Garp slowly raised his head.
Emerald green steam billowed around him, and lightning danced across his body.
He looked in the direction where his punch had blasted through several walls.
Akainu.
That brat.
"Hmph..."
Garp exhaled a mouthful of stale air.
Images flashed through his mind from before entering the instance.
— Akainu's fist piercing Ace's chest.
— Flames extinguished, blood evaporated.
— That child smiling and saying, "Thank you for loving me," then collapsing in Luffy's arms.
That should have been the future of this world.
That was an outcome he could not accept.
"Damn lava brat..."
Garp gritted his teeth, emerald green steam furiously churning around his body.
Since it's come to this... what's wrong with going even further?
Suddenly!
Garp abruptly looked up.
In that instant, all the hairs on his body stood on end.
An indescribable sense of oppression assailed him from the void, a feeling as if he was being watched by some supreme being.
Not Sengoku.
Not the Three Admirals.
Nor Whitebeard.
But... something higher.
"This is..."
Garp's breathing grew heavy.
He could clearly feel that gaze penetrating space, penetrating everything, falling directly on him.
No malice.
No killing intent.
Only pure scrutiny.
Like looking at an interesting toy.
"Damn it..."
Garp gritted his teeth, the emerald green steam around his body fluctuating violently.
He didn't know where that gaze came from, but his intuition told him he had to finish this quickly!
He couldn't drag it out anymore!
He turned and looked at the young man in the distance, chained to the execution platform with Sea Stone handcuffs.
"Ace!"
Garp's voice exploded across the battlefield.
Ace suddenly looked up, his vision blurred by tears.
"Grandpa..."
Garp grinned.
"This old man is here to take you home!"
As his voice fell.
His figure transformed into an emerald green lightning bolt, instantly rushing towards the execution platform!
He spun around, charging towards Ace.
On the ruins of the execution platform, Ace was still chained by Sea Stone handcuffs.
Garp grabbed his collar, lifting him completely.
"Grandpa?!"
Ace's eyes widened.
Garp said nothing.
He merely glanced at Ace, then turned and threw him towards Whitebeard.
"Let's go, kid."
He gave a mighty swing, directly throwing Ace towards Whitebeard!
"Newgate!"
Garp roared.
"Catch your son!"
Whitebeard was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.
"Gurararara!"
He caught Ace, his old, wrinkled face filled with relief.
"Well done, Garp!"
"Pops!"
Ace's voice trembled.
Whitebeard looked down at him, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
"Gurararara..."
He chuckled softly.
"Don't worry, Ace."
"Pops won't let anything happen to you."
Marine Garp stood aside, watching Ace in Whitebeard's hands, silent for a moment.
He did not make a move.
He just stood there, his gaze complex as he looked at the figure bathed in emerald green light in the distance.
That was another him.
A him who had chosen a different path.
"Truly..."
Marine Garp murmured softly.
"Insane."
And at this moment.
Garp had already turned around.
His gaze was fixed on the direction Akainu had been sent flying.
Emerald green steam surged wildly around his body, lightning dancing across his skin.
"Brat."
Garp's voice was low.
"This old man isn't done yet."
As his voice fell.
His figure vanished from its spot.
The speed was so great that only an afterimage remained.
The ice surface shattered, and seawater rolled back.
Garp transformed into an emerald green streak of light, chasing after Akainu.
Boom—!!!
Garp's figure instantly vanished from its spot.
That speed was so fast that even Kizaru squinted slightly.
"How terrifying..."
Kizaru scratched his head.
"This speed... it must be beyond the speed of light, right?"
Aokiji sighed.
"Mr. Garp... do you really have to go this far?"
Sengoku's face changed drastically when he saw this scene.
"Oh no!"
He roared, trying to catch up.
But Garp's speed was too fast.
So fast that he couldn't react in time.
"Sakazuki is in danger!"
Sengoku gritted his teeth, golden light exploding around his body.
He transformed into a Great Buddha, chasing after Garp.
But it was already too late.
Garp's figure had already vanished into the horizon.
Garp's figure was like a green lightning bolt, tearing through the air, heading straight for the direction Akainu had been sent flying.
The ice surface shattered beneath his feet, each step leaving a deep imprint.
Emerald green steam trailed behind him in a long plume.
"Sakazuki!"
Garp's roar shook all of Marineford.
"This old man hasn't let you go yet!"
His speed grew faster and faster.
So fast that the surrounding scenery began to distort.
The Marine soldiers could only see a green blur flash past, unable to even catch an afterimage.
"Too fast..."
"Is that really human speed?"
"Vice Admiral Garp... no, that traitor..."
The Marines' voices were filled with terror.
And just then.
A figure suddenly appeared in front of Garp.
It was a pink-haired young man.
His face was covered in tears, and his body trembled violently.
But he still spread his arms, blocking Garp's path.
"Stop!"
The young man's voice screamed.
"Please stop!"
Garp's figure suddenly paused.
He stopped in front of the young man, emerald green steam churning around his body.
"Get out of the way."
Garp's voice was low.
"This old man doesn't have time to waste on you."
The young man gritted his teeth, tears streaming uncontrollably.
"No!"
His voice trembled, but it remained firm.
"You've done enough!"
"If this continues..."
He took a deep breath, his voice filled with sorrow.
"If this continues, everyone will die!"
"Marines will die!"
"Pirates will die too!"
"This war... it's meaningless now!"
The young man's words echoed across the battlefield.
Garp stared at him.
Emerald green steam surged around his body, lightning dancing across his skin.
"Who are you?"
There was no emotion in Garp's voice.
The young man was startled.
"I... I'm Koby!"
He shouted loudly.
"Marineford Private First Class, Koby!"
Garp narrowed his eyes.
Koby?
That name... he hadn't heard it before.
"This old man doesn't know you."
Garp said indifferently.
"And doesn't want to know you."
He raised his hand.
"Last chance."
"Get out of the way."
Koby's body trembled.
He could clearly feel the terrifying aura emanating from the man in front of him.
That aura... made his soul scream.
But he still gritted his teeth, not retreating a single step.
"No!"
Koby roared.
"I can't let you continue!"
"This war..."
His voice choked.
"This war is over!"
"Mr. Ace has already been rescued!"
"The Marines have lost!"
"If it continues... only more people will die!"
Koby's words were filled with grief.
He looked at the bodies lying on the ice around him.
There were Marines.
And pirates too.
They were all dead.
For this meaningless war.
"So..."
Koby looked up, his vision blurred by tears.
"So please stop!"
"Don't kill anymore!"
Garp was silent.
He looked at the pink-haired young man in front of him.
Looking at his tear-filled eyes.
After a moment.
Garp suddenly laughed.
"What an interesting brat."
He said softly.
"However..."
His smile vanished.
"This old man refuses."
As his voice fell.
Garp raised his hand and slapped him.
Crack—!
A crisp sound exploded across the battlefield.
Koby's body flew backward like a cannonball.
He tumbled several times in mid-air, then slammed hard onto the ice, plowing a long furrow.
"Koby!"
Helmeppo's startled cry came from a distance.
Garp did not look back.
He just stood there, looking in the direction Koby had been sent flying.
"This old man doesn't know you."
His voice was very soft.
"And doesn't care about your thoughts."
"This old man only knows..."
He turned and continued walking towards Akainu.
"That lava brat almost killed this old man's Grandson."
"So..."
Emerald green steam exploded around his body.
"This old man will make him pay the price."
As his voice fell.
Garp's figure once again vanished from its spot.
That speed was even faster than before.
So fast that even the air was torn apart.
Boom—!!!
A sonic boom exploded across the battlefield.
Garp transformed into a green streak of light, instantly charging towards the direction Akainu had been sent flying.
The ice surface shattered.
Seawater rolled back.
Countless Marine soldiers were shaken off their feet by the shockwave.
"That bastard..."
Kizaru scratched his head.
"He won't even spare children?"
Aokiji sighed.
"Mr. Garp... you've really changed."