Chapter 401: Escaping? Kukulkan Children Strength

"Kill—!"

"Fight them to the end!!"

"Don't let these pirates get away!"

"Boom… BOOM…"

As time passed, the battle at God Valley grew ever more intense. The pirates of the Rocks Pirates and the World Government forces fought with bloodshot eyes, blinded by fury.

Over on the eastern coast, the Five Elders—dusty and disheveled—regrouped once more. Exchanging glances, each looked upon Fallen Angel El with regret and murderous intent in their eyes. Yet, in the presence of El—who from birth could hear others' inner voices—their thoughts lay bare.

"Heh, can't hold back any longer?"

El's expression stayed composed, but inwardly he sneered.

Without waiting for the Five Elders to act, he charged toward them at once, heading for where they were drawing near the island's center.

"Roar… roar…"

Several giant beasts gave it their all, no longer holding back as they rushed El. Deliberately or not, they maneuvered the fight in the direction of the island's center.

"Boom… BOOM…"

"Gaghahaha, so this is Father's power?"

"It's incredible…"

Atop the steep cliffs of God Valley, the seventh child, Frey, and the eighth child, Ares, stood watching the carnage. They kept their eyes fixed on El, who was mowing down enemies on every side—facing five opponents at once without any disadvantage and seemingly holding the upper hand. Both youths were wide-eyed, excited, and brimming with pride and longing.

But abruptly, a thought from El stirred inside Ares's mind. Ares discreetly signaled, alerting those hidden in the pocket dimension—Dal, Eden, and the others.

"Finally taking the bait?"

Inside that other dimension, reading Ares's signal, the third child Dal cracked an eager grin. His nerves taut, he readied himself; the strange light in his third eye flickered, leaving him no space to relax.

[Kaido, be prepared... Five minutes from now, you must send the Holy Knights and Kong away. Finish within three minutes.]

Simultaneously—amid the chaos below, Kaido—locked in battle with Captain John—heard a telepathic message from the Five Elders. Momentarily distracted, he nearly let Captain John seize an opening to carve him up, scaring him into a cold sweat. At once, he teleported over a hundred meters away, putting distance between himself and John.

It wasn't just Kaido. Steel-Bone Kong, Saint Dennis, and others likewise heard a reminder from the Five Elders, each pausing in surprise. Yet, with chaos reigning, the Rocks Pirates attacking ferociously, and the Five Elders occupied by El, the World Government's forces were already at a disadvantage and could scarcely question the Elders' commands. Silently, they prepared, inching closer wherever possible to Kaido, the Paw-Paw Fruit user.

"Tch—"

At that moment, two CP0 elites, acting on orders, transformed into an ancient giant eagle and a red-crowned crane, flapping their wings to fly toward Frey and Ares—the two Kukulkan offspring perched on a cliff above the far side of the canyon. The Five Elders had given explicit orders: their target was to seize or at least occupy El's children. If capturing was impossible, tying them down would suffice.

"Heh…"

Spotting those two menacing figures swooping in, Ares (the eighth child) bared his teeth in a sinister chuckle:

"Getting anxious, are they?"

"Gaghahaha, let them see the might of the Kukulkan children!" exclaimed Frey (the seventh child) with bright eyes, exuding battlelust.

Both raised their weapons, imposing in bearing, flames behind their heads still roaring instead of dying away. Their Observation Haki locked firmly on the two formidable enemies, zooming in at high speed.

"Ikoku"

Though neither unleashed a combined move, from left and right they fired two huge cylindrical shockwaves in swift succession—crushing the very air and carrying tremendous power, barreling toward the two avian attackers. The force was unstoppable.

"What—!?"

The ancient giant eagle and the red-crowned crane both paled, utterly unprepared for such monstrous strength in youths that young. They frantically tried to dodge.

"Boom… BOOM…"

The terrifying sword-like shockwaves crashed downward, unstoppable, blasting into the canyon below. The earth was mercilessly pierced and caved in, dust billowing up in clouds.

"Tch—"

"Was that… the Elbaf Spear?"

"Those Kukulkan brats… their power's that overwhelming?"

Many onlookers were unnerved. Gazing at those two youthful, tall figures at the peak, they were astonished. Though Ares and company had earlier displayed alarming Mythical Zoan forms, no one imagined that, still so young, they possessed such power.

The weaker one, the red-crowned crane, was slaughtered instantly. The CP0 fighter who became an ancient giant eagle narrowly dodged and broke out in a cold sweat.

"Finish him!"

Frey (the seventh child) and Ares (the eighth) sneered, both taking wing without any pretense of single combat, lacking any pursuit efforts. Instead, their teamwork was seamless; they hammered away in turn with Mighty Nation, unleashing wave after wave of potent shockwave bombardment at the giant eagle, forcing it into frenzied evasive maneuvers.

"Ikoku!!"

"Boom… BOOM…"

"Ikoku!!"

"Boom…"

"Aaah…"

…

As time went on, under the infuriated gazes of the Rocks Pirates, Kaido—a young Marine vice admiral—kept flickering across the battlefield, smacking Holy Knight members away one after another. In no time at all, John and the rest couldn't stop him.

"Dammit… you won't escape!!"

An oversight let Steel-Bone Kong, the Fleet Admiral, get knocked away. Rocks raged, weaving a slash bristling with black-red lightning that tore right through a CP0 shield, severely wounding them in an instant. Captain John stepped in, sneering, adding another blow that impaled the CP0 agent with ruthless finality.

Darkness surged, swallowing the hapless CP0 shield entirely, leaving no chance to flee.

Before long, Rocks clutched a newly-formed Devil Fruit in his hand—an ability from that superhuman agent.

"Now it's your turn!"

Rocks grinned icily, eyes brimming with murderous intent. He stomped, leapt into the air, aiming for Saint Dennis locked in combat with Golden Lion.

"Dark Vortex—!"

The swirling Darkness in his left hand created a powerful gravitational pull, yanking Saint Dennis toward him.

"What!?"

Saint Dennis, unprepared, paled.

He lost control and was dragged in, struggling to slash at Rocks—but Golden Lion intervened:

"Slash Surge!!!"

Oto flashed brilliantly.

A scorching slash ripped forth, slicing right through Saint Dennis's body. He spat blood, helpless to resist.

"Yahahaha, you'll stay right here!"

Rocks lunged in that next instant.

Darkness engulfed his left hand, clutching Saint Dennis. A sword thrust ran him through the heart. Violent Darkness swallowed the unwilling Holy Knight wholly.

"Saint Dennis—!"

Some Holy Knights and CP0 elites cried out.

They had no time to help; each stared in shock.

"Kyahaha, none of you are leaving so easily…"

Golden Lion sneered.

Letting Oto hover overhead, he clenched his right hand:

"Lion Might: Earth Scroll!"

"Rumble… rumble…"

"Roar… roar…"

The ground shook.

A wide stretch of earth heaved, contorting into numerous savage lion heads, roaring brutally. They slammed at the CP0 and Holy Knight elites.

"Boom… BOOM…"