Chapter 235: Warning to the Navy!
As Jōraku Fūgetsu finally retreated, Ryuunosuke exhaled slowly and dispelled his combat form.
Even with his formidable strength and the essence of life flowing through his body, he knew better than to overextend himself. Every battle at full power came with a price—subtle but dangerous wear on his core. And he wasn't the type to burn himself out for no reason.
"Well," he said, cracking his neck, "the troublemaker's gone."
He turned around and grinned at Garp.
"Now… where were we?"
Before Garp could answer, Ryuunosuke, still clad in his Dragon Hunting Armor, launched forward with blinding speed. The ground cracked beneath his step as he closed the gap, throwing a fierce punch.
"Boom!"
The impact knocked Garp back dozens of meters, crashing through debris and sending a cloud of dust into the air. But the old man didn't stay down long.
Before Garp could get back up, however, two powerful auras surged forward— Sengoku and Tsuru arrived just in time to intervene.
They hadn't come just to watch. After all, Ryuunosuke had just forced back Jōraku Fūgetsu—a feat that sent chills down the spine of even the most hardened marine.
If Ryuunosuke was serious about hurting Garp, the old man might not walk away this time.
They followed the trail of destruction to the far side of the G5 base—only to find something completely unexpected.
"…What the hell?" Sengoku muttered.
Instead of a life-and-death brawl, Ryuunosuke and Garp were sitting face to face on the shattered ground. Behind them, the ethereal form of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto roared now and then, letting off small shockwaves like a bored dragon stretching its wings. Garp occasionally punched the ground, creating small tremors—maybe from frustration, or maybe just habit.
"Come here," Garp called over. "This fight's already over."
He let out a heavy sigh, his massive fist pounding the earth in resignation.
They had lost.
If they'd pulled Ryuunosuke into the Navy back when they had the chance… if they'd given him a seat at the table instead of branding him a pirate…
Now? He could've been their strongest asset.
If that had happened, even the World Government wouldn't have dared bark orders at them.
"Lost…?" Sengoku clenched his fists. "But…"
But it was true. Jōraku Fūgetsu, the monster of the old world, had backed down from Ryuunosuke without a real fight. That alone told them all they needed to know.
He wasn't just strong—he was terrifying.
And if that wasn't enough, Garp dropped another bomb.
"By the way, Captain Chrollo of Ryuunosuke's Second Division has already surrounded Marineford."
"…What?!"
"If Ryuunosuke gives the word, Chrollo will wipe out the entire headquarters. Don't underestimate him—his power isn't any weaker than Ryuunosuke's."
The words hit like a cannonball. Tsuru paled, while Sengoku just stood there, silent.
The worst part? It wasn't a bluff.
Fortunately, Ryuunosuke wasn't a bloodthirsty warlord. He still respected Garp enough not to press the button.
"I see…" Sengoku muttered.
Before he could finish his thought, Ryuunosuke suddenly stood and punched the ground beside them.
"Boom!"
The earth cracked again, and a pulse of intimidation rolled out.
"Come on, Former Fleet Admiral," Ryuunosuke said with a smirk. "If we're acting, let's act properly."
Sengoku sighed in relief. Deep down, he had feared Ryuunosuke would lose patience and attack.
He'd seen enough—if Ryuunosuke went all out, not even his Great Buddha form could guarantee survival.
"Captain Ryuunosuke… What do you really want?" Tsuru asked quietly.
Her voice was calm, but her eyes held the weight of decades of war.
Ryuunosuke tilted his head.
"What I want?" he echoed. "Simple."
"I'm declaring war on the World Government."
The silence was deafening.
"I've already announced it to the world. So don't ask me why I'm doing this—ask yourselves what the hell you're doing here."
Again, he punched the ground. Cracks snaked outward, and a deep rumble echoed through the base.
Sengoku was speechless.
What were they doing here, really?
The Dragon Hunter Pirates didn't pillage or oppress towns like most Yonko crews. They didn't enslave civilians, demand tribute, or carve out territories for tyranny.
Hell, most of the people in Ryuunosuke's domain lived better lives than those under the World Government's "protection."
Apart from their defiance of the Celestial Dragons and refusal to kneel, the Dragon Hunters hadn't even committed any major crimes in recent years.
So why were they still the enemy?
But that—defying the World Government—was reason enough.
That was the one sin you couldn't wash away.
Sengoku clenched his jaw. He had resigned as Fleet Admiral partially because of Marineford—but mostly because he was tired of following orders that felt wrong.
Now, standing here, he felt that conflict rise again.
"Ryuunosuke… Do you understand what will happen if you take on the World Government?"
The response was instant.
"What does it have to do with you?"
Ryuunosuke's gaze was ice-cold.
"As long as my crew survives, I'll consider that a win."
That oppressive pressure returned—pure killing intent, the kind only monsters carried.
Justice? Please. That was just a word. A banner to rally the weak, created by those strong enough to enforce it.
The Dragon Hunters were strong enough to make their own rules now.
"…You—" Tsuru started, but stopped.
She had no counterargument.
Ryuunosuke didn't dress up his actions in false righteousness. He carried his sins openly, embraced them even. He didn't pretend to be good. But he wasn't evil, either.
He was real.
And that made him impossible to deal with.
Ryuunosuke stood up slowly.
"We're heading for Mary Geoise next."
"I'm sparing you this time, Garp. But listen closely."
He turned to them all, his eyes sharp as blades.
"If the Navy interferes when I attack the Celestial Dragons…"
He raised his fist, letting a glowing wave of advanced Conqueror's Haki coat his arm like a flowing cherry blossom storm.
"…then I won't hold back at Marijoa."
The air trembled.
Tsuru and Sengoku stood still, feeling the gravity of the warning settle in their bones.
This wasn't a threat.
It was a promise.
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