Boom! Boom! Boom!
Leno and Garp's battle had already reached a fever pitch—fists smashing into flesh, trading blow for blow in a frenzy.
Every collision triggered explosive shockwaves. The aftershocks alone shattered the frozen sea beneath them again and again.
It was fortunate that Leno's Devil Fruit didn't fear seawater.
Anyone else would have been at a serious disadvantage.
Both men wore savage expressions, eyes filled with nothing but the desire to tear the other apart.
Their fighting styles were strikingly similar—
Direct. Violent. Relentless.
Similar—but not identical.
Leno blended his Devil Fruit ability into his hand-to-hand combat.
Why wouldn't he use it? He wasn't some pure martial artist.
As for Garp—he was pure physical might combined with Conqueror's Haki infusion.
"Why?! Why target Luffy?! He never once provoked you!"
Even as his fists never slowed, Garp's voice thundered with fury.
"If you've got a grievance, bring it to me! I won't complain!"
Leno's Conqueror's Haki–coated fist collided with Garp's heavy punch.
He sneered coldly.
"Sorry. I'm not targeting him personally. Luffy's just a tool—a perfect tool to make you suffer, old man."
That sentence completely ignited Garp's rage.
"AAAAAH! I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Garp roared to the heavens, his assault growing even more ferocious.
For a fleeting moment, he resembled the hero of God Valley once more.
At that instant—
From the corner of Leno's eye, he caught sight of a figure in a green hood diving rapidly through the clouds.
The target—
Domino, who was locked in combat with a Marine Vice Admiral!
That attire flashed a name in Leno's mind.
His pupils shrank. His face changed drastically.
Ignoring Garp's attack, he roared toward Domino:
"Domino! Behind you! Move!"
Hearing Leno's warning mid-battle, Domino didn't hesitate for even a fraction of a second.
She abandoned her nearly successful strike and retreated instantly.
Her trust in Leno was absolute.
Dragon's first strike missed. His expression darkened.
"She dodged? Doesn't matter."
"If Leno's that concerned about you, then I chose the right target."
Dragon moved again.
He had to make Leno taste that pain.
"Damn it!" Leno cursed inwardly. He really had been careless.
Luffy was Dragon's son. Sabo was his second-in-command.
How could Dragon possibly not come to Marineford?
The so-called "Rescue King" had made a mistake earlier—
He had trusted Borsalino too much.
And because of that, Luffy lost an eye.
That was bad news for Leno—
But extremely satisfying for Garp.
Leno wanted to rush to Domino's aid.
But how could Garp allow that?
A heavy punch slammed into Leno's arm, forcing him back.
Garp's face twisted with grim delight.
"Bastard! You finally get a taste of it! Watching someone important get hurt while you can't do a thing! Soon, you'll truly understand our pain!"
Leno's eyes turned ice-cold.
He could save Domino.
"I'll have to expose it… I can't let Domino die."
He knew he could stand among the top-tier fighters now—able to trade blows with them.
But his crew?
They were too weak.
Just as Dragon's next attack was about to engulf Domino—
Just as Leno prepared to reveal one of his trump cards—
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two swift, razor-sharp slashes tore through the air, crossing toward Dragon mid-flight!
The power behind them was immense—clearly the work of a Great Swordsman.
Dragon's expression shifted slightly. He had no choice but to abandon his attack and evade.
Even if he could take the hit, he had no desire to tank that level of slash with his body.
Besides—
Was Domino going anywhere?
This sudden twist stunned everyone.
From the sky descended a man with long golden hair, leonine in bearing.
A true lion.
In both hands he held the famous blades Oto and Kogarashi, grinning wildly.
"Jihahahaha!!!"
"So many old fossils ganging up on a bunch of youngsters? Aren't you embarrassed?"
It was none other than the Golden Lion—Shiki.
But this time—
There was no ship's rudder lodged in his skull.
His legs were whole.
A small tanuki perched on his shoulder.
It was his slash that had saved Domino.
"Shiki the Golden Lion!!"
Those who recognized him shouted his name—
Some in shock.
Leno's voice carried surprise.
Others' voices were filled with disbelief.
No one had expected Shiki to appear here—let alone save one of Leno's crewmates.
Still shaken, Domino called out:
"Golden Lion—thank you!"
"Jihahahaha!"
Shiki laughed loudly.
"No need for thanks, little girl. We did break out of Impel Down together. No need to be strangers."
Domino nodded firmly.
Her admiration for Leno deepened even further.
If Leno hadn't saved Shiki back then, she would've died under Dragon's hand just now.
Following Leno truly had been her best decision.
Though she was curious about Shiki's changed appearance, she knew now wasn't the time.
Shiki swept his gaze across the battlefield.
"Jihahahaha! All familiar faces! You old bastards sure are stubborn—still alive, huh?"
Whitebeard smashed a Vice Admiral aside and called out:
"Gurararara! Shiki, what are you doing here?"
Sengoku's expression grew incomparably grim.
The already chaotic war had gained yet another ancient monster.
The future was even harder to predict now.
Meanwhile, Garp and Leno's battle raged on.
Garp, consumed by fury, refused to stop—each attack fiercer than the last.
Shiki naturally intercepted Dragon, preventing him from targeting Domino again.
For the moment, Domino and the other women were safe.
As the fight dragged on, Garp felt increasingly alarmed.
Leno's physical combat had advanced at terrifying speed.
His techniques and force application were nearly on par with Garp's!
On top of that, he fused in his Devil Fruit ability—creating a bizarre, personal fighting style.
What he lacked was only experience—and the sheer intensity of Haki.
A flicker of regret rose once more in Garp's heart.
If only he hadn't expelled Leno from the Navy…
But there were no "ifs."
"I'll make Luffy watch as I crush your two eyes inch by inch!"
"Then stop talking and do it, old man!"
Leno wiped the blood from his mouth.
He didn't underestimate Garp.
But killing each other?
That would take days and nights.
He had noticed Shiki's changes as well.
And the tanuki on his shoulder gave him a clue.
Still—
Right now, his focus remained on Garp.
"My strength… it's loosening again!"
Leno felt exhilarated.
Marineford truly was the perfect place for him to grow!
"Just a little more. Thanks, Old Garp the Fist—my personal whetstone."
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