Lucian walked forward step by step.
From afar, countless gazes followed him.
Shock.
Wariness.
Even curiosity.
But in Lucian's eyes—
There was only one target from beginning to end.
The monster pinned in place by the golden pillar of light.
The demonized Rocks.
In the distance, Im, who had barely avoided the fatal strike earlier, wore an expression darker than storm clouds on Saturn's face.
His inhuman eyes locked onto Lucian.
From the deepest darkness of the world—
An invisible probing force spread outward.
It formed an immense, unseen web that silently pressed toward Lucian.
Im wanted to know who this person was.
And whether the familiar power surrounding him was truly the backup plan left behind by that old acquaintance.
But the moment that invisible web approached within three meters of Lucian—
It was as if it struck an invisible wall formed by higher-dimensional laws.
Im's will could not penetrate even a fraction.
Instead—
A powerful backlash surged outward.
The counterattack struck Im himself far away, sending waves of silent pain through his consciousness.
'Is this… the power of Nika?'
What made Im's heart sink even further was something else.
The dark essence he had injected into Rocks—
The source of the corruption that twisted his mind and body—
Was trembling violently.
The energy radiating from Lucian—
Was purifying it.
While Im struggled to understand what was happening—
Lucian had already arrived in front of Demon Rocks.
He ignored the claws capable of tearing steel.
He ignored the monstrous roars.
And slowly raised his left hand.
In his palm—
A soft white-gold light began to shine.
The light was not dazzling.
But it carried a pure radiance.
The entire battlefield watched.
Then—
Before everyone's eyes—
Lucian gently placed his hand upon Rocks' forehead.
The forehead covered in twisted black runes.
"Purify."
Two words emerged from beneath Lucian's mask.
The voice was calm.
Quiet.
Yet every person on the battlefield heard it clearly.
The moment the words fell—
The grotesque black bone spikes covering Rocks' body began dissolving at visible speed.
The fangs that could crush steel shrank rapidly.
The indestructible black shell covering his body evaporated into strands of black smoke under the white-gold light.
The crimson beast-like eyes—
Once filled with madness and cruelty—
Slowly cleared.
Human clarity returned.
Along with pain.
Rocks' enormous body shrank rapidly.
From a three-meter monster—
Back to the arrogant and wild man he once was.
"You dare—!!!"
The furious roar did not come from Rocks.
It came from Im.
He was truly enraged.
If his earlier retreat had been caution—
This moment was outright provocation.
The chain of absolute control between him and Rocks—
Formed from dark energy—
Was being torn apart.
Bit by bit.
By a force completely opposite to his own.
His creation—
Was slipping out of his control.
This was blasphemy.
"Stop him!"
Im, controlling Saturn's body, turned toward the Five Elders and Garling, who had just crawled out of the craters.
Their bodies were covered in blood.
Their auras were weak.
His voice carried no emotion.
Yet it contained absolute authority.
"At all costs… stop him."
The moment they heard the order—
The Five Elders trembled.
The terror they felt toward Im far exceeded the fear of the mysterious man before them.
It was fear engraved into their souls.
"Yes, Lord Im!"
Dragging their injured bodies—
Sustained only by their immortality—
They attacked from every direction.
All targeting Lucian.
Killing intent surged like a tidal wave.
But at that critical moment—
"Gurarararara! Not a chance!!!"
A thunderous roar exploded across the battlefield.
Whitebeard moved.
He had been watching carefully.
The moment he saw Rocks returning to normal—
He immediately understood something.
This masked man was saving Rocks.
Not attacking him.
"This masked brat is helping us!"
Whitebeard stepped forward violently.
His naginata Murakumogiri slammed into the ground.
The white aura of vibration exploded around it.
"Air-Shattering Strike!"
CRACK—!!!
The earth split apart.
A massive wall of vibration surged upward like a rising cliff.
It blocked the path of one charging Elder.
The Elder's attack slammed into the vibration barrier.
A thunderous explosion erupted.
But he could not advance another step.
"Jahahahaha! You want to touch him? Did you ask me first?!"
Golden Lion Shiki's laughter followed immediately.
For him—
This was not simply about saving Rocks.
A battle where the world's greatest monsters united to challenge the gods—
Was exactly the kind of chaos he loved.
Shiki drew his swords Oto and Kogarashi.
Golden sword energy spread through the sky like a massive net.
Intercepting the crazed charge of Garling.
"ROOOOOAR!"
Young Kaido let out a thunderous roar.
Though still young—
His love of battle and respect for powerful warriors were already ingrained in his bones.
He swung his massive kanabo.
The weapon tore through the air with devastating force.
Charging directly toward another Elder.
But the most unbelievable scene happened next.
On Lucian's left and right—
The final two deadly attack routes—
Two figures moved at almost the same moment.
Gol D. Roger.
Monkey D. Garp.
One was the future Pirate King.
The other the future Hero of the Marines.
One was a pirate.
The other a marine.
For over a decade—
These two enemies had fought each other whenever they met.
Yet at this moment—
They displayed unbelievable coordination.
Roger moved like a phantom.
Ace carved a crimson-gold arc through the air.
Blocking the spear thrust of one Elder.
Garp's response was even simpler.
His iron fist—
Wrapped in extreme Armament Haki—
Crashed forward like a black meteor.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two thunderous impacts echoed.
The final attacks were perfectly intercepted.
In just a few seconds—
The entire battlefield had changed.
Lucian continued pressing his hand against Rocks' forehead.
Focused completely on the purification ritual.
Around him—
A human wall had formed.
A wall made of future legends.
Whitebeard.
Golden Lion.
Kaido.
Roger.
Garp.
These monsters who would one day shake the entire world—
Former enemies.
Rivals.
Arch-nemeses—
Now stood together in silent understanding.
Protecting Lucian and Rocks in the center.
Feeling the tremendous pressure from the enemies before him—
Whitebeard spoke in a deep voice.
"Kid… that bastard Rocks…"
"We're counting on you."