"So… are we really just going to watch?"
Below, away from the battlefield between Green Bull and Kuzan, Charlotte Oven ground his teeth in frustration.
This was their country, their headquarters!
But now, never mind the palace — the whole city had been smashed to pieces, and the country itself had suffered significant damage.
The two parties who had caused it all were fighting right before their eyes!
And they, as the rulers of this land, were merely spectators.
"What else can we do but watch?"
Perospero, eldest son of the Charlotte family, sighed in resignation. "We can't very well go help those Beast Pirates attack the Navy, can we?"
"No way!"
Oven answered without thinking, his voice sharp. "I'd rather see the Beast Pirates dead — there's no way I'd help them!"
"If we don't help them," Perospero paused and spoke bitterly, "then we can only help the Navy fight the Beast Pirates, which will infuriate Ian. After that we can wait for his revenge."
Oven went silent.
Ian was already terrifying enough. In the Battle of Hive Island, Mother was nearly crushed by him without any chance to fight back.
Even though Mother had grown stronger through training since then, Ian had become stronger too.
He had utterly defeated even Kaido without difficulty.
Such power was unheard of.
Not to mention, Ian — with such overwhelming power — still held a weapon known as Dyna Stone.
With his ability to completely ignore any attack while in his flame state, combined with the power of that weapon, who in this world would still dare act recklessly before him?
Even the World Government had no choice but to compromise.
"So," Seeing that Oven had gone silent, Perospero spread his hands helplessly. "What else can we do now besides watch?"
Oven's expression turned bleak.
What a humiliation this was.
High above in the sky, finally pulling himself out of his fury, Garp let out a long sigh.
As much as he wanted to avenge the vice admirals who were slain by Bullet, continuing this battle was meaningless.
The ones sent by the Beasts Pirates were terrifyingly strong — determining a victor wouldn't be easy.
Even if they somehow managed to win, they would likely be too exhausted to fight, only to have the Charlotte Family swoop in and take advantage.
Charlotte Linlin might not dare provoke the Beasts Pirates, but when it came to the Navy… that was another matter entirely.
"Retreat!! Don't stay here any longer!!"
Garp shouted, but those words — though wise — were the most demoralizing of all.
"It can't be helped," Fujitora sighed.
"Don't think you can run away!"
The relentless Yamato charged after them once again.
Fujitora raised his blade and met her strike.
Then—
"Hell Journey!"
Stripped of her forward momentum, Yamato was instantly caught in a crushing wave of gravity and forced straight down toward the ground.
Fujitora swung his cane sword with his right hand, sending rings of purple light spiraling upward into the sky.
"Consider this a parting gift," he said quietly, before turning away, using his gravity to lift himself and soar off into the distance.
Below—
"Damn it! This is so frustrating!"
Green Bull glared furiously at Kuzan before him. "You traitor! Just wait — next time we meet, I'll make sure you pay for this!"
"Oh, I'm trembling already," Kuzan replied with a smirk tugging at his lips.
This admiral… didn't seem all that bright, did he?
And then, Kuzan noticed the massive treelike body before him suddenly go rigid.
"Oh?"
He was slightly surprised.
The aura was off.
The body in front of him was now just an empty shell; the real Green Bull seemed to have burrowed underground.
"What a convenient ability."
Kuzan murmured.
Since he had already gone underground, there was no point in chasing him.
Speaking of which, Sakazuki seemed to have a similar ability.
This guy nicknamed Green Bull—could it be said that he's a true fan of Sakazuki?
"Bastard!"
Yamato, dragged to the ground by gravity, jumped up again, but Fujitora had already flown far away—too fast to catch.
Garp glanced at the departing Fujitora and nodded slightly.
"Don't even think about running!!"
Bullet roared.
Finally, he had the chance for a battle on even terms; there was no way he would let his opponent escape just like that.
"Limit Cannon!!"
Black lightning erupted across his massive right fist as Bullet unleashed his strongest punch.
But Garp didn't even glance at it. He stepped on the air, transforming into a gust of wind, chasing the direction Fujitora had gone.
Bullet's punch missed, and even his massive body staggered slightly.
Recovering his balance quickly, Bullet roared as he controlled his giant body, preparing to pursue.
But then.
"Hey! What's that?"
Black Maria looked up, her expression one of complete astonishment.
Jack also raised his head and saw another sun-like object appearing in the sky.
"That is…"
Jack was momentarily stunned. "A meteor? Did that guy use gravity to pull a meteor down?"
"Don't get in my way!"
Bullet roared.
A meteor or not, anyone daring to stop him from facing a strong opponent would be smashed to pieces!
The giant retracted his right arm, gathering strength, and in the next instant, swung at the sky.
With a world-shaking sound, the falling meteor was smashed to pieces by the giant's punch.
After pulverizing the meteor with a single blow, Bullet turned his gaze to the escaping Garp.
He sneered. "Hmph, trying to run?"
How could his speed possibly lose?
A step from a several-hundred-meter-tall giant might seem slow, but one step equaled countless steps for an ordinary person.
However.
"Don't chase him," Jack said, "there's no point."
"What?"
Bullet was slightly annoyed.
"Garp doesn't want to fight you anymore. No matter how much you pursue him, he'll just keep running."
Jack said, "Once you're out at sea, your speed won't give you any advantage anymore."
"You're not seriously thinking you could beat that guy, Garp, on this route, are you?"
"..."
Bullet fell silent.
"Damn it!"
After a long moment, he gritted his teeth and cursed.
"Yeah! Damn it!"
Yamato, equally frustrated, said, "All you ever do is run. And you still call yourselves the 'justice' Marines!"
"All right," Black Maria smiled sweetly, "our purpose for coming here has been accomplished. Let's go back."
"I agree."
Kuzan leapt up.
The group completely ignored Charlotte Linlin, who was still floating in the sky with a face as pale as iron, and the Charlotte family executives gathered below.
The massive giant turned without hesitation and walked away.
"Damn it!!"
Watching the giant's retreating figure, Linlin ground her teeth in fury.
No matter what, Yamato and the others returned safely.
After receiving reports from Garp and the others, the Five Elders were furious.
But there was nothing they could do, other than have the Marines and CP continue searching for other Road Poneglyphs.
And so, time began to pass.
**********
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