Dragon's face darkened, unable to understand why Garp would stop him.
In the distance, Teach wiped the corner of his mouth and burst into laughter. "Zehahaha! I never thought I would see the day I returned to the human world."
His head tilted downward as his gaze locked onto Lloyd below, a savage glint flashing across his eyes.
"Anyway, I have already died once. Now, I will have my revenge."
The moment his words fell, he opened his mouth wide and dove straight toward Lloyd. However, before he could even reach him, an iron fist coated in Armament Haki smashed directly into his face.
Bang!
A deafening roar echoed as Teach was sent flying backward. When he finally steadied himself, a large portion of his face had caved inward. He spat out a mass of white gas, his expression twisted with fury as he glared at Garp in the distance.
"Garp, at Whole Cake Island, I saw it with my own eyes. Your son Dragon was killed by the Celestial Dragons. You know this. Yet instead of going after them, you come after me? Have you gone senile?"
Garp simply clenched his fist, his expression unmoved as he spoke in a low, steady voice.
"This old man is a Navy, whether alive or dead."
Dragon's gaze turned complicated as he looked at Garp. His fists trembled uncontrollably.
From above, Joy Boy had been silently observing everything. Seeing that internal conflict was about to erupt, his eyes narrowed slightly. He removed the straw hat from his head and swung it downward.
Several streaks of white light burst forth, instantly enveloping Garp and Rocks.
The light arrived too quickly. Even with their powerful Observation Haki, neither of them could react in time.
When the light struck, both men's pupils shrank. Their Haki surged violently, lightning crackling across their bodies as they tried to resist the strange force. Yet no matter how they struggled, they could not dispel it.
The light slowly condensed, forming a miniature white straw hat that sank into the space between their brows.
In the next instant, the sharp clarity in their eyes vanished. Their expressions became hollow as they lowered their arms, standing motionless like puppets awaiting orders.
Dragon's expression changed drastically.
"Father!?"
He raised his head sharply, his gaze filled with disbelief as it locked onto Joy Boy.
Joy Boy let out a quiet sigh, his expression carrying a trace of helplessness.
"Dragon, your father has been deeply poisoned by the Navy's so called justice. If I do not take control of him like this, he will stand against us."
A faint white glow flickered in Joy Boy's eyes. Instantly, Garp and Rocks moved in unison, diving toward the battlefield below.
Dragon stood there, his imposing presence unmoving, yet his eyes remained wide as he watched his father being controlled like a puppet.
At this moment, his obsession with defeating Lloyd and overthrowing the World Government overwhelmed everything else. As for Garp, he could only endure this for now.
Without hesitation, Dragon turned into a raging current of wind and shot toward the battlefield, following closely behind Garp and Rocks.
In truth, Joy Boy did not favor this method. Only when Garp and Rocks fought of their own will could they unleash their full power. After all, no one understood their own strength better than themselves.
Below, the Admirals led by Akainu had already engaged Roger in battle.
Facing four Admirals at once, Roger's situation was extremely dangerous.
It must be known that his current strength was already weaker than when he had fought Lloyd in the past. Against Akainu and the others, all at their peak, simply holding on was already a remarkable feat.
From a distance, Ace watched anxiously. His Pirate King father was fighting like a raging storm, yet he could not find any opportunity to intervene.
The battlefield was filled with overwhelming elemental attacks and terrifying Haki fluctuations. Even approaching was nearly impossible. This level of combat far exceeded anything a rookie pirate like him could handle.
Fortunately, just as Roger was reaching his limits, Garp, Rocks, and Dragon arrived one after another, joining the battle.
Without Garp standing in his way, Teach also rushed in.
In an instant, the situation shifted from one against four to five against four.
Despite losing their numerical advantage, Akainu and the others remained composed.
Aokiji intercepted Garp.
Kizaru engaged Teach.
Aramaki clashed with Dragon.
As for Rocks and Roger, Akainu had initially intended to take them both on alone. However, at that moment, Lucia descended onto the battlefield.
In her awakened Fallen Angel form, she resembled a purple Valkyrie, sword in hand, directly confronting Rocks, who was under Joy Boy's control.
With Lucia holding Rocks back, Akainu could focus entirely on Roger.
For once, excitement surged within Akainu's heart.
Back then, before he had reached his peak, he had been completely suppressed by Roger, who wielded the power of the Nika Fruit. The memory of being overpowered remained like a thorn lodged deep in his chest.
Now, everything was different.
This time, he would erase that humiliation and crush the sinful Pirate King Roger completely.
With killing intent surging, Akainu launched a devastating attack.
"Hell Hound!"
The blazing magma attack roared forward, so powerful that it instantly reduced the figure of Ace, created by Roger's Nika ability, into a cloud of white gas.
Roger had no choice but to reinforce himself with Haki, raising his fist to block the remaining force of the attack.
Reforming Ace required time.
Now weaponless, Roger was forced into close combat against Akainu, whose entire body radiated scorching magma.
As the battle continued, Roger felt both shock and bitterness.
Akainu's strength had grown far beyond what it once was.
Yet in Roger's eyes, Lloyd had always been his true opponent.
And now, it seemed he would not even have the chance to face him.
High above, Joy Boy observed Roger's predicament. His gaze then shifted toward Ace, who stood in the distance, filled with anxiety.
A thought crossed his mind.
Once again, he swung the straw hat.
A streak of white light shot toward Ace.
This time, Joy Boy had no intention of controlling him. Ace's strength was far too insignificant for that.
Rather than letting him remain a useless observer, it was better to draw out his value.
Ace had no time to react.
Under the influence of the white light, his body twisted and disintegrated, reshaping itself until it became the form of a sword.
The moment the transformation was complete, the blade shot toward Roger like a streak of light.
Sensing something, Roger instinctively reached out and caught it.
The instant his hand grasped the sword, a powerful sense of blood connection surged through him.
The blade trembled slightly.
Though his body had become a weapon, Ace's consciousness remained intact. His voice resonated from within the sword.
"Father... this time, let me fight alongside you."