"Release Vice Admiral Squirrel!"
Bogard also did not expect that the monster before them had set a trap. He wanted to rescue Vice Admiral Squirrel, but the eight-headed dragon did not give him the opportunity to approach. Several heads released a powerful current to drive Bogard back, and the head biting Vice Admiral Squirrel began to exert force.
As soon as its jaws closed completely, Vice Admiral Squirrel would be sliced into three segments. At this moment, Vice Admiral Squirrel was simultaneously using Tekkai and Haki to withstand the biting force of the eight-headed dragon while trying to counterattack with his weapon.
His blade had already pierced into that head, yet the eight-headed dragon showed no intention of letting go. The head even released a terrifying purple gas, causing the clothes to begin corroding, and a sense of despair appeared in Squirrel's heart.
But at that very moment, the eight-headed dragon suddenly halted its actions because a new enemy appeared on its back.
"Oh my, could you let him go, please?"
Nearly three meters tall, with an overall bluish undertone, the Cloak of Justice was fluttering in the wind and rain.
"This weather really is annoying."
An eyepatch hung on his forehead, now drenched by rain. Although it blocked some of the rain, the bloated eyepatch made him uncomfortable.
"Admiral Kuzan?!"
Kuzan, codenamed Aokiji, currently an Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, had arrived at this place following the distress signal sent from G-1.
Kuzan said nothing, but a wave of ice began spreading from beneath his feet, gradually extending towards the head biting Vice Admiral Squirrel. Accompanied by a howl, that head and the neck behind it turned into an ice sculpture.
To ensure Vice Admiral Squirrel's safety, Kuzan minimized the freezing area, extending it only upwards from that one head. As the ice shattered, Vice Admiral Squirrel regained his freedom, but he seemed to be affected by poison, his body unable to move well.
Finally, with Kuzan's help, he temporarily relocated to a safe position, while the eight-headed dragon watched Kuzan warily, its body taking a Flare Blitz posture and rushing into the clouds once more. The flames not only provided speed but also melted the original layer of ice.
This opponent was more terrifying than those two combined; just like the rock Garp had thrown, it exuded a deadly threat.
"Bogard, take Vice Admiral Squirrel for treatment. He seems to be poisoned. I'll handle this troublesome guy first, then assist Mr. Garp."
Surveying the battlefield, Garp and Kaidou were locked in an unresolved match; this monstrous dragon was currently the greatest threat.
"Yes!"
Nowadays, the three great admirals of the headquarters are the backbone of the Navy's new generation. Their monstrous strength has long been acknowledged, and Kuzan's arrival served as a morale booster for all Navy personnel.
Ice does not have the ability to fly freely like light, but his hovering capability far exceeds that of Vice Admiral Squirrel and others.
Meanwhile, Kaidou, engaged in battle with Garp, had also noticed Kuzan's arrival.
"Fun time's over, Garp. I look forward to our next encounter."
The eight-headed dragon was no match for Kuzan, and as reinforcements arrived, it was time for him to retreat. Although not fully satisfied, today's events had reached a satisfactory conclusion.
"I told you, you won't leave here so easily."
"Hahaha, I also said you can't keep me here. This is Navy territory, but precisely for that reason, I can act without worry. There should be a few thousand soldiers here, right?"
The number of stationed soldiers at a Navy branch varies greatly depending on its scale. By the time Smoker became a Vice Admiral, the Navy G-5 Branch had only 300 soldiers.
At that time, Akainu had devoted substantial military power to conquests, leaving not so many for certain branches.
Now, the New World's naval forces had not completely withdrawn, and the G-1 Branch, being the gateway to Mary Geoise, had a permanent force of 3,000.
Kaidou flashed a sinister smile, then released a terrifying energy towards the sky.
"If you wish to stop me, then try it. But if you're willing to sacrifice all the soldiers here, then go ahead!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Garp understood what Kaidou had done. The clouds parted, and meteors rained towards G-1 Branch—the Draco Meteor attack had begun.
This was Kaidou's strategy. Garp could attempt, with Kuzan, to retain Kaidou, but the success rate wasn't 100%. Should they take that path, the G-1 Branch would be destroyed by Kaidou's full-force Draco Meteor.
Ere long, the Tenma Daijizaitenjin had destroyed many structures, and with the damage from the eight-headed dragon plus Kaidou and Garp's battlefield shockwaves, the place couldn't withstand more devastation.
With that, Kaidou disregarded Garp, transforming into a Cyan Dragon and heading towards the eight-headed dragon. He needed to retrieve this little treasure.
Watching the distant Kaidou and falling meteors, Garp ultimately chose to intercept the Draco Meteor—it was the fundamental issue; with Kaidou's determination to leave, the likelihood of success was high, potentially incurring great sacrifices without any gains.
In this situation, Garp couldn't face the sacrifice of those soldiers. Eventually, under Kaidou's cover, the eight-headed dragon also managed to escape from Kuzan's grasp, and human and dragon departed in front of everyone, leaving the G-1 Branch in ruins.
...
"Mr. Garp."
Inside the G-1 base, Kuzan utilized his abilities to freeze the three heads severed from the eight-headed dragon during the battle. Even the surrounding ground was excavated, intending to send them to the Science Corps for research.
"Why is it just you that came? What about Sengoku? He wouldn't miss this opportunity."
"Borsalino is assisting with research in the Science Corps, Sakazuki is on an operation outside, as for Marshal Sengoku... he was ordered to help guard Mary Geoise...."
Sighing, Kuzan explained the specific circumstances to Garp.
Admirals are not mascots; they have countless tasks to manage.
Nonetheless, the headquarters always leaves one admiral to handle emergencies. When G-1 Branch's situation reached them, Sengoku was ready to act.
Though he's the Marshal, the Navy Headquarters was relatively secure, and having no top-tier combat power stationed temporarily wouldn't pose issues. Keeping Kaidou would be a great achievement.
He abides by the World Government's orders but maintains his own stance. However, before he set out, a sudden order from the World Government directed Sengoku to assist with Mary Geoise's defenses.
"Does that place...need manpower?"
"It seems they're more concerned about the safety of the Heavenly Celestial Dragons; Marshal Sengoku can't defy orders."
"Those bastards...."
Furious, Garp hammered the nearby wall with a punch, cursing someone under his breath, the cost being another relatively intact building was damaged.