Chapter 161: God Valley: Storm of Thunder and Steel

With no opponents left at his side, Karl suddenly felt a sense of urgency just as the Five Elders decided to head for the God Valley battlefield. “This won’t do. Watch me.”

Right where he stood, Karl transformed into his Titan Form. He stretched his right hand toward the sky as dark clouds gathered overhead, wild lightning swirling and crackling above.

Out of the corner of his eye, Garp—locked in battle with Rocks—caught sight of Karl’s move and shouted, “This is bad!”

“What’s going on?” Kong stared, baffled, with no clue about Karl’s technique.

Unless you’ve actually faced Karl, you’d never understand just how terrifying this move is.

It all happened in a split second, and with no other admiral-level powerhouses around, no one could stop Karl.

“Thunderbolt Barrage!” The sky seemed to collapse as torrents of lightning poured down like a waterfall toward Karl. He thrust out his right hand and a fierce gleam flashed in his eyes.

Veins bulged all over his body as he caught the torrent of lightning in his hand and hurled it like a javelin straight toward the earth.

“Crack! Boom!” The wild lightning shattered the navy’s painstakingly-built defense line in an instant. Both marines and pirates were obliterated in the attack, leaving a massive canyon hundreds of meters wide carved straight toward the heart of God Valley.

That single strike wiped out a tenth of the marines present.

The sheer power left everyone on the battlefield speechless.

Pirates stared at Karl in shock, while the navy reeled in grief over their fallen comrades.

“Lord Karl, you’re incredible!”

“Lord Karl is the strongest!”

“…”

Snapping out of their daze, the pirates erupted in cheers for Karl.

This was the first time they’d ever seen Karl unleash something like this.

The navy, however, had a very different reaction. “Luchi!”

“Damn pirates.” The remaining marines rushed to block the new breach, gritting their teeth as the pirates celebrated.

“The path to the heart of the island is open! If you want the treasure, follow me!” Karl spun his halberd and charged down the gaping channel he’d just created.

“Pirate, you’re not going anywhere.” Vice Admiral Morey stepped in front of Karl to block his way.

Karl cast a scornful glance at the vice admiral standing in his path.

“I’d step aside if I were you.”

Karl twirled his halberd in his right hand. “Thunder Crescent Slash!” He swung the weapon in a sweeping arc, slashing at Morey.

Seeing the attack, Morey barely flinched. “Iron Body!” he barked, coating his chest with Armament Haki.

“Swoosh!” Karl’s halberd crackled with Conqueror’s Haki as he zipped past.

“Tch, Iron Body? Useless.” Karl didn’t even look back, racing ahead.

Morey’s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked down—his lower half still rooted to the battlefield.

In the video feed, the clash only grew fiercer. Karl’s attack alone had begun to shatter the myth of the Celestial Dragons, emboldening everyone across the sea.

They’d always thought the Celestial Dragons were invincible, but against the Rocks Pirates, they suddenly seemed so small.

This battle had become a cry for freedom—a challenge to the World Government and the authority of the Celestial Dragons.

Everything here was changing the world. Ordinary people across the sea started to believe in the possibility of resistance.

“Charge with Lord Karl!” As Karl opened a road, hordes of pirates swarmed into the island after him.

“Hahaha!”

“Looks like your navy’s strategy isn’t all that impressive.” Rocks swung his longsword at Garp and Kong.

Panting, Kong shot back, “Don’t get cocky, pirate.”

He’d also glimpsed Karl racing into the island, but he wasn’t worried—the Holy Knights still hadn’t joined the fight.

Looking down at the fallen marines around him, a flicker of pain crossed Kong’s face. If the Holy Knights had stepped in sooner, so many could have been spared.

Damn it!

The World Government never did value the marines as people.

Garp swung his Iron Fist straight at Rocks. “Don’t try to change the subject, Rocks.”

He couldn’t care less if Karl charged inland. All that mattered was bringing down the man behind this assault on God Valley—Rocks.

“You all seem pretty confident.” Rocks, though holding off both of them with ease, couldn’t spare a hand.

He noted their utter lack of concern about Karl running in.

He guessed there must be at least one more powerhouse waiting in the island, and when he caught that flicker of pain on Kong’s face, he figured whoever was assigned inside must be the World Government’s secret weapon.

“Looks like things aren’t so smooth within your own ranks, either.” Rocks laughed loudly.

Navy infighting with the World Government—just what he wanted to see.

“Lion’s Thousand Cut Bones!”

Suddenly, a furious roar thundered from above.

Golden Lion and Air Force Marshal Skor’s duel had ended. All eyes turned skyward as Skor’s corpse plummeted to the ground.

An admiral-level powerhouse had fallen—the first on this battlefield. Skor’s death would send shockwaves through the navy.

“Hyahaha!”

“Kong, from here on I’m your opponent!”

Golden Lion drifted down from the sky and immediately squared off against Kong.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!” The two clashed ferociously.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the battlefield, a mysterious man’s Den Den Mushi rang.

“Buru, buru.”

“Hello?”

“Understood.” Hanging up, the mysterious man glanced at the four behind him.

“Orders from the Five Elders: Join the battle.”

“Yes, sir!”

At their head stood Oakle, captain of the Holy Knights.

He led his four men directly toward Rocks.

Rocks was busy holding off Garp’s attack with his Black Dragon.

In that instant, his Observation Haki sensed several unfamiliar auras. After sending Garp flying, he looked up. “Oh? More guests?”

Five men clad in golden armor burst from the flank of God Valley, charging straight at Rocks.

“Rocks, if you submit to the Celestial Dragons now, I’ll spare your life.” Oakle, arms crossed and hovering in midair, looked down at Rocks with utter arrogance.

The other four shared the same attitude.

“Hahaha!”

“You’re the first to speak to me like that.” When his laughter faded, Rocks’ eyes grew dark, seething with contempt.

He raised his Black Dragon high. “Divine Might!”

A blade wave over a thousand meters long slashed out at the five.

“Stubborn fool!”

“Wave Fist!”

“One Sword Style—Wave Slash!”

“…”

Oakle struck first, hurling his fist against the massive blade. The others unleashed their own attacks, refusing to be outdone.

“What? Impossible!” Oakle’s expression changed instantly as his fist collided with the tremendous sword energy.

He’d completely underestimated Rocks’ power.

In the next moment, all five were sent flying by the sword wave.

“Iron Fist—Meteor!”

Just as Rocks was about to unleash another slash, Garp rushed in to interrupt him.

“You’re really getting in the way, Garp.”