Roar—!
A sky-shattering roar, not human, but like two lava beasts from the depths of hell, announcing the arrival of death!
Akainu's "Canine Bite of Crimson Lotus," with the posture of incinerating all things, fiercely bit towards Garp from both left and right directions! The scorching lava fangs, even before touching, had already twisted the air and evaporated large patches of mist from the ice!
Facing this terrifying move capable of instantly melting even a giant warship, the wild laughter on Garp's face did not diminish in the slightest!
"BWAHAHAHA!"
Not only did he not dodge, but he stomped his feet and charged forward!
"Bring it on!"
He unleashed both fists, and on those two iron fists, each the size of a cooking pot, the black Armament Haki was as dense as unmelting ink, while violent blue-purple lightning wildly danced around the Haki, forming a destructive armor of electric light!
Boom!!!
Lightning and fire!
Haki and lava!
The two black iron fists, wrapped in lightning, struck squarely and solidly onto the two ferocious lava dog heads!
There was no earth-shattering explosion as imagined.
Only a dull, ultimate thud that made everyone's heart stop!
The next instant, time seemed to slow down.
The heads of the two lava beasts, centered around the fists, showed dense, spiderweb-like cracks!
Crack—bang!
Lava shattered, flames shot into the sky!
The two arrogant lava beasts were actually blasted apart in mid-air by Garp in the most pure and barbaric manner!
Lava mixed with black debris rained down like a doomsday fire shower, splattering in all directions!
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh!"
On the Moby Dick, cheers erupted once again like a mountain tsunami!
However, there was no surprise on the faces of Sengoku and Aokiji.
As the smoke and dust cleared.
Garp's figure still stood straight, but his two arms were charred black!
The armor of lightning on his arms was extremely dim, emitting a faint "sizzling" sound, as if it could extinguish at any moment. Streams of black smoke continuously rose from his charred skin, carrying the smell of burnt meat.
Taking Akainu's "Canine Bite of Crimson Lotus" head-on, even the current Garp paid a price!
"Hmph!"
Akainu snorted coldly, his face showing undisguised cruelty.
Just as Garp shattered the lava beasts, and his aura momentarily stagnated.
"Ice Ball!"
Aokiji's voice rang out, cold.
Dozens of ice balls, compressed from extreme cold air, silently attacked from all directions, sealing off all of Garp's escape routes!
At the same time, an invisible shockwave blasted from Sengoku's direction again, accurately predicting Garp's dodging position!
Teamwork!
Flawless teamwork!
Garp's expression, for the first time, became grave.
The lightning on his body flashed fiercely, and he transformed into an afterimage, narrowly dodging most of the ice balls and the fatal shockwave.
But a few ice balls still hit him squarely!
Crack!
The bone-chilling cold instantly invaded his body, leaving deep, bone-visible ice wounds on his charred arms and chest!
And Sengoku's shockwave made his already turbulent blood qi violently churn again!
Garp's range of movement was constantly being compressed.
His speed began to slow down under the influence of Aokiji's pervasive cold.
More and more wounds appeared on his body.
Charred burns, bone-deep ice wounds, and internal bruises from shockwaves... that arrogant monster, who regarded Admirals as nothing, finally... showed signs of decline under the combined encirclement of the three highest Marine combat powers!
On the ruins of the execution platform.
Ace stared blankly at the figure covered in wounds for his protection.
Looking at his charred arms.
Watching the new wounds constantly appearing on his body.
Looking at his still straight, but slightly trembling, spine.
This man was a marine hero.
He was his grandpa.
He was the grandpa who would discipline him with the "Fist of Love" but would also bring back a whole wild boar from the forest when he was hungry.
He should have stood on the other side of the world, receiving universal reverence.
But now, for the sake of his "sinful bloodline," he betrayed everything and stood here, an enemy to the entire world.
Why... why go to such lengths... A hot tear slipped from Ace's eye, hitting the cold ground.
Immediately after, came the second, the third... tears burst forth!
He could no longer suppress the pain and guilt in his heart, a despair that could tear his soul apart!
"Enough..."
His voice was hoarse and trembling.
"Enough, Grandpa!"
He looked at the figure still entangled with Akainu's lava, and with all his strength, cried out heartbreakingly!
"Go now!"
"Don't mind me!"
"I'm just a damned Pirate! Roger's son! I'm not worth this much from you!"
"Please... go now!!!"
This heartbreaking cry was like an invisible heavy hammer, striking hard at the heart of everyone on the battlefield.
The Whitebeard Pirates' commanders, who were charging, suddenly paused, their faces showing unbearable expressions.
Marco, who was maneuvering with Hawkeye, had his blue flames dim for a moment.
And on another battlefield.
"Marine Garp," who was engaged in a fated duel with Whitebeard, had his fist, about to be thrown, tremble violently in mid-air!
His wild laughter froze, and a hint of extreme pain, incomprehensible to anyone, flashed in his sharp eyes.
His fist unconsciously loosened by half a measure.
"Gurararara..."
Whitebeard looked at the change in his old rival, and a hint of emotion was added to his deep laughter.
And on the highest battlefield.
Hearing Ace's cry, "Pirate Garp's" movements also paused for a moment.
It was this moment of stagnation.
"Die!"
Akainu seized this fatal flaw, and a lava fist, condensed to the extreme, fiercely slammed into Garp's chest!
However.
Garp made a move that surprised everyone.
He did not dodge, nor did he block.
Instead, he slammed a punch, temporarily forcing back Akainu in front of him!
Then, he turned around, with his back to the three highest Marine combat powers, completely exposing his unguarded back to the enemy!
He looked back at Ace, who was crying like a child.
On his face, covered in blood and smoke, there was no pain, no anger, only the same scoundrelly yet incredibly warm smile he had in Foosha Village.
"BWAHAHAHA!"
He grinned and burst into loud laughter, his booming laughter drowning out all the noise on the battlefield!
"What foolishness are you talking about!"
"This old man is your grandpa!"
He used his good hand to scratch his messy white hair, shouting in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Grandpa today!"
"Is here to take you home!"
These words were impactful!
Every word was like the hottest brand, deeply seared into Ace's heart!
After speaking.
Garp slowly turned his head back, once again facing the grim-faced Sengoku, Akainu, and Aokiji.
In his sharp eyes, all the playfulness and wildness faded away at this moment.
Only a kind of... burning to the extreme, pure madness remained!
"This move isn't very practiced yet, I originally... didn't want to use it."
He muttered softly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of the three.
His tone carried a hint of regret and unshakeable determination.
"What a pity..."
"What?"
A strong, ominous premonition suddenly rose in Sengoku's heart!
The next second!
Garp took a deep breath, his muscles suddenly tensed, and his bones let out a series of crisp crackling sounds like popping beans!
A completely different power erupted from within him!
That was not Haki!
Nor was it lightning!
But a green energy, full of life, originating from the deepest source of life itself!
Buzz—!
Green energy waves, centered around him, shot into the sky!
All his wounds, whether burns or ice wounds, healed at a visible speed!
The skin on his charred arms rapidly peeled off, revealing new, explosively powerful muscles!
His old, wrinkled face, illuminated by the green energy, actually looked several years younger!
An aura more terrifying and violent than at any previous moment erupted from him!
"This... what kind of power is this?!"
Sengoku's pupils contracted to the extreme!
Garp slowly raised his head, his eyes burning with a heaven-shaking, earth-moving mad will!
He let out a roar that could make the entire world tremble!
"Eight Gates Released Formation!"
"First Gate, Gate of Opening, Open!!!"