Tyson Possessed!

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, it would have been hard to imagine that a human body could unleash destructive power comparable to a missile!

Every Marine aboard the warship stared wide-eyed, tensely watching the battle between the sea's greatest fighters.

Even elite Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters had no business interfering in a battle of this level.

Leon sat cross-legged at the bow of the Dog Head Warship. Thanks to his keen perception, he had a clearer understanding of how the battle was unfolding than most.

Even though Bullet possessed the Three Types of Haki at the highest level, even the most powerful Haki would eventually run out.

And his opponents were none other than Hero Garp and Buddha Sengoku in their prime!

The instant Bullet ran out of Haki and reverted from Devil Form—

Garp gathered all his strength, his right fist wrapped in dark-red lightning as he slammed it into Bullet!

"Seafloor Drop!"

The attack's name was plain and literal, but its power was enough to destroy an island in a single blow!

A tremendous air burst rang out. Garp's finishing blow struck Bullet and sent a nearly visible wave surging outward.

Bullet's body plunged into the sea like a meteor.

Garp and Sengoku descended from the sky and landed on a fragment of the island that hadn't yet fully sunk.

The battle had made them feel as though they'd returned to Marineford a few months ago, fighting Shiki. Shiki might have been skilled in hand-to-hand combat, but he'd relied more on his Devil Fruit Ability. Bullet, on the other hand, was a true master of hand-to-hand combat.

After such a fierce battle, even Garp and Sengoku were breathing slightly harder.

Fortunately, Bullet alone had ultimately proved no match for such a fearsome Marine force.

Now all they had to do was haul him out of the sea and await the World Government's judgment...

Cheers erupted from the Marine warships watching nearby. The Marines shouted the names of Hero Garp and Buddha Sengoku.

The invincible Marines had once again defeated the pirates who had thrown the seas into chaos, upholding justice and peace across the world...

No one noticed the faint disturbance beneath the water's surface.

Leon watched the cheering Marines from atop the giant dog-head figure, silently wondering whether he could handle a Marine force of comparable size in his Godzilla form.

At worst, I could just find a volcanic crater and hole up in it. The Active Volcano near Fish-Man Island would do nicely. When I wake up, I'll have mermaids to look at...

"Hm?"

Leon sensed something was wrong. A dangerous presence was rapidly approaching beneath the water.

A human-shaped, ocher-colored figure burst through the surface and landed at the bow of the Dog Head Warship. Its armor shattered, revealing Bullet's battered body.

Bullet instantly seized the Marine standing beside him, who remained motionless as if frozen with fright.

"Leon!!!"

"Leon!!!"

Garp and Kuzan were the first to notice the sudden crisis aboard the warship.

"Damn it!"

Garp sprang into action.

"If you hurt him even a little, I'll kill you!"

"Heh."

"Looks like you're quite important."

Bullet grinned viciously, his right hand clamped firmly around Leon's neck.

"Stand down, Marines! Or I'll kill this kid!"

Furious, Garp gritted his teeth and landed on the warship beside them. At this distance, he couldn't be sure he could rescue Leon safely from Bullet's grasp.

Badly wounded, Bullet couldn't stop himself from coughing up a huge mouthful of blood. He casually wiped it away with his left hand.

The instant he plunged into the sea, he had used the Fusion Fruit's power to make himself a layer of armor out of mud.

The armor kept the seawater away from him. He'd lain in wait beneath the surface, then seized the Marines' moment of complacency and headed straight for this unusual warship.

It had been a close call, but in the end—

He'd made the right bet!

"The weak can't survive on these seas!"

"Your so-called comrades will only hold the strong back!"

"Just you wait, Marines! I'll come back even stronger next time!!!"

Damn it!!!

Seeing Bullet, whom they had defeated only after a grueling battle, about to escape right under their noses, Akainu—his bandages freshly wrapped and his face pale—prepared to attack the Dog Head Warship.

"Sakazuki! What are you doing!?"

Kuzan stepped in front of Akainu.

"Are we supposed to stand by and let such a vicious criminal escape!?"

"If we let him go, just imagine how much damage someone with his strength could do to the world!"

"Don't worry. I'll control the magma and do my best not to hurt the other Marines aboard."

"This..."

Akainu's words left Kuzan torn. On one side was his duty as a Marine; on the other was Leon's life...

"Are you going to attack my disciple?"

"Sakazuki?"

Garp's expression darkened. After meeting Garp's gaze for a few seconds, the magma around Akainu quietly dissipated.

Seeing the Marines hesitate to act for fear of harming their own, Bullet grinned triumphantly.

This was what happened when you let so-called comrades hold you back!

Caught in the center of the turmoil, yet overlooked by everyone, Leon gently twisted his neck.

By the time he'd noticed Bullet, it was already too late.