a long time--
"Pfft, hahaha..."
Garp's laughter rang out, tinged with a hint of helplessness.
" Sengoku, you bastard... you really know how to cause me trouble..."
"Alright, I understand."
"Let's retreat."
The call ended.
Sengoku took a deep breath and slowly sat back down in his chair.
A thin layer of sweat had already seeped from his forehead.
With Garp withdrawing, G-1 can be saved.
But what about Wano Country...?
Roy and Kaido will completely take control of Wano Country.
Seastone resources will fall into the hands of pirates.
With Oden dead and Kurozumi Orochi captured, there is no one left in Wano Country who can keep Kaido in check.
Roy will receive a continuous supply of Seastone.
This is another heavy blow to the Navy.
But the Sengoku had no choice.
G-1 Branch is a strategic location at the entrance to the New World; if it falls, the Navy will have no foothold in the New World.
In contrast, Wano Country...
We have no choice but to give up for now.
" Fleet Admiral..."
The staff officer asked cautiously,
"What do we do next?"
The Sengoku remained silent for a long time.
Then, he slowly opened his mouth.
"Strengthen defenses at the entrance to the New World."
"Recall Kizaru and Aokiji."
"Reassess the threat level of the Roy Pirates."
"Besides..."
He paused,
"Notify the Five Elders."
"Tell them the Wano Country mission failed, Garp has withdrawn, and G-1 has been attacked."
Tell them...
" Roy has grown to the point where he must be eliminated."
The staff officer bowed deeply.
"Yes!"
Meanwhile, on the battlefield in Wano Country.
Garp put away the Den Den Mushi, his smile gradually fading.
He turned around and looked at Roy not far away.
Under the moonlight, the young man stood steadily, covered in blood and with wounds all over his arms.
His eyes burned with a fierce fighting spirit.
That's the look only a true powerhouse has.
" Roy the brat."
Garp spoke slowly,
"You win."
Roy raised an eyebrow.
"What's the meaning?"
Garp grinned, but with a hint of helplessness in his expression.
" G-1 Branch was attacked; Golden Lion and Bullet went to fight it."
"I must leave now."
Roy's eyes flickered slightly.
Garp continued,
"You little rascal, you planned this all along, didn't you?"
"Send the Golden Lion to launch a surprise attack on G-1, forcing me to return to defend it."
"A clever plan, a clever tactic."
Roy didn't speak, he just looked at him quietly.
Garp took a deep breath and clenched his fist.
That's all for today.
"Next time we meet, I won't hold back."
He turned and walked towards the navy.
After taking a few steps, he stopped and looked back at Roy.
"Kid."
You are really strong.
"But the navy is stronger than you think."
" The World Government is more unfathomable than you imagine."
"Take care of yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure suddenly accelerated and disappeared into the night.
Behind them, the navy soldiers followed suit and quickly withdrew.
On the battlefield, only corpses littered the ground and the pervasive stench of blood remained.
as well as--
That black figure stood quietly in the moonlight.
Roy gazed in the direction Garp had gone, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Take care of yourself?"
" Vice Admiral Garp, I should be saying that to you."
Under the moonlight, Garp led the navy in a swift retreat.
Roy stood still, unleashing his full Observation Haki, which formed an invisible net that firmly locked onto the departing figures.
His spiritual perception pierced through the night, clearly capturing the movement of every breath.
"Boss, they're really gone." Tesoro landed beside him, the arcs of electricity swirling around him gradually subsiding.
Roy did not answer, continuing to operate his Observation Haki at full power.
His brows were slightly furrowed, and a dark light gleamed in his eyes.
Will that old bastard Garp pull a surprise attack?
Given his personality, this possibility cannot be ruled out.
They feign a retreat, but secretly lie in wait, ready to strike suddenly when their guard is down.
That seemingly rough old man is absolutely capable of doing something like that.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes...
Roy's Observation Haki locked onto those auras until they receded into the distance.
Finally, they arrived at the edge of the Wano Country Waterfall, boarded a warship, and set sail.
The outline of the warship gradually blurred under the moonlight, eventually disappearing into the vast night.
Roy then withdrew his Observation Haki and let out a soft breath.
"They're gone."
" Tesoro, let's go too."
The two of them took off simultaneously, transforming into two streaks of light, one black and one white, and sped off towards Kuri.
The night wind whistled past my ears, and the earth below swept by at high speed.
Roy's mind replayed everything that had happened that night—
Kozuki Oden was killed in battle, Kaido was seriously wounded, the Navy retreated, the CP0 Chief of Staff escaped with a severed arm, and Kurozumi Orochi was captured...
The landscape of Wano Country will be completely changed from tonight onwards.
And he is the biggest winner of this change.
"Boss."
Tesoro suddenly spoke,
"It looks like there's a fire over in Kuri."
Roy's gaze sharpened as he looked into the distance.
At the edge of the sky, a burst of fire shot into the heavens, turning the night sky a dark red.
That's the direction of Kuri.
Moreover, the fire was very large.
"Accelerate."
Roy said in a deep voice.
The two increased their speed again, transforming into two shooting stars that streaked across the night sky.
Kuri, Oden Castle.
When Roy and Tesoro arrived, the sight before them left them both speechless.
The once bustling castle town is now a sea of fire.
Flames engulfed the houses, thick smoke billowed into the sky, and the air was filled with the smell of burning and blood.
The streets were filled with pirates from the Beasts Pirates.
Holding torches and wielding swords and spears, they were capturing the warriors and civilians who had not yet managed to escape.
"Quick! There's more here!"
"Grab him! Don't let him get away!"
"Surrender and you will not be killed! Kneel down! Kneel down!"
Shouts, screams, pleas for mercy, and cries mingled together, echoing across the burning land.
Those samurai who resisted were surrounded by pirates, their bodies pierced by swords, and in the end they either died in battle or were captured.
The ordinary people knelt on both sides of the street, trembling, with pirates pointing their knives at them, not daring to utter a sound.
Throughout Kuri, cries of despair filled the air.
Roy and Tesoro hovered in the air, looking down at the devastation below.
Tesoro smacked his lips.
"This... this is too tragic."
Roy remained silent, his gaze sweeping across the sea of fire.
His Observation Haki activated, instantly enveloping the entire Kuri.
Countless auras emerged in his perception.
There were pirates from the Beasts Pirates, captured samurai, trembling civilians, and...
Roy's gaze turned towards the direction of Oden Castle.
The firelight was brightest there.
In front of Oden Castle, on the plaza.
The area was packed with the Beasts Pirates.
They held torches, illuminating the entire square as if it were daytime.
In the center of the square, rows of captured warriors knelt.
They were covered in wounds and their clothes were tattered, yet they still stood tall, their eyes burning with an unquenchable rage.
Kaido stood on the highest pavilion in Kuri.