Episode 333: World Government's Strongest Vice Admiral—Vice Admiral Garp Steps Onto the Stage
『 Amidst a series of explosions, a large number of pirates and Marines were blown away.
Due to the chaotic battlefield, it was difficult for them to strike targets precisely; these 'Human Weapons' were actually not that smart!
As the smoke from the explosions filled the air, Marco quickly closed in on Ace's position.
Unlike Luffy, when he wasn't unleashing his power, Marco looked extremely ordinary, barely drawing any attention in a crowd.
Because of this, he was able to quickly reach the front of the execution platform.
When he deemed the timing ripe, a powerful force suddenly erupted from his body, and a giant blue image of a spectacled phoenix immediately charged toward the execution platform.
"That's…"
"Marco!"
"Marco is flying toward the execution platform!"
"What are you guys still standing around for? Shoot him down, quick!"
The Marines had not expected anyone to bypass their rear and launch a surprise assault on the execution platform. For a moment, they were stunned and forgot to counterattack.
It wasn't until their commander's reminder that everyone began to fire.
Yet, whether it was bullets or cannonballs, nothing could harm Marco.
Even when his body was pierced, the wounds healed rapidly.
A Marine cried out in shock, "Guns are completely useless!"
"What do we do?"
"He's about to reach Ace!"
"Don't stop, keep firing!"
Amidst the anxious shouts of the crowd, Marco successfully reached the front of the execution platform, with only five meters remaining between him and Ace.
In an instant.
Everyone turned to look.
Aokiji and Akainu wore extremely serious expressions.
They understood that as the First Division Commander, Marco's strength was terrifyingly formidable!
He might actually be able to rescue Ace!
Sengoku swept his cloak aside, preparing to take action himself.
But at that moment, a white figure appeared before him, blocking Marco's path forward.
This man was Garp!
Garp swung a heavy punch, directly striking Marco and sending him crashing into the distant ground like a meteor.
Garp had ultimately made his move!
Seeing this, the Marines' morale soared!
"It's Hero Garp!"
"He finally stepped in."
"The legendary Marine!"
"The man who once clashed with Roger!"
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"He also holds the title of the strongest guard. With him here, the Marines have nothing to worry about!"
Witnessing this scene, the crowd gasped in amazement!
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Garp sat down in the seat that originally belonged to Akainu, one of the three Admirals, looking majestic and brimming with dominance!
"Grandpa!" Ace looked at Garp, his voice trembling intensely. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "Wait!? Grandpa?" ]
[ Ryuga Banjou (Kamen Rider): "Grandpa? What does that mean?" ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "Why call a Marine Vice Admiral 'Grandpa' when he's clearly a pirate?" ]
[ Portgas D. Ace (One Piece): "Because he is the grandfather of both Luffy and me. Of course, Luffy is his biological grandson." ]
[ Ichijo Kaoru (Kamen Rider): "???" ]
[ Ichijo Kaoru (Kamen Rider): "A government official letting his own biological grandson become a pirate?" ]
[ Whitebeard (One Piece): "Garp, the future you still made a move, after all." ]
[ Garp (One Piece): "Naturally. After all, those are my two grandsons." ]
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "…" ]
[ Portgas D. Ace (One Piece): "…" ]
[ .....]
『 Whitebeard also gazed at his old friend Garp and said in a low voice, "Garp!"
Sengoku was highly dissatisfied and questioned loudly, "No one forced you to act. This was your own decision!"
Garp, however, did not care in the slightest. Looking down at the Marines and pirates below, he shouted loudly, "If you want to save Ace, you'll have to get past me first!"
Garp's voice was deafening.
His presence was not inferior even when facing the three Admirals!
"You brats!"
"He truly is a legendary figure!"
"Previously, when facing Golden Lion Shiki, whose strength was on par with Roger, he fought alongside Sengoku and ultimately captured Shiki. Garp is such a terrifyingly powerful character!"
"Not only that, but Garp is also the mentor to many Marine elites. Although his rank is only Vice Admiral, his influence is not a bit inferior to the three Admirals."
Golden Lion Shiki!
Pirate King Roger!
These two names were thunderous existences in both the pirate world and the Marines.
Especially Pirate King Roger; in the eyes of many, his name represented the pinnacle of what the pirate world could achieve!
Even today, when Ace had already grown into an adult, people still harbored deep dread toward Roger!
Although Shiki was not mentioned often, the shocking deeds he had performed were enough to make everyone look at him with respect—it was said that he once single-handedly devastated the Marine Headquarters.
This kind of strength simply could not be described as merely formidable!
Upon learning that the one who defeated Marco was this Marine of grand renown, the members of the pirate crew could not help but feel a sense of dread toward him!
"So this guy is the legendary Garp!"
"I thought he was just some retired old man!"
"Garp's background is not to be underestimated. Some say he is Ace's grandfather!"
"…"
"Are you kidding? Isn't Ace Roger's son?"
"Those are just rumors, but from what I've heard, that's indeed the case!"
Whispers began to spread through the pirate ranks.
The blue flames on Marco's body gradually dissipated. Although he had smashed a deep crater into the ground, he himself had not sustained much damage.
In that brief clash, Marco had already experienced Garp's power.
As Ace's close friend, he naturally had some understanding of Garp's true identity.
The reason he was injured was mainly that he hadn't expected this elderly gentleman to suddenly strike;
After all, even if Ace was just an adoptive grandson, that straw-hat-wearing youth was his biological grandson. Once the situation worsened, Luffy would certainly not fare well either!
Even so, did he still insist on his so-called justice?
Although such persistence was hard to agree with, Marco could not help but hold a certain level of respect for him!
Unfortunately, they were now opponents with different stances!
Whitebeard looked at Garp, his eyes filled with anger.
"Do not fear him just because of his past reputation! The current Garp is nothing more than an old man."
To Whitebeard's words, Garp merely chuckled.
His gaze seemed to say: If we're counting by age, I'm only 6 years older than you, so what about your situation?
Akainu clenched his fist and reminded in a high-pitched voice, "Remember, you two belong to the same generation. When saying such words, have you considered who is standing opposite you?"
As he spoke, he threw a heavy punch.
A surge of magma immediately reshaped, turning into a snarling hound that charged toward Whitebeard.
"Hound Claw—!"
Whitebeard swung his Murakumogiri and sliced through the attack with ease, splitting it directly in half.
In an instant, a massive amount of scorching magma gushed from the rift, turning into a torrent of fire in mid-air and flying toward the distant town.
Amidst the cries of shock from numerous pirates and Marines, this wave of impact destroyed and melted a large swath of houses on the outer edge of the town.
Staring at the ruined area, Akainu said coldly, "This town and this island have long been ruined because of your successive attacks."
Is it my fault?
To this statement, Whitebeard appeared dismissive.
"I told you long ago to protect this place. Besides, the destruction caused this time was clearly your doing. How can you pin it on me..." Whitebeard muttered softly to himself.
Sengoku looked at the two executioners lying on the ground. After being attacked by Crocodile, the two had lost consciousness and fainted.
Two Marines quickly went over to check, finding that although they were not dead, they were clearly in no condition to continue their duties.
"How is their situation? If they can't do it, replace them immediately!"
"Go quickly and call for replacements."
"Yes, sir!"
On the battlefield—
The pirates' morale was exceptionally high.
Furthermore, with Whitebeard personally taking action, they appeared extremely difficult to deal with. If their flames were not suppressed in time, heaven knew what other chaos would ensue!
"Keep going, everyone! Carve out a path to save Ace!"
"Charge!"
"The main force is here! Charge along with Pops!"
Just as the pirates' spirits were soaring, the Human Weapons continued their onslaught.
The energy from their mouths was extremely terrifying, constantly blasting and blowing up large areas with each strike. Although they did not distinguish between ally and foe, letting this continue was not a solution!
"Oh no, troublesome figures have arrived again!"
At this moment, a pirate wearing a yellow hood and holding a scythe charged toward a Human Weapon.
"Don't think you monsters can get your way again!"
He swung his giant scythe, slashing fiercely at the robot, instantly tearing a gash in its body!
The man was stunned!
He hadn't expected the robot, which had looked so formidable earlier, to be so fragile. In reality, its structure was much thinner than imagined!
Although these people were not of Commander rank, they were still Whitebeard's subordinates, and their strength was stronger than that of members of other pirate crews.
The reason the Human Weapons could withstand those attacks earlier was mainly that the opponents were simply too weak, though their defense was indeed not bad.
What was revealed within this gash was not flesh and blood, but a series of complex mechanical devices!
Another Human Weapon was heavily stabbed in the neck. Accompanied by flashing electrical sparks, this Human Weapon lost its function.
"Taste the power from the New World!" 』
『 .....』
〜One Piece World〜
New World—
Even ordinary pirates mentioned this term, showing that this world had become completely different!
Now, everyone felt that the future was pressing in!
—
『 Several humanoid combat machines were destroyed in no time before these pirates. Their massive bodies slowly collapsed, and in the process of falling, one even experienced an energy imbalance, blasting through a Pacifista beside it and leaving a large hole.
Shouts erupted from the crowd: "Take this opportunity and rush to the execution platform, quick!"
Ivankov stood beside Luffy.
At this moment, Luffy was at death's door, unable to move.
Ivankov asked anxiously, "How is it? How is Straw Hatboy now?"
He was extremely tense; Luffy's identity was of no small consequence. His father and he himself were key figures.
The reason Ivankov had rushed here was to protect Luffy, but he must not fail to protect him in the end!
The ship's doctor examined Luffy's body, looking equally anxious. Hearing Ivankov's words, he frowned and replied loudly:
"What do you think? With his current condition, ordinary emergency treatment is completely useless. He must be sent to a hospital to be cured!"
Ivankov broke into a cold sweat of anxiety.
Where could a hospital be found on this battlefield?
Now, Luffy could no longer fight.
But…
He looked back at Ace. As long as Ace was not rescued, with Luffy's personality, he would absolutely not stop!
On the execution platform—
Ace lay there, in immense pain.
Sengoku heard the commotion and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Garp raised his head, looking at Ace up high, knowing that Ace was currently undergoing unbearable torment.
Ace rarely showed his emotions normally, but in truth, he valued friendship more than ordinary people. This was why so many were willing to die for him.
Thinking back, Garp remembered that when Ace and Luffy were growing up under his care, the two were like biological brothers. Sometimes, even he himself almost forgot their true identities.
However, from very early on, Ace had constantly caused trouble.
He was also very interested in the treasure left behind by Pirate King Roger (who was also his father).
He often got into conflicts with pirates in bars, returning home covered in wounds, and even led little Luffy astray.
Garp understood that it would have been best not to let the two meet back then, but hearing a child say that his existence in the world had no meaning, who wouldn't feel heartache?
At that time, Ace was in a state of confusion, and he and Luffy served as mutual solace for each other.
Garp had even pondered whether things would have been better if he hadn't introduced Ace to Luffy.
Perhaps today's events wouldn't have occurred… 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "That's not true! Ace is my brother." ]
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "I wouldn't feel any reluctance about coming to save him." ]
[ Whitebeard (One Piece): "Gurararara, very well. It's great that Ace has a brother like you." ]
[ Nami (One Piece): "Look at yourself! Look what you've become in the future, and you're still in the mood to joke." ]
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "Hehehe." ]
[ .....]
『 Ivankov was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
He shouted to everyone, "Quickly carry Straw Hatboy to the ship! His current state is too dangerous in the open air!"
"As for Ace-boy, we must find a way to rescue him!"
He knew this task was extremely tricky!
Standing on the pirates' side was actually not of much use.
If a frontal breakthrough didn't work, they would have to find another way!
As he was racking his brain for a strategy, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his ankle.
"Iva-chan!" Luffy said weakly, "Iva-chan, do me one last favor, will you?"
Ivankov looked at Luffy in surprise.
Luffy's body was already in such a terrible state, yet he still had the strength to do this. It was clear how strong his determination was!
Not just Luffy, but the other pirates were the same.
Everyone was running toward Ace's direction.
"Commander Ace, we're almost there! We're coming to save you, Commander Ace!"
"You Marines, step aside if you know what's good for you!"
"Yes! If you don't want to die, get lost! We are going to rescue Commander Ace!"
Faced with these pirates, some Marines felt fear!
Several soldiers even trembled, quietly hiding aside.
Ace looked at his companions and said softly, "I really don't deserve you guys risking your lives for me like this! Why did you come to save me?"
Sengoku looked at Ace, his expression complex.
Although he and Ace had different stances, he did not dislike this person. Their opposition was purely due to the positions they held.
Below—
After knocking out several Marines, Jinbe said to Ace above, "Ace-kun, please hold on a bit longer! We will rescue you as quickly as possible!"
"Even if it costs us our old lives, we will save you!"
On the other side—
Several powerful captains gathered together. Even when encountering Marine Vice Admirals, they could not stop their steps.
"Don't worry, Ace! We will rescue you right away!"
"Wait for us, Ace!"
"Don't give up!"
"We still want to drink with you!"
Everyone's voices were resonant, all cheering Ace on, as if the ones truly fighting were not them, but Ace.
Looking at everything before him, Ace's eyes grew moist.
"I really am a strange person! Everyone is risking their lives for me, yet I feel so happy! Only at this moment have I found the meaning of my life, but all of this has come too late! No matter what, I want to live! For them!"
A tear fell from the execution platform, landing right on Garp's shoulder.
A smile appeared on the corner of Garp's mouth.
He suddenly realized that every step he had taken with Ace was the best choice!
He was not wrong!
If he had changed his approach back then, today's Ace would not exist!
"Don't say such disheartening words, talking about a last request!"
Ivankov sighed helplessly, even feeling a bit angry.
"Please… help me…"
Luffy's voice was so weak it was almost inaudible.
He could only say this sentence over and over again.
"Please, Iva!"
Ivankov gradually understood Luffy's meaning. His voice was low, and his eyes were filled with worry: "Are you really going to do this?"
"Yeah!" Luffy's remaining consciousness grew weaker and weaker, but his grip on Ivankov's hand grew tighter and tighter! 』
『 .....』