As for Momousagi's injuries.
Even without a finishing blow, her injuries were severe enough, and she had lost so much blood that she would have died within a minute.
Maud saw this, but he still insisted on delivering a finishing blow. Even when Garp sent him flying, his instinct had been to draw his gun and fire another shot.
His determined action was purely the result of habit.
He simply hadn't expected Garp, who had deliberately kept a low profile ever since Ace escaped the execution platform, to shift his focus and appear at this moment, then block that finishing blow for Momousagi.
Even Vice Admiral Tsuru, who hadn't taken part in the fighting since the war began, had appeared.
But it was too late.
That final slash across Momousagi's body had completely snuffed out her chance of survival.
Hearing Maud's words, Vice Admiral Tsuru and Garp's expressions changed slightly.
At that moment, Momousagi finally collapsed toward the ground.
"Gion..."
Vice Admiral Tsuru's heart clenched as she caught Momousagi in her arms.
The blood flowing from Momousagi's body instantly stained Vice Admiral Tsuru's white uniform red.
Looking at the amount of blood Momousagi had lost, Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had always remained unmoved even when Mount Tai collapsed before her, now wore an expression of intense anxiety.
After examining Momousagi's injuries briefly, Vice Admiral Tsuru's heart sank.
Momousagi's chest rose and fell faintly. Her blood-covered hand clutched Vice Admiral Tsuru's sleeve tightly, and as her lips moved, her voice came out weak and feeble.
"Maud... Maud will definitely become a threat the Marines can't ignore... We must... eliminate him... Cough, cough..."
This woman, who took preventing crises from growing into disasters as her guiding principle, would rather turn the little time she had left into hostility directed at Maud, even