"Gurarararara…"
On the Moby Dick, Whitebeard's wild laughter abruptly ceased.
His hawk-like eyes stared fixedly at the figure bathed in blue-purple lightning ten thousand meters in the sky, the muscles on his face twitching involuntarily.
"Hey… Marco…"
Whitebeard didn't even turn his head, merely speaking in a dry, dream-like whisper.
"Hmm? Old Man?" Phoenix Marco snapped out of his shock and quickly responded.
"That old bastard…" Whitebeard's hand, gripping Murakumogiri, had veins bulging, almost crushing the hilt.
"His strength… has it really reached this level?"
This single sentence sent the hearts of Marco, Jozu, and all the other commanders plummeting to rock bottom.
Even the strongest man in the world had uttered such a sentiment!
Just how unbelievably powerful had that lightning-bathed Garp become?!
At the same time.
In the giant crater at the center of Marineford Plaza.
The smoke and dust slowly dispersed.
A figure shakily rose from the bottom of the pit.
He brushed the dust off his white Marine coat of Justice, twisted his neck, producing a series of crisp "crack, crack" sounds.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!"
The familiar wild laughter rang out once more!
Marine Garp grinned widely, his face devoid of any defeat, instead filled with extreme excitement!
"That was quite a punch!"
He looked up at the lightning-flashing "himself" in the sky, the fighting spirit in his eyes almost boiling and burning!
"As expected of me!"
"Proud of what?! You idiot!"
With an angry roar, Sengoku the Buddha appeared as if teleporting to the edge of the crater, his large Buddha face covered in twisted veins, trembling with rage.
"Is getting beaten by yourself something to be proud of?!"
He grabbed Marine Garp's collar, spittle flying onto his face.
"Answer me! Garp!"
Sengoku roared, his eyes bloodshot and full of confusion.
"What exactly is going on?! Who is that guy in the sky?!"
He paused, his voice dropping a few octaves, but carrying an even deeper astonishment.
"And that lightning around you! When did you… hide such a trump card?!"
Sengoku stared intently at his old comrade's face, trying to find the slightest flaw.
In his opinion, this could only be the sole explanation!
That old bastard Garp had secretly practiced some incredible technique, even keeping it hidden from him!
However.
Marine Garp's wild laughter, upon hearing the words "trump card," instantly froze.
The excitement on his face also faded little by little.
It was replaced by an unprecedented, gloomy darkness.
"Trump card?"
He raised his fist, looked at it, then looked up at the lightning-bathed "himself" in the sky, his eyes extremely complex.
"That's not my technique."
He spoke word by word, his tone filled with unconcealable solemnity.
"This move…"
"This old man doesn't know it."
"What?!"
Sengoku's mind went blank with a buzz.
Doesn't know it?
You're telling me you don't know it?!
Then where did that "you" in the sky who *does* know this move spring from?!
Although this conversation was not broadcast via den den mushi, the surrounding powerhouses heard it clearly.
"Oh my, my, my… things are getting scarier and scarier…"
Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses, his mouth exaggeratedly agape, his usually lewd face now devoid of any trace of laziness.
"A move that Mr. Garp himself doesn't know… but that 'Mr. Garp' does?"
"This information… is completely unanalyzable…"
"Heretical methods!"
Akainu Sakazuki gritted his teeth, his magma churning wildly, the terrifying high temperature causing the surrounding ground to melt.
"No matter which Garp it is! He must accept the judgment of Justice!"
"Fufufufu…"
Doflamingo's laughter became somewhat strained.
He looked at the Thunder God in the sky, then at the livid "true" Garp in the crater, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"It's getting more and more interesting… no, this isn't interesting anymore, it's terrifying!"
The battlefield, due to this extraordinary scene, fell into an eerie standstill.
And in the sky above.
Pirate Garp, who had caused all the commotion, slowly lowered his head.
He was bathed in violent lightning, like a true god, looking down at the tiny beings below.
He grinned, revealing an extremely wild smile.
"Warm-up finished."
His gaze swept over everyone, landing precisely on the execution platform.
On his Grandson, who knelt there, face covered in tears, staring blankly at him.
"Next…"
"It's time to pick you up, Ace!"
Crackling!
High in the sky, blue-purple lightning furiously danced, emitting deafening crackles.
Garp looked down, spread open his lightning-wrapped fist, and slowly clenched his fingers.
Boom!
A visible arc of electricity exploded outwards from his fist!
He could feel an unprecedented, violent energy surging madly within him, perfectly combining with his own Haki, giving rise to a pure, ultimate destructive power!
"Puhahaha!"
He couldn't help but grin, letting out a low chuckle.
"What is this called… Lightning Release Chakra Mode?"
"It's really a useful thing!"
"Gurarararara…"
On the Moby Dick, Whitebeard looked at the Thunder God in the sky, then at the frantic Sengoku on the execution platform, and the excited Garp in the crater.
He laughed.
In that smile was understanding, admiration, and an unparalleled heroic spirit!
"My sons!"
He raised Murakumogiri high, his voice like a booming bell!
"Forget all that messy stuff!"
"Just know! There are two Garps now! And one of them is on our side, that's enough!"
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"
The pirates' morale was instantly pushed to its peak by this simple and crude logic!
"Bring Commander Ace home!"
And right at the peak of this uproar.
In the sky above, the Thunder God moved.
His wild and overbearing gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield below, finally locking back onto the execution platform.
There, his only target for this trip awaited.
His Grandson, Ace.
Pirate Garp grinned, his smile filled with undeniable resolve.
He faced the towering execution platform below, faced the tear-stained, utterly stunned Ace, and with all his strength, let out a roar that shook heaven and earth!
"Ace!!"
Boom!
Thunder exploded!
"Watch closely!"
"This old man now!"
"Will bring you home!!!"
The moment his words fell, he transformed into a blue-purple lightning bolt piercing through heaven and earth, plummeting with an unstoppable momentum towards the execution platform, guarded by the Marine Three Admirals!