Roger and Garp, buried in the ruins, coughed up blood almost at the same time and pulled out their transponder snails. They had a premonition that they might not make it back this time, but no matter what, they had to stop Rocks' rampage!
Garp spoke into the receiver, his voice raspy but firm: "Listen! Forget the orders! Take all the Marines you can save, and any survivors on the island who are still breathing, and get them on the ships! Immediately, get away from the God Valley coast right now!"
A Marine's panicked and disbelieving voice came from the other end of the transponder snail: "Vice Admiral Garp?! What did you say?! What about you?!"
"Just do it!!" Garp growled.
On the other side, Roger also spoke quickly into his transponder snail: "Rayleigh, Gaban, listen! As soon as everyone is gathered, set sail immediately and wait for me in safe waters far from the coast!"
"Roger! What on earth is happening on the island?! How are you doing?!" his companion asked anxiously over the transponder snail.
"Don't ask!" Roger took a deep breath, wiped the blood and dirt from his face, and glanced at Garp, who had also stood up from the ruins next to him with a look of determination.
Roger & Garp, both spoke into their transponder snails at the same time, saying decisively:
"We will definitely come back!!!"
Hanging up the communication, Garp tore off the justice coat from his back and tossed it onto the scorched earth; Roger unfastened the cloak that symbolized his status as Captain, letting it be blown away by the gale.
Shedding the outer garments that symbolized their status, it was as if the barriers between their factions also temporarily vanished. Only two men remained, fighting for their comrades and brothers-in-arms.
The two men, who had clashed countless times on the azure sea and brushed past each other in moments of life and death, now stood side by side before the ruins and the apocalyptic scene, facing the same enemy who radiated overwhelming evil and destructive aura.
Garp flexed his wrists and said in a low voice, "Rocks and Roger... My original mission in coming to God Valley was to arrest both of you!"
Roger grinned, despite the blood at the corner of his mouth: "And my original goal was just to take the treasure and Shakky, and then run away immediately!"
"But now," Roger looked at the demonic figure slowly emerging from the dust ahead, the fighting spirit in his eyes Burning anew,
"let's have a temporary truce and deal with this troublesome guy together, how about it?"
Garp snorted, his fists colliding with a resounding metallic clang:
"That's about the worst proposal I've heard in my life... however,"
His gaze locked onto Rocks, his eyes becoming sharp as needles,
"I can't just ignore the way this guy looks right now!"
"Hey! Rocks!!" Garp suddenly roared at Demon Rocks, trying to draw his attention,
"Look over here! Your opponent is right here!!"
The provoked Demon Rocks was indeed enraged. He abandoned Roger, and the giant blade in his hand stirred up a bloody wind, slashing wildly towards Garp! Wherever the blade passed, deep furrows were plowed into the ground!
Instead of retreating, Garp advanced. At the moment the blade reached him, his burly body showed incredible agility as he suddenly leaped upwards and to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike!
Almost at the same instant Garp leaped, Roger's figure moved like a ghost, circling behind Rocks! He spotted the defensive opening Demon Rocks exposed due to the frenzied slash—
"Kamisari!"
The famous sword Ace, wrapped in black and red lightning, drew a stunning arc and slashed fiercely onto Rocks' spine!
Clang—!!!
The explosive sound of clashing metal was deafening!
The powerful slash was completely resisted by Rocks' powerful Haoshoku, but the massive impact sent Rocks stumbling forward, crashing into the side rock wall! Rubble splattered!
"Now's the time!" The moment Garp landed, he exerted force again, his iron arms firmly grabbing the left ankle of Rocks, who was stuck in the stone wall!
"This monstrous appearance... is it really some kind of 'curse'?!" Garp felt the touch of the sinister life force coming from his arm and guessed to himself,
"Isn't there any way to break this curse?!"
"Get over here!!" Garp roared, his muscles bulging. His Conqueror's Haki mixed with top-tier Armament Haki, erupting with a mountain-shaking monstrous strength as he dragged Demon Rocks out of the rock wall, then swung him like a hammer throw, smashing him violently into the ground again!
Boom—!!!!
The earth shook and the mountains trembled! The giant Rocks shattered upon impact, and dust rose like a Mushroom cloud!
Roger's attack followed immediately without pause! Another sharp slash that tore through the earth split precisely into the dust!
Clang—!! Boom!!!
The earth shook violently again. The dust was dispersed by the shockwaves of Haki, revealing the demonic figure within and the wildly dancing black lightning of Haoshoku!
"Wake the hell up—!!! Rocks!!!"
Roger's roar pierced through the rumbling, trying to awaken Rocks' sunken consciousness.
This battle, which surpassed mortal imagination, with its intense Haki collisions and shockwaves, continuously affected the entire dying island.
Every clash intensified the collapse and caused the hearts of the survivors to sink to the bottom.
On the oro jackson, the Crew members looked at the constant bursts of terrifying energy light and the cracks in the sky on the island, deeply worried.
"The Captain..." a young Crew member couldn't help but whisper.
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, but the gaze behind the lenses was firmer than anyone else's. He understood the meaning behind every decision Roger made,
"Go! Roger will keep fighting... until he's sure we've all escaped safely! Don't let his fight be in vain!"
"But the opponent... is not simple!" A member of the Roger Pirates tightened his grip on his weapon.
"That's exactly why we can't become a burden to him!"
Rayleigh turned and looked at the ship that had already weighed anchor,
"Full speed ahead! Leave this sea area!"
Elsewhere on the island, Kaido, waking up from unconsciousness, shook his huge dragon head. The sharp pain in his nose reminded him of what had happened.
He glanced at the battle movements in the center of the island that seemed like they would pierce through heaven and earth, then at the hellish scene of destruction all around. His Azure Dragon body soared into the air, and without any hesitation, he flew towards the sea outside God Valley.
The Rocks Pirates? They no longer exist. Now, it's time for survival.
And on a relatively calm stretch of coastline, where the ground beneath could still be felt trembling and the seawater was beginning to rise abnormally, Charlotte Linlin sat cross-legged on a reef.
The giant "Wu" lay across her lap. She had her eyes closed, as if she were regulating her breathing, or perhaps waiting. The sea breeze blew through her long pink hair.
Puru puru... puru puru... the transponder snail in her arms rang.
She answered, and Gloriosa's urgent voice came through: "Hello! Linlin! Where are you now? On our side..."
"I'm waiting for someone," Charlotte Linlin interrupted her, her voice calm. "Are you guys on the gibeck now?"
"Yes, but for some reason, not many people have come back yet. The ship is very empty..."
Gloriosa's voice carried confusion and unease.
"Is that so..." Charlotte Linlin opened her eyes, glanced at the distant horizon, then looked down at the gradually sinking coastline beneath her feet,
"Then take Shakky and sail away first. This island... is going to sink."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the transponder snail: "...Then, what about the others? Rocks, he..."
Charlotte Linlin's gaze turned toward the constant bursts of energy light in the center of the island, her eyes complex: "The others... won't be coming back. The Rocks Pirates,"
She paused and voiced her suspicion, "should be considered... disbanded."
There was another, longer silence. Then, Gloriosa's voice came through: "Understood. Linlin... you must come back!"
Charlotte Linlin's mouth curled into a flamboyant arc: "Of course! This lady is your husband, after all!"
Hanging up the phone, she closed her eyes again, adjusting her breath to its peak.
In the center of the island, the most brutal death match continued.
The strong had all left the island; no one else could set foot on the battlefield of the three monsters.
Demon Rocks fought two-on-one. Even with Roger and Garp teaming up, he still held his ground, even relying on that powerful protective Haki to drag the battle into a grueling war of attrition!
Blood began to appear more frequently on Roger and Garp. Yet Demon Rocks remained unscathed!
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