Just like a wild beast, Guts' Galaxy Divide fist pressure clashed with Garp's own, forcing it back. Even Garp himself couldn't believe what he was feeling.
Though his strength was no longer at its peak his prime years long behind him, he had never thought his move could be pushed back so one-sidedly.
For the first time in decades, Garp felt a true sense of crisis.
How many years has it been since I last felt this?
Ten years? Twenty? Or even longer?
"Would I really… die here?"
The thought flashed in his mind as the crushing pressure bore down on him.
There was no time to think, no time for distractions, he could only focus on the invisible beast-like force barreling toward him.
The compressed fist energy tore through the land, razing the mountain beneath them as it surged forward.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Garp roared, his composure shattering. Gone was the calm, easygoing Marine everyone knew.
At this moment, his grin split wide, his eyes glowed red with ferocity, and his aura exploded outward like a storm.
For an instant...
An unprecedented momentum burst out of Garp's body. Advanced Haki cloaked him from head to toe as he threw his hands forward to meet the strike.
"If you think this is enough to take me down, you've got the wrong idea, Guts brat!"
It was like a moth throwing itself into the flame.
But how many in this vast sea possessed such courage?
Many had forgotten that before he became [Garp the Fist] and the [Hero of the Marines], there was another title attached to his name
[Marine Mad Dog].
That's right. In his youth, Garp was like a rabid dog, chasing down great pirates and biting at them relentlessly.
Even during the Rocks era, his eyes were locked onto Roger. He hunted him with everything he had, over and over.
It was said that Garp and Roger nearly killed each other countless times.
And with Roger's death, the name [Marine Mad Dog] faded into history, forgotten by most.
But today, after more than twenty years
The Marine Mad Dog, Garp, had returned.
Even so, from the warship ten nautical miles away...
Nami and the others could still see it.
A shockwave of pure energy, thousands of meters high, tore across the ocean.
It carved a straight line on the sea's surface, stretching endlessly toward the horizon without any sign of stopping.
It was as if the entire sea had been split open.
The uninhabited island, already shattered in half, was now reduced further. The side where Garp once stood had completely vanished...
swallowed by the raging ocean.
Swept away by surging currents, Garp and half the island sank into the landless sea together.
On the other side, the ground beneath Guts trembled violently. The island under his feet was left like a fragile single-plank bridge, crumbling, waiting for the final straw to snap it apart.
[Special Achievement Unlocked: Beyond Teacher]
[Template Character: Issei Hyoudou
Completion Rate: 62%]
Just after the system notification echoed in his mind...
Splash!
Garp burst out of the raging vortex, landing heavily beside Guts. He collapsed onto the ground, breathing in ragged gasps.
The great Marine cloak that only high-ranking officers could wear was gone, shredded to nothing. His uniform was nothing but tatters.
And the moment Garp lay down, the ground beneath Guts cracked apart as though kicked from beneath. The entire section of land split into pieces and plunged into the abyss of the sea.
"You fat old man! Lose some weight...look at the mess you just made!!" Guts said loudly, kicking off the air with Geppo to hover above the sinking debris.
"You lousy brat! This is obviously because your punch was too damn strong, don't you dare pin this on me!"
Despite the pain wrecking his body, Garp roared back without hesitation, his own Geppo carrying him into the air.
For a moment, the two glared at each other in midair.
Then, both burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
Their booming voices echoed over the shattered sea, mingling with the crash of waves, both of them were clearly satisfied with this battle.
---
"Vice Admiral Garp… who won this battle?"
The fight had raged from night until dawn, and the Marines burned with curiosity. They wanted to know who had emerged victorious.
When Guts and Garp returned to the warship one after the other, both stepping lightly onto the deck with Geppo, Garp's long-time adjutant, Bogard, finally couldn't contain himself. He lowered his voice, but the question slipped out anyway.
The others pricked up their ears. Their hearts were restless with curiosity, but deep down, they couldn't bring themselves to believe Guts had actually won.
After all… Garp was a living legend.
But the answer was not what they expected.
Garp didn't hesitate. He tore open a fresh pack of doughnuts, took a huge bite, and laughed loudly.
"I lost! I'm not the opponent of this bastard at all! Wahahahahaha!"
His booming laugh rang across the deck, but inside, his mood was far more complicated. There was no joy in that confession—only a quiet sting of sadness gnawing at his pride.
His grin narrowed, eyes cutting into a thin glare. "You broke my fist pressure instantly… brat, you've been suppressing your strength, haven't you?"
To a man like Garp, who had spent decades crossing blades with the fiercest pirates alive, nothing was more humiliating than realizing his opponent had been holding back.
It wasn't the defeat that cut deep. It was the hidden power behind it.
And yet, what could he do? They weren't enemies. Garp couldn't throw a tantrum over it. Still, the sting in his pride was undeniable.
He bit into his doughnuts faster, chewing with a grumpy scowl, his sulking as obvious as the empty wrappers piling up.
The Marines around him nearly fell over in shock. Their eyes were wide, jaws dropping. Garp had admitted defeat.
And worse...he had lost while Guts had been holding back!
No one wanted to believe it. Garp had fought through the entire night, the very image of indomitable will.
To think that even a man of his legendary reputation would openly declare, "I am not his opponent"… it was too much to process.
Yet it was the truth. What they didn't know was that Guts had deliberately avoided humiliating Garp. If he had gone all out, he could have ended the fight in a single strike.
"…Vice Admiral Garp, your aura feels a little different."
Bogard spoke again, his sharp eyes narrowing. Years of following Garp, combined with finely honed Observation Haki, let him notice details others missed.
Even though Garp looked outwardly fine, his temperament had shifted. His body radiated exhaustion, the faint edge of injury lingering just beneath the surface.
Garp's grin froze for a moment. Then he barked out another laugh, waving it off.
"Hahaha! You noticed, did you? It's nothing...just a small matter!"
[Author Note]📢
Hey everyone! Merry Christmas ⛄
Just a quick update — I've started a new Naruto novel:
Naruto: Blackbeard Template
It's a fresh project with cleaner writing and a steadier release pace.
If you enjoyed my previous stories, feel free to check it out!
Thanks for the support 🗣️
— Arthorain