Garp smashed both fists into the ground, sending countless Revolutionary Army members flying in every direction.
"You brats! Come at me!"
Even the usually carefree Garp had completely lost his patience.
With a sharp tug, he tore off his floral shirt, revealing a powerful physique that seemed impossible for a man of his age. His muscular body was covered with scars earned through countless life-and-death battles.
Many of Garp's actions could be controversial, and there were times when even those around him struggled to understand where he truly stood.
Yet no one could deny one fact.
Garp had started as an ordinary Marine and fought his way to the top through blood, sweat, and endless battles.
His strength had never been questioned.
Setting rank aside, his combat power was firmly among the highest tiers of Marine Headquarters, even compared to the Admirals.
At that moment, he was like a human bulldozer.
By himself, he was forcing the entire battlefield deeper and deeper toward the forest beyond Foosha Village.
The disturbance was so enormous that the villagers had noticed it long ago.
Fortunately, they were ordinary civilians.
None of them dared approach such a terrifying battlefield.
As a result, despite the fierce fighting, there had been no civilian casualties so far.
Lindbergh clenched his teeth and continued harassing Garp relentlessly.
Like a persistent shadow, he refused to leave Garp's side.
Under his leadership, Revolutionary Army officers and soldiers launched wave after wave of attacks.
Bullets.
Cannon fire.
Blades.
Swords.
Every possible weapon was directed toward the old Marine hero.
Garp relied on his powerful Armament Haki to withstand the endless assault, but even he could feel fatigue slowly accumulating within his aging body.
"Tch."
"Damn it."
"If this were ten years ago, I wouldn't have needed this much effort to deal with these brats."
His expression darkened.
The loss of ten years of lifespan was no joke.
After recognizing the limitations of his current body, Garp had already made a decision.
End the battle quickly.
Once the battlefield was completely pushed into the forest and far enough away from Foosha Village, he could unleash his full strength without restraint and crush everyone in one decisive blow.
Just as the battle intensified, a gigantic figure suddenly blocked his path.
A monstrous roar echoed through the battlefield.
"ROOOAAARRRR!!!"
It was Chopper.
After consuming the improved Rumble Ball, he had entered Monster Point.
The enormous reindeer raised a massive arm and slammed it downward at Garp.
Boom!
The earth exploded beneath the strike.
However, Garp had already leapt into the air.
Looking down at the giant beast below, he frowned slightly.
"An awakened Zoan?"
As he spoke, his instincts suddenly sounded an alarm.
Without hesitation, he vanished from his position.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave tore through the air where he had been moments earlier.
"Coup de Vent!"
Emeth stood nearby with both palms extended.
Seeing his attack miss, he spoke in a deep voice.
"What an incredible human."
Then his mechanical eyes widened.
"Chopper! Above you!"
Chopper instinctively looked up.
Standing atop his hat was Garp.
The old Marine folded his arms and stared down coldly.
"So what if you're an awakened Zoan?"
"Lie down and rest."
Realizing Garp was standing on his head, Chopper immediately began shaking violently.
But no matter how fiercely he moved, Garp remained perfectly balanced, as though his feet were rooted in place.
A crimson flash passed through Garp's eyes.
The next second, he threw a devastating punch.
Armament Haki surged around his fist while black and red lightning exploded outward.
Boom!!!
A gigantic antler was blasted free and sent flying across the battlefield.
It crashed heavily into the ground.
Chopper's eyes rolled back instantly.
His massive body collapsed with a thunderous impact.
As everyone watched, his enormous form rapidly shrank until he returned to his normal size.
Garp landed beside him.
Looking down at the unconscious reindeer, he narrowed his eyes.
"Isn't this the pet from Luffy's ship?"
"What exactly are the people in the intelligence department doing?"
"An awakened Zoan user only has a bounty of fifty Berries?"
"Chopper!!"
A voice suddenly rang out.
"Soul Solid, Straight Through!"
A slender figure flashed past Garp before stopping behind him.
A layer of ice immediately formed across Garp's chest.
The freezing energy spread rapidly.
Garp glanced downward.
Then he casually shook his body.
Crack!
The ice shattered into countless sparkling fragments.
Turning around, he looked at the skeleton swordsman standing behind him.
"You're from Luffy's crew too, aren't you?"
"If I remember correctly, your name is Brook."
He glanced over Brook's unusual appearance.
"Quite a distinctive look."
"Another Devil Fruit user, I assume."
Brook slowly turned around as well.
Holding his cane sword vertically before him, he bowed slightly.
"Vice Admiral Garp, please forgive my rudeness."
Garp chuckled.
"You're surprisingly polite."
While the two spoke, Nami rushed over.
She quickly picked up Chopper and fled toward the rear lines.
In Garp's eyes, her speed was painfully slow.
He simply chose not to stop her.
After all, every one of them would eventually end up in prison together.
Once Nami had disappeared into the distance, Garp stretched his shoulders.
A grin spread across his face.
"You should be careful."
"That skeleton body of yours doesn't look capable of surviving many of my punches."
A bead of sweat slid down Brook's skull.
It made little sense for a skeleton to sweat.
Then again, Devil Fruits themselves defied common sense.
The next instant, Garp vanished.
Brook's pupils contracted.
Too fast!
Before he could even raise his sword to defend himself, a fist filled his vision.
Boom!!!
Brook was launched through the air like a cannonball.
His body crashed directly into a group of Revolutionary Army soldiers, sending everyone tumbling across the battlefield.
Garp clicked his tongue.
"Hmph."
"Looks like I overestimated him."
"Traitor! Don't get ahead of yourself!"
A furious roar interrupted him.
"Strong Hammer!"
Bang!!!
Emeth charged forward and drove a heavy punch into Garp's waist.
The impact sounded like steel colliding with steel.
Garp's expression darkened.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Emeth by the head and slammed him into the ground.
Boom!
The earth shattered.
"Who are you calling a traitor?!"
Machine oil leaked across Emeth's face as he struggled beneath Garp's grip.
Through clenched teeth, he answered,
"Who else?"
"As a member of the D. Clan, you chose to become a watchdog for the Celestial Dragons."
"If that isn't betrayal, what is?!"
Garp seized Emeth's hair and yanked him upward.
"What D. Clan?"
"That's nothing but nonsense!"
Emeth met Garp's gaze without fear.
"You don't deserve the name of D."
Veins bulged across Garp's forehead.
"Brat!"
"This old man knows nothing about some inherited destiny."
"I am a soldier!"
"What I serve is the Navy!"
His voice thundered across the battlefield.
"And that is Justice!!!"
The moment he finished speaking, Garp swung his arm.
"Love Fist Meteor!"
Boom!!!
Emeth's massive steel body shot through the air like a giant cannonball.
The effect was far greater than using ordinary soldiers as projectiles.
If Lindbergh had not reacted immediately and intercepted the flying giant, countless Revolutionary Army members would have been crushed.
Even so, Emeth had suffered severe damage.
The cola-powered energy compartment inside his body had shattered from the impact.
His power source was completely destroyed.
The giant robot instantly entered shutdown mode.
Losing all functionality, he became motionless.
Lindbergh immediately ordered several soldiers to carry Emeth to the rear.
After regrouping his forces, he prepared for one final assault against Garp.
Meanwhile, Garp observed his surroundings.
The battlefield had already moved a considerable distance away from Foosha Village.
No longer restrained by concerns for civilian safety, he finally released more of his power.
Armament Haki surged across his body.
A terrifying aura erupted from him once again.
The pressure alone made many Revolutionary Army soldiers pale.
Both sides gathered their strength.
The decisive confrontation was about to begin.
Then suddenly...
A gigantic fist burst out from beneath the ground.
===
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