When that chilling voice rang out beside Golden Lion, Barn, and the others, everyone except Barn turned to see a face so dark it looked ready to drip water.
"Oh? Sengoku, is Garp here too?"
With his back to Sengoku, Barn asked in a slightly teasing tone.
"I'm right here!"
Hearing Barn mention him, Garp naturally answered in his booming voice.
"Oh! You're here too. That's wonderful..."
Before Barn finished speaking, Nidai Kitetsu was out of its sheath, and he closed in on Sengoku in an instant!
"I've been waiting for you two for a long time, too!"
"Moonlight Slash!"
Barn swung his sword upward with his left hand, then immediately switched it to his right and slashed down!
Sengoku swiftly leaned backward, narrowly avoiding Barn's slash!
"Damn you! Barn..."
"Hey! Barn! Leave those two to me!"
Before Sengoku could finish, Golden Lion had already flown over using his ability!
"Lion's Might: Earth Roll!"
Air currents churned across the open space atop Impel Down. Four roaring white lions appeared out of thin air around them, closing in to crush Garp and Sengoku at the center!
"Golden Lion..."
Sengoku's face darkened further, and he immediately shouted.
"Garp!"
Sengoku activated his Devil Fruit ability in an instant, transforming into his golden Buddha Form and thrusting an open palm into the air before him!
"Hah!"
A powerful shock wave, almost visible to the naked eye, erupted from Sengoku's enormous golden hand!
The shock wave shattered the white lions pressing in from all sides!
Garp had already been waiting for an opening. He clenched his left fist, concentrating dense Armament Haki around it, and charged straight at Golden Lion!
Clang!
"Shiki! I have a score to settle with these two! Leave them to me!"
It was Barn! He gripped Nidai Kitetsu, holding it firmly against Garp's fist!
Golden Lion glanced at Barn in front of him, moved behind him, and laid a hand on his shoulder as he spoke.
"Listen, Barn, I already told you! He's my prey!"
Then Golden Lion shoved Barn aside with a forceful push and threw a punch to meet Garp's fist!
Garp had exhausted his strength in his deadlock with Barn. Unable to muster more force in time, he was sent flying backward by Golden Lion's punch!
"Damn it, Shiki! He's mine!"
Barn pinpointed Garp's direction with his Mind's Eye and immediately pursued him with Triple Slash!
"Rippling Wave Slash!"
Seeing Barn's opening stance, Sengoku inwardly cried out in alarm.
Damn! That move again!
"Hahaha! Let's see which is faster-your sword or my slashes! Lion's Thousand Valley Cut!"
Seeing Barn give chase, Golden Lion rapidly alternated kicks with Sakuragi and Kujū, the swords on his legs, more than a dozen times!
In an instant, over a dozen slashes flew toward Garp from different angles!
At that very moment, Garp, unable to maneuver as he flew backward, was struck by Barn's Rippling Wave Slash!
A dazzling ring of light appeared out of thin air around Garp!
"Damn it! Garp! Soru!"
Seeing that Garp could not possibly dodge Golden Lion's slashes after being caught by Rippling Wave Slash, Sengoku shouted and immediately used Soru to reach him. He crossed his arms in front of himself, blocking Golden Lion's slashes!
By then, the ring of light around Garp had vanished, and he fell from the air.
Sengoku immediately grabbed one of Garp's arms, slung it over his shoulder, and swiftly retreated!
Watching from a distance, Leonard and the others were stunned by the strength Barn displayed.
Barn is actually this strong!
That was what Leonard and the others were thinking. They had never imagined that someone who looked so absurdly young could possess such strength.
"Trying to run?"
Sensing Sengoku and Garp rapidly moving away through his Mind's Eye, Barn immediately raised his sword and pursued them!
But suddenly, something changed!
The Danger Sense of Barn's Mind's Eye issued a warning in an instant!
Almost simultaneously, a yellow Laser Beam shot straight at Barn and pierced his shoulder!
"Lord Barn!"
Seeing the laser pierce Barn, Leonard used Soru and Geppo together, immediately reaching him and supporting him.
"Borsalino!"
"Oh my, oh my. Did I miss?"
Just then, at the other end of the battlefield, a man appeared wearing an orange-and-yellow suit and a soft-brimmed hat, with a cigarette between his lips and a cape bearing the word "Justice" on his back.
It was Borsalino, the Glint-Glint Fruit user who would one day become the Marine Admiral Kizaru!
Four Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals followed behind him!
"Dalmatian, Fighting Dog, Onigumo, Yamakaji!"
Holding Barn, Leonard looked at the five men before him and named them one by one.
Barn, who was lying in Leonard's arms, had known Kizaru had arrived the moment he was hit. The Pacifistas had not yet been created in this era, so Kizaru was the only one capable of that attack. But when he heard the other names Leonard spoke, he could not help frowning. Those four men were all Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters!
A soft green glow rose from the wound the laser had punched through Barn. It soon healed, leaving only the hole in his prison uniform as proof that it had ever existed, and he slowly stood up.
Seeing Barn's wound heal so quickly, Leonard exclaimed in surprise.
"Mr. Barn!"
"Ah, just a Devil Fruit ability."
Barn waved a hand and quietly explained it to Leonard.
Only then did Kizaru finally notice Leonard. Picking at his ear with his slender little finger, he spoke.
"Oh my, oh my. Isn't this Mr. Leonard, the chief of CP9?"
Then his gaze turned cold, and he looked at Leonard as he spoke again.
"What's this? Have you betrayed the government?"
Hearing Kizaru's words, Leonard grew furious and roared.
"I, Leonard, never once thought of betraying the government! You were the ones who betrayed me first!"
But Kizaru paid him no attention. He ignored Leonard completely and turned to Barn instead.
"'Asura' Barn, have you ever been kicked by light?"
Kizaru slowly raised his left leg. It instantly began to shine, tremendous energy gathering within it!
"Damn you! Borsalino!"
Furious at being ignored, Leonard charged at Kizaru using Soru!
"Finger Pistol!"
But before Leonard could touch Kizaru, the first Marine Vice Admiral behind him, who resembled a Dalmatian, immediately rushed forward!
"Your opponent is me!"
He struck with a Finger Pistol as well, and both Leonard and the Vice Admiral took a step back.
"Dalmatian!"
Leonard spat out the name of the Vice Admiral who had stopped him.
Dalmatian, however, clapped his hands and looked at Leonard as he spoke.
"As expected of CP9's chief. You actually blocked a Zoan user's Finger Pistol with nothing but your own!"
Just then, the other three Vice Admirals behind Kizaru leaped forward as well. Oniwood and World could no longer stand by, and they sprang into the fray.
Leonard faced Dalmatian!
Oniwood faced Onigumo, a fellow swordsman who wielded the Eight-Sword Style!
World intercepted both Yamakaji and Fighting Dog!
Battle erupted at once!
Golden Lion, on the other side, saw this and turned back to mock Sengoku.
"You certainly came prepared, Sengoku!"
Sengoku replied expressionlessly.
"We absolutely cannot let you escape!"
"Heh heh! Then give it your best shot! Lion's Might: Two-Sword Earth Splitter!"
By then, Kizaru's Light-Speed Kick was ready. His entire body transformed into photons, and he moved before Barn at the speed of light!
But the Danger Sense of Barn's Mind's Eye let him react a moment earlier!
Nidai Kitetsu, coated in Armament Haki, met Kizaru's shining left leg!
"I've certainly never been kicked by light, but you'll have to land the kick first!"
Barn pushed harder, and Nidai Kitetsu, coated in Armament Haki, cut a wound into Kizaru's lower leg, forcing him to turn into light and put some distance between them!
"Haki! What an irritating thing!"
Kizaru's brow furrowed deeply.
"Come at me again!"
Barn extended a hand toward Kizaru and beckoned him as he spoke.
"Damn you!"
Seeing Barn's provocation, Kizaru turned into light again and charged!
The two sides remained locked in a stalemate!
Tap, tap, tap...
"Hurry! The Fleet Admiral and the others are just ahead! Go reinforce them!"
At the edge of the battlefield, a Vice Admiral was gathering a large force of Marines to reinforce Sengoku and the others!
"Weasel!"
Leonard once again named the Vice Admiral leading them. It was Weasel, a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral like Dalmatian and the others!
Barn, who was still fighting Kizaru, naturally noticed the large force of Marines forming up and rushing toward them.
This is bad. The longer we delay, the more trouble we'll have. Once the main Marine force arrives, escaping will be difficult. We can't drag this out any longer!
With that thought, Barn immediately shouted to Golden Lion.
"Shiki! Get ready to run!"
"Yeah, it's time!"
Golden Lion had also noticed the large force of Marines and answered Barn.
"Keep dreaming, Golden Lion! Get back to Impel Down where you belong! You're not getting away!"
Sengoku and Garp charged again, swinging their fists!
"I didn't want to use this move, but you're the one problem I have to deal with!"
Barn intended to escape using Golden Lion's ability, but Kizaru's speed and powers were a real headache. Taking him out was now the top priority!
"Dark Sky Wave Eye!"
Barn's awakening skill!
An enormous black barrier appeared with Barn at its center, enveloping Kizaru!
"What is this?!"
Suddenly deprived of his sight, Kizaru found it terribly difficult to adjust. In this darkness, he could not even turn into light!
Just then, Barn's voice suddenly rang out...
"Well, Borsalino? How does the darkness feel? This is something I've long since grown used to. Aren't you the Glint-Glint Fruit user? Try lighting up this 'endless darkness'!"
Darkness was the quickest way to stir humanity's negative emotions. Trapped in the absolute darkness of Barn's Dark Sky Wave Eye, Kizaru even felt fear!
Just then, eyes suddenly opened across the black curtain, one after another, until they covered the entire dark sky!
Barn's voice rang in Kizaru's ears again.
"I see you, Borsalino! I'll remember what you look like! Now, you can 'close your eyes'!"
Those eyes suddenly shattered, one after another. In the darkness, only Kizaru's screams remained!
"Shiki! Time to go!"
Seeing that Barn had dealt with Kizaru, Golden Lion swiftly broke away from the battle. World, Oniwood, and Leonard hurried over as well.
"Vice Admiral Borsalino!"
Seeing their opponents retreat, the other four Headquarters Vice Admirals did not pursue them. Instead, they ran to Kizaru's side to check his injuries. He was covered in wounds and had lost consciousness.
By then, the Marine force led by Weasel finally arrived, but it was already too late.
Using his ability, Golden Lion had already lifted Barn and the others off the ground and high into the sky!
"Garp!"
Sengoku called out to Garp, who immediately understood. Together, they used Geppo to give chase!
"World!"
"Don't order me around, Golden Lion! Momo 10x Speed!"
World activated his Devil Fruit ability!
Golden Lion, Barn, and the others instantly accelerated, soon disappearing from Sengoku and Garp's sight!
Only one remark from Barn remained.
"Surprised, idiot? I can fly!"