Roger's words completely baffled Rocks. The only thing he could grasp was that Roger, a fellow pirate, had actually chosen to side with the World Government against him!
Newgate used a Tremor-Tremor-powered shockwave to force Garin back. Their prolonged battle had left both wounded—Newgate's exposed chest was crisscrossed with bleeding cuts, while Garin's golden Knights of God armor was shattered in several places, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. A middle-aged Newgate with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was no easy opponent.
If Roger hadn't suddenly appeared, one of them likely would have died in that clash.
Newgate cast a sidelong glance at Roger, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.
Roger hadn't come alone. Soon after, Vice Captain Silvers Rayleigh arrived with the rest of the crew, forming up behind Roger and facing down the Rocks Pirates.
Their arrival drastically changed the tide of battle. Rocks' expression darkened, his fury barely contained. He wanted to devour Roger alive.
The Rocks Pirates wore varied expressions. Except for Linlin, who had vanished, most looked uneasy—clearly ready to run.
Rocks noticed. He didn't hesitate, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki to its peak. The sky darkened ominously.
With his fists clenched, black lightning crackling around him, Rocks shot forward with blinding speed, locking onto Roger. Even in defeat, he had resolved to take Roger with him.
Roger met Rocks' assault with grim determination. He coated Ace, one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, in Haki and charged to meet the blow.
But at the moment of collision, Roger felt his sword arm nearly go numb. Rocks' power exceeded even his expectations.
Rayleigh was ready to draw his sword in support, but Garp was faster.
A jet-black iron fist crashed down from above. Rocks, focused solely on Roger, couldn't react in time. Garp's punch sent him flying.
Standing shoulder to shoulder before him, Garp and Roger drew Rocks' rage to a boiling point.
"Absolutely disgusting!" he spat, his mouth twitching with fury.
His plan to rally his faltering crew had failed. The situation worsened.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Linlin returned—holding a green Devil Fruit.
While the others fought, she had used the powers of her Soul-Soul Fruit to animate the land, uncovering the Fish Fish Fruit.
Rocks felt a flicker of hope. But Linlin's next words crushed it.
"Kaido, you dumb kid, what are you working so hard for? Look what I found! Come with me!"
Kaido's eyes lit up at the sight of the Fish Fish Fruit. He rushed to Linlin's side, and the two vanished into the distance without another word.
"…"
A brief silence hung in the air. Then, Newgate sighed. Disappointed beyond words, he hoisted Jungkuri over his shoulder and walked off the battlefield.
He didn't bother hurrying. The World Government didn't stop him—they simply let him go.
Shiki took a calm drag of his cigar. As the user of the Float-Float Fruit, he could leave anytime. He didn't even need to flee.
After Linlin and Kaido disappeared, Rocks stood still, silent even as Newgate walked away.
But Roger and Garp could feel it—a terrifying pressure building.
Rocks, now abandoned and desperate, was preparing for a final, deadly stand.
Satan smirked with confidence, but his body remained tense. He knew this was the most dangerous version of Rocks.
Rocks slowly raised his head. His voice was cold, sharp as a blade.
"Roger… Celestial Dragons… Navy… You all deserve to die!"
BOOM!
The ground exploded. Rocks, joined by a few remaining loyal subordinates, stormed the enemy lines.
Limbs flew. Blood mist filled the air.
The World Government, the Navy, and Roger's pirates all surged forward to stop Rocks' rampage.
Rocks laughed wildly, ripping off his blood-soaked cloak.
"Come on! All of you! I am Rocks!!!"
Some time later…
The thunder of battle faded from the Valley of the Gods.
At the shore, Newgate pushed a small wooden boat into the sea and climbed aboard.
The original Rocks Pirate ship had long since been destroyed by Navy warships. He had built this little boat himself.
Looking back toward the valley, Newgate muttered, "Goodbye, Captain Rocks."
From his coat, he pulled out a pale blue Devil Fruit.
"Picked up a Devil Fruit on the way out… must've been left by the Celestial Dragons. Guess I got lucky."
On a Marine warship…
Sengoku sat on a bench, cleaning blood off his body. The medical team was overwhelmed, so he had chosen to treat himself.
As he pressed cotton into his wound with tweezers—
BANG! Garp slammed the door open.
"Hey! Sengoku, you alright?!"
"Pfft—!" The sudden shock drove the tweezers deeper into Sengoku's wound. His face twisted.
Before Sengoku could explode in anger, Garp tossed him a wooden box.
"Check it out. Look what I found."
Gold foil decorated the box—it clearly held something valuable.
Sengoku raised an eyebrow and opened it.
Inside was a golden Devil Fruit.
He looked at Garp in disbelief. Garp grinned.
"It's one of those Celestial Dragons' fruits. I grabbed it. You know I don't like those guys, so I'm not handing it over. But I don't wanna be a landlubber either. If you want it, it's yours."
Aboard the Roger Pirates' ship…
Roger and his crew gathered around a wooden box.
Inside was a red-haired baby.
He wasn't crying. Instead, he laughed and waved his tiny arms.