At the same time that Kaido's descent shook the Kate Kingdom, Marine Headquarters had already received the news.
"Is that so? Alright, I'll send reinforcements immediately," Fleet Admiral Kong said, nodding at the Den Den Mushi in front of him.
"Be quick. Dealing with pirates is your duty, isn't it? If the King dies, we'll refuse to pay the Heavenly Tribute for the next twenty years."
The voice on the other end was cold before the line cut.
It was the First Prince of Kate, speaking with the authority of a great nation.
"Can we really rely on the Marines to arrive in time?" the Second Prince, Belinda, asked. His eyes betrayed distrust. The Third Prince, Lemor, wore the same expression.
"Don't worry," Sabure, the First Prince, said confidently. "They'll come. If the Tribute is lost, the World Government won't stay silent and the Marines' own budget will pay the price."
Back at Headquarters, Kong's jaw clenched. He stared at the silent Den Den Mushi, fists trembling with suppressed fury. The First Prince had cornered him.
"It's better to send someone right away. If the King truly dies, the burden will fall on us," Tsuru said calmly, analyzing as always.
Kong sighed and rubbed his temples. "Damn Kaido… stirring up trouble for me for no reason." He turned to her. "Who's closest to the Kingdom of Kate right now?"
"Garp," Tsuru replied without hesitation. "If he goes full speed, he can be there in an hour."
"Then send word. Tell him to put aside whatever he's doing and head there immediately," Kong ordered.
He trusted Garp's strength against Kaido.
Tsuru nodded and departed.
Out on the seas of the New World, Vice Admiral Garp was already hurling iron balls the size of houses at the Oro Jackson.
"Roger! You won't escape this time!" Garp roared, his fists gleaming with Armament Haki as he threw iron ball after iron ball with superhuman speed.
"Hahahaha! It's been twenty years and you still haven't caught me!" Gol D. Roger drew his blade, his grin as sharp as ever. With a single swing, he batted one aside into the sea.
But more rained down like meteors, fiery trails blazing across the sky.
On deck, a short boy with a round red nose screamed, "We're finished! We're gonna die!" Buggy flailed in panic, darting across the ship.
"Hey! Buggy, calm down!" A red-haired youth grabbed him by the collar. "Trust the Captain, we'll be fine!" Shanks' voice was steady, though his trembling legs betrayed him.
Buggy burst out laughing. "Shanks, you liar! Your knees are shaking worse than mine!"
"They're not! You're seeing things!" Shanks snapped, face red.
"You can't fool me!" Buggy cackled, their bickering cutting through the tension like sunlight through storm clouds.
Rayleigh, glasses glinting, chuckled. "They've got energy, at least." His smile faded as he looked skyward. "But if Garp thinks he can crush us with this… he's dreaming."
"Let's move! Don't let those iron balls touch the ship!" Rayleigh barked, commanding with the ease of habit.
The Roger Pirates sprang into action, deflecting one after another with raw strength, blades, and abilities. Still, Garp wasn't finished.
The boxes of iron balls emptied. His hand reached for another, only to grasp air.
"All used up, Vice Admiral!" a Marine officer reported.
"Then bring out the other one," Garp said.
The officer's eyes widened. "Are you sure? If it's mishandled, the warship itself might sink..."
"Hahaha! Don't worry. I'll control my strength," Garp boomed.
"Clear the deck!" the officer shouted. "Vice Admiral Garp is using the Juggernaut!"
The Marines scrambled as the mechanism clanked open, revealing what was hidden beneath the warship: a titanic iron sphere, nearly the size of the ship itself, bound by a thick iron chain.
Even veteran Marines hissed in awe.
Garp seized the chain, veins bulging as he lifted the monstrous weapon over his head.
"Roger!" he roared, laughter echoing over the waves. "This is a gift I prepared just for you!"
From the Oro Jackson, eyes went wide. Buggy shrieked, Shanks paled, and even Rayleigh's breath hitched.
"That thing… it'll crush us!"
Roger only grinned. "Then let's deflect it together! Divine Departure!"
His sword flashed, striking the Juggernaut's left flank. The helmsman turned the wheel instantly, angling the ship to the left. Crewmen followed up in perfect sync, their combined power forcing the colossal ball to veer.
The ocean split with the impact. The Juggernaut slammed into the sea beside the Oro Jackson, throwing up a hundred-meter wave.
The ship's right keel snapped with a deafening crack, seawater rushing in.
"Hold on tight!" Roger shouted, but the tidal wave crashed over them before the words were finished.
The Oro Jackson groaned under the strain, but it endured.
On Garp's deck, a Marine shouted, "Vice Admiral! The Roger Pirates' ship is badly damaged and taking on water! We should press the attack!"
"Of course! But first, recover my Juggernaut," Garp laughed.
On the battered Oro Jackson, Rayleigh looked around. "Everyone still breathing?"
"Fine," Roger said, dragging two unconscious figures, Buggy and Shanks, by the scruff of their necks. "These two fainted, though."
He waved his crew forward. "Patch the leaks, get her steady, we're not finished yet!"
Then a Marine ran to Garp with a Den Den Mushi.
"Vice Admiral, urgent call from Headquarters!"
Garp answered, and Tsuru's face appeared in the snail's features.
"Put Roger aside. Kaido has attacked the Kingdom of Kate. If the King dies, they'll refuse Tribute for twenty years. You know what that means."
Even Garp's carefree expression faltered. He knew what losing that much Tribute would cost the Marines.
"Alright, I'll head there right away," he said, hanging up.
But then he turned to his men with a grin. "Continue chasing the Roger Pirates!"
"Vice Admiral, what about the mission from Headquarters?"
"Hahaha! We'll handle both at once! Drive Roger straight to Pet Island. We'll take him down and stop Kaido in one swoop. I'm brilliant!"
On the Oro Jackson, Rayleigh noticed the pattern immediately. "Roger, they're herding us. Every time we try to turn, they box us in with cannon fire."
Roger asked the navigator, "What's straight ahead?"
The man checked the Eternal Pose. "Pet Island."
Roger burst out laughing. "Then let's go! Full speed ahead...we'll rest and repair there!"
The Roger Pirates roared in reply, their battered ship cutting through the waves toward an island already engulfed in chaos.
And thus, a third force drew closer to the battlefield.