When they heard that Rocks was planning to turn against Joy Boy, both Kuzan and Aramaki were visibly shaken.
Kuzan couldn't help but ask,
"You don't hate the World Government and us Marines?"
Rocks shot Kuzan a disdainful glance and said coldly,
"Defeat is defeat. Dying at the Valley of Gods back then only proved I wasn't strong enough. Harboring hatred because of failure? That's what weaklings do."
With that, Rocks leapt into the sky, vanishing into the shroud of darkness above.
...
In the midst of the blackened sky, Joy Boy was locked in a fierce clash with Carl, wielding the power of Nika. Caught off guard, he couldn't react in time before Rocks came crashing in. A devastating blast of Conqueror's Haki, condensed and launched from a distance, slammed into his rubbery body, denting it inward and sending him flying.
As Joy Boy stabilized himself and got a clear look at his attacker, shock overtook his face."Rocks?!"
Rocks grinned wickedly and said,
"You bastard! You dared to manipulate me? Today, you're going to pay for that."
He then turned to Carl and gave a small nod, his tone flat,
"Thanks. If it weren't for you, I'd still be under that bastard's control."
Carl gave a slight smile, standing cloaked in darkness. Rocks couldn't help but sigh as he looked at him.
"I knew from the moment I saw you at the Valley of Gods, you weren't ordinary. I didn't expect you to grow this strong. Maybe you really are more suited to wield the Dark-Dark Fruit than me."
Carl replied calmly,
"The Dark-Dark Fruit belongs to the Figarland family. I'll be its final master."
"Oh? Confident, aren't you?" Rocks chuckled. "I like that. To be honest, if the circumstances were different back then, I might've recruited you myself."
The two of them completely ignored Joy Boy in the distance. His face darkened, and he attempted to seize control of Rocks' body again using the power of Nika—but to his dismay, the connection between them had been completely severed.
Sensing it, Rocks turned back and looked at Joy Boy with a mocking gaze. From his chest, a cloud of swirling black mist pulsed continuously.
Seeing that, Joy Boy finally understood how Rocks had broken free from his control. He recognized the technique—it was one Cassilius had used 800 years ago.Dark Purification.
The irony was cruel: the very force people feared as pure evil—darkness—now had the power to purify, and the target of that purification was none other than the light and freedom that Nika symbolized.
...
Beneath the shroud of darkness, Lucia and her two companions watched Rocks vanish into the sky. Just as they were about to move to support the other battlefields, a loud cracking sound rang out nearby. Kuzan's expression shifted.
He'd forgotten—Garp was still sealed in the ice.
Sure enough, Garp had broken free from the glacial dome.
Earlier, when the pillar of darkness had bathed the frozen prison, even the eternal frost released by Kuzan began to melt under its corrupting influence. It created the perfect opportunity for Garp to break free.
But having seen what happened with Rocks, Lucia wasn't too concerned that Garp would still be an enemy of the Marines.
Kuzan and Aramaki had the same thought. They didn't move to subdue him. Instead, they stayed where they were, quietly observing.
Garp stood on the icy river, stunned for a moment. Then, he raised his head to look at Kuzan in the distance. There was admiration in his eyes.
Lucia and her companions let out a collective sigh of relief. Just like Rocks, Garp had been freed from Joy Boy's control by the power of darkness.
With a stomp, Garp launched himself like a cannonball and landed in front of the three of them.
He nodded slightly in greeting, then turned to Kuzan. Kuzan scratched his head awkwardly and smiled,
"Sorry about earlier, Garp-san. I kind of... froze you."
Garp laughed heartily and waved his hand,
"No need to apologize! You did great! I was a Marine in life, and I'm still a Marine in death! If anything, I should thank you for stopping me."
Aramaki blinked and turned his head away, deliberately avoiding Garp's gaze.
It was understandable—he'd just killed Dragon again.
Even if Dragon deserved it... that was still Garp's only son.
The resurrected Garp carried himself with less of his usual mischievous air. Now, there was a new steadiness and depth in his demeanor.
He quickly saw through Aramaki's inner turmoil. After exchanging a few words with Kuzan, he stepped forward and patted Aramaki on the shoulder. The Admiral froze mid–ostrich act as Garp's calm voice reached his ears.
"Aramaki... You didn't hesitate or show mercy just because of your past with Monkey D. Dragon. That's good. You're a proper Marine—unlike me..."
A sigh escaped Garp, and his eyes filled with grief.
There was no helping it. As a father, his only son had died. Twice.No matter how carefree he seemed, it was a loss that would never stop hurting.
Hearing Garp's words stirred something in Aramaki's usually unruly heart. At first, he wanted to protest—What past? What friendship?
Back at the Marine Academy, he and Dragon were constantly at each other's throats. They would've happily killed each other given the chance. Fistfights were routine.
But looking at Garp's weathered face, Aramaki swallowed the words.
In a rare show of seriousness, he straightened his back and offered Garp a crisp Marine salute. Garp returned the salute, their coats of justice billowing in the wind.
Finally, Garp turned to Lucia and spoke just one sentence:
"With a Celestial Dragon like Carl around, this old man no longer feels lost."
Then, without waiting for her reply, Garp used Geppo. With a sonic boom, he soared upward, vanishing into the same dark sky as Rocks.
Kuzan looked up at his disappearing figure, murmuring,
"That reminds me of something Carl once said..."
Aramaki blinked, then suddenly grabbed Kuzan by the collar and shouted, spittle flying,
"Wait, wait, wait! Why the hell would someone like Saint Carl say anything to a blockhead like you?! Spill it! What else did he say!?"
Kuzan wiped his face calmly and replied,
"Old soldiers never die. They just fade away."
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+150 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg