Chapter 28: God, Slave and Devil
Slightly north of the islandâs center, the battle between monsters grew even fiercer.
"GYAHAHAHA!!"
"TchâŚ!!"
Slashing attacks and gunfire, infused with overwhelming Haki, tore through the islandâyet still failed to bring down the beast before him.
Rocks D. Xebec laughed fearlessly, never relenting in his assault, while Saturn regenerated from each wound and counterattacked. To any observer, their battle would be incomprehensible.
How many fatal blows had it been now? Each time Rocks delivered one, Saturn simply healed and rose again. Grinning wildly, Rocks taunted:
"Donât know what kinda trick youâre pullinâ, but that regenerationâs impressive!! But⌠it ainât enough to stop me!! Pathetic!! A GoroseiâI finally thought Iâd found a worthy opponent!!"
"âŚ!!"
Saturnâs presence was no longer even human, yet Rocks pressed forward without hesitation. And despite his regeneration, Saturn couldnât land a decisive blow.
The fight was nearly one-sided.
This was the true strength of the "Demon of the Seas," the "Bane of Gods"âpower even the enigmatic Gorosei couldnât match.
"Just regenerating ainât gonna entertain me!! GYAHAH!! Still, gotta admit, youâre annoyinâ⌠But Iâm startinâ to figure you outâŚ!! And how to kill youâŚ!!"
"âŚ!!? Youâdonât tell meâ!!"
"GYAHAHAHA!!! Didnât read the reports? Or were you just careless? Mid-fight or not, all I gotta do is touch you to learn your secretsâŚ!! You underestimated my Haki!!"
"Damn itâŚ!!"
Saturn realized his mistake too late. The strikes to his head mid-battleâRocks had extracted something from them. Information that should never have been exposed.
"GYAHA⌠GYAHAHAHA!!! Fascinatinâ!! More questions than answers!! The more I learn, the more I wanna know!! This mysteryâs too temptinâ!! The Gorosei⌠The Celestial Dragons⌠The pinnacle of godsâŚ!! This worldâs still got mountains of secrets!!"
"Rocks⌠You bastardâŚ!! (He must be eliminatedâŚ!!)"
"My instincts were right!! If I slaughter you all and unravel every mysteryâIâll be the one to rule this world!!!"
Rocks, drunk on the fragments of truth heâd seized, roared with triumph. His ambition burned brighter than everâkilling this monster before him was no mistake.
Meanwhile, Saturnâs dread deepened. Rocksâ threat level had just skyrocketed. He hesitatedâhow to erase him? Would he need to consult the others? Or would it take all of them striking at once?
Even then, success wasnât guaranteed. But doing nothing would invite catastrophe.
"âŚIt canât be helped."
"GYAHAH⌠Planninâ somethinâ? Then bring it on!! Iâll crush everything in my wayâŚ!! Iâll be the reaper you fear!!!"
As Saturn steeled himself, Rocksâreading the shift in the airâprepared to drown them all in annihilationâŚ
When suddenlyâ
"Hm!?"
"! This presenceâŚ"
Two massive auras approached. Rivals to his own.
Rocks grinned. The chaos was about to escalate. God-slaying would have to wait.
"âGYAHAHâŚ!! Youâre early, ainâtcha⌠Roger. And GarpâŚ!!"
"âCAUGHT UP TO YOU, ROCKS~~~!!!"
"âRocks!!! Your reign ends hereâŚ!!!"
The men who arrived were Rocksâ greatest foilsâthe pirate Gol D. Roger and the marine Monkey D. Garp.
The natural enemies of Rocks and the "gods" like Saturn.
And now, they stood together.
Rocksâ smile stretched wider than ever.
If I moved through the air toward the island's center, the ones waiting there wereâinexplicablyâchildren.
No, wait. Slaves? Well, if they're slaves, then of course there'd be kids among them. That made sense. But something about them felt familiar⌠Maybe, just maybe, I actually knew them.
"I donât know who you are⌠but hand that over!!"
"!!"
"If you donât give it up, Iâll have to kill you!!"
The bigger kid flinched and backed away from me, but the darker-skinned oneâthe one Iâd just roundhouse-kicked in the faceâshouted at the top of his lungs.
"Eat it!! Kuma!! Donât think, just do it!!!"
"Kuma⌠Huh?"
Hearing the larger kidâs wordsâthe one whoâd just been called "Iva-chan"âI felt a jolt of recognition. Wait, why are these two here?!
That said, since this was outside the scope of what I knew, I had no choice but to accept it. Hmm, so these two knew each other even back then⌠Well, well. Thatâs interesting. Not that it means Iâll go easy on them!
"I donât really get it, but since weâre here, youâre gonna entertain me!!"
"Eat it and survive, Kuma!! Even if just one of us makes it⌠thatâs OUR victory!!!"
"âŚ!!"
In my field of vision, Kuma brought the fruit in his hand to his mouthâwait, was that the Nikyu Nikyu Fruit? Or something else? I was curious, but since he wouldnât be able to use its power right away, I decided to swing my spear instead.
"Kids or not, in battle, thereâs no distinction!! So I donât care if you die!!"
"UghâŚ!!"
My spear tore through the flesh of Kumaâs shoulder. Hmph. Still weak. Well, what else could you expect from an untrained slave kid who couldnât even use Haki? After fighting Rogerâs crew and Garpâs Marines earlier, this felt especially pathetic.
Honestly, since one of the treasures had already been eaten, I didnât need to keep fighting themâbut I was interested, so I pressed the attack. Whether they lived or died didnât matter. My enjoyment came first.
"Here comes the follow-up!! Feel free to fight backâhuh!?"
"Run⌠KumaâŚ!!"
Just as I was about to strike, Ivankov desperately lunged at my leg. Gutsy, but still weak.
"Annoying!! Take this!!"
"GhkâŚ!!"
"Iva-chanâŚ!!"
I kicked Ivankov square in the face again, sending him flying. Then, hearing Kumaâs worried cry, I unleashed a barrage of UFO fire in his direction.
"Try and counter that!!"
"W-waaahhh!!"
A scream followed. Was I really that terrifying? Rude. Iâm considered the weakest girl in the Rocks Pirates.
Well, I guess anyone would panic if a UFO suddenly started blasting at them. Still, as I moved in for the killâ
"The other treasureâs stillâŚ!!"
"Ahâhey, hey, HEY!! Thatâs a no-no!!"
âI spotted other slaves trying to steal the remaining treasure behind me and skidded to a halt. Immediately pivoting, I abandoned my current prey. Fighting familiar faces was fun, but my mission came first!!
"Die!"
"GYAAAAHH!!"
So I just stabbed them clean through with my spear. Unlike with Kuma, this was a direct hit. Drive a spear through someoneâs center, and they die. Simple as that. Thatâs the beauty of spears.
"Survival of the fittest!! If you wanna blame anyone, blame your own weakness!!"
"âOi, Nue!! Whereâs the treasure!? Whereâs Roger!?"
"Youâre late, Kaido!! Over here!! Look, treasure galore!! Enough that pocketing a little extra wonât even make a dent!"
Just as I finished mercilessly slaughtering a few more slaves, Kaido finally caught up. He was probably held up fighting random stragglers along the way. Why not just plow through them? But then again, this is Kaido. As I casually pocketed some gold and loaded it onto my UFOâ
"âWhose treasure do you think youâre touchingâŚ?"
"âWhoa!?"
"Gyahah!!"
A voice cut in from behind just as I was gleefully looting. A slash followed, forcing me to block and dodge. The impact rattled me, but I managed to evade. I heard Kaido shout, but I couldnât afford to look back. Standing before me was some weird-haired swordsman-looking guy.
"Who the hell are you!? Some creepy-haired weirdo!?"
"Filthy scavenger⌠Hyena. To lay hands on the possessions of gods⌠You deserve annihilation."
"Guh!"
I didnât know who he was. But that arrogance⌠It rang a bell. Not sure, but maybe a Celestial Dragon?
Wait, noâthis wasnât the time for guesses! This guyâs hair was ridiculous, but he was strong!
"Kaido!! Weâre teaming up on this one!!"
"Yeah!!"
"âOh-ho! This oneâs lively prey too!"
"!?"
Just as I called for Kaidoâs help, another enemy joined the fray. Not pirates, not Marinesâsome other group. A woman intercepted Kaido, and more enemies kept pouring in.
"Need backup!? Garling!!"
"Unnecessary⌠Focus on reclaiming the treasure and exterminating the trash!! Godsâ Knights!!"
"Right!"
"Whoâre you calling trash!? DIE!!"
"Tch⌠This oneâs no pushover eitherâŚ!"
The so-called "Godsâ Knights" moved at the command of the man named Garling. Kaido started rampaging, but the fact that they could hold their own against him meant they were no joke.
And the strongest among them? The one in front of meâGarling. Something about him felt familiar, but I didnât have the luxury of trying to remember!
"ăPeaceful Dark Cloudă!!"
"HmphâŚ!"
First, a distractionâmy specialty! I summoned a pitch-black cloud, effective even against the strongest fighters, and followed it up with a barrage of UFO fire.
"! This trash⌠I recognize you⌠Could it be�"
"If youâve got time to mutter, youâve got time to die by my hand!!"
I pressed the attack, but Garling kept staring at me, murmuring under his breath. âŚWait, does he recognize me too? If heâs a Celestial Dragon, that wouldnât be surprising⌠but that just means Iâll have to pay him back in full!
"âŚNo matter. Youâre still worth cutting down."
"Guh!? Blocked!?"
I tried skewering him from within the dark cloud, but he effortlessly parried my spearâno, repelled it. The opening backfired, forcing me to defend. I coated myself in Armament Haki just in time to avoid a fatal blow!
"Quit charging in like a dumbass and leaving yourself wide open!!"
"!"
"âŚ! Whitebeard!!"
âBut just as Garlingâs blade was about to descend, he stepped in front of me, intercepting the strike with his naginata.
Whitebeard.
With a single swing, he forced Garling back, then snapped at me without even turning.
"Didnât I say to prioritize the treasure!?"
"I was just killing time because you guys were slow!! Besides, I already grabbed most of it, and thereâs stillâWHOAH!!"
"Over here!! The treasureâs here!! Whitebeard and Nue too!!"
"Show no mercy to pirates!! The Rocks Pirates take top priorityâleave the rest for later!!"
Whitebeardâs arrival was soon followed by Rogerâs crew, and then Marines under Garpâs command, all launching attacks. Another free-for-all. And this time, those so-called "Godsâ Knights"âthe Celestial Dragonsâ little martial arts club?âwere mixed in too.
"Hand over the treasure!! Thatâs ours!!"
"Not happeninâ!! Captainâs orders!!"
"Stand down, you pirates!!"
"To think so much filth would gather in one placeâŚ!!"
The battle raged on without pause.
At this point, who was fighting whom? The lines blurred completely. Allies clashed with enemies, and anyone who stood in the way became a target.
"Worororo!! Now this is gettinâ funâŚ!! Letâs go, Linlin!!"
"Yeah!! Bring it on!! âWHOA!!"
I dodged an incoming attack and took to the skies. Staying grounded was too riskyâwith so many powerhouses around, attacks could come from anywhere.
Fighting in this chaos meant exploiting openings, getting creative. Kaido was having the time of his life, and so was Iâbut if you werenât strong, survival meant thinking ten steps ahead.
Part of me wanted to watch Captain Rocksâ battle too. Either option sounded fun. So, what to doâŚ?
"âHm? Wait, is thatâŚ"
âAnd then, I spotted him.
On a separate part of the island, tucked behind jagged rock formations, hiding like a ratâa Celestial Dragon man in garish attire.
"âŚâŚâŚâŚâŚâŚâŚâŚFufu."
"! Hey, Nue!! Where the hell are you going!?"
"Just found some prey worth hunting!! Be right back!!"
In that instant, my decision was made.
Fight or spectate? Normally, the former. The latter was risky, but not unheard of.
Yet the moment I saw them, something primal itched inside meâ
A sadistic urge I hadnât felt in years.
Grinning uncontrollably, I soared toward my new target.
"Tch⌠Ran away, did he?"
"What the hell was that? Hey, Garp."
"The Five EldersâŚ? No, but that form just nowâŚ"
Deep in the valley, slightly removed from the island's center, Rocks, Roger, and Garp stood amidst the aftermath of Saturn's abrupt retreatâa monster who had fled the moment they appeared. Though questions lingered, the air crackled with tension.
"Gyahaha⌠Well, ain't this a mess. Gotta clean you two up first⌠But before thatâ" Rocks tilted his head, grinning. "Tell me⌠What do you think the world is?"
"âThe hell should I know?! DIE!!" Roger roared, already lunging.
"Hold it!! I get the anger, but wait!!" Garp barked, eyes sharp. "What're you driving at?!"
Rocks chuckled at their polar reactions. "Yeah, figured thatâd be your answers. I donât know either⌠Thatâs why I set sail. Ainât that why you did?"
"Wahaha! Damn right!! The seaâs where the romance is!! I sailed to turn the world upside down!!"
"âŚWrong," Garp growled. "I just wanted peace. Couldnât let scum like you run wild."
Rocksâ grin widened. From the depths of the canyon, his voice echoed like a challenge.
"Gyahaha⌠Doesnât matter. But ainât it funny?" His blade scraped against stone as he drew it. "Here we areâthree so-called âdevilsââstanding together before one of those âgods.â"
"âŚWhat?"
"Hahâ?"
The word "devil" hung in the air, sharp as a knife. That titleâit shouldâve belonged to Rocks alone.
"The Will of D." Rocksâ voice dropped, low and knowing. "Whoâll inherit that grand, stupid dream? Me? You two? Or someone else?"
"The hell⌠are you babbling about?" Rogerâs grip tightened on his sword.
"âŚD. Yeah, itâs my family name," Garp muttered, brow furrowed.
But neither could dismiss it as nonsense. Rocks spoke with the weight of certaintyâlike heâd brushed against the worldâs darkest secret.
"Iâve seen things on my journey. Learned this muchâ" Rocks raised his blade, the steel catching the dim light. "My ambition⌠the hunger to rule this world⌠Itâs got roots. Something ancient."
The man who sought to become King of the World, who forged the strongest pirate crew in historyânow stood as a living testament to his bloodlineâs legacy.
"Iâll uncover it. Crush the World Government. Drag the gods from their throne. And when I doâ" His laughter boomed. "Every mystery, every answer⌠Theyâll all be mine."
The sword in his hand wasnât just a weapon. It was the embodiment of his willâthe force that carved fate itself.
"You showing up here⌠Itâs given me my first answer. And finallyâ" His eyes burned. "A worthy enemy to stand in my way."
"Enough with the cryptic shit!!" Roger spat. "I didnât come for treasureâI came to break you! To build the greatest pirate crew the worldâs ever seen!!"
"âŚAnd the other Celestial Dragons?" Garp cut in. "Donât tell me youâve already killed them."
Rocks glanced sideways, amused. "Relax. Not yet. Was just about toâŚ" He smirked. "What, you wanna protect that trash?"
"Tch⌠Itâs a Marineâs duty!!" Garpâs fists clenched. "Iâll smash youâand save my men, and every innocent soul youâd trample!"
Though his voice was strained, the resolve in it was unmistakable. Rocks threw his head back and laughed.
"GYAHAHAHA!! That your answer, Monkey D. Garp?!" His gaze snapped to Roger. "Then what about you, Gol D. Roger?! Wonât you join me? Help forge a pirateâs world?!"*
A recruitmentâjust like old times. Once, Roger had refused. Now, stronger than ever, he stood before Rocks again. And the answer hadnât changed.
"Iâm free!!" Rogerâs voice was a thunderclap. "I donât give a damn about ruling!! Iâm here to end you, Rocks!! If I donât crush you hereâmy crew, my friendsâwho knows whatâll happen?! So step down from that throne!!"
"âŚYeah. GYHAHAHA!! Figured youâd say that." Rocksâ grin never wavered. "Guess that makes you both my enemies."
"Weâve been enemies, dumbass!!" Rogerâs sword flashed.
"If youâre not stopped, more bloodâll spill!!" Garpâs fists radiated Haki. "Iâm ending this here, Rocks!!"
The two legends glared at Rocks, their combined will enough to shatter a lesser man.
But Rocks only trembledâwith laughter.
At long last⌠the stage was set.
"ââHey, you two⌠What if I told youâŚ"
Rocks' voice cut through the tension like a blade, his grin widening as he delivered the absurd line with theatrical flair.
"âŚthat Iâd been prophesized to lose to you both here on God Valley?"
"ââHah?"
"ââThe hell?"
The air, thick with the promise of battle, went slack. Roger and Garp stared at him, dumbfounded, their expressions so perfectly synchronized it was almost comical. Rocks threw his head back and laughedâa deep, rolling sound that shook the canyon walls.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Some fortune-teller whispered in my ear: âYouâll fight those two⌠and youâll lose.â So?" He spread his arms. "Would you believe that shit?"
"The hell kinda nonsenseâ! I donât give a damn about prophecies!!" Rogerâs sword flared with Conquerorâs Haki, his voice a roar. "Iâm here to CRUSH YOU!!"
"If that prophecyâs real, then thank God for the heads-up, Rocks!!" Garp cracked his knuckles, grinning fiercely. "You ready to die today!?"
"GYAHAHA!! Damn right I am." Rocksâ laughter sharpened, his own Haki erupting in a maelstrom of dark energy. "But hereâs the thingâI donât believe in fate. Never have. So Iâll slaughter you both⌠and rewrite that goddamn script myself!!"
For the first time in his life, Rocks felt alive.
Born with monstrous strength, heâd never known struggle. Never tasted desperation. The world bent to his willâand it had bored him to madness. Even war, even conquest, was just a game of stacking bodies.
Until now.
Gol D. Roger. Monkey D. Garp.
Men who bore the same cursed initial as he. Men who might hold the key to the mystery of "D." Men whoâd grown strong enoughâjust strong enoughâto stand before him as equals.
Two against one? Perfect.
Victory would crown him King of the World. No one could stop him after this.
Defeat? Well, thatâd mean death. And if there was one thing Rocks understood, it was that pirates who lost had no right to complain.
But prophecies? Fate?
"Futureâs not set in stone," he snarled, his blade humming with power. "It branches. Twists. And I decide which path I take!!"
The first real battle of his lifeâagainst the only enemies worthy of the titleâbegan with a shockwave that split the sky.
"!!!!"
Sword met fist. Haki collided with Haki. The very island trembled as three Conquerors clashed, their wills etching scars into the earth and heavens alike.
And so, the legend was forgedâin a battle that would decide the fate of the world.
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