Reinforcements arrived: Kong, Sengoku, and Zephyr
Wasn't the Flame-Flame Fruit what this guy stole?
Could it be...?
Garp's heart sank!
Before Garp could react, the next instant—
Whoooosh!
Searing flames erupted from Kotetsu's tip, and the surrounding temperature instantly soared to thousands of degrees, nearly ten thousand!
The flames swelled rapidly, growing as enormous as a Flame Emperor in the blink of an eye!
The massive blaze swallowed Garp whole!
"Let's get out of here while we have the chance!"
Rono immediately headed up the Bell Tower, grabbed the Celestial Dragon, and prepared to leave with Whitebeard.
"We made it! They're still here!"
Just then, three figures appeared in the sky above Mock Town!
All three were using Geppo!
The man in the lead was tall and powerfully muscled, radiating a fierce presence, with a distinctive three-pronged beard shaped like an inverted mountain!
He was Kong, an Admiral from Marine Headquarters!
The other two were Admiral Candidates, Sengoku and Zephyr!
But all three were shocked by the sight before them!
Nearly all of Mock Town had been razed to the ground.
Terrifying flames raged along the central street, and within them was a presence they knew all too well—Garp!
"Was Garp actually... defeated?!"
Their expressions immediately darkened.
Garp... had lost to Rono?
How was that possible?!
Garp's strength was already firmly at an Admiral's level!
He could have become a Marine Admiral right then without any issue.
How many days had Rono even been at sea? And he was already strong enough to defeat an Admiral?
No... that was absolutely impossible!
"Let's get Garp out of there first!"
Desperate to save his friend, Sengoku immediately plunged into the flames to rescue Garp!
"Zephyr, hold Rono off! Don't let him leave!"
Kong hurriedly gave the order.
"Heh, Kong, take a look at what I've got here."
Rono sneered and held up the limbless Celestial Dragon.
"The Celestial Dragon! He's still alive!"
Shocked, Kong hurriedly stopped Zephyr.
"Tell me, Rono. What will it take for you to release the Celestial Dragon?"
Kong's face was grim. He looked ready to devour Rono alive!
"Oh? Kong, did seeing a Celestial Dragon make you lose your nerve?"
Seeing Kong forced to swallow his anger made Rono want to laugh.
A Marine who rose to the rank of Admiral was nothing more than a lapdog for the Celestial Dragons!
Kong's behavior proved that beyond doubt!
"Bye-bye, Kong. You'll find the Celestial Dragon at the harbor in five minutes!"
With that, Rono prepared to head to the harbor with Whitebeard.
"Gurararara! So this is the trump card you were talking about, kid?"
Whitebeard couldn't help laughing too!
He had been ready to fight, but now it seemed there was no need.
"You arrogant bastard, Rono! You're not getting away!"
Unable to stomach this humiliation, Zephyr moved to give chase.
The instant Zephyr moved, Kotetsu's tip was at the Celestial Dragon's throat!
"Wait, Zephyr! Don't do anything rash!"
Kong immediately grabbed Zephyr.
The Celestial Dragon absolutely could not die!
Otherwise, the consequences would be dire!
Even he, a Marine Admiral, would face severe punishment!
"But are we really just going to watch them leave?" Zephyr couldn't understand!
Rono was the man who had defeated Garp!
Could the Marines bear the future consequences of letting him escape?
Kong could only remain silent and watch Rono and Whitebeard leave!
He had no choice. The Celestial Dragon's life was simply too important!
Letting a wanted criminal escape was nothing!
Even an entire country would be destroyed if it offended a Celestial Dragon!
The World Government wouldn't so much as blink!
That was how much the lives of the Celestial Dragons were worth!
As a Marine Admiral, Kong knew that better than anyone!
After reaching the harbor, Rono and Whitebeard sailed away.
Seeing this, Kong and Zephyr hurried to the harbor to search for the Celestial Dragon.
They soon found the limbless Saint Charlos!
But Saint Charlos was already dead. A sword had pierced his heart, and it had clearly happened only moments ago!
"Rono, you bastard! Stop right there!"
Kong flew into a rage as he stared at the departing sailboat!
In his fury, a terrifying aura erupted from his entire body!
The gusts swirling around him nearly rivaled a typhoon.
Boom!
He threw a punch, its immense force splitting even the sea in two!
Such was the terrifying power of an Admiral-level fighter!
The force of his punch shot forward as a streak of white light, about to catch up with Rono and Whitebeard's sailboat!
The next instant!
Crack!
Fine cracks visible to the naked eye appeared across the sea and in the air!
It was clearly the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit!
Then came a roaring surge!
Tsunamis rose all around, blocking Kong's attack outright.
"You bastard, Rono! You broke your word!"
Kong knew their escape was now inevitable. All he could do was shout helplessly.
"What does keeping my word matter when I'm dealing with trash like the Celestial Dragons?"
Rono gazed at the regret-stricken Kong on the harbor, his expression utterly calm.
"Did they... get away?"
Just then, Sengoku arrived at the harbor with Garp, whom he had rescued.
Garp's body was covered in burns of varying severity, making for a horrifying sight!
"Garp... are you going to be all right?"
Kong had never imagined that Garp would be injured so badly!
"I'm fine. They're just flesh wounds. Ten days or a couple of weeks of rest, and I'll be good as new."
Garp wasn't particularly concerned about his injuries.
They looked frightening, but they hadn't done any lasting damage.
With plenty of meat, plenty of milk, and ten days or a couple of weeks of rest, he should recover completely.
After all, he was Luffy's grandfather and Dragon's father. Everyone in that family had a monstrous constitution.
"My injuries aren't the problem. Rono is!"
Garp turned to face Kong, his expression deadly serious.
"Admiral Kong, we need to reassess Rono immediately. That guy's an absolute freak!"
Garp then recounted the entire battle.
After hearing his account, Kong, Sengoku, and Zephyr all paled!
"Is everything you said true, Garp? Does Rono really have the talent to learn something after seeing it just once?"
Kong was stunned and wanted to confirm it again.
Had it been anyone less honest than Garp, Kong wouldn't even have bothered asking again. He would have dismissed it as a lie outright.
"Absolutely! The Rocks Pirates have gained an incredible monster!"
Garp's tone was grave.
Rono's talent defied all common sense, and they had let him join the Rocks Pirates.
The Marines had a difficult road ahead.
"All right. We're returning to headquarters immediately and calling everyone together for a meeting!"
"And we must inform the Holy Land as well!"
Kong looked up at the sky, thoroughly troubled.