[69] : Gourmet Paradise—Pucci!

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"Old man Garp—You're truly a legend of the sea!" Though injured, Arthur wasn't discouraged. Defeat at the hands of such a legend was no disgrace.

Arthur grinned.

"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit's speed is unmatched. I doubt you'll be taking me to Impel Down—Vice Admiral! Thanks to you, I've seen the true gap between myself and the peak—Until we meet again!"

With that, Arthur didn't hesitate, transforming into lightning and vanishing into the sky.

"That kid got away. Fleet Admiral Kong was right. We can't let such a dangerous individual reach the New World…" Garp landed on the dock, a rare look of concern on his face as he watched Arthur disappear.

The Marines had decided to dispatch their strongest forces to intercept Arthur at Sabaody.

The World Government was furious about the Heavenly Tribute Heist.

Making an example of Arthur was the best way to save face.

——

Arthur flew through the clouds, coughing occasionally. Garp had forced him out of his elemental form several times during their fight, injuring his internal organs.

Each breath sent a burning pain through his chest.

Fortunately, he had eaten a full meal before the fight. His abnormal recovery rate, coupled with the Electrotherapy he'd developed on Skypiea, was constantly mending his injuries.

This was the first time he had used electrotherapy since obtaining the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

"I've finally witnessed the power of one of the world's strongest." Arthur sighed, acknowledging Garp's Overwhelming strength.

Compared to CP0 and Kizaru, Garp was on a completely different level.

However, he wasn't afraid. This peak was visible, tangible, not some distant, shrouded summit.

A mountain too high to see the peak would discourage even the most determined climber. They might give up halfway, their spirit broken.

But once the height was known, a clear goal established, the climber could push forward, step by step, towards the summit.

Arthur's clash with Garp wasn't a hopeless endeavor. He'd put up a fight. Though a direct confrontation meant serious injury or even death, he could inflict damage in return.

Buggy the Clown, during the Summit War, had been terrified of the aging Whitebeard, too afraid to even challenge him—The gap between them was too vast, an insurmountable chasm. Buggy couldn't even see the peak, let alone reach it.

Arthur often wondered what kind of terror could make a man lose the courage to even look his opponent in the eye. Buggy—haunted by that fear, would never become truly strong.

Arthur flew through the clouds, following the Grand Line's route etched in his memory. He needed time to recover before reaching the next island, the Gourmet Paradise - Pucci. Arriving injured and encountering Garp again would be suicide.

"200M Volts in Thunder God form—combined with Electromagnetism and my Enhanced Physique…with Armament Haki—I should be approaching Admiral-level," Arthur pondered as he healed.

When he first set sail, he could injure CP0 agents and fight Kizaru to a standstill with his physical strength and Rumble-Rumble Fruit abilities. Kizaru, at that time, was already Admiral-candidate level, even assigned a codename—on the verge of promotion.

Now, Arthur's physique was even stronger, his Electromagnetism more Enhanced—and he'd even mastered Armament Haki.

Arthur now was a different beast entirely.

——

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Fleet Admiral Kong's office.

Bang!!

Kong slammed his fist on his desk, scattering papers and shattering the wood.

"What did you say? Even you couldn't take down Arthur?" Kong's voice was laced with disbelief and anger.

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi—Garp chuckled. "Fleet Admiral, that kid Arthur is strong. And that lightning speed—impossible to react to. If He wanted to escape. Who could stop him?"

Picking his nose, Garp recounted the battle. "Zephyr, Kizaru, and the others misjudged him. That punk is probably already Admiral level!"

"Admiral level?" Kong's face darkened. This was becoming more and more troublesome.

He didn't think Zephyr, Kizaru, and Tsuru's assessment was wrong. Arthur was simply improving too quickly, growing stronger by the day.

"Yeah! That brat, Arthur, has developed his Devil Fruit to an insane degree. He has a battle form called—Thunder God! Full body elementalization—and the lightning makes him grow larger, like he's wearing lightning armor. Very powerful!"

"And Kizaru said his Rumble-Rumble Fruit has a new ability, something even more dangerous than Lightning. When I punched him, it was like my force was being neutralized. Not exactly absolute defense, but enough to nullify most attacks."

"Even though he's a pirate—He is without a doubt a monster!"

Garp munched on his rice crackers, praising Arthur without reservation.

Kong remained silent, pondering countermeasures. A monster with Admiral-level strength at such a young age couldn't be allowed to reach the New World.

They had to capture him at Sabaody. Otherwise, the future of the Marines would be bleak, and the World Government would lose all face. Pirates would be lining up to steal the Heavenly Tribute.

"Forget about Roger for now. Garp, you intercept Arthur. Kizaru, with his speed, is essential for containment. He must go. Have Vice Admiral Tsuru try her Wash-Wash Fruit. Whitebeard hasn't made any moves. so Sengoku can also be deployed." Kong made his decision.

He would deploy their strongest forces to capture Arthur. He couldn't control who the World Government sent.

"This time, we must capture him." He couldn't imagine the chaos Arthur would unleash in the New World if he was allowed to grow stronger.

"It won't be easy. He's alone, highly mobile, and difficult to capture. We can only try our best." Kong had never encountered, or even heard of, a teenager with such strength. Most pirates at that age were just starting their journeys.

"Garp, return to Headquarters. We need to strategize. This is going to be a major operation." Kong rubbed his temples, trying to alleviate his headache.

"Wahahaha! Fleet Admiral Kong, we should increase his bounty. That way, bounty hunters will keep us informed of his movements." Garp, despite his boisterous demeanor, offered a valuable suggestion.

"I know." Kong sighed.

—

A day later.

Arthur, fully recovered, reached the next island—Gourmet Paradise, Pucci!

Looking down from the clouds, he saw a bustling island, streets overflowing with people, smiles on every face.

The harbor was packed with hundreds of ships—pirate ships, merchant vessels, and Marine warships, all coexisting peacefully as they disembarked.

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