The New World — Marine Headquarters, Marineford!
Marshal's Office.
"Garp, stop being so stubborn! What's wrong with becoming an admiral?!"
Sengoku the Steel frowned deeply and spoke with a stern expression.
"Ahahaha! Admiral? That's way too much trouble. That kind of thing doesn't suit me. If I get promoted to admiral, I won't be able to act freely anymore."
"Marshal Ryan, I've said it before—Roger's pirate crew is extremely dangerous. I must capture Roger and bring him to justice. Otherwise, I can't shake this bad feeling in my heart. So, admiral? Let someone else take the job!"
Garp threw his head back and laughed, waving off the idea of a promotion and pay raise. He didn't care in the slightest. Compared to a title, Garp preferred to act on his own terms.
"BANG!"
The door to the Marshal's office slammed shut. In the corner, Admiral Sengoku, who had been silent the entire time, stood up. He gave the furious Ryan a helpless smile and quickly followed after Garp.
"That guy… he's as stubborn as ever."
—--
Marine training base.
A young Marine recruit clenched his fists excitedly after hearing about Garp refusing the admiral promotion.
"As expected of Mr. Garp… still as cool as ever!"
This young recruit had only been in the Marines for two or three years. He would one day become a Marine Admiral. At this point, he still upheld the belief of Burning Justice—this was none other than Aokiji (Kuzan).
"Hmph, such naive thinking. I will definitely become an admiral. I'll spread absolute justice across the world. Filthy pirates should all be wiped out!"
Not far away, a young man wearing a Marine major's uniform spoke coldly, clearly disapproving of Aokiji's mindset and finding it foolish.
That Marine major was Akainu (Sakazuki).
Ever since joining the Navy, Akainu had shown no mercy to pirates. As someone who believed in absolute justice, he would not allow any "trash" to exist.
To him, only the Marines were the rightful force to rule the world with justice.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Vice Admiral Garp really hasn't changed at all."
Over in a nearby pavilion, Kizaru (Borsalino) casually commented as he trimmed his nails. His tone was indifferent, as if nothing really mattered to him. A follower of unclear justice, Kizaru often acted according to his mood.
Garp, of course, was unaware of the younger generation's opinions. At this moment, he had already boarded the "Doghead" warship and set off for the East Blue.
According to intelligence from the Marine spy network, the Roger Pirates were currently heading toward the East Blue. Though the purpose was unknown, Garp's instincts told him this was a rare opportunity to capture Roger.
_______________
East Blue.
The sea breeze gently swept across the calm ocean surface. After finishing his training, Leo stood quietly on the deck, gazing into the endless blue horizon. He let out a satisfied sigh. After two days of sailing, he had finally learned from Buggy the Roger Pirates' objective this time.
They were heading to the East Blue to find the famed doctor Crocus.
Roger was already suffering from a terminal illness, and to continue sailing, he would need medicine just to stay alive. The importance of a doctor couldn't be overstated.
"System, I want to do a lottery draw!"
After saving up Anime Points for a few days, Leo had accumulated a total of 630 points. Without hesitation, he went all in.
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained… a Spicy Roasted Chicken!]
(ー_ー)!!
Oh, come the hell on!
Leo stared at the roasted chicken in his system inventory, his face twitching.
Sure, it smelled delicious… but seriously?!
(Damn you, system!)
[Congratulations! Host has obtained the skill: Dragon Water Suction!]
Dragon Water Suction?
Wait a minute—wasn't that some crazy real-life move made famous by a certain infamous athlete? Leo's eyes widened as he carefully read the skill description. After a long pause, he let out a long breath of relief.
Thank goodness—it wasn't what he feared.
"Dragon Water Suction" – By spinning the body at high speed, a growing tornado is created. The top connects to storm clouds, the bottom to the sea surface. The terrifying suction force destroys enemy ships in front and draws seawater up into the sky.
[Congratulations! Host has received Naruto's expired milk ×1]
System, are you kidding me?! Expired milk?! That's outrageous!
[Congratulations! Host has received Strength Potion ×1!]
Strength Potion – Grants the strength of a fully grown giant. Young man, for your future happiness, drink it now.
[Congratulations! Host has obtained the Golden Weapon: Heaven-Slaying Halberd (Fangtian Huaji)!]
[Congratulations! Host has obtained the skill: Demon God's Three Techniques! (Thunder Crescent Slash, Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang, Demon God Possession)]
"What is this?!"
Leo stared intently at the final reward from the system, and his mouth couldn't help but curl into an excited grin.
Heaven-Slaying Halberd + Demon God's Three Techniques + Giant's Strength...
With such an insanely powerful combo, Leo suddenly felt an urge to try them out on someone.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to challenge someone to a duel, a loud emergency shout rang out on the Oro Jackson—the Marines were coming!
Most importantly, leading the pursuit of the Roger Pirates was none other than the Hero of the Marines—Garp!
"Yahlooo!!"
Roger stood on the deck and shouted with a sharp look in his eyes, ready for battle. His serious gaze made it seem like he was about to fight with everything he had. The crew grew excited, blood boiling, preparing for a massive battle.
But then, his tone changed.
"Run for it!!"
"Huh?! (ー_ー)!!"
The crew, who had just been fired up, instantly deflated—except for Rayleigh, who showed a "totally expected this" expression.
Going head-to-head with Garp wouldn't necessarily mean defeat, but the damage Oro Jackson would suffer would be devastating. After all, Garp was basically a monster in terms of power.
"Captain, it's just one Navy warship—why are we running?"
Buggy asked as he cracked his knuckles, eager for a fight. At this age, little Buggy feared nothing, and his boldness caught the attention of the crew.
"Buggy, quiet down."
Shanks turned and gave Buggy a serious look.
Garp, the Marine Hero with Iron Fists, was so powerful that even Captain Roger didn't want to get entangled in unnecessary battles.
And then Shanks glanced at Roger, his tone soft:
"Captain doesn't have much time left..."
"Roger! This time, you're not getting away!"
Watching the Oro Jackson hoist its sails and prepare to flee, Garp cracked his knuckles, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.
After years of chasing, Garp knew all too well how terrifying and extraordinary this man, Roger, truly was.
"Ha! Bone Fist Meteor Shower!"
With a wave of his hand, rows of Marine soldiers rolled out lines of cannonballs. Garp picked one up, weighed it, and in the next moment, a terrifying aura exploded from his body.
He was like a monstrous beast.
He bent slightly, and his thick arms pulled back—
"Vrrrmmm~ Swoosh—"
A cannonball, traveling far faster than any regular cannon fire, blasted toward the Oro Jackson...