Through the dust and smoke, York's figure was somewhat blurry.
He slowly raised his hand, and wicked tentacles resembling those of an octopus shot out from the haze.
The female members of the God's Knights, unable to dodge in time, were struck one after another.
Some were entangled by the holy light tentacles released by York around their wrists, others around their ankles.
"Ah—!!"
Shrill moans escaped their lips.
Moments ago still capable of resistance, their legs instantly went weak, and they collapsed to the ground.
Supporting themselves with their hands, they tried to crawl up, but couldn't muster any strength.
"Pirate!!"
Garling's furious roar exploded suddenly, black-red lightning crackling.
He severed the tentacles York released with a slash, then charged straight for York's main body.
The world-class famed sword, wrapped in Garling's formidable Haki, slashed horizontally at York once more.
York clenched his fist, similarly delivering another punch infused with Conqueror's Haki.
Blade and fist collided mid-air. Terrifying Haki lightning exploded, dark clouds rolled in the sky. The first sky-splitting event in God Valley occurred during the clash between Garling and York.
"Thought you'd be as strong as Rocks and Roger! Turns out you're just so-so!!"
York's mouth curled into a sinister grin.
In the manga he read in his previous life, Garling was full of style in God Valley, looking ready to duel Rocks and Roger one-on-one.
Unexpectedly, the opponent was roughly on par with his current self!
Perhaps... Garling's true peak was after obtaining immortality in Luffy's era!
*Boom!*
Haki, compressed and frictioned to the limit, exploded. York and Garling were blown backward simultaneously.
York retreated into the group of Celestial Dragons still immersed in his ability, while Garling retreated into the group of God's Knights who also hadn't recovered from his ability.
"Our strength is about equal; a victor won't be decided quickly! Rather than fighting to the end and letting others take all the benefits, how about we make a deal now?"
York raised his hand. Before Garling could launch the next attack, he released a large number of holy light tentacles, wrapping around the bodies of dozens of nearby Celestial Dragons.
"Celestial Dragons should have internal competition too, right? If too many clansmen die at once, even you would have a hard time explaining it, I'm afraid?"
Threat! This was a naked threat!
Garling's face was dark.
Although York's method was despicable, it truly seized his weakness.
"What do you want?!"
Garling asked in a deep voice.
York pointed to the treasure chests on the high platform nearby.
"The Devil Fruits! And Shakky, whom you captured and brought here!"
"Impossible!!"
Garling refused immediately.
York didn't waste words with him, directly intensifying the ability on one tentacle dozens of times over.
"Oh oh oh oh..."
An entangled Celestial Dragon let out a painful moan. It was clearly something pleasurable, yet he felt only pain.
"Ga... Garling..."
Amidst screams, this Celestial Dragon died from exhaustion.
The other Celestial Dragons wrapped in tentacles were startled, waking from the pleasure for a moment, but immediately sank back in.
However, having broken free for a split second—or perhaps York deliberately lifted the ability for a moment—
These Celestial Dragons voiced their pleas: "A... Agree to him... Garling... I can't die..."
"If we die... the Figarland family... will face the severest impeachment..."
"Merely Devil Fruits and a woman..."
"Can they compare to our precious lives?!"
Garling gritted his teeth, cursing this group of Celestial Dragons madly in his heart.
*Truly a bunch of idiots!!*
*Do you know what it means if all those Devil Fruits are taken by this pirate?!*
Shakky aside.
Although he liked this woman very much, she was just a woman after all; nothing he couldn't discard.
The key was those Devil Fruits!
Those were Devil Fruits they had carefully selected!
Every single one was top-tier!
Limitless prices were paid to recover these fruits back then!
Now, to give these top-tier fruits away for free with just one sentence!
Do they know how many great enemies will be created in the future once these Devil Fruits fall into pirate hands!!
However, the situation was stronger than the person.
Garling couldn't really let so many Celestial Dragons die at York's hands.
Although the God's Knights had the power to execute clansmen, it didn't mean they could allow pirates to slaughter clansmen.
If York really killed that many people, he, Garling, would definitely be in deep trouble.
Taking a deep breath, Garling slowly sheathed his long sword.
He looked at York, "How can I trust you?"
York smiled in response: "I am a man of my word! What I promise, I will do!"
"Of course, more importantly, you have no choice right now!"
"Either you agree to my demands, and I leave once I get what I want."
"Or, you take those Devil Fruits and Shakky away, and I kill two-thirds of the Celestial Dragons here, release the remaining third, and let them complain about you!"
"Oh~ Don't worry! I know you Celestial Dragons have a total of 19 families!"
"I will definitely leave one survivor for each family!"
"Guaranteed to make you a thorn in the eyes of the other 18 families!!"
*Grind!*
Garling ground his teeth in anger.
York, this bastard, was too skilled, hitting his fatal points everywhere.
Fists clenched, veins popping.
But in the end, Garling was forced to relent.
"The Devil Fruits can be yours! That woman Shakky you can take too! But my clansmen! You absolutely cannot harm them either!!"
A gratified smile appeared on York's face.
"A wise man submits to circumstances!!"
With that, he raised his hand and pulled the tentacles.
The Celestial Dragons controlled by his ability slowly stood up under the tentacles' manipulation.
Stumbling, they surrounded and guarded York as he walked to the high platform in the center of the plaza.
York reached out, took down a treasure chest, and opened it. Inside lay a Devil Fruit quietly.
Taking out a sack specifically for treasure from his pocket, he put the Devil Fruit inside.
Then the second, the third... the ninth!
York hadn't expected that the nine chests actually contained nine Devil Fruits!
Licking his lips greedily, watching Garling's furious gaze, York released the holy light tentacles from 23 Celestial Dragons.
"This is half the number! Showing you my sincerity! And Shakky, where is she held?"
While commanding the returned Somaz and others to drag the Celestial Dragons released by York back to his side, Garling pointed to a small door on the side of the high platform.
York raised his hand, used internal destruction Armament Haki to break the door lock directly, then pulled the door open.
A woman who had been meticulously cared for, suffering no torture whatsoever, and who still showed no reaction under his radiating holy light, stood quietly in the center of the room.
Her hands were handcuffed behind her back, also connected to the ground by a chain, unable to break free by herself.
She looked at York, who suddenly appeared outside the door. A trace of shock, a trace of emotion, a trace of complexity, and a trace of hidden disappointment welled up in her beautiful eyes.
*Not Rayleigh... it's York...*
"Shakky! I'm here to save you!"
York naturally saw the complexity and disappointment in Shakky's eyes.
Having two women already, even if he couldn't detect such details before, he wouldn't miss them now.
He didn't care that Rayleigh was still in Shakky's heart at this moment. Wasn't it the same with Gloriosa back then! And Stussy too!
Completely turning her heart to him was just a matter of time!
He stepped behind Shakky, reaching out to help her unlock the shackles.
Suddenly, Shakky shouted: "Careful! It's Seastone!!"
York paused, smiled slightly at Garling outside the door, and pulled a short knife from his pocket.
"I guessed there would be such a situation long ago!"
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