ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru stared at him blankly, as if to say, What nonsense are you talking about?

Sengoku curled his lips, unsure how to respond to his friend's unconventional behavior.

Although the man before them did not exude the same ruthless and bloodthirsty aura as Rocks D. Xebec, the ambition in his eyes was no less intense. He was clearly not someone easy to get along with at first glance.

Caesar froze for a moment. He hadn't expected Garp to say something like that so suddenly.

"Join the Navy?"

"Sorry, I have no interest in becoming a Marine."

What future awaited him in the Navy?

Even if he rose to the rank of admiral, he would still be nothing more than a lapdog for the Celestial Dragons. Where would he find the freedom to fight as he pleased? There was no liberty in that path.

He had his own ambitions—whether it was ruling or dominating the seas, he wanted to carve his own destiny. But one thing was certain: he would never be a Marine.

Garp burst into laughter, showing no sign of disappointment.

"Is that so?"

"That's a shame."

After a brief pause, he spoke again, this time with a slight hint of persuasion.

"The Navy is a great place. It would be a pity to miss such an opportunity. You're still just a trainee crew member, right? Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"

Before Caesar could respond, Rocks scoffed coldly, his expression both arrogant and ruthless.

"Garp, that's enough."

"I personally invited him aboard as a powerful combatant. Why would he throw his lot in with the Celestial Dragons' lackeys?"

Hearing this, the faces of the Marine officers darkened. Except for Garp, who remained as carefree as ever, the others were visibly angered.

Zephyr stepped forward. "Enough with the pointless talk!"

"Since you've been caught by us, you're not leaving this time!"

[24] Threat, Strong Confrontation!

War was imminent.

A Marine officer's coat was cast aside, revealing the crisp uniform underneath.

Garp clenched his iron fist, leaped into the air, stepped several times on the sky using Geppo, and descended onto Rocks' pirate ship.

Boom.

An invisible shockwave erupted in the air.

Garp and Rocks faced each other as a fierce gust of wind blew across the battlefield, sending weaker combatants sprawling.

The battle had not yet begun, yet many on both sides had already collapsed from the sheer intensity of their presence.

Rocks quickly assessed the situation.

With a cunning glint in his eye, he adjusted his attack strategy.

Garp's Fist of Love came crashing down with terrifying force.

Rocks raised his massive saber to meet the strike.

This was a direct clash of Haki.

Rocks' body was clad in Busoshoku Haki, but there was no telltale black coating—only a faint, blooming glow.

It was Ryuo.

Caesar's heart skipped a beat.

With the captain making his move, there was no way the others could stand idle.

The Marines who had avoided the initial Haoshoku Haki blast quickly maneuvered their ships closer or launched themselves into the air using Moonwalk.

Their war cries filled the battlefield.

Weapons clashed.

Gunfire roared.

Whitebeard slammed his Naginata into the deck.

Boom!

Cracks spread outward from the impact.

Marines in the vicinity were sent flying—some crashing onto their own ships, others plunging into the sea.

With a single motion, Whitebeard unleashed the power of the Gura Gura no Mi, distorting the air and creating towering waves.

A small tsunami surged forth.

Though not as overwhelming as his later feats during the Marineford War, it was more than enough to handle these lesser Marine forces.

Seeing this, Sengoku stepped forward.

A massive golden form began to emerge.

A colossal Buddha loomed over Whitebeard, its sheer size casting a shadow over the battlefield.

Sunlight reflected off the golden figure, creating a dazzling spectacle.

"Navy Admiral Sengoku!"

Across the battlefield, a younger Charlotte Linlin brandished her massive saber.

"Ikoku!"

Even in her youth, Linlin was strikingly beautiful. But her attack was anything but gentle.

Zephyr leaped instantly, intercepting her blade with his own.

Caught off guard, Linlin was sent flying, crashing into the ship's cabin.

Zephyr's arms gleamed with Busoshoku Haki, particularly concentrated around his fists.

This was Black Arm Zephyr.

"Lieutenant General Zephyr is incredible!"

The Marines cheered.

But their excitement was short-lived.

The smoke cleared.

The warship near Linlin was utterly obliterated.

Nearly shattered.

And yet, she stood there unscathed.

No—she was angry.

Her delicate features twisted into fury.

Dark clouds gathered around her face.

"Zephyr… I'll kill you for that!"

Meanwhile, Tsuru stepped into the fray.

She used Moonwalk, intercepting the Golden Lion as he soared toward the Marine fleet.

Shiki froze mid-air.

In terms of sheer power, he feared no one in the Navy.

But Tsuru…

There had been times when he dreaded this woman.

Her Woshu Woshu no Mi could cleanse evil from the hearts of criminals.

For a man like him, whose ambitions never wavered, that ability was a direct counter to his will.

All the titans of the era clashed to protect their respective crews and ships.

Caesar effortlessly swept aside the Marines who had climbed aboard.

Clang.

With a single swing of his sword, he severed all the iron chains the Navy had latched onto their ship.

Then, he leaped toward the Marine fleet.

"Who is that guy? He looks strong!"

The Marines swarmed toward him, the sheer number making their presence overwhelming.

But Caesar remained calm.

He raised his blade.

And swung.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With a single motion, his Haki-infused blade cut through the advancing troops.

The Marines were helpless against him—for now.

But soon, these battle-hardened warriors of the New World regrouped, surrounding Caesar with Busoshoku-coated weapons.

Caesar's eyes flickered.

His pupils shrank.

A deep, resounding hum vibrated through the battlefield.

An invisible force rippled outward.

Hundreds of Marines suddenly faltered.

Some gasped in shock.

Many collapsed on the spot.

"N-Nani?! Haoshoku Haki?!"

"That guy has Conqueror's Haki too?!"

The remaining Marines broke into a cold sweat.

They had assumed their vice admirals would handle all the heavyweights.

But another monster had slipped through.

A battle against such an opponent was pure hell for lower-ranked soldiers.

Caesar ignored their panic.

To him, crushing these lower-ranked Marines was as effortless as stomping on ants.

From a distance, Garp's gaze hardened.

He clenched his fists, a serious look overtaking his usually carefree demeanor.

"Another brat with Haoshoku?"

Sengoku, mid-battle, stole a glance at Caesar.

His expression grew dark.

"Dammit… The Rocks Pirates are ridiculous. Another one of their rookies has awakened Conqueror's Haki—and he's already using it so well?"

Sengoku, himself a wielder of Haoshoku Haki, scowled.

This era was breeding monsters.