Luffy, how can you become the Pirate King if you don't work hard!

His usual slightly lazy and indifferent expression changed for the first time, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing here, old man? This shouldn't be happening."

Rayleigh shouted, "Garp!"

"Pfft, hahaha! There's nothing I can do about it. After all, I'm not retired yet. You know what that old man from the Warring States period ordered."

Laughter followed.

An exceptionally tall and robust old man, as imposing as an iron tower, strode in from the end of the broken street not far away.

He was dressed in a standard white navy suit, with an equally white navy cloak draped over it.

Despite his white hair and beard, his bulging muscles and upright posture revealed the terrifying power hidden within him.

Compared to the older generation like Zephyr and Shiki that Luffy encountered, they all seemed to be on their deathbeds.

But you couldn't see a single thing about Garp.

"I am in a difficult position as well."

As Garp walked, he casually picked his nose with his thick fingers, seemingly oblivious to everyone around him.

Marine hero, Monkey D. Garp!

"Would a naval hero still obey Sengoku's orders?"

Rayleigh twirled a relatively intact longsword that he had picked up at some point, pointing the tip diagonally at the ground, and said with a hint of teasing, "This isn't like the you I know."

"After all, among the people we're dealing with this time is you, the Hades Silvers Rayleigh."

Garp nonchalantly flicked away the booger he had picked from his nose, his gaze sweeping over Rayleigh before finally settling on Luffy, who had just stood up. His voice boomed, "The remnants of the old era are popping up one after another; they must be given due attention."

I don't want to get involved in this troublesome matter either, but that Sengoku guy gave me a death order. I have no interest in saving those Celestial Dragons trash.

But if you keep causing such a commotion here, the Navy will lose all face.

Zzzzz!

A crisp metallic clang rang out, and Rayleigh flicked his wrist, raising his longsword abruptly. The sharp tip of the sword pointed precisely in Garp's direction, and an invisible, sharp aura emanated from it.

"Are you planning to show no mercy even to your own grandson?" Rayleigh shouted.

"I am a Marine! Isn't it only natural for the Marines to catch pirates?"

Garp, hands on his hips and chest puffed out, declared loudly, "Since that kid chose to wear that straw hat and embark on this path of no return, he had to be prepared to bear all the consequences. Not to mention he's done something so earth-shattering today. Right, Straw Hat Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy!"

His gaze locked onto Luffy again, filled with a complex and unfathomable emotion.

There was both anger at their lack of ambition and a hint of undisguised pride.

That's incredibly impressive.

Garp didn't care much about that bunch of trash to begin with, but his grandson did what he had never been able to do because of his status as a Marine.

And it caused such a big commotion.

A naval hero plus two admirals... only Roger and his group back then could get this kind of treatment.

It's a very complicated feeling.

Almost the instant Karp finished speaking, a sudden change occurred.

Luffy looked at Kizaru.

"Rubber-Mouse Gun!"

The ground where Kizaru had been standing rippled violently as if it were alive, instantly transforming into a resilient rubbery texture.

"Ok?"

Suddenly, a fist wrapped in jet-black Armament Haki, with black and red arcs of electricity crackling across its surface, burst forth like a giant python emerging from its lair. It shattered the rubber ground with astonishing speed and struck Kizaru in the abdomen from below.

boom!

A dull, booming sound, like the beating of a giant drum, resounded.

"Don't just space out at times like this."

Garp gave a reminder, observing the scene before him.

Kizaru also seemed to have not expected that Luffy could launch such a strange counterattack so quickly after taking a kick from him.

Caught off guard, he was struck squarely in the abdomen by a punch imbued with terrifying power.

He transformed into a golden streak of light, flying backward at an even faster speed than he had come, crashing into the ruins of a cluster of buildings behind him before finally being buried in a pile of rubble, raising clouds of dust.

"Oh~ How scary~ Straw Hat Boy."

A slightly mocking voice came from the ruins, and amidst the flashes of golden light, Kizaru's figure somewhat disheveledly reformed.

As the shockwave subsided, the layout of the battlefield in the center became clearly visible.

On one side stood Rayleigh, the King of the Underworld, sword in hand, his aura deep and imposing.

On the other side is the hero Garp, who has just appeared, exuding both boldness and majesty.

Meanwhile, on the flank, Luffy, who had just completed a brilliant counterattack, stared at the two enemies in front of him.

As Kizaru rose gracefully from the ruins, he said, "We really can't let our guard down for even a moment."

The auras of the four powerful figures standing atop the sea clashed and intertwined, creating an invisible pressure that seemed to freeze the air in the area.

"So, you rejected the deal I proposed?" Luffy asked.

"Yes, the higher-ups did not agree to your impudent deal."

Kizaru said, "Besides, the idea of ​​pirates and the Navy making a deal is simply impossible. We will not compromise with criminals."

"That's not what you said before, you damn monkey."

Luffy's eyes flashed with killing intent, and a terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki swept out.

He exudes an aura of dominance.

The ruins were struck by red and black lightning, and dust filled the air.

It's not very aggressive. After all, as an admiral, it has an incredibly strong will. It's unlikely that it would be possible to achieve the effect of stunning it with Conqueror's Haki.

However, it is extremely deterrent.

Kizaru dusted off his suit, tilted his head to look at Luffy, then looked at Garp, "Mr. Garp, your grandson is truly surprising time and time again."

"Puhahaha, right, right? Even I dare not let my guard down against him now."

Garp crossed his arms and let out his signature laugh, "After all, I trained him to be the best possible navy soldier!"

His gaze towards Luffy was filled with a kind of pride, like that of someone who thinks their own child is successful.

If Sengoku were here, Garp might have toned it down a bit.

But there's only one Kizaru here.

Amidst the laughter, Garp's eyes shifted slightly downwards as he stared at Luffy and said, "Straw Hat Boy, are you ready? Ready to face the consequences of challenging the Navy and the established order of this world?"

Luffy took a deep breath, his chest heaving, calming his turbulent blood and qi.

"Grandpa, don't you know Ace has been captured?"

He didn't believe that Garp, a naval hero, wouldn't know about this.

This is clearly a fact that Garp doesn't want to face.

His hearty smile froze on his face, and his arms, which were crossed over his chest, unconsciously relaxed slightly.

silence.

A brief silence enveloped the naval hero.

"This is the destiny you have chosen to become pirates."

Garp's voice deepened slightly, "I've told you time and time again since you were little that you should become the best naval soldiers in the world, but why don't you listen to me?!"

If the road he laid out had been followed, none of this would have happened.

Ace's identity will not be exposed.

Luffy wouldn't be wanted as a pirate with such a high bounty.

"Because this is our dream!"

Luffy responded loudly without hesitation, his eyes unwavering and resolute, "Ace had his dream, and I have mine! Becoming the Pirate King is my dream!"

"Then pay the price for your dreams!"

Garp's emotions seemed to be ignited as well, and his voice suddenly rose, "If you choose this path, you must be prepared to lose your life at any time and cause your loved ones pain!"

The old man and the young man stared at each other.

At this moment, both of their emotions were ignited.

Garp is like an elder who paves the way for future generations, hoping that they will live well along the path he has laid out.

But things backfired.

They all chose the path opposite to the one that Karp had laid out.

Was he wrong, or was the path wrong?

Karp couldn't understand it.

He neither wants to nor will he admit that the beliefs he has upheld for most of his life are wrong.

Just then, several Celestial Dragons nearby saw the Marine heroes and Marine Admirals gathering together.

Seemingly believing that the situation was settled and safety was guaranteed, their deep-seated arrogance and stupidity once again took over.

Charlia Palace was the first to scream, "Quick! Arrest all these lowly pirates! Especially that Straw Hat kid, I'll make him my lowest slave, to atone for his sins for all eternity!"

Roswald Saint resumed his haughty demeanor, "And that woman from earlier! That blue-haired one dared to hit me! I'll skin her alive and use her skin as a rug!"

Charlos Saint was not to be outdone, and directly pointed the finger at Garp.

"Hey! That white-haired old man is called Marine Hero Garp, right? Straw Hat Boy is your grandson?! You actually have such a heinous grandson! You are guilty too! Your whole family is guilty! I'm going to report this to the Five Elders and have you stripped of everything!"

These harsh and vicious words, uttered abruptly on this battlefield where powerful figures clashed, seemed particularly comical and out of place.

Nika, standing next to these Celestial Dragons, did not stop them and let things develop as they pleased.