Chapter 117
Ehe, the merit of writing in the weekend. Hope you enjoy this chap as well!
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As the World Government ships and the small boat containing four people made appearance nearby the Marineford,
"Gramps, let me ask you one thing." Rowan stated casually, causing Garp to raise his eyebrow, "Are you sure that you can leave your soldiers hanging like that?"
Narrowing his eyes, thinking that Rowan is up to something, Garp opened his mouth in a stoic expression, "Just what are you up to, Grimheart brat?"
"Watch."
Rowan raised his right foot slightly, before crashing it onto the platform he was standing on,
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
The plaza that Rowan was standing on, broke into pieces.
"W-wait-"
"What's going on?!!!"
*Splash*
"Ahhhhh!!!!!"
Most of the marine soldiers, who were scattered around the plaza, fell to the frozen bay below or within the crevices created by Rowan's blast.
"Those remaining on top of a stable platform, provide an aid to the fallen comrades!!" One marine officer shouted as he reached his hand out to one man who was struggling to prevent himself from falling between the cracks. Thankfully, they weren't attacked by the pirates, who were focusing on the escape.
"This is what it is, Marine Hero." Rowan spoke coolly, "With all the Whitebeard pirates clustered at the bay, you may think that it has become easy for you all to target them, however, so are the marines, who are clustered on the plaza."
Rowan had to give Garp the impression that he's an evil and sadistic pirate who loves killing, so that Garp will prioritize the protection of fellow marines.
"And to be frank, I prefer smashing you detestable marines rather than foolishly protecting the pirates-"
"Just shut up, brat, and quit saying things that you don't even have in your mind."
Immediate failure!
Garp retorted as he stood still with a stoic expression; his Observation Haki seemed to have perceived Rowan's emotion, much to Rowan's surprise.
'Damn... Armament, Observation, Conqueror, it's impossible to keep up with this old monster.' Rowan thought in a cold sweat, 'Martial arts come useless before his expansion of Armament Haki. Hell, without the use of 'Grimheart' and full-body Armament, I would've been back to the Impel Down already.'
Realizing that those thoughts were doing harm to him, Rowan quickly shook them off,
'Forget it. No point in thinking negatively. I don't have to defeat him, but merely stall.' Watching Garp's hand twitching, Rowan decided to act quickly, 'If Garp is the type of a person that I believe he is, then this should stall him for a bit.'
Carina retreated to some distance away from Rowan.
'Anything I touch gains the property of 'bounce' for 10 seconds... although I wonder why I can't grant the permanent characteristic of "bouncy."
Regardless, my foot is in contact with the whole platform below; I can control for as long as my range allows me.' Rowan let out a slight smile before tilting his head to dodge the rapid cluster of magma that bypassed his previous position, "And looks like someone is angry here."
Sakazuki glared at Rowan heatedly, as his eyes contained nothing but a blood lust.
"Too bad you can't go all out here, eh, Akainu?" Rowan said as the countless number of debris from the platform bounced up and began to rotate at an incredible pace, "Well, I can."
*BOOMBOOMBOOM*
Those debris lightened up in bright orange as the friction heated them up.
Sakazuki charged up another fist of magma and blasted toward Rowan without any words, however,
"Entropy Blast: Meteor Shower."
*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*
Upon Rowan's command, those heated debris shot out toward Garp, Sakazuki, and many fallen marine soldiers at an incredible speed.
"F****** despicable scum of a b******!!!!!" Sakazuki gritted his teeth, knowing that they were left with no choice but to defend against Rowan's attack.
And as Garp and Sakazuki were occupied by Rowan's technique,
*ZOOM*
Carina quickly approached Rowan and they disappeared with the sudden teleportation.
"Where did you pests go to this time..." While rapidly moving back and forth to block Rowan's potent technique, Sakazuki growled and turned his head to left and right with his eyes flashing in red, signalling the use of the Advanced Observation Haki.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
A booming noise thundered across the whole area as Sakazuki witnessed Borsalino vomiting out blood before crashing into the ruins. The very person who dealt such a devastating blow to Borsalino was none other than Rowan.
*ZOOM*
"Don't tell me-"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
This time, Kuzan was sent blasting up toward the sky as a quite severe wound on his chest could be seen. Rowan was standing at the former's position with his arm pointed up, with Carina's hand touching his back.
"This is how we despicable pirates fight, you justice-craving fools." Rowan stated, before,
*ZOOM*
he and Carina teleported once more.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Moria's bloody body could be seen helplessly flying up in the air while spraying the blood all over with his eyes white; the latter seemed to have gone unconscious.
Garp's jaw dropped wide open as he aided many marine soldiers from their misery while watching such a scene. But eventually, Garp clicked his tongue understandingly; Rowan was someone who immediately began to run away back in G-8 after taking the full hit of Garp's 'Roger Fist.' Rowan wasn't a samurai or knight who believed in the importance of honour; he was a pirate.
'Grimheart my ass... his title should be Pettyheart.'
"Grimheart!!!!!" Sakazuki roared as the immense amount of magma bubbled around his body. Thankfully, the nearby marine soldiers were moved away from the scene, which prevented any unnecessary death. As Sakazuki dashed toward Rowan, the mass of magma followed.
In response, Rowan raised a middle finger toward Sakazuki with a mocking grin, before he and Carina teleported yet again.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
"F***, who is it this time?!!" Stopping before he ends up harming the fellow marines, Sakazuki turned around and saw Rowan slamming his fist onto Borsalino's face again, completely disfiguring the latter's face.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
"Bounce Art, eh... everything."
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
"A-Admiral Borsalino!!!" One marine soldier couldn't help but cry in fear as Rowan mercilessly pummelled the latter continuously.
"...Carina." Rowan's amber-coloured eyes flashed before he spoke to Carina, who teleported the two of them to different site, in order to evade Borsalino's laser beam just in time.
*ZOOOM*
"That Teleport Teleport fruit is... *Cough* *Cough*... stupidly tiring to deal with." Kuzan who just came out from the rubbles, whom Rowan and Carina were standing in front of now, stated in a serious tone, "Ice Block: Avalanche!!!"
It seemed that Kuzan was waiting for them.
Rowan clenched his fist, which crackled in black electricity of Conqueror's Haki infusion, and threw it forward, "Terrablast!"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
The incredible surge of ice was blasted into oblivion in an instant, and Kuzan was forced to cross his arms to shield his face from the potent pressure of the air.
*ZOOM*
Immediately after, Rowan and Carina disappeared with a flash of purple, and through the bright purple flash, the blue ball of plasma shot toward Aokiji,
"Heat Ball!"
Caught off-guard, Kuzan braced for the impact.
*TSSS*
The immensely hot heat ball combated against the extremely cold body of Kuzan, which was now encased by the hardening and emission of the Armament Haki.
"Your attack is pretty hot, but that's about it." As the heat ball has gone out of existence, Kuzan met his eyes against Carmen, "Regardless of how powerful one's fruit may be, it's Haki that determines everything in the end."
*ZOOM*
All of a sudden, Rowan and Carina made their reappearance above Kuzan once again, causing the latter's eyes to widen.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
"And your body is incredibly cold, however, that's about it." Rowan stated, "For someone who talks about Haki, you surely rely a lot on your fruit."
Rowan and Carina spent their time wisely. Within the short span of time where Garp and Sakazuki were occupied, they teleported and attacked the unaware targets—mainly Borsalino. Light sounded awfully dangerous, after all.
At some distance away, Sentomaru could be seen to be screaming the word "Medics!!!" over and over again, out of worry.
Gecko Moria unconscious, Borsalino, temporarily out of commission with his face in mess, and Kuzan right under Rowan. In order for all his crew members to be ready for the escape, they had to gather up.
"Carina-" Rowan turned to Carina, and saw her eyes half-closed now. He could see just how much stress she was under right now. However, she had one more job to do, "Doflamingo."
"*Huff* *Huff*... Roger... *Huff*... that."
*ZOOM*
"Overheat—hm?" Doflamingo, who was about to lash out with a potent technique, exclaimed in surprise upon sighting Rowan and Carina's sudden appearance in front of him.
"Captainnnnn!!! Don't interrupt with my fight-" Although Cavendish cried desperately,
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Doflamingo was mercilessly pummeled down with his chest crushed instantly. With one blow from Rowan, who was still using the full-body Armament along with 'Grimheart,' Doflamingo stood no chance.
"There's no time for that, Cavendish." Rowan stated as he held Carina, who swayed on her spot before leaning toward Rowan in exhaustion, "We're getting out of here. Now."
As the Whitebeard pirates were beginning to make their escape, Rowan knew that he and his crew couldn't afford to continue fighting.
'There are still many strong opponents like Mihawk and Kuma, however, I don't sense any malicious intent from them.' Rowan thought before turning back to the group, including his crew, Jinbe, Ace, Marco, and Jozu, who now gathered altogether thanks to Rowan and Carina's interruptions.
"Yo, that was really impressive back there." Marco exclaimed with a smile, "Grimheart, right? Thanks for helping us yoi."
Rowan chuckled, "Thank us later."
"So," Carmen questioned, "what now?"
"In usual cases, Carina would've teleported us back to the top, but there's no point in doing that anymore. Not only did she over-exert herself, but Prominence itself has been revealed due to Garp." Rowan gazed at Carina and Farul,
"We need you two to bring Prominence down." Currently, apart from Rowan, Farul was the only one who is able to reach Prominence, which was located very high in the air, without relying on Carina's ability. Carina, who is not able to partake in a fight right now, should be the one to steer the ship down along with Nami, to evade danger.
"*Huff*... Aye aye captain...!" Carina weakly grinned with a salute and got on top of Farul.
As they began to rise, Rowan shifted his eyes to Dan,
"Cover them, will you?"
"Got it, cap." Dan transformed his body into lightning and began to travel upward, deflecting any bullets or cannonballs shot toward Carina and Farul.
Taking a deep breath, the full-body Armament and 'Grimheart' died down from Rowan, putting an end to the extreme stress he's been placing himself within.
"*Huff* "Huff*... Shortness of breath due to the sudden decrease in the blood flow... along with the momentary weakening of muscles. *Huff*... I might have fainted from the lack of oxygen in my brain... if I used it for any longer." Rowan momentarily swayed as he felt his body becoming weak all of a sudden, but kept his body upright by using his fruit ability to bounce himself off of the air.
And now, Rowan and the rest sighted Garp and Sakazuki approaching them.
"*Huff*... Be careful, *Huff*... guys." Rowan stated calmly as his breathing finally began to return to him, "*Huff*... One wrong step... and we are screwed. Don't... let them damage Prominence."
"F***. It feels like we are doing everything." Carmen bickered in fatigue, to which Ace, Marco, and Jozu scratched their heads sheepishly.
________________
*BOOM*
Newgate huffed as he slammed his naginata on the ground below.
"Gurarara! I've got no regret in dying anymore, with my goal here achieved." Newgate gazed at the paddle ship at the bay, where the Whitebeard pirates were crying out to him,
"Pops!!!"
"Pops, we're ready!! Come!!!"
Newgate felt a smile forming on his face as the blood trickled down from his mouth.
"Whitebeard." Sengoku muttered. Although he's the Fleet Admiral, strategist, and leader who commands and keeps his head cool at all times, seeing his old foe reaching his end made him feel something.
Was it sympathy, or respect for the man whom he's been fighting for his whole life? Nonetheless, Sengoku too ceased his attack on Newgate.
"After all, Sengoku, don't you think Ace deserves better than just dying as Roger's son?" Newgate's eyes shifted to Ace, who joined forces with Rowan, his crew, Marco, and Jozu to match Garp and Sakazuki, "The end to the Great Age of Pirates? You are a fool, Sengoku! Dreams never end!!!"
Sengoku's eyes became bloodshot in fury, "Are you saying that all those unjust actions that you pirates did onto the innocents, are fine to go over?!! Whitebeard, you pirate fools have no idea how many people suffer everyday—"
"And many of those people who suffer... *Cough*... choose to become pirates." Newgate's grip on his naginata tightened as he felt his vision getting hazy, "Corrupt marines who are worse than the pirates, the World Government that strives for the total control of the world, along with the lawless Morganian pirates... Sengoku, you can't place the blame solely on the pirates.
The ideal in which the World Government, the Celestial Dragons, and the Five Elders hold, 'Absolute Control,' against the ideal of the D, 'Absolute Freedom,' gurarara, let's see... *Cough*... who wins this time."
"Absolute Control? You must mean 'Absolute Order.'" Sengoku gritted his teeth, "And Absolute Freedom... more like 'Absolute Chaos.' Their ideal is far too dangerous!
Whitebeard, no matter what you say, pirates will always be nothing more than the scums.
In truth, most of the pirates are those Morganians as the World Government likes to classify! The corrupt marines usually tend to become the pirates themselves! The Marine may be under the World Government as of the current moment, but our goal, to bring the justice onto this world, has always been pure!!"
"Gurarara, you didn't change, Sengoku. *Cough* *Cough*... I'm glad, my eternal foe..." Newgate let out hearty laughter, before speaking out in a loud voice,
"All and every member of the Whitebeard fleet, listen, for this is my one and final order to all of you!!!"
"Pops, what are you talking about?!!!" One pirate shouted in disbelief.
Tightly grabbing onto the embedded naginata to support his weight, Newgate carried on, "Escape from the Marineford successfully, along with the Grimheart pirates!"
Sengoku gritted his teeth before he too shouted,
"Attention to all marines!!! Do not let a single pirate escape!!!! Cooperate with the World Government to achieve the means!!!"
At the same time, the huge frame of Prominence began to descend from the sky, toward the battlefield where the Grimheart pirates without Carina and Farul, along with Marco, Jozu, Ace, and Jinbe, were facing off against Garp and Sakazuki.
*CLANG*
"...I suppose that this is it." With a stoic expression, Mihawk retrieved his sword, Yoru, as Vista held onto his own with shaky arms and sweated profusely.
"You are… *Huff*… letting us go?" Vista raised his eyebrow.
"I am simply here to witness the strength of the 'Strongest Man of the World.' Now that such a goal has been fulfilled, there is no reason for me to pursue you any further—I shall let you go this time for entertaining me." Mihawk stated while sheathing his sword.
"...You have my gratitude."
Vista couldn't help but feel insulted, however, turned back and began to retreat.
"And what are you here for, Bartholomew Kuma?" Mihawk spoke as his sharp eyes stared at Kuma, who didn't seem to be paying any attention to the war.
"Nothing in particular." Kuma said in monotone, "Let me say this once again: I will only act when necessary."
Mihawk momentarily gazed at Kuma, before closing his eyes with a huff, "Suit yourself."
_________________
"Pops... is it because of me?" Ace muttered in sorrow as he heard Newgate's command.
*BOOOOOOM*
Rowan intercepted Sakazuki's blast of magma with his bounce.
At the same time, Cavendish reprimanded Ace, "Focus on the fight Iron Fist!! Don't let yourself get distracted!"
*CLANG*
Cavendish quickly blocked Garp's hard fist with his sword, but found his strength lacking to prevent the latter's attack.
Marco quickly interrupted by spreading his wings between Cavendish and Garp, before Cavendish received any fatal injury.
"...Mil Fleur, Gigantesco Mano." Robin gritted her teeth as she crossed her arms, mustering all her strength to grow as many limbs as possible. Immediately after, the incredible number of arms, amounting up to one thousand, all grew at once and combined into one huge hand that towered over Garp and Sakazuki.
"Robin, that's suicidal-" Watching Robin's brash action, Rowan was ready to act. After all, the damages inflicted on the grown limbs, all get transferred to Robin. However, what he saw at the next moment impressed him to quite an extent,
"Armament Haki: Hardening."
Somehow, Robin managed to awaken the usage of Armament Haki within the days of his absence.
The gigantic hand became wholly imbued in Armament Haki hardening.
"Imagine my surprise when I found out that Armament Haki isn't something exclusive to Crocodile only." Robin smiled, "I've been exposed to it for years. If I can't even do this much, there is no use for me in this crew.
Spank."
In response to Robin's attack, Sakazuki was about to produce a mass of magma to retaliate, however,
"Speed Drive, two-fold."
Once again, Rowan's technique blasted through Sakazuki's magma, with more difficulty than the previous time due to the lack of the use of 'Grimheart.'
*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*
As the magma was being splattered over and over from one end,
"You youngsters surely are complacent, bwahaha!" Garp laughed boisterously as he wildly kicked Cavendish in the face,
*BOOOOOM*
punched his fist onto Jozu's diamond-turned abdomen,
*BOOOOOOOOOM*
rotated his body to slam his knee onto Alfred's massive gun, destroying it into pieces and earning Alfred's anguish cry,
*BOOOOOM*
bent his body back to dodge Marco's talons, who crashed into the nearby building,
*BOOOM*
and clenched his fist to blast a punch onto Ace's face,
"Take this grandpa's fist of love with a grain of salt, Ace!!"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Garp frowned, "Lie down over there and reflect on what you did wrong!!"
Subsequently, he lifted his hand up and effortlessly held Robin's gigantic hand.
"You seemed to have forgotten me, Marine Hero." Carmen snarled as she shot an immensely hot stream of flame toward Garp,
"Ignis: Torch."
However, much to Carmen's shock, Garp simply stood by and guarded his body with Armament; Carmen's attack seemed to have no damage on him at all.
"...What the hell." Rowan exclaimed as he and Sakazuki's clash ended, "Ace, your grandfather is a monster. How is it possible to defend that entirely with Armament Haki?"
'And that Xebec Fist before... just who is Xebec?!'
Ace, with his cheek swollen, stood back up, "Well, now you know why he's known as the Marine Hero."
"Bwahaha, it's still too early for you lousy brats to face me!!" Garp placed his hands on his waist and grinned.
"Be serious, Garp! We don't have time to fool around with these scums; every single pirate here must be caught!!!" Sakazuki growled in response.
Garp frowned as he gazed at Sakazuki, "You are no fun, Sakazuki-"
Suddenly, Garp caught a bullet that silently made its way toward his head.
"This is..." Garp squinted his eyes toward the direction in which the bullet came from, but to no avail, "Silence. It must be the Calm Calm fruit."
Rowan's amber-coloured eyes were locked onto the small boat at a far distance away. In particular, on one man, Job, who was raising his sniper gun.
'Who are they—Urouge? What are you doing here?!'