Marineford Harbor — Unstoppable Collision
The smoke and dust over the harbor slowly cleared. Figarland Garling Saint, who had been slammed into the wreckage of a warship by two devastating punches from Gern Reginald Sigmar, remained motionless.
The Marines watching from the plaza held their breath, eyes locked on the shattered ruins. Tension hung thick in the air, almost palpable.
On the high platform, Fleet Admiral Kong's teacup hovered midair, hot tea spilling onto his pants unnoticed. Sengoku's glasses had slid to the tip of his nose, leaving eyes wide in shock. Zephyr's sunglasses had tilted askew, revealing an expression of sheer disbelief.
"This… this guy's strength," Kong muttered, throat bobbing, "he's improved again?"
"And that first strike… what was that all about?" Sengoku adjusted his glasses, voice tight."I didn't even sense his presence with my Observation Haki."
"Garp!" Zephyr suddenly snapped his gaze toward the laughing Marine, a wide grin plastered across his face."When Gern lost to Roger back then… you didn't—"
"Yes!" Garp laughed, turning toward Zephyr."Ever since he lost to Roger and experienced true king-class power… he's been practically glued to me, begging for another round of my hellish training!"
"Hellish training?" the three Marines repeated in unison.
Garp squinted, gazing down at Gern standing in the harbor below, for once wearing a serious expression."For six whole months, he challenged me without holding back, every single day. I attacked with full force the entire time—except I never killed him."
"Wait!" Kong grabbed Garp by the collar."You call that training?"
"Patience, patience~" Garp chuckled, brushing off Kong's grip."Didn't you notice? Lipo's healing fruit was part of it. Every time I smashed him up, she'd heal him instantly. Then we'd start again." He stroked his chin, recalling the memory."But the growth was undeniable. He went from barely lasting four hours to being able to spar with me continuously for three days and nights—without breaking, without giving up…"
"Three days and nights? Even without your killer intent?" Zephyr gawked."That's insane! He's been honing his physical combat skills against Garp himself!"
Sengoku looked at the towering figure in the plaza."This kid… he's not a genius…"
"He's a lunatic," Kong finished."One who trades his life for power."
"Genius or lunatic," Garp suddenly stopped laughing, his gaze fixed on the harbor."The problem with the God's Knights isn't their strength alone…"
"So…" Kong furrowed his brow, voice grave."That guy… he won't stop here, will he?"
"No. If the God's Knights were so easily defeated…" Sengoku pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting sharp glimmers."…the World Government wouldn't even let them hold their ground in Mary Geoise."
Zephyr crossed his arms, eyes serious beneath his shades."Garp… what did you mean earlier when you said, 'their bodies aren't ordinary'?"
Garp grinned, still staring toward the harbor."I meant it literally. Their bodies… aren't built like ours."
Before he could finish, the harbor ruins exploded. A golden figure shot skyward.
Garling Saint hovered midair, his shattered jaw visibly reconstructing at an almost horrifying speed. His flesh twisted and writhed like a living thing. Except for the chest where Gern's "Black Shock·Instant Execution" had struck with Conqueror's Haki, his body had almost completely regenerated.
"Same as always," Garp muttered, clicking his tongue."Exactly like back at God Valley."
Kong's head snapped toward him."Exactly like?"
Garp gave a cold laugh."Think about it. How did these bastards hold back the other Rocks officers at God Valley? Don't talk about Shiki… even peak Whitebeard had to grit his teeth against them!"
…
In the center of the plaza, Gern's pupils narrowed. He could see clearly the bones and organs in Garling Saint's chest reassembling. Flesh twitched like living creatures, restoring themselves in an instant.
When Garling Saint wiped blood from his lips, a savage grin spread across his face."Nice punch—but useless against me…"
"Disgusting ability," Gern muttered, spinning the Black Blade Hachiraku in his hand as the edge gleamed coldly.
"Surprised, Gern?" Garling Saint's golden hair still topped his head, but a cruel sneer flashed in his eyes."The God's Knights are 'immortal.' That's not something someone like you could ever understand."
Before the words could fully sink in, he vanished—reappearing in front of Gern in an instant, rapier lunging with lethal sword energy toward his throat!
CLANG!
Black Blade Hachiraku met the rapier, sparks flying. Gern leveraged the impact to retreat, his eyes burning brighter with battle intent."Immortal? Then let's see how many times you can come back!"
Garling Saint sneered, twisting his stance. Dark, chaotic energy coiled around his blade."Foolish mortal."
Their figures crossed at lightning speed, slashing and clashing across the plaza. The ground shattered beneath them, shockwaves rippling outward, forcing the Marines to retreat.
Garling Saint's rapier lashed out like a venomous snake, armored Haki wrapping the tip, aimed straight for Gern's throat.
Gern could have easily dodged—but Garling Saint's tactic made him frown.
The man abandoned defense entirely, letting the Black Blade Hachiraku slash into his own shoulder!
Shii!
The blade sank deep into Garling Saint's scapula. Vibration particles detonated, shattering the shoulder entirely.
At the same time, his rapier pierced Gern's left arm, trailing droplets of blood.
"Eat this?!" Gern snorted, condensing shockwave particles in his left fist and smashing it against Garling Saint's face.
BAM!
Garling Saint's nose shattered—but he laughed, advancing instead of retreating. His left hand became a claw, raking toward Gern's chest.
Riiip!
Gern's black shirt tore across five seams, blood instantly soaking the fabric.
"Hahaha!" Garling Saint's contorted face reformed almost instantly, madness in his voice."Come on! Let's see who falls first!"
Gern's eyes hardened. He finally understood the tactic: Garling Saint planned to trade injury for injury, wearing him down with near-immortal regeneration.
"Gern!" Lipo cried from afar, ears alert.
"Don't worry," Sakazuki murmured, hand on her shoulder, eyes tracking the still-recovering chest of Garling Saint."Even I can see it. Gern's noticed too."
Gern smirked, wiping blood from his own chest. His eyes gleamed dangerously as he tossed the Black Blade aside."So you want to play the injury game…"
And then he vanished.
"Shock Flash·Consecutive Stars!"
Garling Saint's pupils shrank. Observation Haki failed again.
He instinctively raised his rapier, only to hear a cold voice behind him:"Too slow."
BAM!
A crushing fist slammed into Garling Saint's back. The shockwave tore through him, shattering his heart instantly.
Pff!
Blood sprayed from his mouth, but he twisted and swung his rapier."Useless!"
The blade whistled, but Gern was gone again. Left leg, right leg, elbow, knee—every strike of Shock Flash hit with bone-crushing force.
From the Marines' perspective, Garling Saint was surrounded by flashes of white star-like sparks, slammed by invisible hands through the air.
"Trading injuries? You're not worthy!" Gern's left hand became a blade, high-frequency vibration particles slicing straight into Garling Saint's abdomen.
Pft!
The hand passed through his back, scattering organs.
"Cough…" Garling Saint's lips bled, yet he laughed."That all you've got? Hah!"
He tightened his core, trapping Gern's arm, and raised his rapier to strike for his neck.
In the nick of time, Gern's right leg snapped out like a whip, crushing Garling Saint's wrist.
Crack!
Bone splintered. The rapier flew from his grasp.
"Really? Immortal, huh? Fine, then let's play." Gern's trapped arm surged with vibrating energy. A white shockwave expanded beyond Garling Saint's body.
"Explosion…!""Tenshin·High-Frequency Shock!"
BOOM!
A massive bloody crater opened in Garling Saint's abdomen. The shockwave nearly tore his torso apart. His broken body crashed into the plaza.
The plaza fell utterly silent.
..
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