Garp Makes His Move

"Sengoku, you're up!"

As Garp and the others looked toward Jiang Lin, Jiang Lin turned his gaze to Sengoku.

Sengoku's strength was beyond question. As Fleet Admiral, he was among the strongest, and his Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Buddha Form was an even rarer Devil Fruit than a Logia.

If Jiang Lin obtained Sengoku's Devil Fruit ability, his strength would reach the limit of what he could currently gain.

I need to start training soon.

Jiang Lin felt the power radiating from Sengoku and Garp, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Devil Fruit abilities gave Jiang Lin an enormous advantage, but if he could not fully control that power, he might truly meet the miserable end Akainu had warned him about: being consumed by it.

I can't worry about that now.

Jiang Lin shook his head, pushed those thoughts aside, and focused on the opponents before him.

"Garp."

Sengoku spoke in a low voice, then turned his gaze to Jiang Lin. His meaning was clear: he wanted Garp to deal with Jiang Lin and leave the Execution Platform.

"I know!"

Garp did not hesitate. Boundless power seemed to gather in his fists, as though he could punch straight through the sky.

"Go!"

Faced with Garp's fighting spirit, Jiang Lin used the same trick again. His hands split away from his body and flew toward Sengoku.

Boom!

Garp met Jiang Lin's sneak attack without hesitation, striking both hands with his fists. Two sonic booms rang out, and Jiang Lin's hands shot into the distance like cannonballs.

"Come on, Garp! That's playing dirty!"

Jiang Lin had not expected Garp to hit so hard. One blow had sent his hands flying so far he had no idea where they had gone.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Jiang Lin had barely finished complaining when his hands hurtled back. They tore through the air with tremendous force, flying toward Sengoku once more.

"You're not getting through!"

Before Sengoku could react to the hands rushing toward him, Garp charged forward and swung his fists again. This time, the impact and acceleration were even greater, and Jiang Lin's hands vanished from the battlefield entirely.

"Garp, aren't you getting the wrong idea?"

Jiang Lin glanced toward Ace, hoping he might put in a word and get Garp to go easy on him. It was not as if Jiang Lin actually meant to do anything to Sengoku.

I only want to copy his ability. Does Garp really have to take this so seriously?

But Ace, at the center of the Execution Platform, did not notice Jiang Lin's look. Ever since Luffy had appeared, Ace's attention had stayed on him and the companions at his side.

Crocodile, who had been beside Luffy, dissolved into a cloud of yellow sand. Under the shocked gazes of the Marine Soldiers, he attacked Whitebeard, who had stood unmoving all this time.

"It's been a long time, Whitebeard!"

Crocodile's face was full of resentment. A chilling gleam flashed from the Golden Hook on his left arm as he lunged at Whitebeard's back.

"Some people never change."

Whitebeard stood calmly where he was, without the slightest hint of alarm in his voice.

Boom!

A red-tinged leg flashed past. Luffy, using Gear Second, rushed in front of Crocodile and kicked him away.

"We made a deal before we got here. Why are you still protecting Whitebeard?"

Crocodile glared at Luffy, the fury in his eyes plain to see.

"So this guy really is Whitebeard! Then I won't let you attack him. Ace really likes him!"

Luffy's voice was stubborn. He had not known who Whitebeard was before he intervened, but for Ace's sake, he had struck Crocodile without hesitation, despite having traveled alongside him all this way.

"Kid! That Straw Hat looks a lot like the one Red-Hair used to wear!"

Whitebeard turned toward Luffy behind him. When he spotted the Straw Hat on Luffy's back, his gaze grew distant with thought and memory.

"You know Shanks?" Luffy looked back in surprise, then glanced at the Straw Hat behind him. "Shanks asked me to look after it."

"Are you here to save your brother?"

"That's right!"

"You know who you're up against, don't you? Keep this up and you'll die!"

"Cut the crap! Who are you to decide what I do? I know you want to be Pirate King, but I'm the one who's going to become Pirate King!"

Luffy's voice rang across the battlefield, startling everyone into briefly stopping what they were doing.

"Luffy!"

Even Garp, who had struck so decisively moments ago, was momentarily stunned.

Here's my chance!

Jiang Lin narrowed his eyes. Though his hands had yet to return, he raised his feet high and drove them straight toward Sengoku's chest.

Boom!

Just as Jiang Lin was about to land the blow, Garp struck again. Tears filled his eyes as he slammed a fist into Jiang Lin's feet.

Jiang Lin's feet were knocked away, dragging the rest of him off the Execution Platform.

Boom!

As Jiang Lin flew away, Whitebeard, standing atop the Moby Dick, raised the blade in his hand slightly and smiled at Luffy beside him. "If you hold me back, I won't forgive you, you snot-nosed brat!"

"Luffy!"

In midair, Jiang Lin smiled and called down a greeting to Luffy.

"Hey, Jiang Lin! Where are you going?"

Luffy watched Jiang Lin fly toward the outer bay like a cannonball, curiosity written all over his face.

D! Your preparations should be nearly complete by now.

Whitebeard watched Jiang Lin shrink into the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had willingly let Jiang Lin copy his Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability. Together with the Devil Fruit abilities of the three Marine Admirals, it had brought Jiang Lin's current strength to a terrifying level.

"I'll leave things here to you for now, Luffy!"

"Whitebeard, watch out for Squard!"

After shouting those words, Jiang Lin streaked away from the center of the battlefield like a meteor and flew into the distance.

Outside the bay, a figure glowing red from head to toe walked past a crowd of pirates and went straight up to Squard.

"You..."

Squard's eyes tightened when he saw who it was, and horror spread across his face.

"Found you, Akainu! And... Squard!"

Jiang Lin's cannonball-like flight finally slowed as he reached the outer bay. Besides Akainu, he saw someone he had not expected to find there.

"D!"

Flames engulfed Akainu, and his eyes burned with rage. As Jiang Lin "landed," Akainu attacked him without hesitation.

Hell Hound!

A torrent of molten rock surged toward Jiang Lin in midair, carrying choking volcanic ash with it.