Bab 170: Chapter 170: The Clash Between Wood and Garp
No further explanation was needed—the man standing there, calmly eating snacks despite the chaos around him, could only be the one known as the Hero of the Marines.
"This place, where you now stand, is the sacred ground where the World Government delivers justice to criminals. As long as I, with the justice I bear, stand here, I will never allow…"
Garp's speech was abruptly cut off as a massive blue slash tore through the ground, leaving a deep gouge in its wake, and hurtled toward him.
But rather than showing any sign of panic in the face of this powerful attack, Garp remained calm. His extended fist darkened, taking on a metallic sheen under the sunlight, and he punched directly at the incoming blue slash.
Boom!
A sharp, piercing sound echoed through the air. The powerful slash, capable of slicing through a battleship with ease, was shattered with a single punch, delivered by a bare fist.
As the slash disintegrated, a wave of dust was kicked up, and the fragmented remains of the attack left deep, jagged marks across the ground.
"Hyakki Yagyō Ryū: Nitōryū—Gyūki!"
With the slash obliterated and dust swirling around, Wood drew his second blade, Asatsuyu, from his waist.
Gripping both Asatsuyu and Tenku tightly, Wood charged forward at high speed, his body blurring into a shadow.
As the shadow charged, it transformed in the air into a crimson-eyed bull, with Asatsuyu and Tenku forming the sharp, twisted horns of the beast.
In essence, Gyūki was a piercing thrust, but with Wood's incredible speed and the concentrated power of both blades, the technique was elevated to new heights.
Emerging suddenly from the dust, Wood's piercing thrust flew toward Garp, who, in a rare display, adopted a serious expression.
With exceptional dynamic vision, Garp tracked Wood's movements and accurately predicted the trajectory of the attack.
In the next instant, Garp's fist, imbued with advanced Armament Haki, struck out. The punch not only shattered the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom, but also collided head-on with the tips of Wood's swords, Asatsuyu and Tenku.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted as the strongest Armament Haki clashed with a near-Swordmaster-level thrust.
The moment they collided, the ground beneath them crumbled like tofu, leaving a large crater in its wake. The shockwave from the impact created a violent windstorm that blew away all the Marines nearby.
When Wood's Tenku and Asatsuyu met Garp's fist, visible sparks—resembling lightning—crackled between them.
These weren't actual lightning bolts but the result of the intense clash of their energies.
The collision of two equally powerful, irresistible forces created an explosion that left a crater several dozen meters wide. The two fighters were both propelled backward by the impact.
The only difference was that Wood was forced to skid back several dozen meters, his feet tearing through the ground, while Garp only took two or three steps back, barely moving a few meters.
From just that single exchange, it was clear who held the upper hand.
And it's important to note that Wood had used both of his arms in the thrust, while Garp had countered with just one hand—yet still managed to dominate the exchange.
As the dust settled from their clash, the Marines who had been blown away by the shockwave struggled back to their feet, their eyes wide with shock at the scene before them.
These Marines, hailing from the headquarters, were more knowledgeable than most about the true powerhouses in the Navy.
They knew that Wood was a former Marine Major, but unfortunately, before his defection, they had never heard of him.
After all, in the vast ranks of Marine HQ, a Major was one of the lowest-ranking officers, not quite as common as dirt, but not particularly remarkable either.
And yet, this seemingly unremarkable officer had just gone toe-to-toe with Vice Admiral Garp, the hero they had always considered unbeatable!
"You all go after the others. This traitor is mine and Gion's to deal with.
This level of combat is beyond you. You'd only get in the way. It's better if you focus on the other fish-men."
Hearing Garp's words, the Marines who had come to assist from HQ suddenly realized that during Wood's clash with Garp, the fish-men and the members of Wood's pirate crew had used the chaos to slip away.
The HQ Captain, who was third in command on this mission, also believed that with Vice Admiral Garp and Rear Admiral Momousagi, there was no way they couldn't handle Wood. So, with confidence, he led his troops in pursuit of Tiger and the others.
"It's truly surprising how much you've grown in just a few years, Wood.
I was worried that if I didn't hold back, I might cripple you, and then how would you escape the Navy's grasp?
But it seems I was worrying for nothing. With strength like this, I can afford to take things a bit more seriously."
Garp had always seen great potential in Wood. But since Wood had left the Naval Academy, they hadn't crossed paths again.
Garp's understanding of Wood's progress was based solely on the information provided by Gion and Sengoku.
While Garp knew that Wood had grown significantly stronger over the past few years, this was his first direct experience of it.
A few years ago, when Zephyr had first brought Wood back to Marineford, the boy had been so intimidated by Garp's presence that he could barely stand.
Yet now, in just a few short years, that same boy had managed to push Garp back.
Zephyr had once told Garp that Wood was one of the most naturally gifted individuals he had ever encountered in his life. At the time, Garp had been skeptical.
After all, the world was vast, and even within the Navy, young talents like Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji were plentiful.
Garp's approval of Wood had more to do with his character and the way he handled situations.
To be frank, if it weren't for the so-called "secret mission" assigned to Wood by Sengoku, Garp would have considered asking Wood to train his two grandsons in the East Blue.
Even though Luffy and Ace were still toddlers, Garp believed that to become excellent Marines, they needed to start their training early.
Wood had both the strength and a genuine sense of justice. Coupled with his young age, he would have been the perfect teacher for Garp's grandsons.
But that was all in the past. Now that Wood was a pirate, even if it was just a false identity, Garp would never let him near his grandsons.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 295+ at pat_reon.com/Betek.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone