How could Hawkins possibly be willing to accept this?
Apoo wanted to run over, provoke that old monster, and then somehow Hawkins would end up paying the price?
But when Hawkins looked at the Death card in his hand, he knew things were over.
The question he had calculated was simple:
Would he die today?
The answer—
99%.
Silently, Hawkins looked at Apoo with an indifferent expression.
For a moment, memories flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern, recalling everything he had experienced throughout his life.
Not far away, Apoo grinned smugly and nodded.
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
“I’ll test his strength and run right after.”
“What can he possibly do to me?”
Thump!
Apoo looked proudly at Hawkins.
Though he knew Hawkins possessed strange abilities, he refused to believe him.
After all, standing before him was a living legend.
And if he managed to kill that legend through a sneak attack—
Then he would become the new legend.
The Legend Killer.
What an incredible title that would be.
So he made his move.
He slapped the side of his head.
Instantly, strange musical sounds erupted from his body.
An invisible attack carrying terrifying force slashed toward Garp.
Then something unbelievable happened.
The moment the sound attack was released—
Garp vanished.
The attack struck the stone pavement instead.
Dust exploded into the air as a massive slash mark carved through the ground.
The stone had been cut over five centimeters deep.
At the same time, a calm voice sounded beside Apoo.
Like a bloodthirsty demon emerging from the abyss.
Tap.
Tap.
“Kid.”
“Looking for me?”
A faint smile appeared on Garp’s face as he gently patted Apoo’s shoulder.
He looked completely harmless.
Yet deep within his eyes lurked cold killing intent.
Since Apoo had chosen to attack—
There would be no way out for him.
If someone insisted on seeking death, Garp had no obligation to stop them.
People chose their own roads.
The moment he entered Area 24, he had already activated Observation Haki.
With Level 10 Observation Haki capable of seeing the future, neither Apoo’s nor Hawkins’ little actions could escape his notice.
Originally, he considered them insignificant insects.
Not even worth lifting a finger against.
But these two fools had overestimated themselves.
They actually wanted to kill him.
Trying to pluck a tiger’s whiskers.
How could they possibly survive?
So the instant Apoo attacked, Garp had appeared here.
His gaze locked onto Apoo, who slowly turned his head back with a stiff expression.
Garp remained calm.
Not even slightly angry.
“What’s wrong, kid?”
“Did Grandpa scare you?”
Crack.
As Garp gently brushed dust from Apoo’s shoulder, he continued speaking in the same kind and friendly tone.
Then—
His fingers suddenly tightened.
The sound of bones shattering echoed through the air.
In an instant, Apoo’s shoulder bones were crushed into powder.
His entire right arm went limp.
Completely useless.
“AAAAAH!”
“Let me go!”
The intense pain made Apoo scream hysterically.
He glared at Garp with hatred.
At that moment, he swore that if he somehow survived today, he would make this old monster pay.
At the same time, shock filled his heart.
How was Garp so fast?
Had his strength truly reached such a monstrous level?
And why hadn’t his power declined despite his age?
Was the Hero truly undefeated by time?
“Alright.”
“Then I’ll let go.”
Garp released Apoo’s shoulder instantly.
Relief barely had time to appear.
Before it vanished.
His hand closed around Apoo’s neck.
In the next instant, thick veins bulged across Apoo’s throat.
His blood flow was completely cut off.
Without oxygen, death would soon follow.
And the terrifying grip made one thing abundantly clear—
Garp could snap his neck whenever he wanted.
“Urgh…!”
“Ghh…!”
Muffled sounds escaped Apoo’s mouth.
Yet he couldn’t form a single coherent word.
The grip around his throat was too tight.
His legs kicked wildly.
As though he were struggling against an iron pillar.
Nothing moved.
Nothing changed.
Crack.
Garp twisted.
The neck broke instantly.
For someone like Apoo, Garp had no intention of showing mercy.
An insect that dared challenge a tiger deserved only one outcome.
Death.
Immediately, Apoo’s body went limp.
Like a sack of mud.
All signs of life vanished.
Garp lifted the corpse casually.
Then tossed it away.
Coincidentally, it landed right in front of Hawkins.
Hiss—
Looking at Apoo’s lifeless body, Hawkins sucked in a sharp breath.
Wasn’t that death a little too casual?
The man was simply gone.
A Supernova?
What a joke.
He had been killed like a chicken.
No resistance.
No struggle.
He slapped his head, launched a slash, and then—
Nothing.
Couldn’t you at least put up a fight?
Weak, yet addicted to showing off.
Now look where that got you.
How was Hawkins supposed to clean up this mess?
“I want to live.”
Hawkins raised his head.
His trademark dead-fish eyes stared directly at Garp.
Run?
Death.
Fight?
Death.
Perhaps begging was his only chance.
He hadn’t even had time to calculate the odds before witnessing what had just happened.
After all the effort it took to reach this point and become a pirate of his stature—
He wasn’t willing to die here.
Not like this. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Looking down at Hawkins, Garp frowned slightly.
This one was different from the musician.
That fool had been seeking death.
And he deserved it.
More importantly, Apoo was essentially useless.
Leaving him alive would only cause trouble.
Following the principle that trouble should be eliminated early, Garp had shown no mercy.
An insect was still an insect.
Killing one meant nothing.
But Hawkins…
Hawkins had value.
His predictions were surprisingly accurate.
He possessed a useful ability.
Killing him outright would honestly be a waste.
Yet letting him go wasn’t exactly reasonable either.
“Why?”
“You open your mouth and expect me to show mercy?”
“Kid.”
“You’re awfully arrogant.”
With his hands in his pockets, Garp slowly lowered his face closer to Hawkins.
A terrifying aura emerged from his expression.
At that moment, he looked like the King of Hell coming to claim a soul.
Hawkins’ face turned pale.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
He was afraid.
Truly afraid.
He never imagined that an old man could terrify him this much.
One could only imagine how powerful Garp had been in his prime.
Maintaining his deadpan expression, Hawkins forced himself to speak.
“I only want to survive, Hero Garp.”
“I calculated part of your future.”
“A world-shaking war is coming.”
“At most, within seven days.”
“Perhaps…
I can be useful to you.”
“Please give me a chance to live.”
Summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, Hawkins raised his head despite the overwhelming pressure.
Their eyes met.
The instant that happened—
His entire body shuddered violently.
Those eyes…
They were completely different from the legendary image he had always imagined.
Within them was endless killing intent.
Why?
Why was the legendary Hero Garp so terrifying?
Hawkins couldn’t understand.
He truly couldn’t understand.
“Apologies, Mr.
Garp.”
“I had to trouble you to take action personally.”
Bogard’s voice sounded from behind.
He had already returned.
Yet Garp didn’t even turn around.
His gaze remained fixed on Hawkins.
At this moment, even Garp felt somewhat conflicted.
This fortune-teller was genuinely useful.
But after showing such disrespect, sparing him felt like a betrayal of his Darkening System.
Kill him?
That would be a waste.
The man definitely had value.
At the very least—
He could help locate Blackbeard.
Or perhaps provide insight into the future confrontation with the ruler hidden behind the world—
Imu.
He might even uncover information others could never obtain.
Perhaps…
He could predict things that nobody else could see.