Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Garp Confronting the Roger Pirates
"Rayleigh, have we finished coating the ship's anchor?"
"How could it be done so quickly? If it weren't for you, Roger, dragging me to that auction, we'd probably be done by now!"
"Come on, why bother doing it yourself? Can't we just leave it to the workers?"
"Idiot, this is a life-or-death matter! How could I trust those guys with something so important?"
"Now we're in trouble... those people really are causing chaos!"
"Before we left, I definitely sensed something disappear. It wouldn't surprise me if a Celestial Dragon has already been killed!"
"Tsk tsk, I heard that even just offending a Celestial Dragon brings out the Marine Admirals. If one actually dies, the Marines will go crazy!"
"Enough talking, let's leave the New World for later... Getting off Sabaody Archipelago is our top priority!"
"Exactly, I don't want to get dragged into this mess for no reason. The Marines alone are troublesome enough... and if the CPO shows up, we're finished!"
At a quiet coating dock on Island 53, a pirate ship with nearly completed coating work hoisted its sails, ready to leave the island. The black pirate flag, emblazoned with a skull and two curled mustaches on either side, waved prominently in the wind. It was unmistakably the ship of the Roger Pirates.
Roger and his crew had returned to the ship from Island 1, fully aware that the attack on the Celestial Dragons would soon stir up a massive storm across the island. They were urgently gathering all their crew members to set sail.
"Roger—!"
A tall figure charged forward, cutting through the air with incredible speed, racing toward the pirate ship that was about to depart. "I knew you'd be here! You're not getting away!!!"
Clang!
A flash of steel followed by the loud clash of metal echoed. Roger reacted swiftly, leaping to the shore and drawing his sword to block the incoming blow. His blade collided with a Haki-coated fist that struck with the force of iron.
"Hmph…"
The collision between the two sent shockwaves across the area, causing the sea to churn and the sails of the pirate ship to shake violently.
"Heh, Garp…"
Roger's eyes narrowed as he locked onto the muscular, scarred, black-haired young man before him. "Can't you stop causing trouble? This isn't the time for a reunion!"
"This guy…"
"Isn't that Rear Admiral Monkey D. Garp from Marine Headquarters?"
"Why do we keep running into this guy no matter where we go?"
"He's relentless, like a bloodhound with a keen nose!"
The Roger Pirates exchanged serious glances, mixed with a bit of exasperation. They were all too familiar with Garp, having clashed with him multiple times. He was an exceptionally skilled and troublesome opponent.
"Garp, if you think you can stop us on your own, I'm afraid you're outmatched…"
Rayleigh, smiling, stepped forward with his sword drawn, its sharp edge glinting in the light as he pointed it directly at Garp, who was facing off against Roger.
Though pirates might pride themselves on fair fights, this wasn't the time to uphold such ideals. If they delayed any longer, a Marine Admiral would soon arrive.
"Heh, Garp…"
"Why did you rush ahead?" Two more figures appeared, catching up to Garp. One was a beautiful, imposing woman with a ponytail, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. The other was a brawny, square-jawed man with an afro, around the same age as Garp.
The three were none other than the famous Marine trio: Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru, who had risen through the ranks together and were now regarded as the brightest stars of the Navy's new generation.
"Huh?"
Sengoku's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the crew before him. "Roger Pirates?"
"You guys are really here?" Tsuru, hands on her hips, raised an eyebrow. "I thought Garp had just run off on some wild chase again!"
"The Buddha Sengoku and Strategist Tsuru…"
"These are some serious opponents!" Rayleigh and Gaban, the third-in-command, exchanged glances and stepped forward to confront Sengoku and Tsuru.
"Heh, Roger's here. I can smell him a mile away…"
Garp grinned, his fists clenched tight, crackling with black Haki. His fiery gaze was locked onto Roger. "Roger, you're not getting away this time! Surrender, and I won't let you escape again!"
"That's not happening, Garp…"
Roger's grin never faltered as he lifted his sword, fearless. "My dream is to sail around the world on the greatest adventure of all! I won't stop here!"
"That's impossible…" Tsuru folded her arms, her voice firm. "Your crew has already tried, hasn't it? All the Log Poses stop working once you reach Lodestar Island in the second half of the New World. There's no other way forward."
"For hundreds of years, no one has completed a full circumnavigation of the world... It's just a myth," Sengoku added, his sharp gaze fixed on Rayleigh.
"It's only a challenge if it's something nobody else can achieve!" Roger laughed. "But you Marines have bigger issues to worry about right now, don't you? Shouldn't you be more concerned with saving your precious Celestial Dragons?"
Roger Pirates' third-in-command, Scopper Gaban, chimed in seriously. "Garp, Sengoku, Tsuru... Instead of trying to stop us, you might want to focus on rescuing the Celestial Dragons. Otherwise, your Fleet Admiral William will have a hard time explaining things."
"What do those vile Celestial Dragons being attacked have to do with us?" Garp scoffed, puffing out his chest defiantly. "I'm on vacation. I didn't hear anything, and I didn't see anything... If someone else wants to deal with it, they can! Besides, I'm busy capturing you, Roger!"
Garp had no love for the Celestial Dragons, having witnessed their arrogant, oppressive behavior. The thought of helping them disgusted him. If it weren't for his sense of justice and desire to take down pirates, he would have quit the Marines long ago.
Sengoku remained silent, feeling the weight of the situation. He had come to drag Garp back, ready to deal with the situation at hand. While Garp had no ambition, Sengoku had dreams of becoming Fleet Admiral one day and changing the system from within.
Brrr~ Brrr~
Just then, Tsuru's Den Den Mushi rang. She pulled it out and answered, "Moshi moshi, this is Tsuru."
"Rear Admiral Tsuru, are you with Rear Admiral Sengoku and Rear Admiral Garp?"
"Yes, we've found the Roger Pirates and are in pursuit," she replied, eyeing the pirates before her.
Sengoku's eyes twitched, and Garp raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss.
"You should have received the news by now. The Celestial Dragons were attacked, and Fleet Admiral William has ordered that your leave is canceled. You're to head to Island 1 immediately and rescue the Celestial Dragons at all costs. The criminals must not escape."
The voice of a young ensign came through the Den Den Mushi, relaying the orders. "Until Admiral Hark arrives with the fleet, Rear Admiral Sengoku is in charge of the Marines on Sabaody Archipelago."
"As for the Roger Pirates, ignore them for now. Your priority is the Celestial Dragons! That is all!"
Click.
"Hahaha!!"
The Roger Pirates burst into laughter, clearly amused by the situation.
They grinned at Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru.
"You wanted to capture us, didn't you? Go ahead, disobey your orders and try it!"
Garp: "..."
Sengoku: "..."
~~~
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Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Linlin and the others vs Marines
"Don't let these criminals escape!"
"Make sure the Celestial Dragons are safe!"
Outside the auction house on Island 1, a large group of heavily armed Marines had completely surrounded the area in multiple layers. Rear Admiral Mace, the commanding officer of the Sabaody Archipelago Naval Base, noticed that when Linlin, Rock, Nef, and the others emerged, the Celestial Dragons were nowhere to be found.
"Damn criminals! Do you know what kind of severe crime it is to offend the descendants of the creators?" Rear Admiral Mace, his eyes burning with rage, glared at Linlin and shouted, "Where are the Celestial Dragons? What have you done to them?"
He couldn't believe what was happening. He had been sitting peacefully in his office, drinking tea, when disaster struck. Not only had the Celestial Dragons been attacked, but there were even reports that one of them had been killed.
For Mace, it was as if the sky had fallen. The Celestial Dragons had been harmed right under the Navy's nose, and as the head of the naval base in Sabaody, he knew he would be held responsible. He feared being made the scapegoat and was desperate to at least save the remaining Celestial Dragons to mitigate the consequences and protect his family from being implicated.
"If you want to know what happened to the Celestial Dragons, why don't you go in and check for yourself?" Linlin smirked, taunting him. "Maybe, on a whim, I killed them all!"
Tall and imposing, with a horned hat and tight-fitting jeans, Linlin wore a floral shirt that accentuated her striking figure—completely different from the chubby appearance she once had.
"Damn it—"
"She's too bold!!"
"Open fire!!!"
'Bang... bang...'
Hearing Linlin's words, Rear Admiral Mace and the other Marines, seething with anger, aimed their weapons at her. The young girl before them, who seemed too large to be human and possibly a giant, had enraged them. If the Celestial Dragons were harmed or couldn't be rescued, the Navy stationed on Sabaody would pay the price.
Without hesitation, the Marines raised their guns and rocket launchers, aiming at the audacious criminals, and pulled the trigger.
'Clang!'
A bright flash of steel followed by the metallic sound of a sword being unsheathed echoed through the air. Linlin had drawn her large, curved sword from her waist, the blade gleaming in the light. Her weapon, Napoleon, forged by El, was undoubtedly among the finest blades, ranking high within the 21 Great Grade Swords.
"Well, since a battle's inevitable, it wouldn't hurt to kill some Marines and gather some blood for storage. I'm sure Gerd won't mind," Linlin smiled mischievously as she spoke.
'Slash... clang... boom...'
Laughing as she wielded Napoleon, Linlin took a few steps forward, completely unfazed by the bullets raining down on her. The projectiles ricocheted harmlessly off her body. Though she could easily deflect the cannon fire, she nonchalantly sliced through the shells with her sword to avoid being covered in soot.
"Linlin, don't get too excited…"
"Oars, hold back for now... leave these guys to us!"
"As long as they're alive, it's fine, right?" Nef, Rock, and Jien chuckled, effortlessly dodging the incoming bullets as they prepared to engage the Marines.
But Linlin refused to let them take over. "No way, you guys are too slow!"
Dodging a rocket with ease, Linlin declined their offer. After spending years with El, lying low and only occasionally hunting pirates, she was eager to use the Sabaody Archipelago as a stage to announce the Fallen Angel Pirates' grand entrance into the world. Her fighting instincts had long been suppressed and were now ready to burst out.
"Finger Pistol!"
Nef moved with lightning speed, instantly appearing in the midst of the Marines.
'Bam... bam...'
With a flick of her fingers, her strikes pierced through the soldiers' chests like bullets, leaving them screaming as they collapsed to the ground.
"Ada~ Ada~ Shadowless Kick!"
Rock, towering over four meters tall, lunged forward, his long legs blurring as he unleashed a barrage of kicks.
'Boom... boom...'
His powerful strikes sent Marines flying like ragdolls, unable to even fire their weapons before being knocked away.
"Fish-Man Karate: Water Shot!"
Jien, the Fishman, flicked his wrist, creating a small pool of water in his palm. He whipped it forward, and the water droplets turned into sharp projectiles, piercing through the Marines' bodies one after another. Screams echoed as they fell.
'Gasp—'
"What's happening?"
"These guys... they're monsters!"
"The bullets are bouncing off her!"
"Damn it, is she made of steel or something?"
"Is this some kind of strange Devil Fruit power?"
A Marine stared wide-eyed, unable to believe the sight before him. The girl, who resembled a small giant, didn't even flinch when faced with their barrage of bullets. While she dodged or sliced through the rockets and shells, the bullets seemed to have no effect. She stood there, completely unharmed.
"All units, follow me!" Rear Admiral Mace's eyes burned with determination and desperation. Without hesitation, he charged forward.
"These criminals have committed unforgivable crimes by offending the Celestial Dragons... Kill or capture, it doesn't matter!" he shouted, rushing at Linlin with his sword drawn, coated in Haki.
He knew that if it were only about offending the Celestial Dragons, he might get away with a demotion if his superiors were lenient. But with one of them murdered, he, as the commander of the Sabaody Archipelago base, would be held accountable. He believed that dying heroically in battle might be a better fate than living through the disgrace and punishment that would follow. At least his family would be spared.
"Die!" Mace roared, his foot hitting the ground as he charged at Linlin with incredible speed, his sword slicing through the air.
'Slash…'
But in an instant, a massive hand appeared out of nowhere, grabbing him entirely.
"Rear Admiral Mace!" The Marines' faces turned pale as they watched in disbelief. Their commander had been captured so easily.
"Aaah…"
'Crack… crack…' Mace's bones were being crushed under the pressure of Linlin's grip. His eyes bulged, and his face turned red as he looked at the towering figure of Linlin, who held him effortlessly. He screamed in pain as half of his blood was drained, and his body quickly aged and shriveled, becoming dry and frail—a horrifying sight.
"Linlin-sama, don't be so rash…" A voice called out from above. A thundercloud, Hera, descended from the sky, its face appearing in a human-like form. However, its eyes bore an unusual ripple pattern, different from Hera's usual appearance. The voice that came from it was not Hera's typical tone.
"Don't take too much of their life force, or their souls will weaken," the voice warned. As a result of the Soul-Soul Fruit's powers, souls were measured in terms of lifespan. If Linlin drained too much of their lifespan with her Vampire Zoan ability, the souls collected by the Soul-Soul Fruit would be greatly diminished, leading to significant losses.
"Ma-ma-ma-ma~ I almost forgot about you!" Linlin glanced at the unusual Hera, then returned the life force she had just drained back into Rear Admiral Mace. He reverted to his younger self, but his body remained skeletal, his skin sagging like a dried corpse after losing most of his blood. Linlin tossed him toward Hera, chuckling, "I'll leave the rest to you."
Before they had set off, Gerd had created a special soul clone, different from a typical Homie, using part of her own soul. This clone could temporarily inhabit Hera and inherit some of Gerd's abilities, allowing her to manipulate fear and incapacitate her targets, making it easy to extract their souls.
'Zap... zap…'
In a flash, Hera, under the control of Gerd's soul fragment, transformed into battle mode, with a menacing, demon-like face. A large hand, glowing with eerie light, emerged from Hera and passed through Mace's lifeless body, extracting his soul.
"Aaah!" Mace let out a final scream as his lifeless body fell to the ground.
'Zap... zap...'
Electricity crackled as Hera grinned wickedly, her demonic form diving toward the terrified Marines who had witnessed the scene, paralyzed with fear. "Now... let's feast!"
"Rear Admiral Mace!!"
"What is that thing?"
"Damn it, avenge the Rear Admiral!"
The Marines, overwhelmed by fear and rage, fired at Linlin and Hera, some even charging with their weapons drawn. But no matter what they did, their attacks had no effect.
"What's happening? Our attacks aren't working!" they shouted in confusion.
Bullets and blades simply passed through Hera's body, while cannon explosions did nothing to stop her advance. Their weapons were useless.
"Life or death?" Hera's eyes gleamed as an invisible wave of soul energy burst forth.
"What... what's going on?"
"I can't move…"
"No—!"
In an instant, the Marines within a ten-meter radius froze in place. Their souls began to rise from their bodies as if being forcibly torn away.
A massive, eerie hand reached out from above, sweeping over them. "Soul Harvest!!!"
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