บท 723: *Title Hidden*
"Let go of Vice Admiral Momonga!"
Bogard also didn't expect that the monster in front of them would set a trap. He tried to rescue Momonga, but Hydrachton didn't give him a chance to get close. Several of its heads released powerful electric currents, forcing Bogard to retreat, while one of the heads bit down hard on Momonga's skull.
As soon as its jaws fully closed, Momonga would be split into three parts. At this moment, Momonga was using both Tekkai and Haki to resist Hydrachton's biting force while swinging his weapon to counterattack.
His blade had already pierced into one of Hydrachton's heads, but the creature still showed no signs of letting go. The head even released a terrifying purple gas, causing Momonga's clothes to corrode. A sense of despair welled up in his heart.
But just then, Hydrachton suddenly stopped because a new enemy had appeared on its back.
"Oh my, oh my. Could you please let him go?"
Standing nearly three meters tall, with a predominantly blue inner lining, the Justice Coat fluttered in the wind and rain.
"This weather is really annoying!"
An eye mask hung from his forehead, though it was already soaked by the rain. While it blocked some of the rain, the swollen mask made him feel uncomfortable.
"Admiral Kuzan?!"
Kuzan, code-named Aokiji, was the current Marine Admiral. After receiving the distress call from G-1, the headquarters' reinforcements had finally arrived.
Kuzan didn't say much, but ice began to spread from under his feet, gradually extending toward the head biting Momonga. Accompanied by a loud roar, that head and the neck behind it were completely turned into an ice sculpture.
To ensure Momonga's safety, Kuzan limited the freezing to just the one head. As the ice shattered, Momonga was also freed, but he seemed to be affected by the poison, unable to move well.
Finally, with Kuzan's help, he temporarily moved to a safe position. Hydrachton, on the other hand, warily watched Kuzan. Enveloped in the fiery aura of Flare Blitz, it shot back into the clouds, the raging flames not only providing speed but also melting the ice on its body.
This opponent was far more terrifying than the two before, and like the stone Garp had previously thrown, it sensed a deadly threat from him.
"Bogard, take Momonga to get treated. He seems to be poisoned. I'll handle this troublesome guy and then help Mr. Garp."
Kuzan glanced around the battlefield. Garp and Kaido were locked in a stalemate, but for now, this multi-headed dragon was the biggest threat.
"Yes, sir!"
The current three Admirals of the Marine were the pillars of the new generation, and their monstrous strength was already well recognized. Kuzan's arrival was a huge morale boost for all the Marines.
Unlike light, ice can't be used to fly freely, but his ability to remain suspended in the air far surpassed Momonga and Bogard.
Meanwhile, Kaido, who was fighting Garp, had also noticed Kuzan's arrival.
"Fun's over, Garp. I look forward to our next encounter."
Hydrachton wasn't a match for Kuzan. With the reinforcements arriving, it was time for him to retreat. Although he hasn't had his fill yet, this was enough for now.
"I told you, you won't be leaving here so easily," Garp shouted.
"Worororo, I already said, you can't stop me. This may be Marine territory, but that's exactly why I can act without restraint. There must be a few thousand people here, right?"
The number of soldiers stationed at a Marine base varies depending on its size. When Smoker became Vice Admiral, the number of soldiers at Marine G-5 Base was only 300.
At that time, Akainu had committed a large portion of the forces to the campaign, leaving fewer soldiers for some of the smaller branches.
Right now, the Marine forces in the New World hadn't fully retreated yet, and the G-1 Base, being the gateway to Mariejois, has a permanent garrison of three thousand soldiers.
Kaido grinned evilly and then unleashed a terrifying burst of energy toward the sky.
"If you want to stop me, go ahead and try! If you're willing to sacrifice the lives of all the soldiers here, then come at me!"
As soon as the words left Kaido's mouth, Garp understood what he had done. The clouds split apart, and one after another, meteors began hurtling toward the G-1 Base; Draco Meteor had arrived.
This was Kaido's overt plot. Garp and Kuzan could try to stay and stop him, but the chances of success weren't 100%. However, if they made that choice, the G-1 Base would be completely destroyed by Draco Meteor which he unleashed using his full-strength.
Earlier, the God of Lightning Tenjin had already destroyed many of the base's bunkers. With Hydrachton's destruction added to the mix and the aftermath of the battle between Kaido and Garp, the place can no longer withstand much more damage.
Saying that, Kaido ignored Garp and transformed into his Azure Dragon form, flying toward Hydrachton. He had to retrieve his little "pet."
Looking at Kaido flying off and the falling meteors, Garp ultimately chose to stop the Draco Meteor. The underlying issue remained—if Kaido is determined to leave, his chances of success are high. It was likely that great sacrifices would be made without any meaningful results.
Under these circumstances, Garp couldn't bear to watch the soldiers sacrifice their lives. In the end, under Kaido's cover, Hydrachton managed to escape from Kuzan as well. The man and the dragon left together, leaving behind a devastated G-1 Base.
...
"Mr. Garp."
Inside the G-1 Base, Kuzan used his ability to freeze the three heads that Hydrachton had lost in battle, even digging up the surrounding ground to send them to the Science Unit for research.
"Why did only you come? Where's Sengoku? He wouldn't have missed a chance like this."
"Borsalino is assisting the Science Unit with research, Sakazuki is on a mission, and as for Fleet Admiral Sengoku... he was ordered to assist in the defense of Mariejois."
With a sigh, Kuzan explained the situation to Garp.
The Marine Admirals weren't just symbols—they had many tasks to handle. However, there was always at least one Admiral stationed at headquarters to deal with emergencies. When the situation at G-1 Base was reported, Sengoku had originally intended to go.
Although he was the Fleet Admiral, Marine HQ was relatively safe, so there wouldn't be much of an issue even if there wasn't a top-tier fighter stationed temporarily. If they could have managed to capture Kaido, it would've been a great success.
Sengoku followed the World Government's orders, but he had his own views. Just as he was about to set off, an urgent order from the World Government commanded Sengoku to assist with the defense of Mariejois instead.
"Does that place...really need more personnel?"
"It seems they're more concerned about the safety of the Celestial Dragons. Fleet Admiral Sengoku couldn't go against the orders."
"Those damn b*stards..."
Garp angrily punched the wall beside him, muttering curses under his breath, though it wasn't clear who he was cursing. The cost of which was another mostly intact building getting destroyed.
Chapter 723 Kuzan to the Rescue, Kaido's Overt Plot
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