169 With the Justice System

New World.

On the deck of the Red Force.

"Captain, Marines up ahead."

Beckman exhaled a ring of smoke.

"We're blocked. No way around them."

"Hmm..."

Shanks fell silent for a moment. "Then we break through!"

No matter what, he had to stop the war that was about to shake the world to its core.

"Whrrr—"

The sails of the Red Force swelled with sea wind, the hull surging forward in a sudden burst of speed, like a red arrow loosed from its bowstring, tearing through the chaotic waves.

Soon, a steel wall formed of ten Marine warships loomed into sight.

At the forefront, one ship stood out above all the rest.

A massive dog's head glared silently over the waves, its expression frozen in a perpetual snarl.

"!!!"

"That ship... could it be..."

Shanks and Beckman exchanged glances, both seeing the same look of sheer shock mirrored in the other's eyes.

At that very moment, a towering figure leapt from the dog-headed warship!

The shadow streaked through the air, appearing above the Red Force in the blink of an eye.

"Pu-hahahaha—!"

A wild, unrestrained laugh exploded like thunder, echoing through the skies.

Scarlet and jet-black bolts of Conqueror's Haki crackled furiously around Garp's massive frame!

"Red-haired brat, take this!"

He cocked back his fist and hurled it toward the Red-Haired Pirates!

"Fist Impact!!!"

...

On the dog-headed warship, Luffy watched his grandfather's descending punch, his mind going completely blank.

Back then, in the East Blue, when Grandpa punched him... compared to this blow...

That wasn't a punch at all!

That was nothing more than a gentle pat of love!

This—this was Grandpa's real power!

"!!!"

On the Red Force, Shanks's pupils contracted sharply.

That figure, that voice.

Bad!

Too bad!!!

Standing in their way—was Garp!

The Marine Hero who once chased Captain Roger across the entire world!

Why was he here?!

No time to think. Shanks bellowed, "Evade!"

He drew the famed blade "Gryphon" from his waist and strode to the bow in a single step.

He could feel it—Garp's attack had locked onto the entire ship. There was nowhere to run!

The only way out was to meet it head-on!

"Whrrr—"

A torrent of red Conqueror's Haki burst from his body like roaring flames, wrapping tightly around his sword's edge.

The blade gleamed with a sinister, blood-red glow!

"Divine Departure—!"

Shanks slashed out, hurling a crimson arc of energy straight into the path of the oncoming fist!

"BOOOOM!!!"

The red sword aura and the black fist shadow collided violently in midair.

The resulting storm of energy split the skies apart, tearing the clouds into ragged shreds!

Most of Garp's attack was stopped cold by the strike.

But fragments of fist-force still rained down like meteors, slamming into the waters around the Red Force and throwing up monstrous pillars of spray!

Waves battered the ship, making the entire hull quake violently.

"Boom—!"

Garp's body landed heavily back on the dog-headed warship.

He glanced at the Red Force, still afloat after blocking his blow, and curled his lip.

"Divine Departure?"

"Red-haired, compared to Roger, your version falls short!"

Shanks tightened his grip on Gryphon, silent.

He could feel it—Garp was seething with pure, unrestrained fury.

Because of Luffy?

He must be enraged that Shanks had set Luffy on the path of piracy.

With Garp blocking the way, there would be no passing today!

"Pu-hahahaha!"

Garp bared his teeth in a grin.

But there was no mirth in that smile, only smoldering wrath.

"Red-haired, ready to get beaten senseless?"

Muscles bulged across his arms, veins popping as his stance locked into place, his aura rising higher still.

An even greater surge of Conqueror's Haki coiled wildly around his fists!

"Hrgh—!"

Garp punched toward the heavens!

Instantly, the sky itself changed color.

Countless fist-shadows, clad in black Armament Haki and crackling with crimson lightning, filled the air in an impenetrable storm!

Ten times as many strikes as before.

Several times the force!

"BOOOOM!!!"

The shadowed fists plummeted toward the sea!

Each one trailed a long tail of black flame, painting the sky in despair's pitch-black hue!

The entire ocean trembled beneath the crushing weight of the assault!

"!!!"

Shanks stared up at the descending storm of black meteors.

His calm façade shattered.

Cold sweat beaded his brow.

Was Garp planning to wipe out the entire Red-Haired Pirates here and now?!

"Retreat!"

Shanks roared, "Get us out of this area immediately!"

"Whrrr—"

The Red Force's wheel spun hard, the ship carving a wide arc across the sea as it desperately tried to flee the death zone.

"Tap—"

Shanks launched himself skyward, body flashing like scarlet lightning.

Suspended in the air, he swung down, "Swoosh—!"

Blade after blade of condensed crimson slashes burst forth, like blood-red crescents defying the heavens, colliding headlong with the black meteor storm!

To protect his crew, Shanks abandoned all defense, throwing himself into the torrent of blows!

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

Above, red and black clashed in a frenzy, each impact detonating into a storm of destruction!

Even so, some fist-shadows slipped past the barrage.

"Bang—!"

Beckman raised his rifle, its barrel gleaming with Haki, and precisely blasted apart a fist that was about to smash into the mainmast.

"Fall back! Pull out of this sector now!"

He barked to the crew below, his usual calm replaced by grim urgency.

The exchange ended swiftly.

By the time the Red Force finally broke free of the attack zone, Shanks was already descending back to the deck.

His breathing ragged, his black coat torn by fist-winds, a thin stream of blood running from his brow.

"Pu-hahahaha!"

"Not bad! You can take a beating!"

On the dog-headed warship, Garp's laugh shook the heavens.

"Come on! Let me pound you to my heart's content today!"

He squared his stance again, fists rising, preparing another Galaxy Impact!

At that instant—

"Whrrr—"

From another direction, an aura unlike either side's swept across the sea.

A monstrous pressure of violence, destruction, and madness.

On the horizon, an enormous pirate fleet slowly came into view.

Dozens of savage-looking ships, advancing like an unstoppable tide.

"Worororororo—!"

A booming laugh resounded from the flagship.

"Garp! Red-Hair! What's a party this lively without me?!"

The World's Strongest Creature—"Beasts" Kaido—arrived with the full might of the Beasts Pirates!

Garp slowly lowered his raised fists. He turned to Tsuru at his side.

"Tsuru?"

"Hm."

Tsuru nodded calmly, expression serene.

"The war at headquarters has already begun. Wiping out the Whitebeard Pirates won't take long."

"According to plan—we let one of them through."

"Which one...?"