The battlefield fell deathly silent.
Time seemed to freeze.
Kaido, Whitebeard, and the Three Elders stopped fighting. They all looked up, jaws slack, staring at the sky.
One second... ten seconds... thirty seconds.
Nobody moved. The sheer audacity of what just happened broke everyone's brain.
Finally, a roar of laughter shattered the quiet.
"WAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Rocks D. Xebec, tears of blood still on his face, threw his head back and laughed like a madman.
"SO YOU HAVE A DAY LIKE THIS TOO! KING OF THE WORLD!!"
"WELL DONE, YORK!! YOU DIDN'T SHAME ME!!"
"WAHAHAHA!!"
The Five Elders reacted with horror.
"GOUGE IT OUT!!"
Saint Topman Warcury (The Boar) roared. He shifted into his Hybrid Form and immediately dug his thumbs into his own eye sockets.
SQUELCH.
"I DIDN'T SEE IT! I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING!"
Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro (The Horse) and Saint Marcus Mars (The Bird) followed suit, blinding themselves to erase the memory of the sacrilege. They would regenerate later, but for now, they refused to witness the humiliation of their God.
Saint Figarland Garling, hiding in the shadows, trembled.
"Master... oh god..."
"He... he really kissed her."
High in the sky, Imu (The Avatar) was frozen. Her pupils were dilated, her mind reeling from the contact.
It took a full minute for the "God" to reboot.
WHAM!
Imu struck York's chest with a palm, blasting him backward.
She raised the shotgun again, her face twisted in icy rage.
BANG!
Another hole was blown through York's chest.
"HAHAHAHA!"
York laughed as he fell, spitting blood.
"Worth it!"
He didn't just kiss her. For that entire minute, he had been pumping Pleasure Energy into the Avatar's body.
Application #4: Pleasure Stacking.
He had lost count of the multiplier. Hundreds? Thousands?
"SNAP!"
Falling through the air, York snapped his fingers.
"DETONATE."
"AHHHH—!!"
High above, the Possessed Woman shrieked. It wasn't pain. It was an overload of sensation that short-circuited her nervous system.
Her body went limp. The Avatar plummeted from the sky like a broken doll.
"MASTER!!"
The blinded Elders screamed, rushing to catch her.
Rocks swung his sword, deflecting the Elders' attacks to protect York.
York landed, draining the life force of nearby fodder to heal his wounds instantly.
Rocks walked over to them. His laughter died down, replaced by a solemn calm.
"York. Newgate. Kaido."
He looked at his three strongest subordinates.
"You've done enough. Let's call it a day."
"WHAT?!" Kaido shouted. "We're winning! The boss is down!"
"NO."
Rocks shook his head. His hearing had regenerated.
"We can't win."
"If it weren't for York's move... maybe. But York has completely enraged her."
"The King of the World is about to unleash her true power. You small fry can't handle it."
Kaido opened his mouth to argue, but York grabbed his leg.
"Listen to him," York said quietly.
York turned to the Captain.
"Where's your ambition, Rocks? Is this as far as it goes?"
"Ah... this is it."
Rocks smiled. It was a genuine, weary smile.
"I overestimated myself. And with a disloyal crew... I couldn't do it."
"SO!!"
Rocks raised his voice, his Haki flaring one last time.
"I'VE DECIDED TO LEAVE A FEW SEEDS! TO FULFILL THE DREAM I COULDN'T!!"
"GET OUT!! RUN BEFORE THE MAIN BODY ARRIVES!!"
SLASH!
Rocks swung his sword.
It wasn't an attack on them. It was a shockwave designed to push them away—a final shove toward freedom.
York and Whitebeard accepted the force, flying backward toward the coast.
"KAIDO! LET'S GO!!" York shouted.
Kaido dug his heels into the ground, tears of frustration in his eyes.
"DAMN IT!!"
"Use that frustration to get stronger!" York yelled back. "Don't waste the fruit I gave you!!"
"AHHH!!"
Kaido smashed the ground, then turned and followed them.
They regrouped at the eastern coast.
Charlotte Linlin was waiting. Around her lay the corpses of the traitors—Captain John, Silver Axe, Wang Zhi—all unconscious or dead (though their immortal bodies would likely revive them later for imprisonment).
Streusen (Long Bread) wiped blood from his sword.
Shakky held baby Teach.
"Retreat!!" York ordered.
Stussy and Gloriosa had secured a Marine warship.
They boarded.
"Kaido! Lift us up!"
"ON IT!"
Kaido summoned Flame Clouds. The massive warship lifted out of the water, floating into the sky.
The Marines on the shore tried to fire cannons.
"GURARARA!"
Whitebeard punched the air.
CRACK.
A massive tsunami rose up, blocking the cannonballs and swallowing the pursuit fleet.
As the ship disappeared into the clouds, leaving God Valley behind...
Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Pangaea Castle. The Room of Flowers.
In the deepest shadows of the world...
A figure sat on the Empty Throne.
Suddenly.
GASP.
The figure arched their back, a muffled, confused moan echoing through the empty hall.
The link was complete.
....
.....
.....
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