Garp blocked Hancock's Perfume Femur with his right arm coated in Armament Haki.
The petrification had not yet spread.
Garp's right arm trembled, instantly dispelling the petrification with his overwhelming Haki.
"Die, die, die!"
Hancock, furious that her and Reddy's love nest had been destroyed by Garp, was consumed by rage. She wanted nothing more than to kick this old man to death.
The Hero of the Marines?
What did that have to do with her?
Anyone who dared destroy her most precious memories deserved to die a hundred times over!
"Pirate Empress, this is a battle between men!"
Garp had no interest in fighting Hancock and tried to persuade her to stop.
But his words only provoked even fiercer kicks from Hancock.
Reddy watched as Hancock abandoned all defense and recklessly attacked Garp, feeling puzzled.
Did Garp owe her money?
How much?
Though confused, Reddy had no intention of letting Hancock fight Garp alone.
With a snap of his fingers, all eight clones sprang into action.
Shadow emerged abruptly from the shadows beneath Garp's feet, grabbing his ankles.
Before Garp could break free, the other clones swarmed him.
Some grabbed his arms, others locked his neck.
In an instant, the eight clones had Garp completely restrained.
"You…!"
Garp's expression changed drastically, but it was too late. He could only watch as a long leg slammed into his face.
At the same time, the eight clones released him.
Helpless, Garp was sent flying.
Petrification had no effect against his overwhelming Armament Haki.
The kick itself wasn't particularly damaging, but the humiliation was immense.
With a tearing sound, Garp ripped off his tattered shirt, revealing his muscular physique. He no longer hoped Hancock would back down and now considered her an opponent as well.
By now, Hancock's resentment had faded slightly, replaced by sweetness.
As expected of the man she had set her heart on—so considerate.
But the moment she remembered the love nest she and Reddy had built together, her resentment flared up again, almost materializing.
"Hancock…"
Reddy intended to advise Hancock not to suffer needlessly, but he was too late. He could only direct the eight clones to assist her in suppressing Garp for the time being.
"Reddy-sama, women are troublesome creatures, aren't they?"
Leo stood beside Reddy with his arms crossed, watching Hancock, with the help of the eight clones, overpower Garp. He sighed sympathetically.
When the island had quaked violently, causing the wooden house to collapse, he had seen Hancock rush toward Garp in a rage.
He couldn't understand why she was so angry and simply attributed it to her being a capricious woman, much like Princess Mansherry.
Reddy opened his mouth but decided against speaking.
If Hancock wanted to fight, then let her fight.
After all, she was the Pirate Empress, not his subordinate. What reason did he have to stop her?
Perhaps once she vented her anger, she would calm down.
Hancock's interference had put Garp at a slight disadvantage.
But with the eight clones shifting to a supporting role, his pressure lessened—though only slightly.
"Are all the youngsters these days so strong?"
Garp sighed inwardly.
With his old friend Zephyr resigning from his admiral position to focus on training the next generation, and his former rival Golden Lion Shiki already gone, he couldn't help but reflect.
Seeing young powerhouses like Red-Haired Shanks, Reddy, and Hancock making waves across the seas, he felt as though the old era was quietly coming to an end.
But!
Garp shook off all distractions and grinned.
If they wanted to usher in a new era, they'd have to get past him first!
This old relic of the past wouldn't let the new generation defeat him so easily!
He threw a punch!
Hancock's expression changed drastically. She barely managed to counter with a kick.
The next moment, Hancock was sent flying backward.
"Not good enough yet!"
Garp took Pyo's punch head-on, tilting his head slightly before slamming his fist into the ground.
Ptooey.
Garp spat out a mouthful of blood, completely ignoring Mon's punch and taking the hit squarely, while sending Mon flying over a hundred meters away.
Having abandoned all defense, Garp traded blow for blow, disregarding the fact that Reddy's side had a healer. His eyes were fixed only on his opponents.
Reddy fell silent.
He understood Garp's mindset now.
If, in the initial rounds, Garp had still harbored thoughts of winning this battle, Hancock's interference had changed that.
Now, he no longer cared about victory.
His only goal was to defeat every opponent standing before him!
Fight!
Fight!
Fight!
Until one side fell!
By the time Reddy snapped out of his thoughts, Garp was already covered in wounds, breathing heavily, yet his fighting spirit burned as fiercely as ever. His iron fists still struck with unwavering determination.
In stark contrast, the eight clones had evenly distributed Garp's heavy punches, sustaining injuries but nothing severe.
Hancock, too, had grasped Garp's resolve. After being sent flying, she did not rejoin the fight, instead retreating to Reddy's side. Her gaze was complicated as she watched Garp, trapped like prey in a spider's web.
Even she could see that Garp's injuries had accumulated to a critical point.
Whether in the next moment or later, the Hero of the Marines would fall.
"Did… I do something wrong?"
Hancock realized her interference had altered the meaning of this battle and timidly glanced at Reddy.
Reddy smiled and shrugged. "You might not believe it, but he's an idealist too."
Hancock frowned, not understanding.
Reddy didn't elaborate further. Watching Garp, who was still fighting with all his might, a trace of respect flickered in his eyes.
Yes, Garp was an idealist too.
But Garp was different from Dragon, Kuma, and even Reddy.
Dragon and Kuma had ideals and were willing to strive for them.
Reddy also had ideals and was willing to fight for them, though his were more radical.
Garp was different.
This veteran had fought in the Battle of God Valley and chased the Pirate King Roger across the seas. His experience was vast.
It was this very experience that made him understand the root of the world's corruption lay with the Celestial Dragons.
But he also knew the overwhelming power they held.
Imu.
The Five Elders.
The Holy Knights.
This despair-inducing strength led Garp, the idealist, to give up and instead focus on what he could do.
Thus, the East Blue became the weakest sea.
And Garp repeatedly refused promotions to admiral.
Even when Sengoku practically force-fed him the position, he spat it out.
Because becoming an admiral meant obeying the World Government's orders, becoming a slave to the Celestial Dragons.
That was something he could never accept.
Until Reddy appeared.
Garp took another punch from Invis, staggering back several steps before steadying himself. Strangely, his mind was clearer than ever.
"Don't disappoint me, brat."
Garp grinned wildly and charged at Invis, who had just hit him, sending the clone flying with a punch.
"You have the power to change this world!"
Garp was kicked back several meters by Control but immediately retaliated, kicking Control away.
"You can accomplish what I wanted but couldn't!"
Garp took another punch. Before he could counter, Ray 1 kicked him away.
"I'm betting my life on the new era!"
Garp climbed to his feet, wiped the blood from his mouth, and charged forward again, his fighting spirit undiminished.
…
A day later.
The island lay in ruins, fragments of varying sizes sinking into the sea.
The Hero of the Marines, Garp, was defeated!
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