Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

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144. Ceasefire

The astonishing destructive power is directly linked to the opponent's physical attributes and strength. In this situation, although Sett himself could only inflict limited damage, Garp's physique was simply too astonishing.

"Those punches you just landed were pretty hard."

As Sett stretched his limbs, he could feel a sharp pain in his back. During the fall, Garp launched a series of attacks in an attempt to break free from Sett's grip.

Fortunately, Sett's physical abilities are extraordinary. For an ordinary person, even if their willpower could barely hold on after such a series of blows, their muscles and bones would not be able to withstand it for long. But Sett is different.

The human back is one of the most densely packed muscle groups. Sett's muscle strength even surpasses his bone strength. In this state, Sett's back is as hard as a tortoise shell. Armament Haki hardens and binds it; even an experienced fist like Garp's could only leave a few bruises.

"Ruthless enough? I don't think so," Garp said viciously. "If we were fighting standing up, your bones would already be broken!!"

Upon hearing this, Sett didn't refute anything. Indeed, Garp had just launched a series of attacks. But undeniably, it was impossible for him to unleash Garp's full power.

Why is it said that the calf is the second heart of the human body?

The ability for humans to walk is both a blessing and a curse. Due to gravity, crawling on the ground like a snake is the best option. Therefore, during the course of human evolution, the muscle strength of the lower limbs is three times that of the upper limbs.

During walking, the plantar fascia repeatedly stretches and contracts. Simultaneously, the calf muscles also stretch and contract. These seemingly insignificant stretching and contractions actually act as a vital pump, carrying blood from the arteries to the legs and back to the heart via the veins, completing the body's internal circulation.

Similarly, this is clearly evident in combat. Regardless of the style of boxing, stance training is of paramount importance. Only when the legs can form a sufficiently stable support with the ground can the body unleash sufficient power. This support is achieved through a complete process, involving the calves, thighs, waist muscles, back muscles, and finally the right arm. A truly powerful attack requires the coordinated effort of at least half of the body's muscles.

Based on this, the hook punch only requires muscles from the chest, back, and waist. The jab, a speed-oriented, disruptive attack, only requires muscles from the hands, chest, and shoulders. In short, the more muscles involved, the greater the damage. During this breathtaking sequence, Sett enters an "unstoppable" state. No restraining techniques are effective. His body is suppressed, his waist cannot generate power, and only a portion of his back muscles are engaged. Garp's punches inflict less than 30% of the actual damage they would normally cause!

Even so, Sett still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

While striking continuously without breathing may seem easy, it places extremely high demands on the lungs. Like now, although Garp's attack on Sett's back didn't affect his muscles and bones, the force of the impact transmitted to his lungs further increased the burden on them.

Right now, Sett felt a sharp pain in his lungs with every breath, as if he was pushing himself to the limit; each heavy breath felt like torture. But in a battle of this caliber, this level of pain was nothing!

Compared to the passionate and intense "iron fist diplomacy" between Sett and Garp, Hawkeye stood by, looking completely numb as he prepared for the aftermath.

Holding a sword, dozens of meters high waves surged towards the Navy fleet from the aftershocks of Sett and Garp's battle. Standing atop the fleet's figurehead, Hawkeye, wielding a black blade, unleashed a continuous barrage of slashes. Dozens of massive waves, capable of easily swallowing warships, crumbled into collapsing curtains of water under his attacks.

"Go help!"

The adjutant beside him issued the order. Seeing this, the officers of the rank of rear admiral on Garp's ship also took to the air one after another using Moonwalk, and then used Tempest Kick to hinder the formation of giant waves or create gaps to reduce damage.

They dared not use cannons because the shockwaves from exploding shells would further disturb the sea. Moreover, all the sailors on the warship had run inside, and those remaining outside, apart from highly skilled and daring individuals like Hawkeye, were all experts in Moonwalk.

Of course, it's possible that some poor souls have tied themselves to the mast and are now too afraid to move.

"No, this won't stop the giant waves!"

One of the major generals frowned and said with a serious expression, "There are three ships here, and our strength can't hold out for much longer!"

Hearing this, Hawkeye gripped his sword with both hands and looked into the distance. Through the layers of waves, Hawkeye could see that the battle between Sett and Garp was far from over. Both of them were physical monsters, and unlike the swordsman's style of fighting where life and death were decided in an instant, Hawkeye wouldn't be surprised if those two physical monsters fought for three days and three nights.

Garp had gained the upper hand, but even so, Sett's face was still filled with the excitement of a frenzied battle. If this continued, defeat might be inevitable. But the sheer number of waves and the aftershocks of the fight alone would completely disrupt the ocean currents!

Looking at the murky ocean, Eagle Eye knew it was caused by the destruction of underwater reefs and the remains of dead and broken fish.

"We must stop them from continuing the fight!"

Hearing Hawkeye's words, the major generals beside him nodded seriously. While they understood, a new question arose: "Then how should we stop it?"

Heaven has mercy! Those two guys were already in a frenzy, and they were already thankful they weren't going to try to persuade them.

Looking around, Hawkeye said, "Prepare for artillery fire!"

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, the two major generals were taken aback. They exchanged a glance, but ultimately nodded with a hint of helplessness.

Although shelling one's own superior officer is a violation of military discipline, and even quite outrageous.

But in the current situation, it seems that this is the only option left for them, or perhaps they can't think of any other way besides this option.

With this thought in mind, the generals forcibly turned the cannons, aiming them at the location of Sett and Garp. They didn't aim, but only roughly determined the location before firing without hesitation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The roar of artillery fire filled the air, and smoke and dust flew everywhere.

In the midst of a fierce battle, the sudden roar did not distract Sett and Garp in the slightest. In short, every attack they launched was now more threatening than the so-called cannonballs!

But by sheer coincidence, just as Sett was about to attack Garp, a cannonball flew out from the side, splashing smoke and dust, and struck Sett squarely in the temple on the side of his head. Under normal circumstances, Sett could have easily dodged it. But now it was different; facing Garp, Sett had to fix all his Observation Haki on Garp.

With his attention completely focused, Sett didn't realize what was happening until the shell was about to hit his head.

boom!!!

His rugged face was instantly obscured by the flames of the explosion. A slight dizziness followed, and his initial fighting spirit cooled somewhat.

Looking up, Garp was still panting heavily. Although his suit was tattered from the battle, the fighting spirit on his face and the sharpness in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.

"So, kid, are you going to fight or not?!"

Pressing his fists down, Garp felt his entire body throbbing with jubilation. The last time he experienced such an exhilarating battle was probably back in the last time...

Since Roger's death, few people on the high seas, except for those of Whitebeard's caliber, have dared to provoke Garp. And because of Whitebeard's terrifying power, the World Government has strictly prohibited the Navy from engaging him. Over time, even Garp, a Navy hero, has found it extremely difficult to find a suitable opponent.

Stretching and invigorating the body like this is a rare experience for Garp.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth and glancing at Hawkeye's numb eyes, Sett spat into the sea in annoyance.

"You won, I can't beat you."

Sett was straightforward; he didn't try to hide his failure or find excuses. Some people find excuses to convince others, others to convince themselves. But Sett didn't need to, because no one knew him better than Sett himself.

If it were Kizaru, although his speed would be extremely troublesome, Sett was confident he could hold his own against him, relying on his senses and the Vastaya's instinct for danger. After all, in terms of age, Kizaru was still more than a decade away from his physical and mental peak. But Garp was different.

Both mentally and physically, they were at their peak, and although the performance was breathtaking and caused considerable damage, it was not enough to cause a truly fatal injury.

Upon hearing that the battle was over, Garp didn't insist that Sett had used all his strength against Garp, or even that he had focused all his attention on Garp. But Garp was different.

Even when facing a fierce attack from Sett, Garp was still able to spare some energy to pay attention to the surrounding situation thanks to his ample experience and accumulated physical strength.

Just like before, Sett was hit by artillery fire, but Garp wasn't even splashed with a drop of water from the bomb explosion.

The taut muscles relaxed and bulged; hardened, congested muscles and relaxed muscles are completely different states. The former is as hard as steel, impenetrable even by a bullet. The latter is merely slightly more flexible.

Sure enough, as he relaxed, Garp's figure visibly shrank. His taut muscles returned to their original state, but his kind, light-bulb-like eyes did not dim in the slightest.

"Hahahaha! My opinion of your outfit has risen even higher, you brat! There aren't many people like you who can admit defeat!!"

"There's nothing to deny."

Sett shook his head indifferently.

The battle ceased, and Sett's wounds began to heal rapidly. In just a few seconds, the gash on his forehead had stopped bleeding, leaving only a few traces of blood on his face, making him look somewhat gruesome.

"Failure is failure. Besides, I'm still young. I can take down an old codger like you with no future with one hand sooner or later."

"Take me down with one hand? You're a hundred years too early!!!"

Upon hearing this, Garp, clutching his stomach, burst into laughter and pointed at Sett, saying, "This is the first time I've seen someone like you, a brat who can be so arrogant and self-righteous even after clearly losing! Hahaha!! How about joining the Navy? My fists are way stronger than Zephyr's, I'll personally teach you!!"

Being personally taught by the hero Garp is an opportunity that most people would only dream of. Sure enough, even the Major General, upon hearing Garp's words from afar, revealed a deep sense of envy in his eyes.

Garp refused to be promoted to Admiral and instead became his disciple. Even if it was just as compensation, his rank in the Navy would have risen rapidly. Garp's son, Dragon, was almost the youngest Vice Admiral. It's a pity he left the Navy in the end; otherwise, he would definitely be among the current Admiral candidates. But precisely because of this, it can be said that becoming Garp's disciple, with sufficient talent and strength, would make one a shoo-in for Vice Admiral.

Based on this, with a little more effort, becoming an admiral is by no means impossible. Even if one cannot become an admiral, with Garp's connections, one can definitely become a special vice admiral like Vice Admiral Tsuru, who can stand on equal footing with admirals. This is a characteristic of the organization, something called "seniority" and "connections".

Pirates wouldn't care about such things. Usopp is Yasopp's son, so he'll get beaten up when he deserves it.

To this, Sett shook his head and said, "I have no interest in being a Marine. The thought of working for those damn Celestial Dragons makes me sick!"

"Is that so?" Upon hearing this, the navy personnel standing nearby, from rear admirals to ordinary sailors, all fell silent, trembling with fear. After all, insulting a Celestial Dragon was punishable by immediate execution!

On the contrary, Garp stroked his chin nonchalantly and even nodded with a hint of approval, saying, "If you put it that way, it really makes me not want you to be a Marine anymore."

Thank you so much for the generous Alliance Master award from the generous donor, Innocent Little Fatty! I'll see about the extra chapter. Normally it's 8 words a day, but I'll try my best today and see if I can reach 1.2 words with an extra chapter!

I've had a cold and low-grade fever lately, otherwise I would have been updating like crazy. It's the change of seasons, so guys, please remember to dress warmly when you're out and about, especially if you're riding an electric scooter.

145 Banquet

The battle is over; time to clean up the mess.

Climbing back onto the ship, Sett slapped the oncoming giant waves repeatedly – ​​slapping was clearly much more efficient than cutting with sword energy.

Hawkeye glanced at Sett, his face numb: "Next time you're going to fight, could you at least give me some time to get away from where you're fighting?"

Sett waved his hand dismissively, "It's a small problem, nothing to worry about."

"Of course it's a small problem for you..."

As he spoke, Hawkeye shook his head in despair—Serge usually got up earlier than Hawkeye. But yesterday was different; yesterday, Hawkeye meticulously cleaned up his part, inside and out. The dragon's bones and flesh were all cleared away and thrown into the sea.

Sett, on the other hand, was used to slacking off. He did a quick clean and then went to bed early. Those who go to bed early naturally wake up early. Plus, there wasn't anything particularly important to do, so he simply cleaned the house.

Upon seeing the Marines standing nearby, Sett waved his hand and said, "Speaking of which, did you bring any money? I took down a wanted criminal from the Fishman Pirates for you!"

"The Fishman Pirates?" Upon hearing Sett's words, they were busy with rescue work—actually, it wasn't really a rescue, since it was Garp's elite navy. Not only were there few people in the water, but most of those who had fallen in had already found floating rescue equipment beforehand. The navy was currently mostly focused on counting heads and salvaging waterlogged supplies.

Upon hearing Sett's question, the navy officer immediately rushed over and asked, "What wanted criminal?"

"Have you heard of a fish-man called Arlong from the Grand Line?"

"Arlong?..." Upon hearing Sett's question, the Rear Admiral stroked his chin, lost in thought. Very few Fish-Men become pirates; the vast majority live their underwater lives on Fish-Man Island. Therefore, upon hearing the name "Arlong," the Rear Admiral immediately felt it sounded familiar.

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he said, "Oh! You mean the Sun Pirates, right?"

"Yes, yes, that's it!"

Fish-men are rare pirates, and pirate crews composed entirely of fish-men are even rarer. Upon hearing Sett's words, the Marine Rear Admiral said, "If I remember correctly, Arlong's bounty is around 15 million Berries. Did you preserve the body or any other identifying features? Otherwise, we can't verify it."

Hearing this, Sett scratched his head, somewhat bewildered. Thinking back, after Sett punched the dragon's brain, the body seemed to have been taken away by the fishmen… Given the fishmen's habits, it was probably already buried at sea. The remaining bits of flesh were unrecognizable. Hearing that evidence was needed, Sett couldn't produce any right away—he couldn't very well go to Tiger and have him confess that Sett killed the dragon, could he?

That would be a bit too disrespectful...

Seeing Sett's expression, the Rear Admiral beside him obviously guessed something and was not surprised. In fact, his face was full of understanding. Vice Admiral Garp, who had just returned from the New World some time ago, was the same. He had faced too many powerful enemies and was often blasted to death without warning when he was a weakling in the first half of the Grand Line.

Not only did he receive no reward, but he was also criticized for his excessively violent methods that frightened the public. As a powerful being capable of exchanging blows with Vice Admiral Garp, Arlong might have some reputation in the Grand Line, but facing an enemy like this... they were simply not on the same level.

After thinking about it for a while, Sett suddenly slapped his forehead.

Then he jogged to the deck, searched diligently for a long time, and finally found his target in a small ditch. With a few groping movements, Sett pulled a sharp, serrated barb-covered nose tip from the deck.

"This is the dragon's nose, and it's quite sharp. It smashed his head with it back then, and this thing must have been left in the splint!"