A surge of shock swept across the battlefield as three familiar figures emerged from the straw hat-shaped shield. Among them were Kong, Gol D. Roger, and Rocks D. Xebec.

Seeing Roger, Garp's eyes widened in disbelief and joy.

"Roger!? He's alive?" he shouted, voice filled with astonishment.

But none of the other generals responded, all frozen in confusion at the impossible sight.

Chiga, however, remained composed. His voice was steady as he said,

"He's already dead. And even if he were alive... he'd die again today."

Garp's expression hardened. He had nearly forgotten that Chiga harbored deep contempt for Roger. If they fought, it would be a brutal end for the Pirate King.

Even Garp had to admit, Uchiha Chiga's current power was beyond comprehension—no one here stood on the same level anymore.

Sengoku's eyes narrowed. He turned to Chiga.

"Chiga... do you know what's going on here?"

Chiga nodded. "When I confronted the Five Elders before, I encountered a CP0 agent with no life force. The auras of Roger and the others are identical."

He looked toward the three advancing figures and added, "They're not alive. What you're seeing are reanimated corpses. The one behind this... is Im."

Sengoku's eyes darkened. "Then Kong...?"

"Also dead," Chiga confirmed, "I sense no life energy from him either."

Pain flickered across Sengoku's face. Kong had been his mentor and a close ally. To see him turned into a puppet... it was unbearable.

Suddenly, Sengoku erupted with golden light, his body expanding until it burst through his robes. The Great Buddha stood tall, radiating fury.

"Im... you bastard!!" he roared.

Without hesitation, Sengoku launched himself at the trio like a golden meteor. His Haki-infused fist collided with a punch from Kong, who had leapt to intercept him.

Despite his massive size, Sengoku was blown back by Kong's blow.

Kong wasted no time and lunged at Chiga, using Geppo to streak through the air.

Akainu stepped forward, magma rising from his fist as he shouted,

"Dark Hound!"

His arm turned into searing lava, punching straight into Kong's face. The magma scorched and disfigured half of Kong's head, but he didn't flinch or slow down.

Sengoku's grief deepened. He couldn't bear to see Kong in such a state—mindless, weaponized.

With hands clasped at his chest, golden energy erupted between his palms. He then opened them wide, encasing Kong in a golden sphere of blinding light.

Garp and Tsuru's expressions changed immediately.

"World of Annihilation!"

CRACK!

The golden sphere shattered, and Kong was gone.

Sengoku stood still, two lines of golden tears running down his cheeks. His body returned to normal.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust... Fleet Admiral Kong, rest in peace," he whispered.

Even Chiga raised an eyebrow at the spectacle. Within that golden space, the intense shockwaves had disintegrated Kong's body completely.

The technique resembled Onoki's Dust Release—though this, perhaps, was even more refined.

But Chiga had no time to reflect.

Roger and Rocks were already upon him, launching an immediate assault. Just before their strikes could land, an invisible repulsive force exploded from Chiga, hurling them back violently.

Roger's right arm was obliterated instantly. The sheer force of a Six Paths-level Shinra Tensei was no joke.

Yet, a black energy mass began to squirm at Roger's shoulder, slowly reconstructing his arm.

Chiga's expression finally changed. "What the hell... am I still in the One Piece world?"

First, Dust Release. Now... Edo Tensei?

"Nani!?" Sengoku shouted from behind.

Chiga turned and saw it—black energy at the spot where Kong had vanished. Moments later, Kong's form reassembled completely, just like Roger.

"They're regenerating... like Edo Tensei," Chiga muttered.

Sengoku and the others looked on in horror. If their enemies could regenerate even after total annihilation, how could they be defeated?

Before anyone could react, black lightning-laced shockwaves surged toward them—attacks from Roger and Rocks.

"Tch... that's enough," Chiga growled.

Another Shinra Tensei crushed the incoming attacks. Then, three pitch-black orbs emerged from behind Chiga—Truth-Seeking Orbs.

With a gesture, the orbs launched toward the undead trio.

Roger attempted to block one with his fist. The moment contact was made, cracks spread across his body like glass, and he dissolved into particles of black light.

Rocks and Kong instinctively tried to escape, but the Truth-Seeking Orbs relentlessly tracked them.

Rocks launched multiple long-range attacks to ward them off, but the attacks vanished upon contact with the orbs.

One after another, Rocks and Kong were also erased from existence, leaving not even dust behind.

Sengoku and the others stood tensely, waiting for the enemies to regenerate once more... but they didn't.

This time, they were truly gone.

Because under the power of the Six Paths, all are equal before the Truth-Seeking Orb.

---

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