Garp rolled his shoulders, his joints cracking.
Barn did not move. His Mind's Eye was locked firmly on Garp. He needed no warm-up; in fact, he was already somewhat exhausted. His earlier battles with World and Mihawk had drained a great deal of his energy.
Garp naturally knew this. It was precisely why he had chosen to act.
As men of the same era, Barn and Whitebeard stood on the same level. In strength and Haki alone, Garp feared no one. But once Barn, Whitebeard, or even Sengoku used their Devil Fruit abilities, he could only claim an even chance against them. Whitebeard and Sengoku were manageable enough. Barn's draining Devil Fruit ability was the hardest to deal with.
Barn's Life Fruit was still passively repairing his body, but that required energy.
"Let's begin."
Barn said nothing more. His voice was cold, and his already lifeless eyes grew colder still.
The playful grin vanished from Garp's face as well. He had to take this fight seriously.
"Yeah."
Garp offered nothing more than that quiet reply.
Almost simultaneously, both men vanished from where they stood.
Clang!
An iron fist coated in Armament Haki collided in midair with a blade gleaming with an eerie red light!
"You're an old bag of bones now, but your fists are still as hard as ever."
Despite their tense clash in midair, Barn spoke casually.
"You only look younger. We're both men of the same era."
Garp answered without giving an inch.
Then they separated in midair, only to clash again and again.
Both moved so quickly that onlookers could see only the sparks that suddenly flashed in the air.
"Hahaha! Barn! Take another Fist of Love!"
Garp and Barn broke apart and landed on opposite sides again. Garp gathered power in his fist, the iron-black