Rocks' single sentence stunned everyone present.
The "proudest first mate" acknowledged by the ruler of the seas—what kind of weight did that carry?
It elevated Roldy's standing even above Whitebeard's.
Was Rocks openly declaring him his chosen successor?
Shocking?
Hardly.
The so-called "proudest first mate" was nothing more than Rocks acknowledging Roldy for saving him—while simultaneously using his own fame to build Roldy's reputation.
It wasn't hard to imagine how such words would spread.
And once they reached the ears of the news agencies, even if Roldy were weak, he would be hyped as the next great king of the era.
Perhaps ordinary civilians might believe it.
The top fighters on this battlefield, however, would not.
And yet—
"So that's it! No wonder you lasted so long against me! Roldy was your secret weapon all along, huh?!"
Gol D. Roger exclaimed as if enlightened, his gaze toward Roldy growing more serious.
"You idiot! Are you a single-celled organism?!"
Silvers Rayleigh's furious rebuke made Roger instinctively shrink his neck like a child caught misbehaving.
"Gahahaha! It doesn't matter, Roger! Whatever my identity is—just remember this: today, I'll cut you down here!"
Roldy's pettiness flared up again. Brutal killing intent surged from his body as he locked onto Roger.
Roger froze briefly—
Then burst into delighted laughter.
"That would be perfect! Crossing blades with you is the greatest pleasure in this world!"
Two battle maniacs.
Old grudges.
The outcome was obvious.
They clashed in an instant.
The shockwaves from their exchange sent chills through the battlefield. Unlucky fighters caught too close were obliterated by the aftermath.
"Zehahahaha! They have their battle—that belongs to the next era. As for us…"
Rocks' lone remaining arm flexed as darkness surged wildly around him.
"Let's settle our accounts today."
Even with one arm gone, his arrogance remained unchanged.
It was his nature.
Unyielding.
Though gravely injured, his aura was still overwhelmingly ferocious. The fighters before him trembled. Even wounded, Rocks could instantly kill an Admiral-tier combatant.
He was still far above them.
Darkness roared.
A colossal phantom manifested behind him—identical to his own figure, but magnified in malice a hundredfold.
"Die."
Rocks vanished.
Even Admiral-level fighters dared not relax.
He moved like a specter.
Silently, he appeared behind Newval—the Commander of the World Government Air Forces, famed for his speed.
Newval didn't react in time.
Rocks' Conqueror's Haki seemed to suppress Observation Haki itself.
From afar, the others saw it clearly:
The grotesque grin behind Newval.
A black arm forged entirely of darkness lunged toward his head.
A stabbing pain shot through Newval's body. His battle instincts screamed at him to escape—
But the darkness erupted with monstrous suction.
He could not flee.
"So-called Commander of the Air Forces… compared to Kong, you're far inferior."
The Dark-Dark Fruit instantly stripped Newval of his Devil Fruit ability.
And with it—
His speed.
His greatest strength was erased in an instant.
Given Rocks' overwhelming power, Fleet Admiral Kong and the others could already see the tragic outcome unfolding.
Even Rocks himself believed Newval was as good as dead.
And yet—
Newval's eyes sharpened.
From his seemingly lean frame, tremendous power erupted.
Even with his throat crushed in Rocks' grip, he forced himself free—taking advantage of the slightest lapse.
Chunks of flesh were torn from his neck, but the wound was not fatal.
Newval landed and, without hesitation, picked up an ordinary long sword from the ground.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Sword intent surged.
For years, the low-profile Commander of the Air Forces had relied on his Devil Fruit to dominate the skies. With the Air Forces small in number, many assumed that was the extent of his ability.
But only he knew—
From commoner to Commander of the Air Forces, how much blood had stained his hands?
His Devil Fruit had not always been with him.
What he once relied upon—
Was the blade in his hand.
A pink slash cut through the battlefield.
Its sword momentum was astonishing—no less formidable than Shiki the Golden Lion.
A Great Swordsman.
A true master of Single Sword Style.
The unassuming Air Forces commander—
Was a top-tier Great Swordsman.
The sudden revelation made the Five Elders' eyes light up.
Among the World Government's Three Armed Forces, the Marines were undeniably the strongest. Historically, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces had always been drawn from the Marines.
For the Marines, that was pride.
For the rulers—
It was a concern.
Even now, the Marines showed signs of drifting beyond control. Fighters like Monkey D. Garp openly disregarded the World Government, even mocking the Celestial Dragons in private.
If another genius of Garp's caliber arose—and shared his attitude—what then?
Would such a person become Fleet Admiral?
Perhaps they needn't wait.
Roldy himself was such a case.
From a certain perspective, his defection from the Marines had been a blessing in disguise.
Now, Newval's display sparked hope.
Perhaps—
The next Supreme Commander of the World Government's Armed Forces could be him.
"What a magnificent counterattack," Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro murmured. As a Great Swordsman himself, he understood the weight of that strike.
"Remarkable. A talent like this emerging from the Air Forces… this is hope for the World Government's continued greatness."
"Impressive indeed."
The other Five Elders did not hold back their praise.
It was a rare sight—
The arrogant Five Elders openly admiring one of their subordinates.
Fleet Admiral Kong sensed something was off.
Sengoku felt it too.
But they seemed to have forgotten something.
At this moment—
Newval was standing alone…
Against Rocks D. Xebec.
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