The sacrificial altar was surrounded by flammable materials like rice paper and dry wood in the center.
The fire quickly spread outward from the middle, the scorching heat baking the air.
The once bright red blood had dried up, and the Celestial Dragons stared at the raging flames in the center, their pupils filled with terror that seemed to solidify into something tangible.
"Help! Someone save me!"
"I don't want to die, I want to live!"
"Someone put out the fire!"
"..."
The Celestial Dragons, who had always carried themselves with an air of superiority, were now reduced to their most primal instincts, screaming for survival.
They could never have imagined that during this grand ceremony at the Valley of the Gods, they would become the sacrifices themselves.
But regret was useless now, as the flames had already reached them.
And this time, no one was coming to save them.
To ensure they fully experienced the external heat, Bob had removed their protective bubble suits beforehand.
In the face of the intense heat, the Celestial Dragons' hair began to curl slightly in the flames, and the smell of burning filled the air.
In the next moment.
The Celestial Dragons watched helplessly as the fire engulfed them, starting from the edges of their clothing.
In an instant.
The screams were unending, and everyone present was shaken to their core.
Because these were the screams of the Celestial Dragons.
Since the establishment of the World Government, such a thing had never happened before. This was no longer sacrilege—it was outright slaughter.
The marines, who had been knocked unconscious by Bob Conqueror's Haki, began to wake up.
But the first sight that greeted them when they stood up left them utterly petrified.
Fifteen Celestial Dragons, engulfed in flames, were writhing and dancing on the sacrificial altar.
The fire had burned through the ropes binding them, but now, freed from their restraints, they were consumed by the inferno.
The scene caused the pupils of every marine present to contract in shock.
"What... what's happening?"
"Oh my god! Are those Celestial Dragons on the altar?"
"It seems... they really are. Why is this happening? Can someone explain what's going on?"
"It's Bob! The person on the altar is Bob!"
"It must be him. This isn't the first time he's killed Celestial Dragons."
"..."
Whether they had witnessed the entire event or had just woken up, every marine was filled with overwhelming shock.
In front of so many representatives of the World Government, the Celestial Dragons were being burned alive as sacrifices on the altar.
This was the first time in eight hundred years!
The moment they recognized Bob, they understood the full scope of what had transpired.
This situation was undoubtedly Bob doing, as he had killed Celestial Dragons before.
But no one expected him to take out fifteen in one go.
Previously, they had only heard about Bob's deeds through rumors and newspapers.
Now, witnessing it firsthand, fear surged deep within their hearts.
As the marines listened to the screams of the Celestial Dragons and watched them being roasted alive on the altar, not a single one dared to step forward.
"Hahaha! You marines, aren't you supposed to protect the Celestial Dragons? Go on, step up!"
"Your masters are dead. The marines are just stray dogs now!"
"Commander Bob did well! Burning them alive is the perfect method for these Celestial Pigs. Their greasy bodies must be sizzling!"
"You marines are useless. Our Rocks Pirates will prevail!"
"..."
The pirates burst into laughter at the sight.
This time, they also tacitly stopped their attacks, watching the Celestial Dragon on the sacrificial altar with a playful expression.
"Damn! I didn't expect Bob to pull off a sneak attack!" John, wielding a rapier, clashed with a grim-faced marine, while a vice admiral lurked nearby, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
"Damn it! While we're fighting here, Bob is over there killing Celestial Dragons! He's stealing the spotlight!" Wang Zhi swung his massive sword forward, only to be blocked by a young man covered in magma, forcing him to recoil.
The giant sword struck the vice admiral behind him, sending sparks flying.
"Damn it! Forget them, we're not done here yet! These guys are really tough!" Silver Axe face was pale with frustration. The two in front of him—a vice admiral and a curly-haired man—were particularly troublesome.
Especially the latter, whose Logia Devil Fruit abilities were quite a handful.
"Where did these three Logia users come from? I've never heard of them before!" Wang Zhi said as he fended off the searing magma.
"Not sure. They look young, but their strength is no joke. They must be super rookies trained by Marine Headquarters," John said grimly.
"Damn it! One of them would be manageable, but with that vice admiral here, we can't finish them off. If these young ones grow up, they'll become major threats!" Wang Zhi cursed.
These three marines were all very young, but their strength was formidable, especially their mastery of their Devil Fruit abilities. Their potential was immense.
If they were allowed to grow, they would undoubtedly become a significant threat to the pirates.
"Bob is terrifying. He dares to kill Celestial Dragons!" Borsalino said, watching the scene on the sacrificial altar with a smirk.
As he spoke, a yellow energy bullet shot forward from his hand.
"Should we go over there?" Kuzan asked calmly, forming a massive ice spear in his hand.
In the next moment, it shot toward Silver Axe.
"The captains of the Rocks Pirates are only slightly weaker than Rocks himself! We can't handle them. Let's leave it to Fleet Admiral Kong and the others!" Sakazuki right fist turned into magma as he slammed it against Wang Zhi giant sword.
As he spoke, he glanced toward Fleet Admiral Kong and Vice Admiral Garp in the distance.
There, the two top-tier fighters from Marine Headquarters were locked in a fierce battle with Rocks.
Fleet Admiral Kong, aware of everything Bob had done, felt a mix of anger and helplessness.
The Celestial Dragon, engulfed in flames, was beyond saving.
And it wasn't just the death of the Celestial Dragon—the situation was taking a turn for the worse.
Rocks was simply too powerful. Even with their combined strength, they couldn't finish him off.
The wound on Admiral Kong's abdomen tore open under the relentless assault.
If this continued, he wouldn't last much longer.
When that happened, Garp would face Rocks alone, and the outcome would be no different from his own.
The Battle of God Valley would end in a crushing defeat—not only with the death of the Celestial Dragon and heavy casualties, but also with Rocks remaining unvanquished.
"Why hasn't the Roger Pirates arrived yet!" Fleet Admiral Kong face was grim as he muttered to himself.
At this moment, the high-level combatants of the Navy were all being held back by the enemy, leaving the only hope pinned on this newly risen pirate crew to turn the tide of the situation.
...
Meanwhile, in a corner of God Valley, a pirate ship was making its way toward the island.
The flag bearing the image of a bearded man fluttered in the wind atop the mast.
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