Chapter 782 - 781: The Power of the Pinnacle

In advance, major Navy branches and bases across the seas had already begun preparing for the broadcast of this battle.

The setups were primarily established within the towns where Marine bases were located. It was meant not only for the Marines to watch, but also for ordinary citizens to see, achieving the goal of awakening the dormant sense of justice within their hearts.

"They’re here... the two men standing at the very pinnacle of pirates and the marines."

In front of Marine Base G2, watching through a massive projection from a Visual Den Den Mushi, Base Commander Comil, along with over a thousand Marines and countless town residents behind him, stared intently at the live broadcast.

This exact scene was playing out across various Navy-garrisoned cities worldwide, with even large groups of pirates blending into the crowds to spectate.

"So? If you die, what happens to your only grandson?" Alucard asked with a chuckle.

"I am Marine Garp first. Only after that am I Monkey D. Garp," Garp replied calmly.

His very first sentence instantly reawakened the resolve of the recently demoralized Marines. That’s right. Since we became Marines, our identity as a Marine comes first, and our personal lives come second. They had all forgotten this fundamental truth.

Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Garp’s life and deeds knew that he was a man who detested pointless chatter, the kind of type who would simply hurl his fists into the fray.

Yet right now, he had to use his words to make people re-evaluate their understanding of the Navy. Thus, breaking his usual habit, he added a few more uncharacteristic words: "According to our agreement, if I win, the Navy retains its independent right to execute justice. If I lose... well, speaking of that would be pointless anyway."

"Choosing justice and casting aside your family at the end of your life? A pity you couldn’t even protect your own family."

Alucard was naturally referring to Garp’s son, Dragon. As for Luffy, he simply ignored him entirely.

Boom... Rumble... Roar—!

Over the span of about ten seconds, the momentum of both men exploded. Garp’s Conqueror’s Haki and Alucard’s murderous aura clashed like two prehistoric colossal beasts locked in a standoff. Even the people watching the live broadcast thousands of miles away couldn’t help but feel their throats go completely dry.

"To think just watching through a Den Den Mushi could exert this much pressure..." A pirate couldn’t help but unsnap the flask at his waist and chug several heavy gulps of liquor before finally feeling a bit of relief.

Aboard the battleship evacuating the civilians of Foosha Village to the nearest Marine base, Smoker’s and Hina’s subordinates were also glued to the battle. Someone murmured anxiously, "If even Vice Admiral Garp loses... what will become of the Navy?"

Smoker remained dead silent. Though he desperately wanted to berate these cowards who were already losing their nerve in the face of a new era, it was better to keep his focus entirely on Vice Admiral Garp’s battle for now.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Through the Visual Den Den Mushi, before anyone could even figure out what was happening, the first thing that hit them was a sudden, violent thunderclap of sound that made their eardrums throb with pain.

Thud—!!!

Before they could process it, another deafening blast shook the area.

The Visual Den Den Mushi was a living creature with the ability to track and lock onto its filming subjects. However, because the speed of those two men was utterly absurd, it took nearly a full minute into the clash before the snail managed to catch any clear combat footage.

When the footage finally stabilized, Garp’s fists were completely coated in Armament Haki. Compared to an aging, weakened Whitebeard during the Summit War, who had largely abandoned heavy Haki utilization in favor of relying on his Tremor-Tremor Fruit powers, Garp wielded his Haki with absolute mastery, brought to its absolute peak.

On the other side, Alucard was no longer in his initial youthful appearance with the crimson trench coat and wide-brimmed fedora. He had transformed into his "Impaler" form, clad in bronze armor with long, flowing hair draping past his shoulders.

Looking closer, both of Alucard’s hands were enveloped in translucent, white spherical bubbles.

The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.

At this moment, a drop of fresh blood trailed down the left side of Impaler Alucard’s face, and the corners of his mustache-framed mouth twitched slightly upward. "Splendid, Hero of the Navy."

"..."

"Newgate’s Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability, huh?" Garp’s expression was ice-cold. "Ultimately, I’m just like that guy. We’re both remnants of the old era. There is no ship in the new era meant to carry us."

"Garp-san..."

Hearing these words, countless Marines across the world showed expressions of deep sorrow. While Garp’s status in the hearts of ordinary Marines wasn’t quite as absolute as Whitebeard’s was to his crew, it was certainly not far behind.

"However—!" Garp dialed up his Armament Haki output. What began as just his fists quickly spread until his entire forearms were completely blackened by Haki. "I... shall awaken justice!!!"

Garp’s hand snapped straight into a knife-hand strike. Impaler Alucard mimicked the pose, executing several rapid chops. The air shattered repeatedly as white shockwaves took the shape of crescent-moon blasts, launching a relentless, continuous assault.

"Compared to Newgate, your execution lacks sheer destructive power, but it is far more versatile."

Garp’s rigid hand snapped open again, physically grabbing the shockwave, crushing it, and charging forward.

Black fist met white fist in a violent collision!

It was a clash of pure, unadulterated strength against strength, magnified by the Tremor-Tremor Fruit’s inherent ability to shatter space itself. For a moment, everyone looking at the Visual Den Den Mushi felt as though the very bodies of Garp and Alucard were warping and distorting the space around them.

"Haaahhh—!"

Garp roared, driving a heavy step forward, his fist lunging outward simultaneously.

"Vice Admiral Garp has the upper hand!" quite a few Marines in the bases cheered aloud at the sight.

"What a bunch of idiots," Admiral Ryokugyu muttered lazily at New Marineford, his tone carrying a trace of mockery. "If that man were really that easy to deal with..."

Before Ryokugyu could even finish his sentence, everyone saw the ground beneath Alucard and Garp’s feet begin to hemorrhage massive amounts of fresh blood, erupting outward like a bursting dam.

Flowing alongside the surging sea of blood were countless eyeballs surfacing on the exterior, creating a sight that made everyone shudder in absolute horror.

Whoosh—!!!

In the next fraction of a second, countless spikes erupted from the crimson tide, lunging straight for Garp’s heart from the front, back, left, right, above, and below, a barrage of attacks from every conceivable vector.

Garp was even faster. Aiming directly at the ground beneath him, he unleashed a devastating punch. The earth shattered completely, forcing the "King of Execution" spires off their intended trajectory. Not a single strike managed to piece Garp.

"His Observation Haki... has he also trained it to the level of seeing into the future?"

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