The more Kronos thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Garp wasn't the sort to act carelessly — there had to be a reason for this gamble.
Hearing Kronos' words, Garp let out a bitter laugh. "Don't you realize the situation? Right now, this is the Marines' only chance. If we let the Kamui Pirates grow any more, the Marines will never handle you."
"If that happens, the Marines will be destroyed sooner or later."
"In that case, I have no choice but to act."
"You're a pirate and I'm a Marine. What other option do we have?"
Garp's words stunned Kronos.
Indeed — Kronos respected Garp as a Marine hero, a venerable veteran. But identity mattered: they were on opposite sides, and sooner or later that enmity had to be settled by force. It was as natural and absolute as cat and mouse.
"It's a pity… a real pity," Kronos said, a solemn curl on his lips. "Thinking that an old man like you might fall by my hand… I feel both pity and anticipation."
He meant every word.
Garp opened his mouth as if to reply, but Zephyr cut in, shouting at Kronos, "Don't get cocky. If Garp and I put our full strength together, no matter how strong you are, you won't stand against the two of us!"
Where that confidence came from, nobody could say. Zephyr still believed in miracles — that together with Garp they could turn the tide.
Garp forced a smile and traded a few words with Zephyr, but he knew better than anyone else that the Marines' odds were nearly zero. Even for him and Zephyr together, the chance of defeating Kronos was vanishingly small.
The gap wasn't small — it was vast. If Kronos were some ordinary foe, Garp might have been relaxed, even confident. But Kronos was not ordinary. He was the strongest pirate on the sea today, one of the most terrifying opponents Garp had ever faced.
For a moment, Garp felt something like déjà vu — as if the man before him was not Kronos alone, but the sort of legend who'd crossed swords with him decades ago. The thought left him conflicted and nostalgic.
"Then speak no more," Kronos said, his face hardening. "Show your strength and fight me properly. Today, you two will fall by my hand. I promise you that."
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