Colonel Ryan had a good habit—an afternoon nap lasting about half an hour.During that time, no one was allowed near his office.
Having spent five days scouring every corner of the 16th Branch, Ren knew this rule well.After eavesdropping on a transmission from Marine Headquarters through the Black Den Den Mushi, he slipped into the office under Invisibility Potion, which led to the earlier scene.
However—
Colonel Ryan clearly had no idea that Ren was so familiar with the 16th Branch's routines.The Marine Ren impersonated gave his "report" with cold, clipped words.
Prompted by the warning from Fragment Blade, Ryan didn't dare slow his writing to buy time or fill the report with useless details.
As the Den Den Mushi's fax machine whirred, the sins of the 16th Branch were transmitted page after page to Marine Headquarters' communication room.
The liaison officer in charge of the 16th Branch stared blankly at the endless stream of papers before finally slamming the alarm button.
But no matter how fast Headquarters reacted, there was no way they could intervene across tens of millions of kilometers in time.
"Faster. Slow down again, and I'll slice off a piece of you."
Ren urged lightly, smiling as Colonel Ryan tightened the noose around his own neck.
Of course—
The enemy wouldn't meekly await execution.Ren knew that much.But Ryan's response was… unexpected.
The nap time hadn't even ended before the office door burst open with frantic shouts.
"Colonel Ryan! Vice Admiral Garp just arrived at the port with his men—they demand we receive him immediately!"
Garp?!
Both Ren and Ryan froze—neither had anticipated this turn of events.
Ren thought Ryan had sent a distress report to Headquarters, triggering full alert for the 16th Branch—and indeed, that's exactly what Ryan had done.
But Garp's arrival? No one had foreseen that.
Ryan's first thought was of Smoker, the man who'd survived the Arlong Incident and had repeatedly tried to reopen the case—only to be silenced by internal Marine forces.
Now, Garp's appearance couldn't possibly be simple.
Yet for the cornered Ryan, it was a chance.
"Spare me, and I'll help you!" He bit his lip, glaring at Ren. "Vice Admiral Garp is a Marine hero—nearly the equal of that red-haired Yonko! If you kill us, there's no way you'll escape!"
Ren chuckled."You're clever—trying to use Garp's presence to slip out of my grasp and turn the tables later, right?"
Ryan's face twisted, his voice trembling. "So what? You could hold me hostage! Even if I'm found later, it's better than dying now! Like you said—better to die late than early!"
"Wrong."
Ren shook his head, flicking a finger.
With a thought, Fragment Blade shot forward, piercing Ryan's throat.As blood welled up, Ren mocked softly, "I have options. You don't."
The metallic scent of blood filled the air.The Marines outside sensed something was wrong—no shouting, no fighting sounds.Instead of charging in, they turned and fled.
A moment later, the bloodied Fragment Blade curved through the air and blasted through the office door. A thud followed—the fleeing Marine collapsed lifeless on the spot.
"So Garp's here, huh? Seems the Marines have noticed the rot in the 16th Branch—or maybe it's just coincidence."
Ren's eyes glimmered thoughtfully as he retrieved five Mana Crystals from the Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum.
After all, escaping from Garp would take real skill.There was no need for a direct fight—Ren wasn't that overconfident. His mission was complete. All that remained… was the cleanup.
"To slaughter every last one of these vermin."
Thunderstorm – Charge!
Three brilliant magic circles unfurled in concentric rings—beneath his feet, around his waist, and above his head.The five Mana Crystals crumbled into powder, pouring volatile energy into the circles.
The runes blazed with light, glowing brighter and brighter until all three magic arrays pulsed in perfect synchronization.
Thunderstorm – Charge complete!
"Thus it begins… and thus it ends. A fitting cycle."
Ren lifted his gaze toward the window. Dark clouds gathered with unnatural speed, blotting out the sun—as if the heavens themselves had frowned in anger. Day turned to storm.
Magic surged through the sky, the energy snowballing, dragging the weather into violent chaos.Winds howled across the sea, waves roared, and icy rain began to fall.
BOOM—!A blinding white serpent of lightning split the sky, the crack of thunder announcing a divine calamity.
The cold wind and rain lashed through the windows, mingled with the shouts of panicked Marines.
Sirens wailed, and the drizzle turned into a torrential downpour.
Through the veil of rain—a burly man wearing a dog-head hat vanished from his warship,reappearing inside the 16th Branch.
He saw the chaos.And the carnage descending from above.
Before Garp arrived, Ren had already begun his final purge.
He knew he couldn't defeat the Marine hero—he couldn't even withstand two blows. But so what?
He'd retreat when needed, but he would never let anyone stand between him and what had to be done.
Some things must be done—no matter the cost.
The Replica · Cursed Blade Thousand Edge shattered into 688 fragments, which coalesced into twelve hiltless blades swirling around him like spectral dragons.
It wasn't that Ren didn't want to mimic A-Seven's technique—his limit was twelve blades, no more. Beyond that, control failed.
The ghostly blue blades streaked through the corridors, slicing throats, severing heads, piercing hearts and organs—every enemy Ren saw was executed in the blink of an eye.
A golden silhouette darted through the halls like a storm, leaving only crimson spray across the windows.
Gunfire, screams, and silence followed—until only blood-painted corridors remained.
Within mere minutes, Ren became a painter, methodically coloring every hallway in scarlet.How many Marines died? He didn't know. But every one of them deserved it.
When the slaughter finally subsided, Ren stood at the entrance of the 16th Branch's main building.Across from him loomed a tall figure—a white-haired veteran wearing a dog-head hat and a Justice coat, standing in the rain.
Lightning flashed—revealing the pain in Garp's eyes.
"Why… are you still alive?" He glared at Ren, fury shaking his voice. "Why did you kill so many Marines? Did all of them share the crimes of Captain Nezumi?!"
Ren smiled faintly. "Oh, you know? Interesting."
Light burst from him again. Darkness gave birth to brilliance—his armor formed from flowing light,and golden wings spread wide from his back.
At the same time, streams of violet Qi ran along his bones, erupting behind him as vaporous purple wings.
Flying Bird Gate Technique – Phantom Wing Flight.
He had only just opened the required acupoints—barely mastering the most basic form—but it gave him flight.
And under a storm like this, the Riptide and Phantom Wing Flight effects stacked, boosting his speed even higher.
It also changed his appearance—the golden armor fused with the spectral wings, turning them into another pair of radiant feathers. Two pairs of wings crossed in an X behind him—a fallen four-winged angel.
Even Garp paused at the sight.
"You should know," Ren said coldly, "there are no innocents here. Captain Nezumi was a rat. The 16th Branch is a nest of rats.The ones feeding off human suffering—how can they be called innocent?"
From the Four-Dimensional Chrysanthemum, Ren drew a beaded talisman and held it calmly. "Don't joke with me. The only innocents here are carved on the tombstones these vermin built."
His voice sharpened like thunder. "A nest of rats—every one deserves death!"
Phantom Wing Flight!
Ren's golden wings flared, lifting him into the air. The twelve Fragment Blades tore through the rain, slashing toward Garp from every direction. Among them hid a glinting Ender Pearl, curving silently through the storm.
But—by the time the blades converged, Garp was gone.
A deafening roar shattered the air—the sheer pressure froze the downpour mid-fall.
Even Ren's Sharingan caught only fragments of the motion—a single, massive black fist filling his vision.
BOOM!
The ground exploded into a crater several meters deep.Ren's body screamed under the blow; even the Angel Armor's crystalline cores shattered one by one, barely saving his life.
He knew—Garp hadn't even used full strength.
The old hero grabbed Ren's face, pressed down, and drove his legs forward.Like a war chariot, Garp rammed him straight through the building, carving a burning trench that seemed endless.
After dragging Ren hundreds of meters, Garp raised a fist. "Any last words?"
Ren grinned."I do—goodbye!"
Snap!
A faint crack echoed. Ren vanished from Garp's grasp—reappearing at the very spot Garp had first arrived.
Didn't see that coming, huh? .jpg.
Without hesitation, ignoring the exposed bones on his back, Ren flapped his four wings and shot into the sky.
BOOM!
Another punch ripped through the 16th Branch's building. White-haired Garp soared after him—but what greeted him was a colossal waterfall crashing from the heavens.
Swallowing Rivers and Flooding Lakes!
Hundreds of thousands of tons of seawater descended, slamming into Garp like a divine palm.
Even as his second punch tore through the deluge, it couldn't fully stop the flood engulfing the land.
Garp's furious roar echoed through the storm,while Ren's presence faded—his four wings carrying him far into the dark horizon.
BOOM—!
The 16th Branch's main building collapsed with a thunderous crash. Newly arrived Marines screamed in terror, crushed beneath falling debris.
Garp halted his pursuit.With a sigh, he appeared amidst the ruins—one punch splitting what remained of the structure.
Standing atop the wreckage, rain streaming down his face, the old hero looked at the frightened Marines.He suddenly understood—to them, he was the monster.
They feared him more than the storm.
Ren's regeneration proved extraordinary. After fleeing the island, he landed on an uninhabited rock isle. Within a few hours' rest, most of his injuries had healed.
The Breathing Recovery ability was terrifying.He'd thought his spine shattered, yet his body had already repaired itself.
"Got greedy," he muttered, lying on a boulder. "If I'd used my last Totem of Undying, escaping Garp wouldn't have been this rough."
Then he laughed softly.If he'd done that, luck's balance would've shifted again.
Sometimes, pain wasn't so bad—it just hurt like hell.
He quieted his thoughts and set off once more.
After a full day of travel—far beyond any range of Black Den Den Mushi interception—Ren pulled out his Communication Den Den Mushi Wristwatch from the Chrysanthemum's spaceand dialed a number he hadn't called in six days.
Buru~ Buru~
Across the sea—Nami stood on a captured pirate ship, one foot on the head of the beaten captain.Just as she opened her mouth, the ship's "valley" began to tremble.
Buru~ Buru~
Her pupils shrank. Hands trembling, she reached into her deep cleavage and drew out a small Communication Wristwatch.
Beside her, Nojiko froze mid-motion, and Zoro, holding a bottle of wine, turned at once.Their eyes locked on Nami's hand.
"…"
Nami said nothing, but her breathing quickened.Her eyes shimmered with sudden light—hope.
"Answer it," Zoro said simply.
The line connected.
A familiar voice spoke.
"I'm Ren.
Need my crewmates to pick me up at Aien Island.
That's all."
(End of Chapter)