The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

The sound waves penetrated the walls, causing the office chandelier to sway slightly.

At the port, the new recruits crowded around the railings, frantically standing on tiptoe to peer inside.

"That's... Tianzhen, who arrested the 'Pirate King'?"

At the front of the crowd, young Smoker was biting a cigar, oblivious to the ash falling from it.

The image was reflected in his pupils.

Gern walked slowly across the central square, his black sword, Bahuang, hanging diagonally at his waist. The bandages on the scabbard had long since broken, revealing the dark blade pattern underneath.

His military uniform jacket was casually draped over his shoulders, and the black shirt underneath clung tightly to his lean and muscular body.

What's most suffocating is the invisible pressure emanating from him.

Despite not unleashing any domineering aura, the naval officers along the way instinctively made way for him!

"Hey..." someone swallowed hard, "His eyes..."

Under the sunlight, Gern's pupils had an eerie pale white hue, as if the lingering effects of the shock had not yet dissipated.

"Gern, why are you insisting on making this trip?" Lipo asked, looking at Gern who was struggling to stay upright, somewhat puzzled.

"Your injuries are too severe; my Devil Fruit ability can only keep you conscious..."

“Libor, you don’t understand,” Gren said softly. “Everything I’ve done is for this moment.”

Having said that, despite the excruciating pain throughout his body, Gern once again raised his left arm and shouted, "Justice!!!"

In an instant, a new wave of cheers surged in from afar.

Inside the office, Steelbone looked out the window. Gern was surrounded by enthusiastic marines, the sunlight gilding him with a dazzling golden edge.

"This reputation... it's practically the embodiment of the 'spirit pillar of the navy'!"

No one can easily take him down now, not even the World Government.

……

Three days later, Impel Down, Level 6: Infinite Hell

In the dimly lit cell, only the flickering light of the torches illuminated the damp walls.

The heavy clanging of chains was particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

Roger leaned against the cold stone wall, his hands and feet bound by specially made sea stone shackles.

The once spirited "Pirate King" is now like a lion whose teeth have been pulled out, only able to breathe wearily.

Suddenly, footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

"Vice General Garp! What brings you here?" The guard's voice was filled with awe. "Wait, the Marshal has ordered that you cannot..."

"Enough with the nonsense!" Garp's deep voice echoed in the cell. "I'm just going to say a few words to him outside the door!"

The guards looked at each other, then gritted their teeth and opened the gate leading to the deepest part of the building.

Karp strode in, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

He finally stopped in front of Roger's cell, but instead of opening the door, he sat cross-legged on the ground and took out a bag of rice crackers from his pocket.

"Want some?" Garp shook the bag and grinned. "This might be the last meal."

Roger slowly raised his head; beneath his disheveled hair, his eyes remained clear.

“Heh…” he chuckled hoarsely. “You’re still the same as ever, Garp.”

The two sat on opposite sides of a stone railing, one sitting and the other leaning against it, as if they had returned to the days when they chased each other at sea.

Karp took a bite of the senbei, the sound of him chewing particularly clear in the silence.

"Why?" he suddenly asked, his voice low. "Why did you let that brat Gern arrest you?"

Roger was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly.

"You noticed after all..."

"Nonsense! We've been fighting for almost our entire lives!" Garp suddenly crushed the rice cracker in his hand.

"Even if you're about to die, in a full-on, desperate fight, you can't possibly lose to a brat who hasn't fully grown up yet!"

Roger did not answer immediately, but looked down at the shackles on his wrists, the cold light of the sea stone reflecting on his haggard face.

“Garp…” he said softly, “What do you think the end of a ‘King’ should be like?”

Garp's fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"It shouldn't be like this!" he growled. "You are, after all..."

"The Pirate King?" Roger suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh tinged with a sense of relief.

"Actually, I didn't want it to be like this either. My initial plan was to turn myself in, haha."

He looked up, his eyes gleaming with a light Garp had never seen before.

"But whatever, I've lost now!" Roger smiled slightly.

“You lost…” Garp’s pupils suddenly contracted.

He knew that Roger's words referred to more than just the "battle" with Gern.

In an instant, Garp suddenly understood something, stood up abruptly, and slammed his fist hard against the fence!

"Roger, what do you want?!" His voice was almost forced out through clenched teeth.

"You definitely don't just want to use your death to make that brat a legend?!"

What exactly did you see on that island?!

Roger didn't answer, but calmly watched his old friend's furious expression.

“If you have the chance, go see for yourself…” He chuckled and shook his head. “However, you’re wrong about one thing.”

The stone shackles rattled dully with his movements.

“Gern, it wasn’t me who made him who he is…” Roger’s gaze pierced through the cell, “On the contrary, I gave it my all in that battle against him.”

"All I can say is that given his state at the time..." Roger's gaze pierced through the prison walls, as if he were seeing that cataclysmic scene again.

The awakened fruit power shattered the sky, and the young man stood in mid-air like a god.

"Anyone but me would have lost or... died."

In short, those who possess that kind of power are probably destined to end their lives and bring my era to a close.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Karp's breath hitched.

“Garp, whether it’s Rocks or Gern.” Roger refocused his gaze on Garp’s serious eyes.

That "knife" will never choose the wrong master.

The two fell silent again, with only the crackling of the burning torches echoing in the darkness.

After a long while, Garp suddenly grabbed the remaining senbei, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it with a crunching sound.

“Madmen,” he mumbled, “you two are both madmen.”

Roger laughed heartily, his laughter echoing deep within Impel Down, startling countless sleeping criminals.

“Yes!” He laughed, coughing, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth. “But this kind of era… is what makes it interesting!”

Karp stared at him for a long time, then finally sighed and turned to walk towards the exit.

“Hey, Garp,” Roger suddenly called out to him.

The naval hero stopped, but did not turn back.

"I'm going to be a father..." Roger's voice was softer than ever before.

"What's the point of telling me all this? I'm a Marine, Roger!"

"And that's your bloodline, a woman related to you. The World Government would never allow her to..."

"That's why I don't believe him; I believe you more!"

After all... we've been friends for years, fighting side by side!

You'll be in charge of protecting him!

Garp's shoulders stiffened slightly, then he waved his hand.

"Long-winded."

The heavy gates slowly closed, separating the two legendary figures into the two ends of light and darkness.

Chapter 201 The Price of the War

Naval Headquarters Hospital, Intensive Care Unit.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

The medical equipment emitted a regular "beep" sound, as if reminding us of the fragility of life.

On the hospital bed, Gern lay quietly, his face pale, his body covered with various tubes and instruments.

His chest rose and fell slightly, his breathing was weak but steady, as if he had simply fallen asleep.

Libo sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes red and swollen, clearly having cried many times.

But his hands were still tightly gripping a damp towel, carefully wiping the cold sweat from Gern's forehead.

Gion, now promoted to brigadier general, stood to the side, looking at the man on the hospital bed with a complicated expression.

“It’s been three days…” Lipo’s voice trembled slightly, “Why hasn’t Gern woken up yet?”

Gion sighed softly and placed the basin of hot water she had just picked up on the bedside table.

"His injuries were too severe; it's a miracle he survived." She paused, then said softly.

"After all, that's the 'Pirate King' Roger... To fight him to that extent, anyone else would probably have already..."

To this day, no one knows exactly what happened in that battle!

But the ability to create that kind of battle zone is no ordinary feat.

Libo bit her lip and did not answer.

Her gaze fell on Gern's bandaged chest, where there was a gruesome wound, a mark left by Roger's "God's Bane".

Even with her healing fruit ability, the scar was still shocking.

“He didn’t have to work so hard…” Libo murmured, “He could have waited for backup…”

“Ripo.” Gion was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"Don't you know him? This guy never waits."

Silence fell in the room again, with only the sounds of the instruments echoing in the room.

A moment later, Gion suddenly spoke up: "It's in complete chaos outside."

Lipo looked up at her, somewhat puzzled.

"Newspapers, radio, and even announcements from world governments all proclaimed his 'legend'."

"'Naval legend,' 'pillar of the new era'... they've elevated him to a godlike status."

Libo lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously clenching the towel. "Gern doesn't care about any of this..."

“He cares.” Gion’s gaze turned to Guern, her tone resolute. “He knows better than anyone what he’s doing.”

Libo was stunned.

“He had long anticipated the cost of this battle,” Gion continued.

"Fame, status, future... he needs them all."

And now, he has obtained it.

Gion's words may be direct, but that's the real Gern!

Upon hearing this, Libo's eyes welled up with tears again, a hint of struggle flashing in them.

“In that case…” She slowly raised her hand, a faint green light emanating from her palm.

"Libor!" Gion, who had just turned around and noticed something was wrong, suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, her tone stern, "Have you forgotten what Gern told you?"