Reno hovered in the void, watching Garp engulfed by the lightning below. His Observation Haki was fully activated, and he didn't relax his vigilance in the slightest.
Although those lightning birds were condensed with three types of power, they were all very weak. If "Iron Fist" Garp could be defeated this easily, it would truly be a joke.
Sure enough, in the next second, the lightning domain was instantly ripped apart, and Garp broke free. His entire body shot towards Reno like an uncorked cannonball.
Garp looked a bit battered, the upper half of his clothes were gone, and blood was overflowing from the corner of his mouth. However, the aura emanating from him did not decrease but instead increased.
Reno's previous move, which infused lightning, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki, did manage to inflict minor injuries on Garp. But this not only failed to affect his combat ability, it completely enraged Garp, sending him into a frenzy.
"Bogard!"
While attacking Reno, Garp roared.
Bogard, his Vice-Captain, immediately understood and decisively gave an order.
Swoosh—
A cannonball was fired, slicing through the air, aimed directly at Garp. After exchanging one more blow with Reno, Garp performed two backflips to create distance from Reno.
His retreating direction happened to be the direction from which the cannonball was flying.
"Go die, Reno!!"
"Fist Bone - Meteor!"
Garp channeled all his strength and Armament Haki into the cannonball that passed him. Then, he threw the cannonball back at Reno with even greater speed. He had previously used this technique to repel Linlin for a hundred meters.
The cannonball, augmented by double the power, created bursts of sonic booms and instantly flew in front of Reno.
"Shockwave Punch (Hadōken)!!!"
In a flash of lightning, Reno threw a direct punch. Layers of visible energy shockwaves piled one upon another, directly shattering the atmosphere, colliding with the incoming cannonball in mid-air.
Boom—
The cannonball instantly exploded, transforming into a powerful shockwave that swept outwards. The two powerful attacks nullified each other.
This move resulted in a tie!
"If you want to die, I'll take you out first!!"
Having neutralized Garp's attack, Reno's eyes suddenly looked toward the distant Marine warships. Many of Garp's deadliest techniques required coordination from the Marines.
"I won't let you succeed!!"
Garp instantly perceived Reno's intention. He leaped up, flying dozens of meters into the sky.
"Reno, die!!" "Fist Bone Impact!"
Garp covered his iron fist with power and Armament Haki, quickly attacking Reno from top to bottom.
Twelve Marine warships sinking into the sea and the loss of over ten thousand Marine soldiers was already a catastrophic loss for the Navy. How could he possibly stand by and watch Reno attack the other Marines?
This move was not only extremely fast but also immensely powerful. It could easily smash a mountain or destroy countless buildings.
Lightning surged around Reno's body, the electric light flashing. His entire being vanished as if by teleportation, reappearing dozens of meters away.
Garp's heavy punch missed, slamming heavily into the ground.
Boom—
A powerful shockwave violently erupted. The ground was instantly shattered, huge chunks of rock flew everywhere, and the ground within a radius of several hundred meters directly sank. The shockwave propagated outward, sweeping across the sea and raising hundred-meter-high waves. Countless Sea Kings in the depths of the ocean were instantly killed, their blood quickly dyeing the surface of the sea red.
Garp's incredibly powerful attack even affected the other nearby battlefields. Those engaged in combat had to simultaneously evade this powerful energy impact.
"Hahahahaha... truly worthy of being 'Iron Fist' Garp. The power of this move is massive."
Looking at the coastline and port that had been destroyed over a quarter of its area with just one move, Reno's face grew increasingly gloomy.
"Garp, I want you dead!!"
Reno flipped his hand, and a Fine Grade Sword (Ryō Wazamono) suddenly appeared in his grasp.
"Haki State (Haigoku)!"
Reno, also provoked into a rage, roared. His internal Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki erupted like a volcanic explosion. Two streams of aura, one black and one red, shot up into the sky, directly tearing through the clouds and drawing the gaze of tens of thousands of people.
"Garp, today this place will be your burial ground!!"
Under Reno's control, the two streams of aura completely surged into the Fine Grade Sword in his hand. Even for a sword of such high quality, after the two powers flooded in, the blade began to vibrate unnaturally. It felt overwhelmed, as if it was about to shatter and break.
It must be noted that Reno's Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki had reached an extremely high level. Although it was the same technique, the power Reno unleashed with this move of Haki State was much stronger than Linlin's.
Feeling the force transmitted from the long sword, Garp's face twitched. His internal Observation Haki palpitated wildly, and a restless feeling spread furiously throughout Garp's body.
"This bastard!!"
Garp clenched his fist, staring fiercely at Reno. This guy's strength had far exceeded his imagination. Although some of Reno's abilities bore similarities to the Linlin he had fought previously, Reno's actual strength was far superior to hers.
"Damn it, I refuse to believe it today!!" "Take another one of my Fist Bone - Meteor!"
Garp, who refused to accept defeat, spat harshly. His entire body once again leaped high into the sky, repeating the same move.
"Garp, Caster is not a place for you Marines to run rampant!!"
Reno slightly curled the corner of his mouth, and with an upward motion, slashed his sword!!!
Weng—
A piercing hum that tore at the eardrums suddenly rang out. An energy cannon, dozens of meters in diameter, ripped through the air, twisting the atmosphere, with continuous sonic bursts along its path.
"Don't get too arrogant, Reno!! Break!!!"
Garp's expression was ferocious. While roaring, he directly met the attack. The two attacks, containing terrifying power, collided instantly.
Boom—
Reno's Haki State and Garp's Fist Bone - Impact wrestled against each other, neither giving way. Garp felt an overwhelmingly powerful force pouring onto him, making his fist tremble slightly.
"This Conqueror's Haki!! Damn it!!!"
Sensing the power that posed the greatest threat to him, Garp's face grew even gloomier. Reno, despite his young age, had not only awakened Conqueror's Haki but had also cultivated it to this terrifying degree. Even Garp himself had never heard of such a thing.
Although Fist Bone - Meteor neutralized most of the power, Garp was ultimately defeated. The residual force of Haki State completely poured onto him, causing Garp's mind to go blank for a short time, his head ringing loudly. Garp only felt agonizing pain all over his body, as if his body was about to fall apart.
Puff!
Garp, who had taken the direct impact, spat out a mouthful of blood. He traced a graceful parabola in the air before heavily crashing into the dense forest several hundred meters away.
Boom! Boom! Boom!Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the depths of the forest, the sound of ancient trees constantly crashing down could be heard. In an instant, countless birds fled in panic, soaring into the sky!
"Garp!!!"
Sengoku the Buddha roared with anger upon seeing this scene.
With a pale face, Sengoku the Buddha never expected that the entire high command of the Marines, having mobilized, would not only fail to gain any advantage in this battle but would instead fall into a disadvantage. And what surprised him even more was that the first person to suffer a heavy blow was actually Garp. It was truly unbelievable!!
In contrast, the situations on the battlefields of Sengoku and Zephyr were much better. Since both Sengoku and Jess were Devil Fruit users, their combat moves were endless, resulting in alternating gains. Overall, their battle was locked in a stalemate, and neither could overpower the other in a short time.
And Zephyr's situation was the best among all of them. Although Zephyr looked utterly battered, attacks that could actually harm him were few and far between. The majority of Flame Flower's attacks were primarily defensive, only intended to tie down Zephyr. However, Zephyr could not defeat her immediately either.
"Damn it!!"
Sengoku the Buddha clenched his fists, feeling the situation was extremely tricky. Besides Garp, his own situation was not much better.
He retracted his gaze and looked at Hajrudin before him with apprehension. Hajrudin, who had mastered the Memo Memo no Mi, possessed terrifyingly immense combat power.
"Sengoku the Buddha, let's continue!!"
Hajrudin, who was gradually getting fired up, marched over with heavy steps. The surrounding ground faintly trembled with his stride.
"You think I'm afraid of you!!"
Sengoku the Buddha coldly snorted, unfolding his stance and charging forward. He was the only Admiral in the Marines; in front of thousands of Marine soldiers, he absolutely could not lose face.
"Baisu 'Tenfold Speed'!" (Multiplication 'Tenfold Speed'!)
Looking at Sengoku the Buddha, who had turned into an afterimage, Hajrudin used the Memo Memo no Mi ability, increasing his speed tenfold, pushing his speed to the maximum. Anyone who saw a twenty-meter-tall Giant warrior erupt with such speed would be greatly astonished.
"Sengoku the Buddha, take another punch from me!!" "Baisu 'Tenfold' Heavy Punch!" (Multiplication 'Tenfold' Heavy Punch!)
Looking at the ever-enlarging, pitch-black giant fist in his pupils, Sengoku the Buddha's eyes slightly narrowed. It was this exact punch that had sent him flying moments ago.
"Do you really think I'm afraid of you!!" "Conqueror's Haki, Activate!"
Bang!
As soon as he finished speaking, a dark red stream of aura surged out from Sengoku the Buddha's body, covering his fist simultaneously with Armament Haki, directly meeting Hajrudin's heavy punch.
Thud—
In just an instant, Sengoku the Buddha was once again sent flying by the immense force, slamming heavily into the ground.
Putting aside the attack intensity of this punch (which included Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki), purely from the perspective of raw strength, those who could withstand Hajrudin's tenfold-strength punch were few and far between.
Hajrudin was also not comfortable. Although Sengoku the Buddha's strength was not as great as his own, Sengoku the Buddha's fist contained both Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki. This power could easily break through his defenses, invading his body and causing him great discomfort.
"Admiral Sengoku!!"
Seeing Sengoku the Buddha also get knocked flying, the Marine soldiers on the warships were filled with anxiety. With setbacks on both battlefields, the situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable for them.
"Damn it, how is this possible!!"
"Admiral Sengoku the Buddha and the strongest Vice Admiral Garp were both struck down by the enemy?!"
"I don't believe it!!"
The Marine soldiers who witnessed this entirely forgot the earlier warning from Sengoku the Buddha. They were all agitated and restless.
"Rear Admiral Bogard, what should we do now?"
A Marine Vice Admiral anxiously asked.
Although Bogard was only a Rear Admiral, he was Garp's Vice-Captain. Even the other Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters highly valued his opinion.
Bogard's face was grim, and he hesitated. In the recent battle with Garp, Reno had indeed consumed a large amount of stamina, but killing them would still be easy for him. Moreover, even a full cannon barrage would not only be useless against Reno right now but would also provoke him, drawing his attention and leading to disaster.
Most importantly, having followed Garp for so many years, he knew Garp's strength inside and out. Even if Garp was at a disadvantage now, it wasn't that simple to defeat him so easily. Sengoku the Buddha was the same; if a Marine Admiral could be defeated so easily, they wouldn't deserve to be considered a top-tier force of the sea.
After thinking this through, Bogard slowly spoke: "Do not act rashly for now. Everyone wait for my command, and be ready to provide rescue at any time!!" ... ... At the center of the battlefield.
This time, Garp, who was struck flying, was visibly much more battered than the previous time. His face was pale, and his breathing was shallow. Blood continuously flowed from the wound on his chest.
"Reno!!!"
Garp's crimson eyes were fixed on Reno, and he let out a roar like a wild beast. At this moment, he looked like a monster.
"I'm going to kill you!!!"
Bang!!!
The immense force directly stomped a deep crater into the hard ground, and spiderweb cracks continuously spread. Garp, like a beast, shot up into the sky like a cannonball. A wildly violent Armament Haki burst forth from him, tearing through everything. Black lightning danced wildly like snakes, occupying the entire sky.
Rumble! Rumble!
In a flash, dark clouds condensed, and the weather changed drastically. Darkness gradually spread, enveloping the entire island. Garp's surroundings felt like an electromagnetic field, with vast, surging Armament Haki swirling around him.
The sudden turn of events immediately drew everyone's attention. Even on the other three battlefields, both sides tacitly broke away from their opponents and temporarily ceased fighting. Everyone looked up at the darkening sky, feeling a sense of unease.
"This guy..." Jess looked up at Garp, who was enveloped in black lightning high in the sky, feeling extremely wary. Initially, he had been disdainful of these so-called Marine powerhouses, but this scene forced him to change his mind for the first time.
Garp was very strong!!
Flame Flower and Hajrudin shared the same thought.
"Garp is truly enraged!"
Sengoku, one of the 'Iron Triangle,' looked at Garp, his expression extremely solemn. He knew Garp's strength very well, but to be forced to this point was enough to prove that Reno's power was equally formidable.
"Does he intend to end the battle completely with this move?"
Sensing Garp's intention, Reno showed no fear. Instead, his desire for combat grew even stronger. Although his stamina had been mostly consumed by fighting up to this point, encountering an equally matched opponent like Garp was a truly exhilarating experience!!
"Reno, if you can withstand this move, my life is yours!!"
Garp's chilling voice rang out from high above, reaching everyone's ears.
"Hahahahaha... Well then, it seems you are destined to die here today."
Reno laughed loudly in response.
"Arrogant!!" "Fist Bone - Collision!!" (Fist Bone - Impact's advanced version, several times stronger in power.)
In the original work, Garp once used this move to easily crush the head of the Wicked King Pizarro, who had become one with Hachinosu Island. Garp mobilized all the strength and Armament Haki in his body, condensing it onto his iron fist without reservation. In the previous clashes with Reno, even his most prized killing moves had failed to faze Reno. Rather than continuing to fight a war of attrition, it was better to risk everything in a final, desperate move.
This was his most powerful technique, channeling all his strength and Haki into it. After this move, his stamina would be virtually depleted, leaving him with no ability to fight further. If even this move failed to take down Reno, then he would resign himself to fate!
"Reno, take my move!!"
Garp, high in the sky, roared. His fist, similar to his previous techniques but several times more powerful, brought with it a violent punch-wind. He plunged downwards towards Reno from above. His speed was reaching its extreme limit.
Even from over a hundred meters away, Reno could feel the savage punch-wind, wrapped in Armament Haki. Even with his freakish physique, he felt his face being painfully scraped, and his shirt was completely ripped open, exposing his muscular chest.
Reno took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, a chilling, menacing light shot out from them.
"Garp, I will send you on your way now!!"
Terrifying silver lightning, pitch-black Armament Haki, and dark red Conqueror's Haki—three forces erupted from Reno's body without any reservation. The three violently restless powers surged around Reno, raging wildly. Everything tangible within a radius of several hundred meters was completely ground into dust.
Of course, if he weren't worried about harming Caster Town, Reno could output even greater power.