Chapter 198: [198] : The Marine Hero’s Attack! Garp’s Heartbreak! Magnet-Magnet Fruit, Activate!

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BOOOOOOOOOM!

Violent, tyrannical crimson-black lightning roared furiously.

The entire sky was illuminated by its dazzling, ominous light.

This was Haōshoku Coating on a level that far surpassed any other on the battlefield—belonging to the Marine Hero, Garp!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Completely enveloped in a cloud of Haōshoku Coating, Garp appeared in the sky.

“VICE ADMIRAL GARP!!!” Seeing the man appear, the numerous Marine soldiers roared as if they had seen their savior.

HERO GARP—

Though only a Marine HQ Vice Admiral, to these soldiers, this man was more reliable than any Admiral!

From the era of Rocks D. Xebec, the sea hegemon who nearly overturned the world, Garp had become a Marine Hero—

—Later, he pursued the Roger Pirates, and together with Sengoku, imprisoned the legendary pirate Golden Lion Shiki in Impel Down.

One legendary feat after another… Hero Garp had become the spiritual totem of the Navy!

As long as this man stood, their Navy would never fall!

This was the heartfelt belief of countless Marines.

VMM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

But unseen by the adoring Marines below, Garp, enveloped in the crimson-black lightning of his Haōshoku Coating… had ’tears’ streaming from the corners of his eyes.

Though Ace was Roger’s son, Garp truly saw him no differently than Luffy—as his own grandson. He had intended to raise Ace to be a fine Marine, so that under his protection, Ace could at least live safely.

But Ace chose to become a pirate, even joining Whitebeard’s crew—fate had other plans… Ace was defeated by Blackbeard and handed over to the Navy, leading to today’s public execution.

Earlier, Garp’s emotions were on the verge of collapse, he couldn’t even properly use his Haki. Facing only the Whitebeard Pirates, the Navy didn’t need him to act.

However, with the arrival of Sky Sovereign Rowen, Dark King Rayleigh, and his grandson, Luffy—the battle situation had changed drastically!

Three more Admiral-level (or higher) combatants—even in a war of this epic scale, it was enough to reverse the tide!

Sengoku was now desperate, forcing him to act. Even Tsuru, who usually understood his position, had urged him on.

Because the battle had reached a point where his intervention was absolutely necessary—Otherwise, the Navy could genuinely lose. This was something Sengoku and Tsuru absolutely could not accept.

Everyone was pushing him…

His own sense of justice as a Marine was pushing him…

Tears streamed down Garp’s face, hidden within the crimson-black lightning of his Haōshoku Coating.

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“GRAMPS!” Luffy roared, gritting his teeth as he saw Garp appear before him.

“Old man…” Ace murmured, looking up at Garp from the execution platform, his expression incredibly complex.

He didn’t blame Garp.

Though he never showed Garp respect verbally, he wasn’t a fool; Ace knew who truly cared for him. He knew the only reason he had grown up safely, even being able to set sail as a pirate and chase his dream—was all thanks to this old man!

It was all the old man’s doing…

As a Marine Hero, for Garp to protect him to this extent—what right did Ace have to question his decisions??

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“GET OUT OF THE WAY! GRAMPS!” Luffy roared at Garp.

“I AM A MARINE! IF YOU WANT TO SAVE ACE, YOU’LL HAVE TO STEP OVER MY DEAD BODY!” Garp roared back, tears streaming down his face.

“Gomu Gomu no… Kong Gun——!!!” Luffy roared, Haōshoku Coating beginning to coil around his fist!

But!

“Galaxy Impact——!!!” Garp roared.

His Iron Fist unleashed the power of Haōshoku Coating as a shockwave, blasting it outwards.

CRACKLE! BOOM!

The terrifying shockwave, combining Haōshoku Coating and Garp’s ’Iron Fist’ power, slammed into Luffy.

BANG!

Luffy’s attack, before this overwhelmingly violent and tyrannical power, was completely outmatched. His stamina and Haki were already incredibly drained in this state—and he had just fought Akainu, consuming even more.

Taking such a blow… Luffy, having only just mastered Haōshoku Coating, couldn’t withstand it at all, plummeting downwards—

WHOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

BOOOOOOOOM!!

Luffy’s body slammed heavily into a section of Marineford Bay. The terrifying energy instantly shattered the surrounding ground, causing a horrifying earth-rumble!

“Hah… Hah… Damn it!” Luffy’s Gear Fourth state deactivated. If he didn’t, his stamina and Haki would be completely exhausted.

In that state, he’d be utterly defenseless. He needed to conserve some stamina and Haki.

To attack again, he needed to recover.

WHOOSH!

Garp’s body landed on the execution platform.

“VICE ADMIRAL GARP!” Seeing Garp’s overwhelming power, the numerous Marines cheered.

“Garp…” Up close, Sengoku could clearly perceive Garp’s emotional state. Looking at his old friend’s slightly stooped back after that single blow—even Sengoku was moved.

But moved or not, he still had to force Garp’s hand. In this battle, Garp’s power was indispensable.

“Garp, you old timer,” Whitebeard, currently clashing with Akainu, also looked on, his expression grim.

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“What a powerful Haki!” Rowen commented, having checked Garp’s Traits; every single one was Apex Gold.

Even his martial arts ’Iron Fist’ was Apex Gold.

This man had truly trained his fists to their absolute peak, their destructive power was in no way inferior to Mihawk’s Yoru… perhaps even more outrageous.

In his prime, he was a legend who could fight on equal terms with Whitebeard and Roger at their peaks. Garp’s Conqueror’s Haki was the strongest Rowen had seen so far—

Rowen’s expression turned serious…

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THUD!

“WHY?!” Garp sat down on the execution platform, head bowed, his back to Ace, roaring in anguish.

“Old man…” Ace whispered, deeply moved.

“ACE, YOU BASTARD! WHY DIDN’T YOU LIVE THE WAY I TOLD YOU TO??”

Garp, the man who had lived through the Rocks era, the Roger era, endured countless bloody wars, an iron-willed man famous across the seas for his fists… at this moment, completely broke down in tears.

He grit his teeth so hard they nearly shattered, tears and snot mixing as they flowed into his mouth.

At this moment, Garp didn’t even want to look at Ace’s face, didn’t dare call himself ’Gramps’ before Ace.

He was afraid… he wouldn’t be able to bear it.

“!!!” Ace looked at Garp, this iron-willed man who had educated him and Luffy strictly since childhood, his shoulders now trembling uncontrollably, the sound of his tears hitting the execution platform exceptionally jarring.

Ace’s vision blurred—he wouldn’t regret it… He wouldn’t regret becoming a pirate, even if he died!

But facing Garp in such a state. Ace’s shoulders began to shake, trying desperately not to cry.

“Villains deserve no sympathy. But family is different… WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO??” Garp roared, his head still bowed, not even letting the Marines see his tears, his heart torn, in immense pain.

“Garp, you…” Even Sengoku’s eyes softened slightly.

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“Straw Hat is severely injured! Finish him off!” The surrounding Marines roared, charging towards the fallen Luffy.

WHAM! WHAM!

Luffy, twisting and turning, knocked down a group of Marines.

“SANJI! ZORO! COVER ME! I need ten minutes to recover my Haki!” Luffy yelled, not wanting to waste stamina and Haki on these fodder.

“Got it!” Sanji and Zoro’s eyes narrowed. They immediately broke away from their own fights, kicking and cutting down all the Marines rushing towards Luffy.

“Leave it to us!”

“Okay!” Luffy, after saying this, simply collapsed to the ground.

WHOOSH!

An Air Door opened.

A pirate lunchbox appeared in Luffy’s hand. He quickly ate it, then closed his eyes and immediately began to sleep.

After eating, entering a deep sleep was the fastest way to recover stamina and Haki—and only with absolute trust in one’s comrades could one enter a deep sleep on a battlefield like this…

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“DON’T LET STRAW HAT RECOVER HIS HAKI! FORWARD!”

Several Marine HQ Vice Admirals exchanged glances, then all charged forward, trying to break through Zoro and Sanji’s defensive line.

“Ifrit Jambe——!”

Sanji immediately activated his Exoskeleton, unleashing his Ifrit Jambe. Blue flames coiled around Sanji’s legs.

“Asura Aura——! Nine-Sword Style——!”

Zoro’s body was enveloped in a purple-black demonic aura, three heads and six arms appearing!

“D-Damn it!” The charging Marine HQ Vice Admirals’ faces paled drastically. In this state, Sanji and Zoro’s combat power completely surpassed their own.

This strength was undoubtedly at the level of an Admiral Candidate, or an Emperor’s Yonko Commander—

—After the Enies Lobby battle, after undergoing Rowen’s Demonic training, Luffy wasn’t the only one who had improved.

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“Monsters… Guess we can’t just stand by and watch,” a figure, even lazier and more slovenly than Kizaru, stepped forward.

“VICE ADMIRAL CHATON!” The surrounding Marines cheered upon seeing the man.

Marine HQ Vice Admiral, Admiral Candidate, Chaton.

“To grow to this extent…” Gion sighed.

Originally, during the Alabasta incident, she had faced Sky Sovereign Rowen. The other Straw Hat members weren’t even qualified to fight her—But now, forget Sky Sovereign Rowen, she wasn’t even a match for Straw Hat.

Even Black Leg and Pirate Hunter had grown to a strength on par with her, an Admiral Candidate.

This pirate crew, was becoming more scary by the day…

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’It’s best if we can kill Black Leg and Pirate Hunter in this war… That would be like cutting off one of Sky Sovereign Rowen’s arms—’

Looking at Black Leg and Pirate Hunter, Gion was reminded of the Dark King Rayleigh, hailed as the Pirate King’s Right Hand, and Scopper Gaban, hailed as the Pirate King’s Left Hand.

’We absolutely cannot let them continue to grow!’ Gion’s beautiful eyes also turned ruthless.

Konpira was instantly unsheathed, and she charged towards Zoro!

“I’ll take Black Leg,” Chaton also charged towards Sanji. The terrifying power of two Admiral Candidates was instantly unleashed.

Combined with several Marine HQ Vice Admirals, Zoro and Sanji were under immense pressure.

Hold out for ten minutes, and Luffy’s Haki and stamina would recover… But clearly, the Navy wouldn’t give them that time!

“GO HELP ACE’S BROTHER!” Marco roared to the other commanders.

But—

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Several laser beams exploded, blocking their path!

“PACIFISTAS! TAKE THEM DOWN!” Sentomaru roared, commanding the humanoid weapons created based on Kuma’s Buccaneer bloodline, possessing Kizaru’s Glint-Glint Fruit laser ability.

“Pacifistas?” Rowen smiled.

VMM! BOOM!

A terrifying magnetic force erupted violently.

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