Time not only takes everything away, forgetting and creating indifference, but also burns like a flame, allowing emotions to ferment and solidify.
Five days have passed, and the atmosphere at Marine Headquarters has changed from its usual indifference to an extremely heavy one. Walking through any corner of the Headquarters, you'll find people moving slowly with sorrowful expressions.
Garp was not only a symbol of an era but also a spiritual pillar admired by countless Marines.
Whether in the War Faction and Peace Faction, split during the Great Era isolation, or the later independently risen Rowen faction, traces of this legendary figure's existence are reflected everywhere.
"He's not dead; he still lives in our hearts! Warning all of us not to forget why we fight!"
Akainu stood before the cemetery, facing the dense crowd, delivering a solemn and dignified speech.
Listening to Akainu, Kizaru suddenly asked, "By the way, why didn't Rowen come?"
"Don't know. Seems like he was called away by Queen Rosa…" Aokiji rubbed his afro-head, sleepy-faced, replying.
Hearing this, Kizaru's eyes narrowed slightly. "Rosa, the former Queen of Flower Capital? That's quite a character. Last I heard, she's been living in the Marine Headquarters family town?"
"No choice, after all, she unearthed the Poneglyph related to Uranus." Aokiji smiled: "If the former Queen hid away, that would be a bad omen for Flower Capital."
"Voluntarily acting as bait under our watch only shows she has nothing to hide from the government."
Kizaru glanced sideways: "You know, Kuzan, that's not what I meant."
Aokiji: "…"
After a pause, Aokiji slowly said: "I learned one thing in my short life, Borsalino San."
"Oh? What's that?" Kizaru puckered his lips mischievously, somewhat expecting an interesting answer.
"I'm sure we won't see eye to eye on this."
Kizaru: "…"
In a humble house in the family town, the elderly Queen Rosa had changed out of her court dress into casual clothes and was sitting in the garden with Rowen.
The former Flower Capital Fleet Captain and founder of the "Wind Treading Class Fish-Man Karate," General Sadie, had also changed into a gardener's clothes, hands folded before him, eyes closed, and head bowed.
"He's always been so stubborn, hasn't he?" The former Queen Rosa lifted her teacup and took a sip, then spoke slowly.
Even though years had turned her hair completely white and dulled her skin, she still carried the majestic bearing of a Queen forged in times of hardship.
Rowen shrugged, saying nothing.
Stubborn?
Maybe.
From another angle, what Rosa sees as "Garp's stubbornness" could just as well be her own stubborn perspective.
Seeing Rowen silent, Rosa closed her frost-covered eyes and said quietly: "Before he left, he came to me and said that if anything happened to him, I should give this to you."
She waved her hand. The Fleet Captain standing nearby immediately came over and placed a box between the two.
Rowen frowned silently.
"What's this?"
"I don't know."
Rosa shook her head and smiled: "He wouldn't say, and I didn't ask."
Rowen was silent for a moment and replied: "You're stubborn too, aren't you?"
"Women are always willful. Even when they can't have something, they still want to keep their dignity."
After a pause, Rosa continued: "But I'm very sure he entrusted everything to you before resolutely embarking on his last journey."
"So…"
"Don't let him down, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)!"
As her words fell, a fierce aura burst forth from Rosa. There was no doubt that the former Queen of Flower Capital, raised in times of crisis, was far from the harmless figure she seemed.
The "Thousand-Faced Queen" Rosa was a dazzling symbol in that era.
"When women decide something, it's far firmer than you men. Especially when they hate someone, can you even imagine that kind of grudge?"
Shua!
A sharp Killing Intent filled the small garden. At some point, two streaks of blood tears fell on Rosa's face, but there was not a trace of sorrow, only an unmelting hatred that burst from her eyes.
This Killing Intent meant nothing to Rowen. Even if he's not bloodthirsty, his killing aura now is enough to make ordinary men's guts rupture! But precisely because she is weak and knows she can't do it, this Killing Intent is all the more precious.
What the strong do is called natural, but if the weak do the same, it's called courage.
Rowen silently took the box and said, "Then please keep this hatred for now. When all the dust settles, come find me."
"I've already clearly felt that old asshole's thoughts, but I still have to say, "
"It is a pointless gesture!"
What seemed like words that would anger Rosa didn't have the expected effect. Instead, Rosa relaxed completely, her face suddenly looking much older.
With a look of remembrance on her face, she waved her hand: "That's why I said… he's always been so stubborn, hasn't he?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At that moment, a series of loud cannonfire echoed above the Headquarters.
The cannonballs were not aimed at any position in the Headquarters but flew straight up into the bright blue sky, exploding above the vast sea and sky.
In the cemetery, Akainu's eyes snapped wide open. "Bastards! This is not the time for a salute! Who dares disturb the funeral!!"
"No… something's wrong!"
A messenger ran over quickly, out of breath: "Fleet Admiral, that wasn't a ceremonial salute, it's live rounds!"
"What?!"
"Urgent news from City! Just now, the Revolutionary Army launched a raid on Level 6 Thunder Hell, rescuing Leader Dragon and many Level 6 prisoners!"
"What did you say?!!" Akainu exploded with a terrifying aura, his words slow and deliberate, eyes full of murderous intent.
In front of Bay Port, Marine Headquarters.
A number of pitch-black special submarines surfaced, their cannons rotating to point straight at the sky, igniting their fuses.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"21 salute shots. Not as many as the 101 the Marines prepared for you, but not bad, huh?"
Hearing the noise outside, Rowen grinned.
On the submarine, Sabo launched the final fire salute and walked over to a tall figure clad in black.
"Leader, all rounds have been fired. It's time to retreat!"
If it weren't for the fact that the Marines would definitely not mobilize massively at this time, this inside-outside cooperation would never have allowed them to rescue Dragon.
Now the Marines had undoubtedly reacted; staying would mean little chance of survival.
"No, you're wrong, Sabo." Dragon suddenly said, shaking his head.
"Huh? What?" Sabo looked up confused.
"You are the true leader of the Revolutionary Army!" Dragon corrected him: "And I'm just a restless spirit who refuses to stay in Hell, crawling out to take revenge on this world."
"So then, give the order, Leader!"
"I…"
Sabo clenched his fists, glanced at the Revolutionary Army officers around them, took a deep breath, and solemnly nodded.
"Transmit my order: immediate retreat!"
"Not a chance!!!"
Hū lā lā…
Before anyone arrived, the sound had already come.
Alongside that roar full of rage and killing intent came a strong rushing sound.
It was the blast from extreme heat igniting everything, air currents colliding with a Bang, the scorching heat threatening to burn all living things, turning the land into a sea of flames.
"Dragon, you, only you have no right to be here!"
"This is not something you can deny, Sakazuki!"
A hurricane suddenly surged violently. Facing the attacking lava hounds, it whipped up thousands of wind blades that, like Soru blades, wrapped around the lava.
Shhh… shhh shhh!
The countless cutting sounds rang sharply and piercingly. The fierce magma, like a raging tiger, was gradually extinguished in the Void by the hurricane amid everyone's astonishment.
"We'll settle this soon, very soon!"
Seizing the initiative with a perfect strike, Dragon didn't hesitate and turned, stepping into the cabin.
Watching the submarines slowly sink into the sea, Akainu's eyes burned red.
"Rowen!!"
Lava has no advantage in water. Now, the best candidates to stop the enemy's escape were undoubtedly Aokiji and Rowen.
Aokiji was still on the way, so the only one to rely on was the user of the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit), Admiral Azure Dragon.
"Understood!"
Lightning exploded in the Void as Rowen flashed to appear hundreds of meters above Akainu, gathering lightning in his hands.
"Billion Volt · Qi, "
Just as the attack was about to strike, Rowen frowned and returned to the ground.
"Yu Bastard, what are you doing?!" Akainu shouted furiously.
"There's no need to do anything anymore, Fleet Admiral." Rowen shook his head, pointing at the submarines gradually disappearing: "These guys coated every submarine with a thick insulating layer to counter me."
The Logia Devil Fruit power is incredibly strong, but even at this level, two things remain unavoidable.
One, the restraint effect of Pyrobroin keratin particles.
Vegapunk himself cannot explain this mystery, and Rowen has no solution for it yet.
Two, elemental weakness!
The most unreasonable elemental counter! Elemental priority! Elemental opposition!
Rowen's lightning and high temperature can instantly melt hard steel, but they are powerless against the smallest rubber.
Unless awakening is used to fundamentally change the nature.
But…
It's not easy to assimilate rubber through seawater full of Pyrobroin keratin particles that counter electricity.
"They really prepared well!"
"What?!" Akainu angrily turned back, throwing out a molten lava Iron Fist.
"No matter where you run, if we can defeat you once, we can defeat you twice, Dragon!!"
(End of chapter)
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