Chapter 139

"To actually choose to approach us head-on—what an arrogant bastard."

It wasn't long before the distance between the two sides closed to within a thousand meters.

With the eyesight of Garp and Akainu, they could already see the black-clothed youth standing on the deck of that ship quite clearly.

Ron could see them just as clearly.

"Quite a few familiar faces, as it turns out."

He didn't just spot Akainu and Garp—he also noticed Tsuru and Tina on another warship, which surprised him somewhat; he hadn't expected them to come as well.

When the two sides drew to within roughly five hundred meters of each other.

The Voyager came to a stop.

On the warship, Garp, wearing his dog-head hood, shouted at Ron:

"Kid Ron, if you don't want to be arrested as a criminal and thrown into Impel Down, hand over Nico Luo Bin. You can go on with your adventures and travels."

"That won't do."

Ron replied with a smile, without the slightest hesitation.

Tsuru and Tina on the other warship felt a complicated stirring in their hearts upon hearing his answer.

"In that case, I won't hold back either."

Garp said, grabbing a cannonball beside him and hurling it toward Ron. "Have a taste of my Fist Bone Meteor!"

When Ron's pirate ship drew near, he saw at a glance that Garp was throwing cannonballs at that ship from the warship.

One cannonball after another landed on the sea surface ahead of that ship and exploded, sending up huge plumes of water.

But it was clearly all thunder and no rain.

Akainu's brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at Garp and said, "Vice Admiral Garp, please take this seriously."

"I'm plenty serious, all right? You think my Fist Bone Meteor isn't strong enough?"

Garp said, and another cannonball was hurled out heavily.

However, as it neared that ship, it was sliced apart by a slash.

The split cannonballs exploded in the seawater on either side of the Voyager, causing the ship to rock slightly.

"Why won't he leave?!"

Tina gripped the warship's railing tightly, staring fixedly at that ship and at the black-clothed youth on its deck who held a black blade in one hand and had clearly grown much taller than three years ago. "That idiot!! Is he really planning to clash head-on with Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Akainu?!"

A strange glint also flashed through Tsuru's eyes.

Based on her knowledge and understanding of Ron.

Ron wasn't the reckless sort.

Could it be… he had some other plan?

"Kid Ron, have a taste of this—Super Iron Ball!"

Garp hoisted an enormous cannonball and hurled it flying toward Ron.

"Soru."

Ron's figure on the Voyager's deck flashed, and he appeared midair, delivering a kick.

That massive cannonball was kicked straight back toward the warship.

Akainu could no longer hold back.

He pushed off the deck and raised his right fist, slamming it into that enormous cannonball.

The giant cannonball was sent flying back into the sky once more.

With a thunderous boom, it exploded midair. The powerful shockwave spread in all directions, causing all six warships to shudder several times.

Akainu, who had landed back on the warship, cast a cold glance at Garp. "Vice Admiral Garp, it seems your attacks aren't much use against this target. Let me handle the arrest."

"Shut it, Sakazuki!"

Hearing Garp's utterly blunt words, veins bulged on Akainu's forehead, and he grew somewhat irritated.

And Garp, too, was feeling a bit annoyed in his heart at this moment.

This bastard Ron—I went out of my way to create all these chances for you and you still won't run. You really are a fool!

And here I was thinking you were pretty smart before.

Or did killing Golden Lion Shiki make you get a little too full of yourself?

This Akainu's strength is in no way inferior to Golden Lion at his peak! On top of that, with his ruthless, leave-no-evil-unswept personality, if he really gets serious, you could very well die!

Thinking this, Garp looked at Ron, who stood on that ship with a smile on his face as he gazed back, and couldn't help but clench his fist tight, veins popping on his forehead, fury welling up with nowhere to go.

Still smiling!

That smile of yours can go to hell!

Seems like if I don't land a serious punch on you, you won't learn your lesson!

Garp stomped down heavily, and the warship tilted to one side.

His figure leaped high into the air toward that ship, his justice cloak flapping in the wind. While still airborne, he raised his right fist toward the ship. Vast power gathered, and spiraling waves of searing heat wrapped around that fist.

Before that punch had even been thrown, the immense fist-pressure caused the air around the Voyager to freeze solid. The churning seawater was pressed downward by that heavy, invisible force, and rolling waves spread outward in all directions.

"Vice Admiral Garp is getting serious."

Tsuru said softly.

Tina beside her was all attention.

All the Marines had heard the legends of this hero of the Navy. The older Marines knew Garp's strength well, but the younger ones didn't know much about it and rarely got to see him get serious in person.

This was also Tina's first time seeing Vice Admiral Garp get serious.

On the Voyager, Luo Bin, Conis, Bonney, and the sea cow Little Seven could all feel that pressure bearing down on their shoulders, nearly forcing them to bend at the waist—an invisible, crushing weight.

"So this is… the strength of Navy hero Vice Admiral Garp?!"

Facing Capone's punch, Luo En stomped his foot, causing the Traveler to sink downward.

He leapt upward, fist clenched, meeting Capone's punch head-on!

"Has he gone mad? That's Capone he's facing!?"

On the Red Heart Pirate ship far away, Bepo's voice trembled as he watched, certain Luo En had lost his mind.

Trafalgar Law beside him fixed his gaze on that spot.

Under the eyes of everyone.

Above the sea between the Traveler and the six warships.

The old man and the young man leapt into the air, swinging their fists downward at each other.

Two fists, brimming with astonishing power, collided.

Neither used Haki—only pure fist strength.

The heavens and earth fell silent, wind gentle, clouds light.

And in the next second.

Boom!!

The condensed, solidified air pressure exploded violently! A black-and-red shockwave erupted, unleashing a terrifying, earth-shaking roar—visible, massive airwaves surged outward, churning the sea below into furious waves!

The terrifying shockwave spread outward; the Traveler and the six warships shook violently, and the distant Red Heart Pirate ship was also struck, its hull lurching several times, hard to control.

Capone, whose fist had met Luo En's, felt the force in his fist and couldn't help but be stunned.

When did this kid reach this level…?

"Old man Capone, how's that? Haven't I gotten much stronger than before?"

Luo En, his fine bangs fluttering, looked up at Capone and smiled.

In the next instant, Level 3 of the Ultimate Will of Power activated.

He radiated scorching crimson steam, his fist's power surging another thirty percent.

"Wahahaha."

Feeling the sudden surge in Luo En's fist power, Capone roared with laughter: "You've indeed grown far stronger than I expected—but…"

"You still aren't strong enough to block my Love Iron Fist! Feel the full force of my Love Iron Fist, Luo En boy, and know your place!"

Luo En had no time to react.

Capone's fist power instantly surged to an utterly terrifying level.

That explosive force crushed Luo En's fist power in an instant!

The next second, Luo En—who had just been holding his own against Capone—was slammed sideways into the sea by Capone's Love Iron Fist.

The sea surface fell silent, not a sound.

Far away, Trafalgar Law watched Capone retreat onto the warship, his whole body trembling, sweat pouring down.