"Small skirmishes mean nothing to this world!"
Rocks spread his arms and laughed. "Remember this: you wet-behind-the-ears brats, arrogant Navy, Celestial Dragons — when madness appears, anyone who set foot here will never forget it. Wherever they go, my will will live on. I will stand at the top of the world."
"If your 'justice' elevates the Celestial Dragons and lets the world rot, then let the world go mad! I will create a new world with no order, no Navy, no Celestial Dragons — a world where everyone is a pirate! You will die here; God's Valley will be your grave!"
Rocks laughed, his voice rumbling like a dark hymn. People looked up in horror and forgot to breathe. To offend such a monster — no matter how beautiful the world once was, it seemed doomed.
"Rocks!"
Admiral Kong (Steel-Bone Kong) stepped forward, in front of Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru — the old guard of the Navy. The Five Elders like Saturn Saint and the Holy Knights such as Glengus Saint were still wounded. But the Rocks Pirates were at their height and still able to fight. Rock's Devil Fruit ability neutralized many enemies at the same tier, and few others had reached that level — the battlefield was divided by his presence. Ordinary seamen could only stand in the valley, overwhelmed with despair and tears. They had no right to touch legends.
Rocks truly was the strongest here.
"Don't destroy the world's peace!" Kong roared and slammed the ground, transforming into his Kong form. His Haki cloaked him black; blood-red light glinted in his eyes. As Fleet Admiral, he was the Navy's pillar. If even he faltered, the world would lose hope.
"Kong Blast Kong!"
Kong stomped and burst into the air with a massive shockwave. Every muscle was a perfect arc of power. Darkness spread and threatened to swallow God's Valley. Wounded soldiers fell and slaves looked skyward, hoping for salvation. Time and again Kong had been the Navy's bulwark: fearless and righteous — a symbol of heroism.
"Miracles don't come every time. If you ask where my confidence comes from — the answer is obvious! Haki and technique — I am the strongest. Who among you can fight me head-on? As for Devil Fruit users, I'm innately countered… but that's beside the point. I am the king of the world — the strongest man above and below!"
Rocks slammed his fists together. The Pirates under his darkness were stunned. "The strongest man!" Even Whitebeard felt pride but had to admit — Rocks might be stronger than Whitebeard and the Lion: the strongest in all the world. Kaido's breath quickened; he forgot the black dragon Sharn that had circled the sky and only remembered the title given to Rocks. A who's-who of the era had gathered — who could deny Rocks' power?
"This madman has too much ambition! I only want to be king of the sea!" Linlin laughed from her cloud, her blood boiling.
"Thanks, you owe me one, Newgate," the Lion jeered from a giant boulder where Whitebeard stood. Buckin perched on Newgate's shoulder. Island-wielder Wang planted was busy withdrawing his island power. Captain John still grabbed Sharn's whiskers with one hand and drank with the other. "Hey John! Captain's going to show his hand!" Silver Axe grabbed John's ankle and shouted.
Everyone on Rocks' ship looked wide-eyed. They knew victory was almost theirs — not a step away, but an arm's reach. John belched: "I know!" The Karasu siblings hid in a barrier, eyes bright. If Rocks won, their revenge plans would no longer need secrecy — the world's chaos would hand them power and cause the Moonkin's plans to crumble under brute force.
"Beat Kong! End his era!" the pirates screamed. "Rocks! Rocks! Rocks!" Hundreds of pirate crews loyal to Rocks cheered, their ships circling God's Valley. They were cannon fodder, but they celebrated a new age. The Navy sent battered fleet ships, still hampered by lack of Vegapunk sea-stone tech and the Calm Belt, yet they kept branches and supplies across the world. Before Rocks, no one could openly wrestle with Navy headquarters; unified force is terrifying even when chaotic.
From the sea, the dark maw swallowed the sky; the last ray of hope was Admiral Kong. "Admiral Kong!" the soldiers cried. "Create a miracle! Justice must not fall to pirates!" A lone small ship drifted away from the battle; its captain already notorious in these times refused to join Rocks. He was a loner, famed for his CoA (Observation) and swordsmanship — the so-called Lone Red — who would not become anybody's pawn.
The darkness tightened. Rocks grinned and struck Kong's face with a fist. The Annihilation Fruit's effects crept through Kong's body, attacking his bloodline factor. Kong fought to counter the fruit with Haki. "You have Haki — do I not?" Rocks flipped and kicked onto Kong; as Kong's chest began to stone, Haki attacks rained in. Buso (Haki) — particularly Conqueror's Haki — wrapped around him.
Kong answered with ranged Armament Haki. Their blows clashed and blasted the valley. Unlike Rocks' madness, Kong had to resist the Annihilation Fruit's suppression while preventing Sweet Fruit petrification and withstanding Conqueror-augmented strikes. A single mistake could be catastrophic.
"You! The justice behind you is devoured by darkness!" Rocks' words lit Kong's fear. Sound vanished. The seamen and trainees the Navy had trained were gone. Kong's Observation Haki wavered; darkness and petrification came together. His vitality was suppressed, and stone grew across his skin. Rocks' fist followed.
"Hesitate and you lose!"
Kong coughed blood and floated, then fell from the sky. He spat blood and his will rapidly drained. Before his eyes went white, Rocks occupied the last thread of blackness. God's Valley sank into total darkness.
Above the sky, Sharn breathed, steam from his nostrils. He looked down. Noon's sunlight shone elsewhere — the valley alone was passed over. The gods had forsaken this place.
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