On an island not far from the Sabaody Archipelago in the Grand Line—
Aboard the Moby Dick.
“Pops…”
The First Division Commander, Marco, looked at the old man he respected so deeply, concern filling the depths of his eyes.
At the same time, his gaze drifted toward the distant horizon.
There lay Marineford.
War was coming.
Never abandoning a single family member was the iron rule of the Whitebeard Pirates.
“Marco, head for Sabaody.”
After a long silence, Edward Newgate suddenly opened his eyes and gave an order that left Marco confused.
This decision had been carefully considered.
For Garp to leave the Marines at such a moment, it had to be because of Ace.
If their objective was the same, then the enemy of his enemy was his friend.
Whitebeard believed Garp would not reject a powerful ally.
After all, no matter how strong Garp was, he could not rescue Ace alone.
And regardless of Garp’s thoughts, meeting face-to-face and talking would do no harm.
Even if their goals differed, they could simply treat it as two old acquaintances catching up.
“Are we going to meet Vice Admiral Garp?”
A blue flame flickered briefly in Marco’s eyes.
The last time he had met Garp, he had been very young.
And he had been sent flying with a single punch.
The pain from that punch was still unforgettable.
Just thinking about it made his head ache.
If Garp joined them, then the operation to rescue Ace would become significantly more reliable.
The only concern was whether Garp would agree.
After all, even if he had left the Marines, would he really ally himself with pirates?
“Yes.”
Whitebeard’s answer was brief.
Then he lifted his head toward the sky.
His weathered hand rose unconsciously, as though feeling the passage of time.
He resembled an elderly man lamenting the sadness of autumn.
Even the azure sky seemed faintly tinged with the yellow decay of withering leaves.
Yet despite that aura of decline, his eyes remained as resolute as ever.
Just as in his youth.
Anything standing in his path would be destroyed.
Marco’s heart sank.
The thing he feared most had happened.
Unlike Garp, the old man before him appeared genuinely ravaged by time.
Disease clung to him.
He seemed like a lone boat drifting upon an endless sea, capable of capsizing at any moment.
Time was a blade that cut down all geniuses.
“Pops…
are you alright?”
Marco hadn’t wanted to ask.
Questions like that wounded Whitebeard’s pride.
But in the end, concern overcame restraint.
The words escaped him.
Soon, many crew members gathered around.
Their eyes were filled with worry.
“Fa-fa-fa-fa!”
“Marco, what nonsense are you talking about?”
“I am Whitebeard—Edward Newgate!”
“Don’t worry.”
“I’m not dying yet!” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
“Set course for Sabaody!”
Whitebeard suddenly stood up.
A smile spread across his face as he looked at all his sons.
His booming laughter echoed across the deck.
Moments later, everyone except Marco was laughing as well.
Yet beneath the laughter, Whitebeard murmured words only he could hear.
“At least…
not before Ace is rescued.”
The giant whale-shaped ship slowly turned.
Then it charged toward the Sabaody Archipelago.
New World
Not far from the entrance to the Grand Line.
“Ma-ma-ma-ma!”
“Kaido…”
Charlotte Linlin spoke into a Den Den Mushi with a sinister expression.
On the other end of the line was one of the Four Emperors—
Kaido.
“Linlin…”
Only two words came from the other side.
Yet the irritation and violence behind them were unmistakable.
“You want to interfere too?”
“If you get in my way, I won’t spare you.”
“I’ll kill you!”
The Den Den Mushi’s face became savage.
Its eyes turned ferocious.
Anyone looking at it could tell Kaido was on the verge of exploding.
“Hmph.”
“Don’t forget.”
“You owe me a very big favor.”
“Meet me in the Grand Line.”
“Wait for my arrival, Kaido.”
“Ma-ma-ma-ma!”
It wasn’t a negotiation.
It was an ultimatum.
After speaking, Big Mom hung up immediately.
Her arrogant gaze settled upon the sea ahead.
“Set sail.”
“We’re heading to the Grand Line to rendezvous with Kaido.”
“Yes, Mama!”
The enormous cake-shaped flagship had already been coated.
Everything was prepared.
Only departure remained.
Though neither side explicitly stated their true intentions, they seemed to understand each other perfectly.
The moment the call began, an agreement had already been reached.
At that instant, the blood-soaked New World became strangely silent.
Meanwhile, the Grand Line—which had previously been relatively calm—began erupting with turmoil.
Before the Summit War had even begun, Garp’s resignation was already triggering a butterfly effect.
Waves of change spread endlessly across the world.
The Four Emperors, who normally ruled separate territories in the New World, were now all moving toward the Grand Line.
The already turbulent sea became even more chaotic.
Sabaody ArchipelagoCentral Battlefield
Looking down at the smoke dispersing from his chest, Garp remained completely calm.
He had only taken the attack because he was absolutely certain he could withstand it.
It wasn’t arrogance.
It could be blocked.
So when the beam arrived, golden Armament Haki covered his chest.
The attack was effortlessly neutralized.
Lifting his head, Garp looked at the four Seraphim around him.
His aura suddenly surged.
Though they looked like children, these Seraphim were not truly living beings.
More accurately, they were half-machine weapons.
There was no reason to show mercy.
And in a battle like this—
Mercy would only get you killed.
Destruction was the correct choice.
“Whoosh!”
“Hummm!”
S-Hawk moved first.
The instant the smoke cleared, he lowered his body and began charging a slash.
The moment Garp’s figure appeared—
A sword strike arrived as though it had been waiting for that exact instant.
Its target was Garp’s throat.
A one-hit kill.
The attack was ruthless and merciless.
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound echoed across the battlefield.
Everyone stared.
Garp casually raised two fingers.
Like plucking a flower from the air, he caught the incoming blade between them.
Firmly.
The sword could not move an inch.
He lifted his eyes toward the fierce-looking child.
Just as he was about to retaliate—
A voice rang out.
“Water Drop.”
Whoosh!
S-Shark raised his hand.
A single droplet of water fell into his palm.
Then he flicked it toward Garp.
The sound of air being pierced rang out continuously.
The speed was astonishing.
It was only a tiny drop of water.
Yet the power behind it felt immense.
And that wasn’t all.
More voices echoed from the side.
“Pressure Cannon!”
S-Bear suddenly pressed both palms together.
The artificial Paw-Paw Fruit activated.
The surrounding air compressed rapidly.
Condensing.
Compressing.
Until it became a devastating projectile.
“Hummmm—”
Even the air itself groaned under the pressure.
Moments later, a transparent bear-paw-shaped shockwave appeared between his hands.
Its mere existence sent chills down one’s spine.
Then—
He thrust his palms forward.
The Pressure Cannon shot straight toward Garp.