One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 138: Valley of the Gods (Betrayal)

Seeing the actions of the two, Rocks understood.

"In that case, I can only kill you and then get what I came for!" Rocks said, his tone dark and menacing.

As for the Five Elders, Satan had been rescued by Rayleigh during the commotion caused by Roger's attack.

Roger and Garp said nothing, quietly preparing for battle.

Rocks scanned the battlefield and barked out an order.

"Rocks Pirates! Kill the Five Elders for me!"

It was clear he was still enraged over Satan escaping his grasp.

Charlotte glanced at the other cadres, and they exchanged uncertain looks. Eventually, Charlotte Linling, John, Ochoku, and Silver Axe stepped forward to act on Rocks's command.

Seeing their movement, Charlotte sighed inwardly and stepped up as well. He couldn't just stand by—this battle was pivotal, and although he knew Rocks would ultimately fall in the Valley of the Gods, his presence here could disrupt the established flow of events. If Rocks didn't die, it would be Charlotte himself facing the fallout.

As the five advanced, they surrounded Rayleigh and the battered Five Elder Stars, who was still recovering.

Rayleigh, noticing their intent, placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, his expression steely.

Charlotte Linling stepped forward, her strength leading the charge.

"Emperor Sword: Breaking Blade!"

With a cry, Linling swung her flaming, Haki-infused Napoleon sword at Rayleigh.

Rayleigh reacted instantly, raising his blade to block.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed through the battlefield as sparks flew. Rayleigh gritted his teeth, his knees bending slightly under the immense pressure of Linling's strength.

Meanwhile, John, Ochoku, and Silver Axe rushed toward the weakened Satan, who was still too injured to defend himself effectively.

Seeing this, Charlotte reluctantly turned his attention to Roger.

"Damn it! They left me with no choice but to take him on!" he muttered under his breath.

Roger, noticing the young man standing before him, studied him carefully.

"Hello! Nice to meet you! My name is Roger!" Roger said, his tone friendly despite the tense situation.

Charlotte, though inwardly nervous, nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yeah! My name is Charlotte."

Charlotte underestimated himself—his strength was nearly at the top level, making him more than capable of holding his own against Roger. However, the pressure of standing before the future Pirate King lingered in his mind.

Roger, noticing Charlotte's hesitation, spoke again.

"We don't actually have to fight. I'm here to destroy Rocks, not to fight you."

Charlotte paused, genuinely considering Roger's words.

"I know," he replied calmly.

As the two exchanged words, battles raged on around them.

The most intense clash was between Rocks and Garp—a brutal, raw exchange of Haki and fists, with no room for hesitation.

Meanwhile, Rayleigh struggled against Linling, her overwhelming strength forcing him to rely on speed and technique to stay in the fight.

Ochoku, John, and Silver Axe relentlessly attacked the wounded Five Elder Stars, their combined might proving too much for him to counter.

Charlotte, observing the chaos, realized the tide of the battle rested on his actions.

In the original timeline, Roger had crippled Ochoku, John, and Silver Axe before joining Garp to bring down Rocks. The rest of the Rocks Pirates had stood by, unwilling to interfere.

But now, Charlotte's presence had altered the equation.

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte made his decision.

The Seven Star Sword in his hand vanished, and he turned to leave the battlefield.

Roger blinked in confusion, his thoughts momentarily halting.

"Charlotte!" Rocks roared, his eyes bloodshot as he watched his subordinate abandon the fight.

Charlotte glanced back at Rocks, his expression unreadable, before continuing to walk away.

Roger, realizing what was happening, seized the opportunity.

"God Avoid!"

Roger's attack came swiftly, a powerful slash cutting through the air and slamming into Ochoku, John, and Silver Axe.

Caught off guard, the three were sent flying, blood spraying from their wounds as they crashed dozens of meters away.

With the path cleared, Roger rushed forward and joined Garp in his assault on Rocks.

"Charlotte! Damn you!" Rocks bellowed, his voice filled with fury and betrayal as he fought against Roger and Garp.

Shiki, observing from a distance, laughed uproariously.

"Hahahahaha! Rocks! Your time is up!"

Whitebeard, standing nearby, remained silent, taking a sip from his wine and watching the unfolding chaos.

Charlotte, ignoring Rocks's rage, smirked faintly. Betrayal? He had never truly been loyal to the Rocks Pirates to begin with.

Walking away from the battle, Charlotte scanned his surroundings, his Observation Haki activated.

Now was the perfect opportunity to search for treasure while everyone else was distracted.

The once-magnificent palace had been reduced to rubble, with valuables buried beneath the debris.

Focusing his senses, Charlotte pinpointed an area where several large chests had been stored before the destruction.

"Jackpot," he muttered, hurrying to dig through the ruins.

The timing couldn't have been better. While Rocks raged against Roger and Garp, Charlotte planned to claim his spoils and slip away unnoticed.

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