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"Mam-ma-ma-ma～!! So we can finally throw down, huh?! This old lady's been itching for this way too long!!"
Big Mom Charlotte Linlin's piercing laughter shattered the silence. She had been pent up as well, and now her battle intent was soaring!
Riding atop Zeus into midair, the thundercloud Zeus beneath her feet and the sun Prometheus in her hand instantly swelled and expanded, radiating violent lightning and scorching flames!
"Heavenly Fire Thunder!!!"
She clapped her hands together. Zeus's thunder and Prometheus's flames intertwined and fused into a pillar of thunder-flame more than ten meters in diameter, brimming with destructive energy!
Then, like heavenly punishment, the attack slammed down ruthlessly toward the densest concentration of Marine troops below!
She didn't care about Celestial Dragons or Marines—everyone was getting smacked equally!
The Marine formation instantly fell into chaos. Facing a monster-level full-power strike, ordinary Marines felt utterly unable to resist, their faces filled with despair!
Right at that critical moment, just as Sengoku and Zephyr were about to rush forward, one figure had already moved ahead of them.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!!!"
A furious shout rang out like a thunderclap from flat ground! A burly, demon-god-like figure shot into the air at a speed barely perceptible to the naked eye!
That figure didn't dodge or evade—instead, he charged head-on with his Armament Haki-coated iron fist and broad chest, smashing directly into the terrifying thunder-flame pillar!
It was Garp!
"BOOM!!!"
An earth-shaking explosion bloomed in midair! Flames and lightning raged wildly, completely engulfing Garp's figure!
Yet when the light faded slightly, everyone—including the smug Big Mom in the air—was dumbfounded!
Garp! He was hovering unharmed in midair!
Even his signature Marine cape barely had any scorch marks!
That powerful Armament Haki acted like the sturdiest armor, effortlessly withstanding the dual baptism of thunder and flame!
Garp twisted his neck with a crisp "crack," flashing his trademark wide grin. His voice boomed like thunder:
"If that's all the heat you've got, Linlin? You couldn't even cook a decent steak! You iron balloon!"
Scaring Linlin to tears…
Seeing that eerie grin on Garp's face, Big Mom broke out in a cold sweat. Before she could launch another attack…
Garp's explosively muscled right arm suddenly drew back to its limit, fist clenched so tightly that the air itself let out explosive cracks.
"Galaxy · Impact!!!"
A simple, direct, no-frills heavy punch—yet it carried Garp's terrifying monstrous strength and supreme Armament Haki!
The blow tore through the air with overwhelming, mountain-crushing force, smashing squarely into the unprepared Big Mom's massive face!
"Pfft!!!"
Even the one known as the "iron balloon" with astonishing defensive power—Charlotte Linlin—had her features distorted by the punch, blood spraying from her mouth!
Her enormous body took the direct hit, screaming as she fell from the thundercloud Zeus, plummeting downward like a meteor…
She then carved a deep trench into the hard ground below, sending dust and smoke billowing into the sky!
Following Roger sending Saint Garling flying, yet another jaw-dropping scene unfolded.
After a brief silence, the Marine camp erupted in tsunami-like, frenzied cheers!
"Vice Admiral Garp!!!"
"So strong! You're my god!!"
"Marine Hero! Invincible!!!"
"…"
Countless young Marine soldiers had tears of excitement in their eyes, unable to contain themselves.
In the face of Big Mom's terrifying, despair-inducing strike, their hero Garp had stepped forward—not only easily blocking it, but sending the arrogant monster crashing back to earth with a single punch!
The sense of security and shock was beyond measure!
Garp's prestige within the Marines reached a boiling point in that moment.
Previously the pinnacle—now the boiling point!
Not far away, Dragon—gravely wounded and leaning against a rock—watched his father standing tall in the sky like an immovable divine pillar. A myriad of emotions surged in his heart, too complex to put into words.
He knew clearly that his father had not acted this time to protect those nauseating Celestial Dragons.
He was protecting the young, hot-blooded Marine soldiers behind him who still carried dreams of "justice."
If Big Mom's attack had been aimed directly at the Celestial Dragons, Dragon believed his father might not have even lifted an eyelid.
Watching the near-worshipful, fanatical gazes those Marine soldiers directed at his father, Dragon felt a tangle of emotions.
He understood that his father had his own bottom line of "justice." What he guarded was the very flag of the Marines' "justice" itself, and the innocent lives beneath that flag that were worth protecting.
That sense of responsibility and belonging had long been deeply etched into his father's soul.
"I originally… still wanted to try persuading Dad to come with me…"
Dragon gave a bitter smile and shook his head. The last sliver of hope he had of swaying his father completely vanished.
He understood now: Garp might be utterly disillusioned with the World Government, but he would never leave the Marines.
The Marines had become the most important place for him to practice his inner "justice" and protect what he believed deserved protection.
Garp could never abandon the soldiers who trusted him, nor could he betray the convictions he had upheld for most of his life.
His father had his own path, and he would steadfastly walk his own revolutionary road.
Yet looking at that towering back of his father, Dragon's heart—beyond the complexity—held an indescribable sense of relief and… pride.
Though he had once said he looked down on his father, those were words spoken in anger. Deep down, Dragon still felt proud and honored by his old man.
"Hahahahaha, Linlin, you alright there…"
Kaido shouldered his kanabo, speaking casually as he looked at the fallen Big Mom. He made no move to help her up—Kaido didn't think she was that fragile.
"You try taking one of his punches and see how you like it—easy for you to talk!"
Big Mom stood up, looking utterly disheveled and gloomy. Though the fall itself hadn't hurt much, the pain on her face right now was anything but ordinary.
"Can Haki really reign supreme over everything…?"
Seeing even Big Mom beaten to this state by Garp, Kaido blurted out the question somewhat abruptly.
Big Mom, upon hearing it, began explaining her view to Kaido in an icy tone:
"Devil Fruits are forever just external assistance. A truly powerful person can still dominate without one. Garp took my attack and stood there like nothing happened…"
"That's exactly why!"
Big Mom spat out a glob of bloody foam, glaring at Garp with dark lines on her face. Making her lose face in front of so many people—she still had her pride, damn it…
"Hey, Rocks… is that woman Charlotte Linlin?!"
At this moment, Harald was staring at Big Mom below, his eyes filled with confusion and a fleeting trace of resentment.
He hadn't noticed her when he first arrived—there were simply too many people in God Valley—but now he had…
Still, before that, Harald wanted to confirm her identity!
After all, the woman Charlotte Linlin had some unclear, complicated ties with Elbaph…
...