"Lily!"
Sage took off his cloak and threw it to Lily, who was in command, taking a deep breath, his chest heaving as he exhaled a wisp of white air.
Sssss!
As the white air was expelled, his body began to expand and swell, muscles burgeoning like armor, the muscles at his shoulders grew significantly, transforming into a double-layered shoulder guard intertwining with the neck muscles.
The collarbone around his neck resembled the collar of heavy armor.
"Dragon Transformation Breathing Technique! 100%!"
Sage exhaled gently, gazing intently at Garp.
The sea breeze swept by, ruffling Sage's hair and rustling Garp's Navy cloak.
Around them, the subordinates carrying spoils and assisting injured Pirates were retreating to the Death Star one by one.
Garp paid them no mind, simply staring at Sage, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
"Sage, you brat!"
"Garp, you old man!"
As the second gust of sea wind swirled up, both parties shouted, their bodies becoming afterimages as they moved.
"Let's warm up a little first!"
Sage tapped his foot, leaping into the air, the Haki as dark as flowing fire coiling around his hands, as he clasped his fingers over his knuckles, launching a Haki Bullet first with a thrust of his palm.
"Tenha Kassatsu!"
The flowing fire-like Haki Bullet homed in on the quick, shadowy, stout figure, crashing down directly, only to see that afterimage flash rapidly, allowing the Haki Bullet to blast a massive crater into the ground.
Before the evading figure could make the next move, Sage swiftly pressed downward, one leg covered in Haki, chopping down like a battle axe.
Bang!!
The immense force fractured the ground where Garp stood into several pieces, seawater surging in and bubbling up through the cracks, spreading across the surface.
Garp blocked Sage's foot with one hand, tilting his head back to meet his gaze. They both grinned at each other, and Garp swiftly grabbed Sage's ankle, hurling him sideways with force, while his other hand clenched into a fist and delivered a punch at the hurled Sage.
Bang!
Sage's other leg whipped around like a lash, his foot colliding with Garp's fist. Despite the Haki barrier, there was a brief moment where Sage's foot and Garp's fist hovered without touching, emitting a loud thud before Sage's toes misaligned upward, his heel pressing down on Garp's fist, leveraging himself upward. His hands clenched together, thrusting towards Garp's temple.
"North Star Remorse Fist!"
"What could an old man like me possibly regret!"
Garp laughed heartily, his eyes focusing, his forehead covered in Haki, his upper body thrusting forward, his head butting against Sage's abdomen, sending him flying.
"Tsk!"
Sage gritted his teeth, as his body soared, both hands shifted entirely apart, kicking Garp's chest with both legs, forcing him back a few steps. While airborne, Sage braced one hand on the ground, pushing forcefully downward, propelling himself upward.
His hands once again entwined with the flowing fire-like Haki, swiftly striking downwards.
"Tenha Kassatsu: Meteor Shower!"
A barrage of Haki Bullets, akin to descending black meteors, poured densely towards the ground.
"Sage, you brat, if this continues, this place will be destroyed! I can't let you do this!"
Garp looked up at the falling Haki Bullets, baring his teeth in a grin, Haki coiling around his fists as well, punching each Haki Bullet.
With each punch, these Haki Bullets with the power to fracture land were shattered, not even making contact, the external Haki exploding each one upon proximity.
After throwing dozens of punches, Garp's figure flickered, braving the Haki Bullets and rising into the air, reaching Sage's altitude.
"Sage, you brat, have you had enough!"
He launched a punch towards Sage.
"Moon Step!"
Bang!
Sage's foot bounced, creating a circle of airwaves in the air, dodging Garp's punch, shifting to his side, swinging his leg and foot over.
Smack!
Garp caught Sage's leg, swiftly tossing him downwards, Sage spiraling several times in the air, forcefully kicking, using Moon Step to leap upwards again. This time, clapping both hands together, condensing the coiling Haki into a small sphere in his palm.
"Heavenly Fury!"
Haki Shock!
"The Haki has increased in strength, but it's still not enough!"
Garp also stomped into Moon Step, charging at the shockwave without flinching, directly meeting the shockwave with his fist, as if punching through black waves, stepping on Moon Step, charging straight ahead.
Just as he neared Sage, the silhouette before the shockwave suddenly vanished, causing Garp's punch to hit nothing. Sage's form dipped, dodging Garp's straight punch, raising his leg, striking his arm, kicking it up.
"North Star Steel-Breaking Leg!"
Simultaneously, his hands spread open, five fingers facing Garp, Haki converging in his palm, ready for release.
The North Star Steel-Breaking Leg is a technique that targets an opponent's arm's Secret Hole, rendering it powerless with a kick.
Despite the move's name, it's essentially striking the Secret Hole on the arm, making it unable to exert strength.
Taking advantage of Garp's focus on the shockwave, the area outside his fist lacked Haki protection, giving Sage the perfect opportunity to strike.
And seizing this opening...
"Heavenly Fury!!"
Boom!!
The black Haki Shockwave, like a jet-black pillar, engulfed Garp's form, shooting straight into the sky.
"Gotcha!" Sage sneered, "Taste my Haki, old man!"