Undersea Drop

Paradise, near Nameless Island.

The Blood Shark, a three-masted sailing ship flying a skull flag, was slowly approaching shore. On its mast, a flag bearing a bloodstained shark snapped in the wind.

On deck, the pirates laughed wildly, drinking and clinking their cups. The sharp stench of the sea and alcohol filled the air.

"Hahaha! Captain! Isn't this route of ours... a little too close to the G-3 base?"

A burly man with a face covered in scars and a necklace of human bones around his neck poured liquor down his throat. "I hear that's the territory guarded by Garp, the 'Marine hero,'" he said worriedly.

At the bow, a nearly three-meter-tall man slowly turned around. His upper body was bare, and strange, blood-colored tattoos covered his body—

His face was covered in countless scars and burns. His eyes were blood-red, and his mouth stretched into a grin, revealing sawtoothed fangs.

"Blood Shark" Samael.

Bounty: 320 million Beli.

A Zoan Fish-Fish Fruit Ancient Zoan, Megalodon model, user.

He crushed the barrel of liquor in his hand between his teeth and laughed arrogantly, his voice low and raspy. "Garp? Hahaha! He's nothing but an old dog! If I run into him, I'll tear him to pieces!"

"Ohhh!!!"

The pirates erupted, banging their swords and knives together and waving torches, as excited as a pack of beasts about to slaughter a village.

"The captain's mighty!"

"Old dog Garp ain't shit! The Marines ain't shit!"

"Hahaha! We're the Blood Shark Pirates! The future tigers of the New World!"

Samael planted a foot on the rail and looked down at the dilapidated harbor on shore, bloodlust in his eyes. "Men! We're having a banquet tonight. Find me women, booze, and meat—all of it! Tomorrow, we'll storm into the New World and take down the territories of Whitebeard, Kaido, and the rest!"

"Ohhh!!!"

The pirates were so worked up that they could hardly wait to bathe the entire island in blood.

But just then—

"C-Captain!!"

A tall, skinny navigator suddenly collapsed in fright, pointing at the distant sea. "A-a warship's coming!"

Samael went rigid, and even his breathing stopped for half a second.

"W-what?!"

"Please don't be Garp, please don't be Garp..."

Screaming inwardly, he spun around and fixed his blood-red eyes on the sea—

A standard Marine warship was cutting through the waves toward them. Two people stood on its forward deck.

One was a stern-looking man with a long sword at his waist. The other was a black-haired boy in a Marine uniform, his arms folded.

Garp wasn't there.

Samael froze for two seconds, then threw back his head and burst into wild laughter. "Hahahahaha! Scared the hell out of me!"

He tore off his ragged cloak, exposing solid muscles covered in bite marks and scars. It was as though countless tormented souls were wailing across his skin, a hideous and terrifying sight.

"Hey, men!"

He glared at his crew with blood-red eyes, his voice raspy as he grinned viciously. "Watch closely! I'm going to chop those two brats who don't know what's good for them into pieces and soak them in liquor to drink!"

"Ohhh!!!"

On deck, the pirates showed their ugly sides, grinning savagely and screaming, spittle flying. The filthy blood-red flag waved wildly behind them, as if symbolizing their cruelty and arrogance.

"Hahaha! What the hell are the Marines? In front of my Blood Shark Pirates, they're less than ants!"

"Aim all the cannons at them! I want to watch them get blown to bits!"

The crew frantically manned the cannons, sending bottles and bones rolling across the deck with a grating clatter.

On the warship, Bogard rested one hand on his sword hilt, his expression calm. "That's 'Blood Shark' Samael, an Ancient Zoan user with a bounty of 320 million."

Roy folded his arms, his black hair stirring gently in the wind, his eyes cold as the deep sea. "Mm."

Bogard raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Need a hand?"

Roy shook his head, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "No."

The next second, he slowly raised his hand. Armament Haki, like flowing black metal, covered his entire arm, and his indifferent voice rang out in the sea breeze—

"I'm enough on my own."

The corners of Bogard's mouth rose slightly. "Heh... Then let me see the results of Mr. Garp's special training."

"Whoosh!"

Roy's figure flashed away like a ghost!

"Huh?!"

Samael's pupils contracted. His vision blurred, and only one of the two brats remained on the distant warship!

"Where'd he go?!"

The next second—

"Boom!!"

The Blood Shark's deck exploded apart as a black figure swept across the entire ship in an instant, trailing a terrifying blast of air!

"Shigan: Instant Pressure!"

"Crack!"

A sword-wielding pirate's throat was pierced with deadly precision. He fell backward before he could even scream!

"Rankyaku: Instant Flash!"

Slashing waves refracted through the air, tracing several crescents. Five pirates were cut in half at the waist in an instant, their blood spraying across the Blood Shark's already bloodstained deck!

"Bastard! What the hell is this thing?!"

"He's a Devil Fruit user! Get the Seastone nets out, quick!!"

The pirates panicked and pulled out special fishing nets coated with Seastone powder, trying to contain him. But Roy moved as fast as a ghost, and every Instant Flash was accompanied by another pirate falling, the bloodshed resembling an asura's hell.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Cold sweat beaded on Samael's forehead, and even his blood-colored tattoos seemed to tremble. "This guy... what kind of monster is he?!"

Just then, Roy appeared directly in front of him, black hair flying in the fierce wind, his eyes cold as blades. "Your turn."

Samael flew into a rage. "Don't look down on me!!"

"Full Beast Transformation!"

"Roar!!"

His blood-colored tattoos writhed wildly as his body swelled several times over, transforming him into an ancient Megalodon more than ten meters long. Baring rows of fearsome fangs, he lunged at Roy with his enormous mouth wide open!

Roy remained expressionless. His right fist suddenly turned pitch-black with Armament Haki, and he struck back!

"Flash Iron Fist!"

"Boom!!"

Fist and fangs collided fiercely, sending out a blast of air like a raging storm that swept the wreckage of the deck away!

"Crack!!"

Samael's fangs... were smashed to pieces before everyone's eyes!

"Aagh!!"

In his giant shark form, Samael let out an agonized scream. The tremendous impact sent his massive body flying, and he crashed into the harbor, throwing dust into the air!

Roy flashed into the air above the harbor, staring coldly and mercilessly at the giant shark thrashing wildly on the ground.

Teleportation grabbed Samael by the shark's head, and clamped down on it with a massive Haki-covered arm like an iron vise. Then he abruptly teleported into the air!

"Flash: Undersea Drop!"

"Bang!!!"

The ground seemed to tear open as a massive black shape plummeted from the sky and struck with a sonic boom!

"Rumble!!!"

The giant shark slammed into the ground beneath the harbor like a meteor. The shock wave spread, raising waves more than ten meters high, and an enormous crater opened in the entire dock as the earth shook!

Dust filled the air, debris flew, and the sea churned without end.

After a while, Roy slowly walked out from the edge of the crater, carrying Samael in his right hand. Samael's eyes had rolled back, his body was battered, and foam spilled from his mouth. Roy casually tossed him onto the deck like a dead fish.

"Mission accomplished."

On the warship, Bogard's pupils contracted sharply as he stared at the enormous crater in disbelief. "Was... was that Vice Admiral Garp's 'Undersea Drop'?"

The wind stirred Roy's black hair. He lowered his head, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.

"That's right."

"I've been working hard to learn the old man's Fist Bone."

When Roy walked into the G-3 Branch carrying Samael's huge body, the entire base erupted!

"Hey, hey! Isn't that 'Blood Shark' Samael?!"

"A great pirate with a 320 million Beli bounty was beaten one-on-one by thirteen-year-old Roy?!"

"He's so strong! Colonel Roy's a monster!"

"Aaah! He's so cool!"

The soldiers stared wide-eyed, as if watching a hero from legend return.

Garp had already slipped into the crowd, a large bag of Senbei in his hand.

When he saw Roy approaching with Samael, his mouth dropped open in an O. Then he burst into a thunderous laugh without restraint. "Wahahaha! Well done!"

As he spoke, he slapped Roy hard on the back. "Bang!" He nearly drove Roy into the ground.

Roy staggered from the slap, nearly throwing out his back. "Mr. Garp, could you go a little easier...?"

Garp didn't listen at all. He turned and shouted to Bogard, "Hey! Bogard! Get the victory feast ready! We're eating meat tonight! I'm putting on a grand spread!"

Bogard's mouth twitched. "Yes, Mr. Garp."

The soldiers gathered around Samael's corpse, unable to keep from talking. "I heard he even used 'Undersea Drop'! Isn't that Vice Admiral Garp's move?"

"Colonel Roy actually learned that move. That's crazy!"

Amid the excitement, a communications soldier came running over, out of breath and holding a Den Den Mushi. "Report! Admiral Sengoku is calling!"

Garp curled his lip and picked his nose, looking disgusted. "Tsk, that old man Sengoku always calls at times like this."

He lazily picked up the Den Den Mushi. "Hello? Hello? If you've got something to say, say it!"

An angry roar burst from the other end of the Den Den Mushi. "Garp! You sent Roy into battle alone again?! Against a pirate with a bounty of 300 million, no less! He's only thirteen!"

Garp munched on his Senbei unconcernedly. "Oh, what's there to worry about? Didn't he win?"

The other end of the Den Den Mushi fell silent for a few seconds. Then Vice Admiral Tsuru's gentle voice came through, tinged with exasperated amusement. "Roy, well done. Thanks for your hard work."

Roy stood at attention and saluted. "Thank you, Vice Admiral Tsuru!"

Tsuru chuckled. "But next time, remember to bring backup. Don't go acting recklessly like Garp, understood?"

Roy nodded solemnly. "Understood."

After the call ended, Garp excitedly threw an arm around Roy's shoulders. "Hahaha! You heard that, didn't you? Even Tsuru praised you! Good, good! Well done!"

He suddenly looked smug. "Not just anyone can use that move. Back in my day, I don't know how many guys I smashed with it!"

Roy gave a wry smile. "Old man, you taught me that yourself. I only managed to copy seventy or eighty percent of it."

Garp laughed heartily. "Wahahaha! Seventy or eighty percent is enough! From now on, I'll be counting on you to carry my signature move to new heights!"

Bogard held his forehead helplessly to one side. "Mr. Garp, could you stop piling work on him while you praise him...?"

Roy looked at the lively base before him and listened to his colleagues' cheers and laughter, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.