Golden Lion Attacks

"Ahahahaha! As expected of the new generation of geniuses in our Navy!"

At the Training Grounds, Garp stood with his hands on his hips, laughing heartily.

Across from him, Doflamingo lay sprawled like a dead dog, his head covered in swollen bumps, as if he had eaten Sengoku's Buddha Fruit.

I knew that old bastard had nothing good planned, Doflamingo thought through gritted teeth, dizzy and disoriented.

Normally, when Doflamingo sparred with these powerful Navy officers, they stopped at the right point. Even if he got hurt, it would never damage his bones or muscles.

But Garp did not understand such unspoken rules. As long as he did not beat someone to death, he would beat them half to death. Even after Doflamingo had lost the ability to fight back, Garp still diligently gave him a "hairstyle."

Still, Doflamingo had to admit that Garp's strength was truly unfathomable. He was unquestionably stronger than Zephyr.

He definitely was not a good teacher, but he was indeed a good opponent. His tendency to go wild in battle and never hold back also pushed Doflamingo to draw out more of his own strength.

So, although Doflamingo kept getting battered black and blue, he often sought Garp out for insane extra training during this period.

With Little Chef's cooking as bait, Garp naturally could not restrain himself and became Doflamingo's sparring partner entirely.

After training like this for several more days, Doflamingo prepared a grand meal one day. A group of high-ranking Navy officers came by again to mooch a meal.

"Kid, I heard you're heading out to sea tomorrow?" Garp asked as he picked his teeth with a toothpick. He casually dug into his nostril, only to poke it until it started bleeding.

He did not care in the slightest, casually wiping the blood onto Akainu's leg beside him with an utterly carefree look.

Several veins visibly bulged on Akainu's forehead. Wisps of blackish-red smoke rose from his body, but in the end, he said nothing. His entire leg simply turned into magma, vaporizing every trace of blood and boogers.

"That's right. If I earn some more merits, I should be promoted to Vice Admiral," Doflamingo said with a nod.

Vice Admiral was also the highest rank one could normally attain in the Navy through merit alone. Becoming an Admiral required combat strength, while merit was only a minor factor.

A Vice Admiral's authority was no small matter either. If stationed at a Navy base, the area under their jurisdiction would cover at least several World Government Member States. The kings of those Member States had to be polite when they met a Navy Vice Admiral, and they would often send gifts during holidays.

After all, the security of an entire country basically depended on the Navy base for protection. Otherwise, pirates on the seas could plunder the whole nation at any time.

And if they were Vice Admirals tasked with hunting pirates, they would command a fleet of at least a thousand men, enough to face any pirate crew with a bounty below 500 million. They could even be issued Sea Stone warships newly developed by Navy Headquarters.

Whether in the Four Seas or on the Grand Line, they could obtain supplies unconditionally from any World Government Member State and had the authority to pursue pirates within those Member States.

It was precisely because the Navy possessed such tremendous authority that it could attract enough talent and barely maintain stability across the seas.

But for the same reason, it had now developed to a point where even the World Government feared it.

"Not bad, not bad. You really are impressive, kid. Before long, you'll be at the same rank as this old man!" Garp said with a laugh.

Doflamingo rolled his eyes. He did not think becoming a Vice Admiral would put him on equal footing with Garp.

Navy Vice Admiral was perhaps the rank with the greatest disparity in strength throughout the entire Navy. Leaving aside freakishly powerful figures like Garp, the Admiral Candidates, and Staff Officer Tsuru, who all held the title of Vice Admiral, even ordinary Vice Admirals varied greatly in strength.

Powerful Navy Vice Admirals could hold their own against Shichibukai and Top Executives of the Four Emperors' crews, while weak ones could be taught a lesson by any random Supernova.

Akainu nodded as well. "Becoming a Vice Admiral at your age will greatly increase your chances of becoming an Admiral in the future."

Akainu greatly appreciated Doflamingo. Aside from his formidable combat strength and delicious cooking, Doflamingo was ruthless and vicious when he acted. He was undeniably a Hawkish Faction Navy officer, and also Akainu's subordinate. It could be said that he was a backbone of Akainu's faction.

In the current Navy, the Hawkish Faction was not the mainstream. Garp and Zephyr were firmly part of the Dovish Faction, Sengoku was neutral, and Fleet Admiral Kong could not be considered Hawkish either.

Among the entire upper command, Sakazuki alone carried the banner of the Hawkish Faction. Yet he was merely an Admiral Candidate, only barely qualified to be considered part of the upper ranks.

That was why he spared no effort in nurturing Navy officers who shared his stance.

Just as Doflamingo was about to say something, his Observation Haki suddenly sensed a powerful life force descending from the sky, causing him to look up.

Almost at the same time, Garp looked in the same direction. Clearly, he had sensed something as well.

Only a moment later did Akainu react and sense the unfamiliar, powerful presence.

Clearly, compared with Doflamingo and Garp, his Observation Haki still fell far short.

"Shiki? What's that old lion doing here?" Garp muttered.

Of the three, only Garp had dealt with Golden Lion Shiki before, and he recognized his identity through Observation Haki.

"Golden Lion Shiki? The Flying Admiral?" Akainu's expression changed. Even Sakazuki was deeply wary of this famously powerful Great Pirate.

Other Great Pirates, even Roger or Whitebeard, would be walking into certain death if they barged into Navy Headquarters. Only Golden Lion Shiki, that legendary pirate with the Float-Float Fruit's incredible mobility, possessed the ability to come and go freely from Navy Headquarters.

While the three were still guessing, an incomparably powerful aura erupted from the center of Marineford. The surrounding ordinary Navy soldiers all rolled their eyes back and fainted. Even some headquarters officers of lieutenant commander rank and above were no exception.

Doflamingo was startled—not because Golden Lion's Conqueror's Haki shocked him so much, but because under the stimulation of that Conqueror's Haki, the Conqueror's Haki within his own body began to stir, nearly bursting forth.

By the time he barely suppressed the urge for his Conqueror's Haki to erupt, Garp and Akainu had already rushed toward the center of the Haki's outbreak.

Seeing this, Doflamingo did not hesitate. He immediately charged toward the center of Marineford's Navy plaza.

All three could be considered rare powerhouses of the seas, and they moved with incredible speed. Before long, they saw the legendary pirate standing at the center of the plaza, his long golden hair flowing behind him.

He gripped two longswords in both hands. His golden hair reached his ankles, a bizarre ship's wheel sat atop his head, and his face was twisted with boundless fury.

At his feet and around him lay Navy soldiers piled up like small mountains. Blood covered the plaza, and it was clear that these Navy soldiers were already dead.

Across from him, Admiral Sengoku wore an enraged expression. He had removed his coat, revealing the black clothes beneath.