEROR’S WRATH』!!!"

"SHE’S USING HER BIGGEST MOVE TODAY!?"

"KNOCK IT OFF OR I’LL KILL YOU, LINLIN!!"

Oh, come ON!!

I barely dodged the slash, but the shockwave alone tore through the surroundings—

"OH SHIT!! THE CLIFF’S COLLAPSING!!"

"SOMEONE STOP IT!!!"

The towering cliffside crumbled under Linlin’s attack. As insane as ever... Wait, no, this isn’t the time to be impressed!

"SHOOOOORT CAAAAKE!!!"

"Tch...!!"

Finally, Linlin’s rampage reached its peak—

——And in that instant, he stepped in.

"Guh...!!"

"! Whitebeard!!"

Shielding his retreating crew, Whitebeard took Linlin's attack head-on, his left arm slashed by Prometheus—her flaming saber.

But a wound like that wouldn't stop him.

In one brutal counter, he seized her by the collar with an Armament-hardened fist—

"——STAY THE HELL DOWN!!!"

"!!!?"

—and slammed a quake-powered punch straight into her gut.

Even Linlin couldn't shrug that off. Her eyes rolled back as she was sent flying, crashing into the cliffside with enough force to send tremors through the battlefield. Damn, that was ruthless... A quake punch was no joke—the aftershocks alone split the earth beneath us.

"Hah... Hah... That damn glutton...!"

Whitebeard, now wounded and breathing heavily, still stood tall. Kinda feel bad for him... Not that I'd ever admit it. This chaos was fun, but his suffering was almost palpable.

(...If I tried to cheap-shot him now, even I might get obliterated.)

I quickly dismissed the thought.

But Whitebeard, ever the warrior, didn't linger. Gripping his naginata, he turned back to Roger with a roar—

"...Kept you waiting...!! COME ON, THEN!!!"

"…………"

Roger, silent until now, suddenly grinned.

"——Alright, got it!! I won’t fight you today!!!"

"——THE HELL!?"

Whitebeard froze. Even the Roger Pirates looked stunned. ...What’s this idiot planning now?

Roger just laughed, utterly carefree.

"I like you too much to kill you over some half-assed brawl!! Let’s call it a draw for now!!"

"Tch!! You think I need your pity!? Don’t insult me!!"

"Nah!! Fighting you when you’re not at full strength ain’t fun for me!!! We’ll settle this later!!! Besides, I gotta chase down Rocks first!! ——Oi, Garp!! Move out!!"

"Hah!? Hey, Roger—!! ——THE HELL YOU RUNNING OFF SO FAST FOR!? WAIT UP, DAMMIT!!"

"...!! Hold it...!!"

For a split second, Whitebeard hesitated. His eyes locked onto Roger’s retreating figure, conflicted. By the time he snapped out of it, Roger was already gone, Garp cursing as he sprinted after him.

Shiki, still hovering mid-air, snarled—

"!! ——DON’T YOU DARE RUN!!"

"Wahahaha!! You’d be fun to fight too, but later!!! See ya!!"

"Tch!!? ——Guh... I said STAY!!"

Shiki lunged, dual swords flashing—but Roger parried him effortlessly, sending him reeling back. With that opening, Roger and Garp vanished deeper into the island.

Shiki tried to pursue—

"——Sorry. Road’s closed."

"!!? You... RAYLEIGH...!!!"

—only for Rayleigh to intercept him with a slash that forced him to a halt. Shiki knew better than to turn his back on an opponent like that.

Meanwhile, the lower-ranked Rocks Pirates—the ones who actually feared their captain—began to panic.

"Oi, they got away!!?"

"Shit... Is the boss gonna kill us for this?"

"Don’t let ’em go any further!! Our lives are on the line too!!"

...Meanwhile, I’m just getting hyped.

This was awesome.

Roger and Garp vs. Rocks? I HAVE to see that. But fighting Rayleigh and the others sounds fun too!! What do I do!?

"Guess we’re going after them!! Kaido!!"

"...! Hell yeah!! If Roger’s moving, so are we!! Let’s go!!"

We bolted toward the island’s core, the other Rocks elites following suit. The battle wasn’t over yet.

——But amidst the chaos...

"...That bastard..."

Whitebeard lingered for just a moment, staring into the valley. Then, with a grit of his teeth, he raised his naginata again—

——And rejoined the fray.

---

At the heart of God Valley—true to its name—lay a massive gorge.

Sheer cliffs towered on either side, forming a canyon so deep that its lowest point plunged two thousand meters. Normally, this was the site of a sacred altar crucial to the kingdom, but now, it had been transformed into a stage for the Celestial Dragons’ "Indigenous Purge Games," with treasure chests piled high as prizes.

And the Celestial Dragons themselves were present, their every move guarded by frantic Marines scrambling to protect them.

Yet now, into that valley stepped not a god—but a devil.

"Move it, CP0!! You ain’t stoppin’ me like this!!"

"Tch…!!"

"Hah… Hah…!!"

At the island’s center, barely clinging to consciousness as they stood their ground, were two agents of CP0—the world’s strongest intelligence agency, the shield of the Celestial Dragons.

But even these two could do little more than buy time against this legendary pirate—if they were even managing that much.

Because the devil before them—Rocks—wasn’t even fully focused on them. Even with enemies in front of him, his gaze swept the surroundings, his Observation Haki probing for other presences.

CP0? He could handle them with one hand tied behind his back.

And with that unspoken arrogance, Rocks charged.

"The treasure and those Celestial Dragon bastards are further in!! Let’s go, boys!!"

"Ooooh!!"

"Dammit… We can’t hold him…!!"

"At this rate…!!"

CP0 knew they couldn’t stop Rocks. Knew he’d break through. But against this swarm of pirates, they were powerless. They’d already evacuated the lesser Celestial Dragons—but unless they took down this devil here and now, he’d hunt them down and slaughter them all. Even if the Dragons escaped, every last treasure would be plundered.

So they had to defeat him.

They braced themselves, giving away no unnecessary intel—but Rocks just grinned.

"Gehahaha…!! Suit yerselves!! Don’t gotta answer me. Plenty other ways to get info!!"

"!! ‘Soru’!!"

"‘Razor Kamisori’!!"

Seeing Rocks move at blinding speed, the two CP0 agents reacted in kind—one dashing across the ground with Soru, the other weaving through the air with Razor Kamisori, a high-speed aerial variant of Geppo.

They kept their distance, ensuring they couldn’t be caught in a single strike, positioning to flank Rocks from behind.

But none of it mattered.

Rocks drove his sword through one agent’s chest and seized the other’s head with his free hand—effortlessly.

"—Six Styles’ secret techniques, huh? Gehaha, predictable as hell… but that shit don’t work on me!!"

"Gh…! Hrk…!!"

They’d been read—no, worse. Their future had been read.

Through his supreme mastery of Observation Haki, Rocks had seen their every move coming—and without even needing to counter, he crushed them both in an instant.

"GEHAHAHA!! That all ya got?! Die regrettin’ it—crossin’ me was your last mistake!!"

"…!"

As the man loomed over them with that merciless grin, their spines turned to ice. A single word burned in their minds—the very epithet he bore.

—Devil.

This man was evil incarnate. A monster. A demon. Something beyond human.

Mastering the Six Styles, becoming "superhuman"—none of it mattered. Superhuman or not, they were still human. And humans don’t beat devils.

"Your bad luck—facin’ me!!"

"!!!"

Before they could react, Rocks drew his pistol and fired—Haki-infused bullets ripping into the fallen CP0 agents.

Fatal wounds. No saving them now. They wouldn’t die instantly, but soon, consciousness would fade.

And in those final, fleeting moments—

"—Relax. ‘Death’ is under my control. You won’t suffer here. Be free… freed from everything… and live under my ‘rule’!! GEHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

With the devil’s mocking laughter as their last sound, their consciousness melted into darkness.

But their desperate stand hadn’t been in vain. Against Rocks’ unstoppable rampage, they had barely bought enough time—

"Follow me! The Holy Knights!!"

"Hah?"

Not the scent of retreat—but the approach of battle. Rocks’ eyes locked onto them.

These weren’t Celestial Dragons fleeing in terror. No, they were armed—swords, guns, and an aura of strength. A group of warriors where there should have been only cowards.

In an instant, the leading knight closed the distance at blinding speed, his sword raised high.

"Die… you surface-world trash."

The slash carried lethal force—enough to cut down veteran pirates or Marines. No ordinary attack.

And the others were no different. These Holy Knights were Celestial Dragons who defied their kind’s weakness. They were strong.

But—

"Ohhh…? Now this’s a surprise… Celestial Dragons who ain’t just pigs?!"

"!?"

Rocks blocked the strike effortlessly, his blade sheathed in Haki. Then, with a grin worthy of his epithet, he faced the attacker—Figarland Garling, Holy Knight—and the rest.

"But in front of me, you’re all just prey!! GEHAHA!! Lucky you… comin’ to die on your own—GEHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Tch! Fall back!!"

"GEHAHA!! The throne of the gods is MINE!!! I’ll show you… GODSLAYING!!!"

An obscene surge of Haki erupted from Rocks’ sword—so overwhelming it distorted the air before the strike even landed. Black lightning crackled outward, fissures splitting the ground and buildings around him.

This wasn’t just Armament Haki.

It was Conqueror’s Haki—the mark of a king—wrapped around his blade. And with it, Rocks swung to massacre the Celestial Dragons.

"‘Lævateinn’!!!"

"!!!?"

A single slash, infused with Conqueror’s Haki.

The shockwave alone ravaged the surroundings, obliterating everything in its path.

"GYAAAAAAAAAH—!!?"

"The gorge…!?"

Even those not directly hit were sent flying. The attack carved into the massive canyon itself, shearing off a portion of the cliffside.

For the first time, the Holy Knights—proud Celestial Dragons—felt true fear. They’d never admit it, but in their hearts, they trembled.

"GEHAHAHAHA!! WELL THEN!! Judgment time, pigs!! Let’s see what ‘fate’ decides—me, you… and those bastards over there!! Who lives?! Let’s find out!! Try entertainin’ me while you’re at it!!! GEHAHA, GEHAHAHAHA—!!!"

"…! You filthy savage…!!"

Garling, blood streaming down his face, glared furiously at this pirate—this insect from the lower world.

And so, as the devil’s onslaught dragged even the gods into the fray, Rocks grinned with anticipation.

This wasn’t just about those two—the only ones who could’ve been his rivals. No, he was here for answers.

And as the war erupted, the devil’s smile only widened.