In all his time in this world, Diarmuid had only witnessed one clash between top-tier powerhouses: when Sengoku and Zephyr teamed up against Shiki on Minion Island in the North Blue.
But that fight was a flash in the pan. Shiki had no intention of a battle to the death, so it was hard to tell how strong he really was. As for the Edd War Sea battle, that was a tall tale told by the Marines. Diarmuid, who had been there, knew that it was mostly over by the time they arrived.
So, this was the first time Diarmuid truly witnessed a top-tier battle.
Kong's aura was ferocious, and Redfield was just as unyielding. Every time their attacks collided, a powerful air current would burst forth. This was the result of their Haki clashing. Not only that, but black and red lightning flashed around them, and when their power grew too great, the space itself seemed to crack, visible to the naked eye!
The solid ice Kuzan had just created was utterly useless against them. Wherever Kong and Redfield fought, the ice shattered into pieces!
Perhaps to protect the battleship, Kong soon led Redfield far away from the ship.
"Diarmuid, contact headquarters and call for the nearest support. I'll go provide backup for the Fleet Admiral!" Kuzan said, making a quick decision.
Diarmuid nodded immediately. "Got it!"
As soon as he said that, Kuzan stomped his foot and shot off to chase them, while Diarmuid quickly took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed headquarters.
A moment later, the call was answered.
"Is that Diarmuid? You've arrived at G-1, right?" Sengoku's relaxed voice came through the receiver. He had been checking the time and figured Kong should have arrived by now.
"Something's wrong, Admiral!" Diarmuid said, cutting off Sengoku's relaxed tone.
Sengoku, who had been in a good mood, froze. He quickly sat up straight at his desk and said in a grave voice, "What's going on?"
If the Fleet Admiral was in trouble in the New World, it would be a devastating blow to the current situation. Sengoku was starting to panic.
"We were about to arrive at the G-1 Base when we ran into Patrick Redfield. Fleet Admiral Kong is already fighting him, and Rear Admiral Kuzan is backing him up. We tried to contact the G-1 Base for support and to blockade the area, but we found that G-1 had lost all communication. Based on the situation, I've concluded that G-1 Base fell to Redfield before we arrived, and he was specifically waiting for us!" Diarmuid quickly reported the situation.
Sengoku was stunned. What was Redfield's deal? He went and took out the G-1 Base for no reason? And what was even more shocking, how could a base that big be taken down without the Marines getting a single report?
"He's definitely stronger than he used to be!" Sengoku immediately concluded.
Diarmuid didn't reply. After all, he had never seen Redfield before and had no way of knowing if he'd gotten stronger. But he didn't waste any more time. Diarmuid quickly said, "Commodore Rodriguez Diarmuid of Marine Headquarters requests support from headquarters! Blockade the surrounding seas and send help to G-1 Base as fast as possible to rescue the base and capture Redfield!"
"Approved. Headquarters will send the nearest warships to assist you shortly!" Sengoku said without hesitation.
Diarmuid's request for support was brilliant. It saved face for Kong. The words themselves weren't about reinforcing the Fleet Admiral but about the G-1 Base. Sengoku knew what he was doing and was pleased with Diarmuid. This kid is a real cunning one. He's got a talent for politics, too.
But Sengoku quickly put that thought aside and said in a grave tone, "Diarmuid, I don't need to tell you what the Fleet Admiral means to the Marines. Everyone else can get into trouble, but he can't. Do you understand?"
Diarmuid's heart tightened, and he quickly replied, "Yes, Admiral. I understand. Everything is for justice. We Marines will do everything we can to ensure the Fleet Admiral's safety!"
After a moment's pause, Diarmuid said in a deep voice, "The Fleet Admiral won't die before I do!"
Sengoku didn't respond, but Diarmuid already knew what he meant and quickly hung up the Den Den Mushi.
He had to admit, Sengoku was ruthless, but Diarmuid didn't mind. If he were in Sengoku's position, he would have given the same command, maybe even one for a fight to the death! After all, Kong was far more important than he and Kuzan. If anything happened to him, the Marines would fall into chaos.
At the same time, even if Sengoku hadn't said anything, Diarmuid understood the implications. He and Kuzan had been assigned the mission to "escort the Fleet Admiral." If the Fleet Admiral were to die on their watch, they would be guilty of gross negligence, at the very least. Forget about getting a promotion, they would probably be court-martialed and sent to Impel Down.
This was no joke.
The Marine top brass might protect them from other things, but not this.
In fact, Diarmuid greatly admired Sengoku's decisive and cold-blooded nature. Only someone like him could be considered a true soldier—not as ruthless as Sakazuki, who left no room for error, and not as indecisive as Kuzan. In the shortest amount of time, he could always make the most suitable decision, and that was a sign of true strength!
So, Diarmuid didn't resent him in the slightest. He had enjoyed so many benefits from the Marines. When the Marines needed him, wasn't it only right for him to fight for them? There was no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world.
At that moment, Diarmuid didn't realize that he had already changed from his former self. Back in the North Blue, he would have never been so willing to fight for the Marines. Maybe his mindset had changed, or maybe he simply didn't believe the Fleet Admiral would die here.
Or maybe it was both.
"You all, get the battleship back! Stay alert and make sure to keep the ship mobile! You are our only support!" Diarmuid turned to the Marines behind him and ordered. Now that Kong and Redfield were fighting, and Kuzan was backing them up, he was the highest-ranking officer on the ship.
Diarmuid didn't blindly believe the story he knew from before. He had no idea if his presence had changed things, and if Kong would still be able to wear out Redfield. He had to prepare for the worst.
Redfield's skiff was gone, and the sea in front of them was frozen, so they had a place to land. There was no reason for the battleship to continue its forward momentum. It needed to stay back, keep its mobility, and if things went south, forget about getting credit, the right thing to do would be to find a way to escape with the Fleet Admiral!
"Yes, Commodore Diarmuid!" the Marines quickly replied.
Diarmuid didn't waste any more time. He used his Geppo and shot out of the battleship, heading toward the battle in front of them.
At the same time, the support orders from Marine Headquarters were relayed, and a large number of warships began to head toward the G-1 Marine Base. One of the men leading the fleet was none other than the old geezer Garp.
Diarmuid had guessed one thing wrong. Even without him, Garp hadn't directly followed the Fleet Admiral to G-1. In the original story, Garp only arrived after the fight was over. He then rescued the Fleet Admiral and captured Redfield.
When Diarmuid arrived, Kong was still fighting Redfield fiercely, and every punch and kick he threw was packed with a powerful aura.
Both Redfield and Kong were already injured. Redfield had cut Kong's arm, and it was bleeding nonstop. Redfield, on the other hand, had taken a direct hit from the Fleet Admiral's fist on his shoulder, and it looked like he couldn't move it freely.
Kuzan was squatting on a glacier, pressing his hands against the ice, and his power was constantly at work, rapidly reforming the icebergs that were being shattered by the two fighters.
At the same time, he was secretly trying to trip up Redfield. For example, whenever Redfield's feet were on the ground for too long, Kuzan would raise an ice spike to stab him. Although he hadn't succeeded once, this tactic was annoying Redfield.
In the original story, Diarmuid didn't know if Kuzan had been there or if he had helped. But now, he felt that Redfield was really going to lose. After all, Kong was only slightly weaker than Redfield. Now with Kuzan helping and annoying Redfield, the Fleet Admiral had the upper hand.
With that thought, Diarmuid didn't bother Kuzan's "spellcasting." Instead, he placed his hand on the Nagasone Kotetsu on his waist, and the strange power within him began to stir. He was going to follow Kuzan's lead and land a devastating blow on Redfield when he wasn't looking.
Moral integrity? He had none.
Are you kidding me? We Marines carry out justice. Since when do we have to play fair with pirates? If we can outnumber them, we'll never fight them one-on-one. If we have a chance to hit them with a low blow, we won't hesitate.
He had no moral principles or pressure. The sooner they killed Redfield, the better it would be for everyone!
With him and Kuzan backing him up, Kong was able to fight without holding back. In contrast, after being annoyed by Kuzan a few times, Redfield had to divert some of his attention to Diarmuid and Kuzan, which was incredibly frustrating!
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