Molten giants, each towering four meters tall, charged into the chaos, tearing through the rioting pirates.
Sakazuki focused on hunting down the strongest among them, their powerful auras guiding his path. As for why he appeared here alone...
A few minutes earlier.
The outline of God Valley was already faintly visible on the horizon.
On the fleet rushing to the scene, the gathered Marine officers could already feel the intensity of the battle raging on the island. It wasn't just the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki flooding outward. Above God Valley, the sky itself looked like it had been slashed apart by countless blades.
Standing on his warship, Sakazuki frowned deeply. He knew there were many Marines on the island, transferred from branches across the Four Blues. But this battle...
The pirates here were all from the New World; the power gap was undeniable.
Realizing this, Sakazuki exchanged a brief word with Vice Admiral Morris, then gave his order.
The warship surged forward, cutting through the waves. Sakazuki moved to the bow, his stance unwavering.
His arms began to shift. Magma surged and flowed, spilling from his body like a living volcano. As the island came into clear view, he raised both arms.
Power exploded from him. His fists fired forward like rocket launchers, unleashing a relentless barrage of magma, each chunk the size of a cannonball, streaking through the sky at blistering speed.
The punches flew one after another. He didn't stop. He kept going until fatigue finally started to creep into his body.
Then, his body shifted.
His entire form melted into a surge of lava.
With a roar like a volcano erupting, Sakazuki erupted upward, transforming into a colossal magma fist and soaring into the sky.
The officers on the nearby warships were left speechless, their eyes wide in shock. They didn't understand why Sakazuki launched such an intense barrage of magma skyward, but the sight alone was unforgettable.
When he finally crashed back down, Sakazuki had already crossed the sea, slamming into the outer battlefield of God Valley with the force of a meteor.
His Observation Haki swept across the battlefield. The number of Marine casualties was staggering, far worse than he expected.
"Still too late. Damned pirate trash."
"Great Death Burial Formation!!"
Inspired by Yamamoto from Bleach, Sakazuki had developed this technique himself.
Magma, thicker and more malleable than fire, rose from the ground. Towering magma giants erupted from the earth, surging toward the pirates.
These giants had no minds, no fear, only relentless, unstoppable momentum.
Facing the attack, ordinary pirates were paralyzed with terror, screaming as they fled. Only the elite—those who mastered Haki—managed to gather their wits and fight back, smashing the magma giants apart after an initial moment of panic.
"Damn it! Damn Marines!"
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A young Kaido, wielding a massive spiked club, swung it ferociously. With a single, earth-shattering blow, he smashed a magma giant into pieces.
At this time, Kaido was still just an apprentice in Rocks Pirates, a newcomer without the status to follow Rocks and the other titans into the depths of God Valley.
He could only fight alongside the main forces on the outskirts, cutting down enemies without restraint. He was enjoying the thrill of the battle until the situation took a sudden, brutal turn.
The sky erupted, and endless molten magma rained down.
On the other side, Sakazuki was ruthlessly destroying pirate ships, cutting off every possible escape route.
Suddenly, he heard a voice, a familiar name of a move buried deep within his memories.
His head snapped around, Observation Haki erupting. He quickly locked onto Kaido. A flash of ruthless determination flickered in his eyes as he charged straight at him.
Kaido, having just smashed another magma giant, barely had time to breathe. Every hair on his body stood on end. His heart pounded as a chilling sense of mortal danger surged through him.
Kaido couldn't react in time. Before he even processed what was happening, Sakazuki was already in front of him.
His right arm morphed into a massive molten hound, biting down on Kaido's neck with brutal force.
Sakazuki slammed him down, pinning him hard against the ground.
This only awakened Kaido's savage nature. His right hand gripped his kanabō, now wrapped in Armament Haki.
With a fierce roar, he swung it down.
Sakazuki's left hand instantly turned black, Armament Haki coating it as well.
The sound of metal clashing echoed as Sakazuki blocked the strike. He pressed his right arm down harder, trying to end it once and for all.
Kaido, driven by the instinct to survive, twisted violently on the ground, thrashing like a wild beast.
He finally managed to hurl Sakazuki off him. His hands, still wrapped in Armament Haki, desperately clawed at the burning magma stuck to his neck.
"Cough... cough...damn Marine," he growled, his voice rough and strained. "Name yourself!"
What greeted him wasn't a name, only an avalanche of raging magma, bearing down on him like a falling mountain.
Blocking the attack, Kaido stared at Sakazuki, who looked like he wouldn't stop until one of them was dead. His face darkened, but his mind was already racing. He wasn't thinking about counterattacking anymore. He was thinking about escaping.
Fighting wasn't an option. Kaido might look like a brute, but he was far from stupid. He knew when he couldn't win.
A spiraling blast of compressed air shot from his club toward Sakazuki.
Kaido didn't wait to see the result. The moment the attack flew, he turned and bolted, charging into the depths of God Valley.
Sakazuki smashed through the blast with a single punch, his eyes locking onto Kaido's retreating figure.
He paused briefly, glancing back at the Marines still locked in battle against the remaining pirates. Not trusting their odds, he turned, slamming both hands into the ground.
The ground split apart. Magma erupted from the cracks in violent bursts, surging like waves and swallowing everything in its path.
Without sparing another glance, Sakazuki charged after Kaido, heading for the battlefield where the sky itself looked like it was being torn in two.
On the other side of the island.
The Oro Jackson quietly docked at the rear of God Valley.
A group of crewmates rushed off the ship, eyes bright with excitement as they ran toward the ruined remains of grand palaces, eager to snatch up whatever treasure they could find.
Roger and his core crew, however, disembarked calmly. They weren't here for treasure.
They headed straight toward the main battlefield.
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