(Note: The content shown in this chapter does not represent the characters' true power levels. It exists purely for the sake of the plot. This is similar to the original scene where Axe-Hand Morgan injured Garp, and should not be used as any kind of reference for comparing strength. Please ignore power-scaling logic while reading and avoid debating who is stronger or weaker.)
Garp's iron fist came smashing toward Cain with fierce wind pressure, and Cain's Observation Haki gave him a violent warning.
But he had long since gotten used to this nonsense.
Assuming he was still trapped in a dream he had not woken from, he simply squeezed his eyes shut.
The next second, with a dull thud, his head was punched straight into the ground.
Pain spread through him immediately.
Only then did Cain realize—
Oh.
So this wasn't a dream!
While his head was still buried in the dirt and his mind was spinning from the impact, a wave of noisy voices reached his ears.
"Cain's here! As long as we catch this brat, Uta will be safe!"
"But what about that old man? We can't just force our way through, can we?"
"That's not our problem. Leave the old man to the boss. First, take Cain down… Move!"
Cain pulled his head slightly out of the pit, keeping himself upside down with his head pointed at the ground and his legs spread apart.
Through the gap between his own legs, he looked backward at the crowd charging toward him, and at Red-Haired Shanks behind them.
For a moment, he froze completely.
'What the hell? Why are the Red Hair Pirates here? And why are they coming for me? …No, wait. I definitely drank too much and still haven't woken up.'
Thinking that, Cain buried his head even deeper into the soil.
"I told you not to make a huge scene! You all usually behave yourselves, so why are you so impulsive at a time like this?!"
After handing the badly injured Morgans over to Hongo for treatment, Shanks suddenly increased his speed, overtook his own crew, and charged straight toward Cain, trying to stop this unnecessary conflict.
But Garp had just finished throwing a punch.
When he turned his head, he saw Shanks rushing straight in with his sword drawn.
Combining that with what the crew had just said, and with Shanks' current movements, Garp's gaze instantly became stern.
He clenched his fist and shouted, "FINALLY COULDN'T HOLD BACK, HUH? YOU'RE MAKING A MOVE ON MY GRANDSON NOW?"
Wasn't it just that his grandson had run off with the other man's daughter?
Did Shanks really have to be in such a hurry to attack?
Garp said nothing more.
His iron fist, carrying a fierce gust of wind, smashed straight toward Shanks.
Facing that rapidly approaching punch, Shanks knew very well how powerful it was.
While moving his head continuously to dodge, he activated Observation Killing, sealing off Garp's Observation Haki as he quickly evaded the punches crashing toward him one after another.
"Garp-san, listen to me! Now is not the time for conflict!"
"Hah. What's there to explain? You're the one who brought people charging at my grandson first!"
Realizing that Observation Haki was no longer working, Garp simply stopped using it.
After all, he had never relied on Observation Haki much in the first place. Most of the time, he attacked directly with his pair of iron fists.
At this moment, his fist wind howled once more, swinging toward Shanks with tremendous force.
Shanks hurriedly dodged, but his Observation Haki suddenly gave him a strong warning.
He quickly retreated, but he was still one step too slow. His ankle was instantly seized by Garp.
Immediately afterward, Garp's other hand reached toward the top of his head.
Shanks had no desire to fight right now and urgently shouted,
"GARP-SAN! LET GO!"
"I refuse! Roger watched you grow up, so how did you fail to learn anything good and pick up a whole pile of bad habits instead? Is there any need to be this eager to attack my grandson? If Uta finds out, that child will definitely resent you as her father!"
"No! I'm telling you to look at the sky!"
Hearing that, Garp subconsciously raised his head.
Even though he was not using Observation Haki at this moment, his long-developed battle instincts still allowed him to sense that something strange had appeared overhead.
A huge azure dragon in a drunken state, flying unsteadily, was plummeting straight toward them!
Its mouth continuously spat scorching breath upward, accelerating itself like the Sunny's Coup de Burst.
Using the recoil to speed up its descent, it fell extremely fast, almost in the blink of an eye.
Boom!
A massive crash erupted.
The enormous dragon body slammed heavily into the ground, crushing Cain in the dirt, Garp, and Shanks, whose ankle was still being held, all beneath it.
…
"Fuck! So it really wasn't a dream!"
Cain braced one hand against the ground and pushed Kaido's enormous tail away from beside him.
Before he even had time to catch his breath, the Red Hair Pirates, who had avoided the impact of Kaido's fall nearby, rushed toward him all at once.
That clear hostility made Cain break out in a cold sweat.
Although he still had no idea what was going on, the current situation obviously gave him only one choice.
Run.
As for why he did not fight?
Because they were all acquaintances. If they really fought, things would get horribly awkward.
"Why are you chasing me?!"
"Brat, stop right there! Don't you know exactly why we're chasing you, bastard?!"
"Why bother explaining? Catch the kid first!"
"At least explain it properly! I don't have any damn cough syrup!"
Cain looked utterly speechless as he ran for his life.
But the Red Hair Pirates behind him showed no intention of explaining anything. If anything, they took Cain's reaction as deliberate bragging.
After being chased across nearly half the island, the group happened to crash into Big Mom on the other side.
At this moment, Jinbe was fighting alongside Oven and the others against Big Mom and the three Homies.
Not far from their battlefield, Law and Katakuri had calmly exchanged information.
After releasing Brûlée, they used a mirror created by her to free Uta.
Seeing Uta escape, hearing her explanation, and confirming the truth, everyone understood that both sides had been trying to protect Uta.
The misunderstanding was finally cleared up.
After that, Law was about to leave. Time was urgent, and Bege's injuries were serious. He had to be treated immediately.
Katakuri thought of Chiffon's pained expression at the time and eventually nodded, agreeing to let Law leave first.
However, Katakuri did not intend to let the matter of Law kidnapping his sister end there.
He made it very clear to Law that once the current chaos was over, he would personally come to settle the kidnapping incident.
Law also solemnly stated that once everything had settled down, he would be ready anytime.
However, Law still wanted to take Uta with him, only for Uta to refuse.
She wanted to stay and help Katakuri deal with Big Mom because she had a way to resolve it.
Uta explained,
"When I learned that the cake couldn't be finished in a short time, I already thought of a solution. As long as I have a sample of the pastry, I can create a giant cake with the same flavor and calm your mother's current mood."
In truth, if it was just a matter of making a cake, Uta's ability could absolutely do it.
But she did not know the exact taste of Fish-Man Island's pastry. Even if she created a cake, she would not be able to reproduce the correct flavor.
She had to taste it first.
Uta had already realized this earlier, but because Brûlée needed to release the residents inside the Mirro-World, and because she saw how busy Brûlée was, she had not spoken up.
After all the residents had left, however, Brûlée had also escaped outside and turned the communication mirror into an ordinary mirror, giving Uta no chance to explain.
Hearing Uta's explanation, embarrassment flashed through Brûlée's eyes.
Still, at least they had finally seen a ray of hope, right?
Law, however, was different. He still wanted to persuade Uta to leave.
After all, he could not feel at ease leaving Uta alone here. At the very least, they had to find Cain first before deciding whether to help.
And then…
He saw Cain rushing toward them, followed by a huge crowd of Red Hair Pirates chasing behind him.