CHAPTER 25

Seeing Garp standing firm, Ayr's eyes darkened.

Big Ball Rasengan?

No…

He needed something bigger.

A Super Big Ball Rasengan.

Ayr smirked. "Garp, let's see if you can handle this."

He raised his palm, and in an instant—

The massive Rasengan in his hand expanded violently, its energy churning with raw destruction.

Then—

He threw it straight at Garp.

The Super Big Ball Rasengan tore through the battlefield, distorting space itself as it surged forward.

Everything in its path—trees, rocks, even the very ground—was obliterated upon contact.

Abyssal energy swirled around it, warping the air as though reality itself couldn't contain its power.

"Boom!!!"

A massive roar echoed across the island as the attack shot toward Garp at blinding speed.

In the blink of an eye—

It was already upon him.

Garp's pupils contracted violently as he felt the overwhelming force closing in.

For a split second—

A thought flickered in his mind.

Maybe I should've dodged this one...

But it was too late now.

Couldn't back down.

Wouldn't back down.

No regrets.

Garp clenched his fists, his muscles bulging as blue veins surfaced along his arms.

He wasn't going to run.

If Ayr wanted to hit him with that?

Then he'd just punch straight through it.

"Let's see whose will is stronger!!!"

Garp roared as he coated his fists in an impenetrable layer of Armament Haki, his knuckles turning jet-black.

Then, with every ounce of his monstrous strength, he swung forward.

"BOOM!!!"

The moment his fist connected, a deafening explosion tore through the battlefield.

The force was so intense that half of the back mountain trembled as if an earthquake had erupted from within.

The sky split apart.

Clouds were ripped away.

A shockwave, strong enough to uproot trees for hundreds of meters, blasted outward, sending debris flying into the heavens.

Countless beasts in the back mountain collapsed instantly, knocked unconscious by the overwhelming force.

Even those that remained awake instinctively dropped to the ground, paralyzed by pure fear.

Such destruction…

It was something only monsters like them could unleash.

---

Meanwhile…

In another part of the back mountain—

A group of Marines was racing toward the battlefield, their boots pounding against the earth.

"Damn it!" Sengoku growled, his grip tightening on the Den Den Mushi. "Ever since the fighting started, the entire back mountain's been shaking non-stop! And Garp still isn't answering!!!"

The Marine veteran Crane, running alongside him, furrowed her brows in concern.

"That reckless idiot," she muttered. "I hope he hasn't gotten himself into trouble."

"Garp? Trouble?" Zephyr snorted. "Come on, you know his strength. Unless he ran into a Rocks Pirate officer, no ordinary pirate can threaten him."

And yet—

Even as Zephyr spoke confidently, they all felt the weight of unease settling in.

Because the sheer magnitude of the destruction they were sensing…

Was not ordinary.

Sengoku had warned Garp beforehand:

"If you engage in combat, notify us immediately."

And yet, despite the endless shockwaves and explosions echoing from the battlefield…

Garp had not sent a single message.

It wasn't like him.

That meant only one thing—

He was too occupied fighting someone powerful.

Crane took a deep breath. "…This isn't good."

She wasn't worried about Garp's usual fights.

She was worried about who he was fighting.

For this kind of destruction to occur…

It could only mean one thing.

Garp was battling a Rocks Pirate officer.

And while Garp was monstrously strong, he was still in his prime years of growth.

If he was up against a top-ranking member of the Rocks crew, then even he could lose.

Or worse—

He could die.

Sengoku clicked his tongue in frustration.

"If that bastard gets himself killed, I swear I'll tie him to my side from now on!!!" he snapped.

The Grand Line was one thing.

There, Garp could fight recklessly all he wanted.

Most pirates—even ones with hundreds of millions in bounties—were nothing more than small fry compared to him.

But this island?

This was enemy territory.

This was where Rocks' monsters thrived.

If Garp had engaged an enemy of that level…

Then they had no choice.

They needed to reach him.

Now.

With that urgency in mind—

Sengoku, Tsuru, and Zephyr pushed forward, racing toward the battlefield at top speed.

---

Back at the battlefield…

A massive crater now scarred the battlefield's center.

Yet—

Despite the devastating power of the Super Big Ball Rasengan—

Garp was still standing.

His body was covered in injuries, his uniform torn, his fists bruised from the impact…

But—

He hadn't fallen.

His Armament Haki had absorbed most of the impact, allowing him to remain on his feet.

The surrounding Marines, who had been watching from a distance, could hardly believe their eyes.

"C-Colonel Garp…"

"Damn it, how is this guy so strong?! Even Colonel Garp is struggling!"

"Colonel Garp's body is covered in wounds… but that bastard pirate is still at full strength!"

"If this keeps up… Garp might actually lose…"

Fear and disbelief spread through the ranks.

These Marines knew Garp's strength better than anyone.

They had seen him single-handedly defeat pirates with bounties exceeding hundreds of millions.

They had watched him crush enemies effortlessly before.

And yet—

This time, he was pushed to his limit.

By a pirate worth only 100 million berries.

A pirate from the New World.

This wasn't supposed to be possible.

And yet…

Here they were.

Ayr, standing atop the ruined battlefield, simply clicked his tongue in amusement.

"Not bad." He admired his own handiwork.

Garp wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes fierce and unyielding.

"You're naive if you think that's enough to take me down, Ayr!"

Ayr smirked.

"You're stubborn, Garp. I'll give you that."

But the truth was clear—

Even with all his strength…

Garp couldn't overpower Ayr's technique.

Yet—

He refused to back down.

Instead, he roared defiantly:

"Come on! Show me what else you've got!!!"

He had already experienced the terrifying power of the Super Big Ball Rasengan.

And while it was strong—

It wasn't enough to make him back down.

He refused to believe Ayr had anything stronger.

But Ayr only chuckled darkly.

"Oh? You think that was my best?"

His eyes gleamed with an ominous glow.

"You guessed wrong."

And with that—

He raised his hand once more.

...........