Leno walked step by step toward the fallen Garp and Aokiji.
Clutching his waist in pain, Aokiji struggled to rise.
But how could he possibly be faster than Leno?
Injured was injured.
Even though Aokiji reacted quickly—
Leno still stomped him back down with a single step.
A foot wrapped in both Conqueror's coating and Armament Haki.
At the same time, the Munch-Munch Fruit activated—
Devouring Aokiji's strength.
Steady. Cautious.
Leno had no intention of capsizing in a gutter.
"Ice chicken, don't rush," Leno said calmly. "Let me send Garp the Fist off first. You're next."
Garp lay on the ground, cracks spiderwebbing across his body, blood seeping endlessly.
He struggled to lift his head, looking at Leno approaching him.
"Brat…" Garp's voice was hoarse. "Do you hate this old man that much?"
His eyes shifted with difficulty toward Leno.
Complicated emotions filled them.
Did he regret it?
Of course he did.
But regret was useless.
There was no medicine for it.
And even if there were—
He'd have to stand in line.
Leno stopped in front of him, looking down from above.
"Funny. I used to look up at you."
"As for hate?" Leno smiled faintly. "Of course I hate you. But once you're dead, I won't anymore."
He lifted his other foot and stomped down hard onto Garp's chest.
Garp groaned, more blood spilling from his lips.
"But more than hate," Leno pressed down harder, "I want to see you despair."
"Like this. Lying there like a dead dog, unable to protect the two disciples you value most."
He paused.
"Oh. And your grandson."
Beneath Leno's foot, Aokiji struggled fiercely, but his strength had been drained too much to break free.
"Leno! You ungrateful bastard! Let go of Vice Admiral Garp!"
Leno didn't even glance at him. He just stared into Garp's eyes.
"You know, I was just thinking—should I kill you first, or Kuzan?"
His foot ground into Garp's chest.
"In the end, I decided to kill you first. Watching his teacher die in front of him should hurt Kuzan more, right?"
"Honestly, I've been too merciful. I could've let you watch your son, grandson, and disciples die one by one."
Garp's eyes widened in fury. His breathing quickened—yet his aura weakened further.
"You… won't… succeed…"
"Oh?" Leno sneered. "Let's find out."
They said villains died from talking too much.
But Leno genuinely wanted to see this look on Garp's face.
Anyone who had ever sought revenge knew—
The result mattered.
But the process mattered too.
Still—
He'd seen enough.
His satisfaction was complete.
He raised his hand to finish it—
And at that instant—
A flash of golden light streaked across the battlefield.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
A rain of light bullets poured down from the sky, forcing Leno to retreat.
Kizaru finally arrived.
He landed before Garp and Aokiji.
"Oh my~" Kizaru adjusted his sunglasses. "Leno-kun, being so rough with the elderly isn't very nice~"
Leno narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected Kizaru to intervene.
"Borsalino. You're interfering?"
Kizaru shrugged lazily. "Can't be helped~ It's Garp-san, after all~"
"Is that so?"
More likely—
As a Marine admiral, he had no choice.
Leno tilted his head slightly. "Two people. You think you can save both?"
"Won't know unless we try~"
Before the sentence finished—
Kizaru had already turned into light and appeared at Leno's side.
A light-speed kick shot toward Leno's kidney!
"Damn it—why does everyone target kidneys?!"
Luckily, Leno was prepared.
His body split apart instantly, dodging the strike—
And countered with a punch.
"Annihilation of All Things!"
Kizaru hurriedly turned into light to evade—
But the shockwave of the splitting force still grazed him.
A thin line of blood appeared across his shoulder.
"How scary~"
His tone remained relaxed.
But his movements were anything but slow.
Without even drawing Ama no Murakumo—
He traded light-speed kicks with Leno in rapid succession.
Taking advantage of the moment—
Aokiji forced himself upright and helped Garp retreat.
"Trying to run?" Leno snorted coldly.
He blasted Kizaru back with a heavy punch—
Then lunged straight at Garp and Aokiji!
Even light had a "moment."
And that moment was enough.
"Ice Age!"
Aokiji unleashed freezing air with all his might to block Leno's path.
Leno didn't dodge.
The splitting force shattered the ice instantly.
"Out of my way!"
He punched Aokiji square in the chest—
Sending him flying again.
Blood sprayed in a graceful arc.
Now—
Only Garp remained.
Barely standing.
Swaying.
"Looks like no one's coming to save you," Leno advanced slowly.
Garp looked at him—
And suddenly laughed.
"Brat… you think you've won?"
Leno frowned. "Still talking big at death's door?"
Garp inhaled deeply.
Suddenly—
Haki erupted from his body once more!
"If I'm going to die… I'll drag you down with me!"
"I'd rather die in battle!"
For a brief moment—
It was like a dying flame flaring bright.
All his remaining Haki gathered into his fist.
He threw a final punch.
A lifetime of power condensed into one strike.
Leno's expression changed.
He retreated immediately.
No need to clash head-on.
If Garp wanted to die, he could do it himself.
Forcing it would only shorten his life further.
Still—
The punch was terrifying.
It grazed Leno's shoulder.
Rip—
His flesh tore open instantly.
Blood poured out.
"Old bastard…" Leno pressed a hand to his wound, eyes colder than ever. "A final counter?"
Garp gasped heavily.
That punch had drained everything.
"Too bad… I couldn't kill you…"
Leno grinned viciously. "That's fine. I'll send you off now—no regrets."
He activated the Chop-Chop power again.
Preparing the finishing blow.
Suddenly—
The air shifted violently.
"Storm!"
Invisible currents wrapped around Garp.
Leno's pupils contracted.
He didn't hesitate—
And smashed a punch into the swirling green wind!
The wind was gentle toward Garp—
But razor-sharp toward Leno.
In the blink of an eye—
Garp was swept away by the currents—
Reappearing near Sengoku.
The moment he landed—
He collapsed completely.
"Lucky you," Leno exhaled coldly.
The Monkey family really had someone ready to rescue them every time.
Hard to kill.
He suspected that even if he'd said nothing—
Someone would've interfered.
Disgusting.
At least—
That last exchange worsened Garp's condition.
Before, he might have had a year or two left.
Now?
At most a few months.
Assuming no one sustained him artificially.
And even then—
He'd be crippled.
From a top-tier legend—
To worse than an ordinary man.
That would hurt Garp more than death.
Dragon had only launched that single attack—
Before being intercepted by the enraged Golden Lion.
"Brat! You're slapping my face!"
"Lion's—"
Before he could finish—
A group of pirates walked in from the harbor.
"Everyone… give me some face and stop this war."
"If anyone still isn't satisfied—"
"Then fight us instead."
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