The shouting, explosions, and wild laughter across the battlefield were swallowed in an instant.
One second earlier, Garp, Roger, and Rocks had been clashing violently with overwhelming Conqueror's Haki.
Now their movements froze where they stood.
The burning battle fervor vanished from their faces.
In its place—
Pure, instinctive shock.
Every person on the battlefield—Marines, pirates, future Emperors, nameless cannon fodder alike—stopped at the same moment.
Weapons lowered.
Heads turned.
All eyes focused toward the very center of the island.
Something had arrived.
Im's will.
An indescribably powerful presence enveloped the entire island.
It was not simply strength.
Not the domineering pressure of Conqueror's Haki.
This was something older. More primal. Absolute.
Cold.
Detached.
Devoid of emotion.
As if the laws of the world themselves had opened their eyes and were now gazing upon meaningless insects.
Even monsters like Rocks, Garp, and Roger felt their souls trembling instinctively before it.
"W-what the hell is that?!"
Golden Lion Shiki's arrogance vanished, replaced by raw fear.
"S-so terrifying…"
The young Kaido—destined to become the world's strongest creature—felt his muscles twitch uncontrollably, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.
Charlotte Linlin's face turned pale.
Her Soul-Soul Fruit allowed her to sense it more clearly than anyone.
That presence…
Could erase her soul entirely.
Crush it into nothing.
Within the suffocating silence—
Under Rocks' sharply contracting gaze—
A figure slowly appeared before him.
It was one of the Five Elders.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
And yet—
Not Saturn.
The familiar aged face bore no trace of human emotion.
His eyes held neither anger nor joy nor killing intent.
Only empty indifference.
Like a god observing mortals.
Cold.
Unquestionable.
Rocks' booming laughter faded completely.
The arrogance and wildness left his expression, replaced by unprecedented seriousness.
Danger.
A danger beyond life and death.
His combat instincts screamed louder than thought itself.
He didn't even pause to consider who stood before him.
His hands gripped his blade tightly, muscles coiling as he prepared to strike.
For the first time since conquering the seas—
He sensed the possibility of death before the battle had even begun.
The Saturn possessed by Im merely glanced at him with contempt.
The gaze resembled that of a human looking at a particularly noisy insect.
No anger.
No killing intent.
Only absolute superiority.
Then—
He raised his hand.
Space twisted behind him, rippling visibly.
One by one, four figures stepped through the distortion.
The first was tall and powerfully built, with white curly hair and glasses, wielding the Supreme Grade blade Shodai Kitetsu—Saint Shepherd Ju Peter, the combat-focused member of the Five Elders.
The second had shoulder-length blond hair and handsome features—the youngest among them, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro.
The third was short and heavyset, sporting distinctive long whiskers—Saint Marcus Mars.
The last was a bald man with a map-like scar across his forehead, his expression the most severe of all—Saint Topman Warcury.
The Five Elders stood together.
None spoke.
They simply lined up behind Saturn.
Then Im's indifferent gaze swept across the battlefield.
He waved a hand again.
Buzz.
Light flickered.
Several figures were forcibly relocated behind the Five Elders by an irresistible power.
The elite warriors of the Holy Knights.
And among them—
A figure who should have been crushed into paste beneath Rocks' foot now stood perfectly unharmed.
Saint Figarland Garling.
His body had been restored by divine power.
Not only were his injuries gone, even his noble attire looked immaculate, without a single wrinkle.
But his handsome face twisted grotesquely.
Hatred.
Madness.
And the hysterical ecstasy of someone who had survived death itself.
The moment Garling appeared, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Rocks.
"Heh… hehehe…"
A rasping, broken laugh escaped his throat.
The next second, it exploded into a shrill roar.
His voice warped by pure hatred.
"ROCKS—!!!"
"Let's see where you run this time!!!"
The venom and delight in his tone sent chills through everyone present.
He had gone insane.
This Celestial Dragon, crushed and resurrected, had completely lost himself.
The final formation was complete.
At the center—Saturn possessed by Im.
Behind him—the four abyss-like presences of the Five Elders.
Around them—the elite Holy Knights and their resurrected commander, driven mad.
A force capable of overturning the world—
Prepared solely for Rocks.
The atmosphere of the battlefield changed completely.
From frenzied war—
To a hopeless abyss without light.
The fragile advantage the Rocks Pirates had just gained vanished instantly.
This was a killing trap.
A certain death.
And yet—
Rocks' serious expression did not turn to fear.
Instead…
It slowly twisted into something sickeningly mad.
Like a gambler who had lost everything and decided to wager his own life.
His lips curled.
The smile looked uglier than crying—yet more defiant than ever.
"Zeh… hahaha…"
He laughed.
Low.
Hoarse.
But filled with a madness that threatened to pierce the heavens.
"So… this is what you rats hiding behind the curtain really look like?"
"Good."
"Very good!"
"Now this… this makes it interesting!!!"
BOOM—!!!
Black-red lightning of Conqueror's Haki surged from his body, resisting the divine pressure bearing down upon him.
He was not intimidated.
He was ignited.
Tension snapped tight as drawn blades.
The air froze to absolute zero.
And at that critical moment—
A tall figure carrying a massive naginata stepped forward, heavy footsteps echoing.
He did not look at anyone else.
He simply stood beside Rocks, facing the godlike figures ahead.
Young Whitebeard.
Edward Newgate.
He slammed his Supreme Grade blade Murakumogiri against the ground.
BOOM!!!
The thunderous impact shattered the suffocating pressure, carving a crack through it.
Then—
His signature bold laughter rang out.
But this time, it carried unprecedented steadiness and resolve.
"Gurararara…"
"Looks like this won't end easily today, Rocks."