Chapter 118 InformationInside the bar, after that battle, the interior decor was almost completely destroyed.Helplessly, the old man had no choice but to announce that this Underworld stronghold would be closed for a few days, and would resume business after the renovations were complete.Earlier, due to Uncle Teng's arrival, the fees for Dragon and his group were waived, so Mingo had spent one hundred million Berries for nothing, yet he hadn't achieved anything.Even if that one hundred million Berries had been used as fuel for a fire to keep warm, it would have served a purpose; but after Marcus's interference, that one hundred million Berries didn't even amount to a fart, and his fundamental goal wasn't achieved either.Therefore, when Mingo left, his face was extremely gloomy, clearly in a state of absolute rage. Even his subordinates noticed the fury in his heart and didn't say a word, just followed quietly behind him.As for Dragon and his group, after expressing their gratitude and obtaining what they wanted, they had already left first.At this moment, beside the only intact table in the bar, Marcus, Uncle Teng, and the old man sat together."Uncle Teng, why did you suddenly come here?" Marcus asked with a happy expression.Uncle Teng glanced at the old man beside him and said, "This time, it was mainly because this old bastard Ye sent someone over to say that your identity had been exposed here and that you were in mortal danger, so I rushed over as quickly as possible.""Thank you! Mr. Ye," Marcus thanked him very sincerely.Today was truly a life-or-death crisis for him. If it weren't for this old man suppressing everyone and then bringing up Gudrit to make everyone abandon their plans...Otherwise, if a real fight broke out, he definitely wouldn't have been able to win against them, especially with the Donquixote Family lingering on the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity.The old man waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's nothing, it was just a small favor. Besides, you are a great benefactor to the Old Man and the Young Miss. Furthermore, I didn't do much, I just stepped out and said a few words.""No... no!" Marcus shook his head quickly and said, "If you hadn't come out, I would have been in real danger this time."At this moment, Uncle Teng interjected to save them from declining back and forth for so long."However, that being said, why did a Marine like you run here? This kind of place is not where a Marineshould be."Marcus gave a sheepish smile and rubbed his head in embarrassment. He couldn't exactly say that because of his male pride, he hadn't accepted the information from Gudrit, and had run here specifically to buy information.Therefore, Marcus deliberately changed the subject and asked about Ashley's situation."By the way, how is Ashley? After I left, she did..."Speaking of this, Marcus suddenly realized he didn't know how to continue. When he left, he was afraid that Ashley would be sad, so he didn't even look back.But hearing the crying coming from behind him, Marcus could understand the pain in Ashley's heart at that time."You Stinky Kid, you still have the nerve to ask? Do you know how sad the Young Miss was? And you, you actually came to a place like this. Is this a place you should be in?"It would have been better if Marcus hadn't said anything; as soon as he did, Uncle Teng got angry. Having been with the Young Miss for so many years, he had never seen the Young Miss so sad."Bang!"An angry Uncle Teng slammed his fist onto the table. Under his punch, the entire table cracked instantly, covered in fractures.Just as the whole table was about to collapse, the old man quickly reached out and pressed his palm underneath the table. The entire table instantly solidified, not collapsing, just remaining covered in cracks.Seeing this, Marcus's eyes narrowed. This old man was truly not simple; this must also be a type of Devil Fruit Ability, though he didn't know what kind."Old Teng, why are you getting so angry? Don't destroy my bar. They will handle their own affairs; getting angry here won't help."Hearing the old man's words, Marcus almost spat out the water he had just taken into his mouth. However, seeing Uncle Teng's angry expression, Marcus honestly swallowed the water and didn't explain anything.After the old man said this, Uncle Teng's anger dissipated significantly. This was indeed a matter between the two of them, and it was better for them to solve it themselves.However, Uncle Teng still glared at him, as if saying."You Stinky Kid, treat the Young Miss well. If I find out you bullied the Young Miss, I will definitely not spare you."Regarding the misunderstanding of Uncle Teng and the others, Marcus could only respond with a bitter smile.He really had no interest in Ashley. Although Ashleywas beautiful, had such an awesome father, and liked him, she was a perfect candidate for a wife.But Marcus was not a stallion who had to want every beautiful woman he saw; Marcus currently had no interest in Ashley.However, Marcus only dared to think these words, but didn't dare to say them out loud. If he said this, facing these two furious old men, he didn't think he would be able to walk out of here in one piece.Uncle Teng seemed to remember something and asked, "By the way, shouldn't you be working at the Peak? Why did you run here again? And how did you provoke Mingo? Also, do you know those people?"The old man also looked at Marcus with a puzzled expression; these questions were also things the old man had been wondering about.Marcus said, "Hey, hey! Uncle Teng, don't you think you have too many questions? Which one do you want me to answer first?""Of course, in order. Answer the first one first."Because there were too many questions, Marcuscould only answer them one by one briefly."I was originally at the Peak, but the time hadn't come yet, so I went for a walk outside. Seeing the Underworld sign outside, I thought about going inside to buy some information about the 'tenryuubito tribute', since I came out this time to investigate this matter.""As for Mingo, let alone provoking him, today was the first time I met him. I had only seen his deeds in the Marine archives. As for that group of people, I have some history with them, which is why I spoke up to help just now."After listening to Marcus's words, Uncle Teng and the old man both fell into deep thought. No one knew what they were thinking, not even Marcus.Marcus just sat there quietly, picked up the glass of water beside him, and took a few sips. After saying so much in one breath, he was naturally thirsty.Uncle Teng could understand the previous answers, but the last question was where Marcus's answer was a bit vague.Uncle Teng also knew the identity of that group of people; they were Revolutionary Army cadres, although the name Revolutionary Army was not yet prominent.But Uncle Teng knew that this group was not simple. Even with the old man's intelligence network, it was very difficult to investigate them. Uncle Teng first learned of their existence because they were buying large quantities of weapons here.Just by knowing the ideology they were spreading, Uncle Teng felt shocked. This was a rhythm of going against the entire World Government and overthrowing the World Government.Marcus was a Marine, so how could he have connections with these people? This couldn't help but make Uncle Teng wonder.Uncle Teng and the old man looked at each other slightly, both feeling puzzled in each other's eyes."You asked earlier where the Peak conference room was. Could the matter you are investigating be related to this?""Yes!"Marcus nodded in response. After thinking about it, he took out a white card from his pocket and placed it gently on the table."This is what I found on the pirate Captain who kidnapped Ashley. It was because of the content on this and what a pirate said that I went to the Peak.""A card?" Uncle Teng picked up the card with a suspicious look, looked at it in front of his eyes, and suddenly burst into laughter.The old man took the card from Uncle Teng's hand, read the content on the card, and also let out a burst of laughter.Seeing the two of them suddenly laughing, Marcuswas instantly dumbfounded, looking at these two old men in confusion.Seeing Marcus's puzzled face, Uncle Teng stopped laughing and said something that stunned Marcus."Little Tian, if you were going to go there, you didn't need to go at all. You could have just asked us."Seeing that Marcus was still dumbfounded, the old man explained, "You went there just to sneak in and investigate who the person behind this was, right?""Yes," Marcus nodded in response.The old man continued, "Since that's the case, you don't need to sneak in at all. You can just ask us directly. We have records of who uses the conference room at the Peak, and for such people, we generally investigate them.""That's right."Marcus suddenly realized. He had been so stupid; he hadn't even thought clearly about such a simple problem and had thought about it so complexly."Then who is the person who gathered so many pirates?" Marcus asked quickly."You just saw this person earlier," Uncle Teng said."I have also seen him?" A figure suddenly popped into Marcus's mind."Could it be him!"
Chapter 119: Arrival of Reinforcements"Ah..."Garp slowly stretched, took a look at the sky filled with red clouds outside the window, and only then climbed out of bed.He muttered to himself: "It's been so long since he left. I don't know if that Stinky Kid Marcus has returned. There are quite a few strong people in Korode right now. With just his current strength, it's not enough; there are still many who can take him down."His tone revealed deep care and worry, but thinking about how this Stinky Kid had actually deceived him and led him on a merry chase, Garp felt incomparably furious."Why am I worrying about this Stinky Kid? He actually dared to deceive me. Don't let me see him come back. If he does come back, I definitely won't let this Stinky Kid off the hook."He picked up a box of donuts from the bedside table, pulled one out directly, bit into it, as if this donut were Marcus.Click!The lock and the keyhole collided, making a crisp friction sound. Garp opened the room door and strode out."Vice Admiral Garp! Vice Admiral Garp! Vice Admiral Garp!..."It was currently sunset. Most of the Marine Soldiers had recovered their energy after an afternoon of rest. Since it was evening, it was time to eat, and everyone had gotten up at this time.Therefore, as soon as Garp came out, the corridor was filled with Marine Soldiers chatting with each other. Seeing Vice Admiral Garp come out, all the Marine Soldiers saluted and greeted him.Garp responded to them one by one in a hurry. Among the Marine Soldiers, one of them saw Vice Admiral Garp come out and hurriedly lowered his head, trying to shrink back into the crowd when no one was paying attention."Major Roberts, where are you trying to go? Is this old man too terrifying that I scared you, to the point where you won't even say hello?" A voice came from behind.The other Marine Soldiers heard this and quickly made way, highlighting Roberts who was hiding in the back."These bastards, I usually treat you all pretty well, but the moment things get critical, you sell me out," Roberts cursed angrily in his heart as he watched the Marine Soldiers' behavior.Gritting his teeth, Roberts turned around, his face instantly full of smiles, and said with a laugh: "How could that be? You are not terrifying at all; this is all my fault. I was just thinking about something, so I didn't see you arrive."Hearing Major Roberts' very low-level lie, even Garp's mouth couldn't help but twitch. You didn't see him, fine, but didn't you hear so many people calling out just now?Roberts seemed to turn a blind eye to the expressions on everyone's faces, his face still full of smiles.It wasn't that Roberts didn't know this lie was low-level, but he knew exactly what was on Vice Admiral Garp's mind: Vice Admiral Garp just wanted to ask if Marcus had returned.Since he had the best relationship with him among all the Marine Soldiers, Roberts often had to take the fall for Marcus, and it seemed this time would be no exception.Just as Roberts expected, Garp waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "Don't give me that cheeky grin.""Yes!" Roberts immediately put away the smile on his face, straightened his body, and looked serious."I'm asking you, has that Stinky Kid Marcus returned yet?""Reporting to Vice Admiral Garp, this subordinate does not know. This subordinate doesn't even know if Marcus ever left."Roberts wasn't lying about this. After being discovered by Vice Admiral Garp earlier, Robertsthought Marcus would stay put obediently.But looking at the situation now, it seemed Marcushad snuck out again. Now, Roberts only hoped that Vice Admiral Garp wouldn't land that Iron Fist on his head.The other Marine Soldiers didn't show any surprise at this scene; instead, they showed expressions of sudden realization. No wonder Vice Admiral Garpcalled out to Major Roberts.Everyone was used to this kind of thing. Brigadier General Lin Tian often disappeared, and no one knew where he went or what he did.At this moment, Commodore Ande walked over leisurely. Seeing everyone gathered in the corridor, a trace of confusion appeared on his face.Passing through the crowd, he came to Vice Admiral Garp's side and whispered: "Vice Admiral Garp, Rear Admiral Jonathan just sent a notification saying that dinner is ready and we should go to the cafeteria. He is already waiting there.""Hmm!" Garp nodded. "In that case, let's go to the cafeteria first."After speaking, he walked straight towards the stairs. As for Marcus, with that Stinky Kid's brains, even if he encountered an expert stronger than him, he could still resist for a while.Ande hurriedly followed, stopped beside Roberts, scanned the area quickly, and asked in a low voice: "Roberts, what happened just now? Why is everyone gathered here, and why don't I see Marcus?""It's because of Marcus. That kid snuck out again. I don't know what he went to do, and he almost made me take the fall for him again."Speaking of this, a look of indignation appeared on Roberts' face. He didn't know how many times this had happened, being set up by that Stinky KidMarcus.Hearing this, Ande finally understood. A trace of worry flashed in his eyes. Like Garp, Roberts also understood what he went to do.It seems Marcus still hadn't let go of that 'tenryuubito tribute'. He must have snuck out to get involved in this matter again.Everyone, led by the base's Marine Soldiers, arrived at the cafeteria.The Marines had woken up from a nap and were already starving. Seeing the cafeteria, they swarmed in.Just as Garp was about to step into the cafeteria, the Marine officer leading the way stopped him and said:"Vice Admiral Garp, Rear Admiral Jonathan gave instructions that you, Commodore Ande, and Brigadier General Lin Tian should eat in another room. Rear Admiral Jonathan is already waiting there."Now, Garp was confused. Did Jonathan have something to discuss? But hadn't he already said he wouldn't participate in this tenryuubito tributeincident? What else could there be to discuss?"Hmm! Lead the way," Garp nodded and said.They didn't walk far before they arrived at a doorway. Garp originally thought it was some place, but when he entered, he didn't expect it to just be an open-air balcony. Why come to a balcony to eat? Both Garp and Ande were confused about what exactly Jonathan wanted to say.This was one of the highest points of the entire Marine base, from where one could see the entire appearance of the Marine base.What Garp and Ande found most strange was that they were supposed to come for dinner, but here, let alone food, there wasn't even a table.Seeing that they had arrived, Jonathan quickly walked up and asked with a smile: "Vice Admiral Garp, how did you sleep?""Not bad, much more comfortable than sleeping on that rocking warship," Garp replied.At this moment, Jonathan scanned the area and realized that only Vice Admiral Garp and Commodore Ande had come, while Brigadier General Lin Tian had not arrived. A look of confusion appeared on Jonathan's face.Ande observed the change in Jonathan's expression and explained at the right moment: "Brigadier General Lin Tian left the Marine base just a moment ago due to some matters. He should be in Koroderight now and hasn't made it back yet."Jonathan nodded and said "Hmm," and the confusion on his face disappeared.Garp asked: "I wonder, Rear Admiral Jonathan, what is the matter for which you called us here?""It's like this," Jonathan explained. "I had originally prepared dinner for the two of you, but I just received a notification from Vice Admiral Tsuru, the headquarters staff officer, saying that they are coming with Marine reinforcements.""Little Tsuru?" Hearing Jonathan say that Tsuru was coming, a trace of surprise flashed across Garp's face. As far as Garp knew, wasn't Tsuru recently pursuing a Pirate Crew in the New World? Why did she suddenly come to the first half of the Grand Line, and even participate in this 'tenryuubito tribute' incident?Could it be that Sengoku specially transferred her over to be the chief of staff for this matter? But the timing didn't seem right. How could Little Tsuru arrive in such a short time?Just as Garp was secretly pondering, Jonathancontinued:"Therefore, I also informed them of Vice Admiral Garp's message. Finally, Vice Admiral Tsuru asked us to wait, saying that she is bringing the latest intelligence and the Marine's latest plan."Hearing this, even Ande knew that the incident was not simple. It seemed that Marine Headquartersreally wouldn't let go of this good opportunity. For the Marine, this 'tenryuubito tribute' incident was an excellent opportunity.Having worked with Sengoku for many years, Garphad long since anticipated that Sengoku, who was known as the great tactician, must have a detailed battle plan.It's just, didn't Little Tsuru know that he wouldn't participate in this kind of thing? And even if she came, it didn't matter whether he was there or not.And she even asked him to stay. What exactly does Little Tsuru want to do?
Chapter 120: Reinforcements LineupBy now, the sun had completely set, with starlight scattering across the sky.Although it was night, all the lights in the Marinebase were turned on, making the entire base as bright as day.By the port, countless Marine Soldiers stood at attention along the entire dock, one person every ten paces, their eyes fixed intently ahead, filled with excitement and solemnity.That was precisely the entrance to the Marine base. Several high-powered searchlights concentrated all their illumination there, the bright light illuminating the surrounding sea.Garp, Jonathan, and other Marine officers also stood by the port, looking towards the distant entrance. Excitement was evident on their faces as well.However, Garp's expression was one of helplessness. 'Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss over the arrival of a few Vice Admirals? I'd rather go back to sleep.'Garp forgot that when he arrived, the commotion within the Marine base was no less significant.One Marine officer whispered to a colleague beside him, 'Are you nervous? My back is soaked right now.''Yeah, me too. What's coming next are the strongest Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals below the Admirals, and not just one, but several. Such a lineup is truly rare, even once in several years.''Right. Up until today when I saw the Marine Hero, Vice Admiral Garp, I'd never even seen a Marine Vice Admiral, let alone several,' his tone full of anticipation.Another Marine interjected, 'It's not just Vice Admirals. I heard a Marine Admiral is arriving today too. That's the Navy's highest combat power, the force that deters the entire Grand Line.''How is that possible? I thought it was only Vice Admirals. How could there be an Admiral?' Both were equally surprised.'It's all true. Would I lie to you? A fellow villager of mine working in the kitchen overheard a conversation between Rear Admiral Jonathan and his wife. Rear Admiral Jonathan himself said it.''Really?'Just as the two wanted to ask for details, Rear Admiral Jonathan reprimanded them in a low voice.'Quiet down, all of you. What kind of state is this, with all this noise and commotion?'Under Jonathan's scolding, the Marines who were whispering quickly shut their mouths, their expressions turning serious once more.'They're here!' A Marine Soldier called out, though no one bothered to figure out who said it at that moment.Because everyone's gaze was fixed forward; who had the energy to worry about that?A beam of light slowly emerged from the darkness, followed by two more, then more and more, until nine beams of light appeared within everyone's sight.As time passed, those beams of light became clearer before everyone's eyes. One warship after another, their lights on, gradually approached the port.The two lighthouses standing on either side of the entrance, on the base's outer perimeter, lit up, guiding the warships into the port.Splash... splash... The massive hulls skimmed across the sea surface, speeding along, leaving only trails of spray that vanished into the darkness.On the bow of each warship stood a Marine cloaked in the 'Justice' mantle, exuding an Aura belonging to the strong, with a group of Marine Soldiers following behind.Among these marine warships, one was different from the others. This warship was crewed entirely by women—they were all female Marines, and the one on the bow was also a female Marine Vice Admiral.As the sea breeze blew, the pure white Marinecloaks fluttered in the wind. The word 'Justice' shone brilliantly under the lights.In the watchtowers, Marine Soldiers widened their eyes, watching everything before them—the warships sailing into the Marine base. Some Marines quietly counted them.'One, two, three... nine. Nine marine warships in total. Five Marine Vice Admirals, nine Marine Rear Admirals. Is this the support from Marine Headquarters?'Many Marine Soldiers looked at this lineup and couldn't help but exclaim in awe from the bottom of their hearts.Huge iron anchors were dropped from the ships.The chains rattled, making clanking sounds. In no time, all the reinforcing marine warships were properly docked.*Tap* Several soft sounds rang out as rows of gangplanks were lowered from the warships. Marine officers, each leading several subordinates, disembarked, gathered together, and walked towards Vice Admiral Garp and the others.Every member of the group radiated a powerful Aura, especially the five Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals at the front, whose Auras were overwhelmingly stronger, far surpassing the rest.This was a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral!At the very front was a tall figure wearing a white suit vest and a dark blue shirt, with a green eye mask always covering his forehead.Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Kuzan!Half a step behind was a silver-haired figure who resembled an old grandmother—the only female among the Vice Admirals. She wore a pure white Marine cloak, a tie around her neck, and a light purple shirt.Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Tsuru!Following them were the other three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals.A tall and burly figure, wearing a multi-holed mask adorned with bull horns, holding a very large longsword. From the visible chin, his features appeared rugged and coarse, with a mane of wild, dark red hair like a lion's.Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Bastille!Dressed in brown clothes, wearing a dog-head mask. On Sexton Island, he was severely injured by Rayleigh, nearly dying. Now fully recovered, his strength had reached a higher level.Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Doberman!A katana at his waist, wearing a light purple striped suit with a dark blue shirt, a tie, a punk hairstyle, a beard, and deep purple hair (same for father and son).Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Momonga!The last row, of course, consisted of the nine Marine Rear Admirals, followed by several Commodores and some Captains, Commanders... At the very back of this group, there was also a female Marine with sea-blue long curly hair and bright, piercing eyes, standing silently at the rear, unnoticed by anyone.This assembly of people could be called an extremely luxurious lineup, representing at least a quarter of the Marine's mid-tier combat power.Seeing this lineup, Jonathan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Previously, Jonathan only knew the Marines would send reinforcements and had heard from Garp's mouth that there would be Admiral-level combat power.The specific numbers were Marine secrets. Mobilizing such a large force was top-secret within the Marines; someone of Jonathan's rank wasn't qualified to know.However, seeing that five Vice Admirals, nine Rear Admirals, and thousands of Marine Soldiers had actually arrived, Jonathan felt they could finally be liberated.As for the Admiral-level combat power mentioned by Vice Admiral Garp, upon clearly seeing the figure at the very front, he already understood: this person was Kuzan. Within the Marines, the only one holding the rank of Vice Admiral but possessing Admiral-level combat power was Kuzan.Jonathan knew this because of his connection with the current Admiral, Akainu. Jonathan and AdmiralAkainu were good friends. He had once heard Kizarumention that Kuzan was already the designated next Marine Admiral; all he lacked now was seniority.This time, Marine Headquarters dispatched Kuzanfor two reasons. First, because the Admirals were tied up in the New World, and many powerful pirates were coming for this 'tenryuubito tribute,' requiring high-level combat power for deterrence—Kuzan was an excellent choice. Second, it was likely preparation for Kuzan's promotion to MarineAdmiral, an opportunity to increase his military achievements and qualifications.Feeling so many Marine officers pass by them, under that powerful Aura, the Marine Soldiers standing on both sides couldn't help but hold their breath.They scrutinized the face of each Marine Vice Admiral, as if wanting to etch them all deeply into their minds. It was rare to see so many Marine Vice Admirals gathered together.Watching the backs of these Marine Vice Admirals, a Marine couldn't help but whisper, 'Is this the imposing might of a Vice Admiral? Truly terrifying, As expected the high-end combat power of the Marines.''If Marine Vice Admirals are this powerful, I wonder how imposing a Marine Admiral's might must be?''Exactly. With such powerful reinforcements arriving, I'd like to see if those pirates still dare to swagger in front of us Marines,' one Marine said with a resentful expression.Due to the 'tenryuubito tribute' incident, countless pirates had come to Korode. Some very powerful pirates had even sailed their pirate ships right up to the Marine base to flaunt their strength.But with the combat power inside the Marine base, they couldn't deal with so many pirates, so they could only turtle up, not daring to go out and fight. Thus, all the Marine Soldiers had been holding in a breath of frustration.Since when had the Marines been blockaded at their own doorstep by pirates?Now that reinforcements had arrived, they could finally vent that frustration.
Chapter 121: Kuzan, Tsuru"Vice Admiral Garp!" the incoming Naval Officersgreeted Garp, their tone revealing respect and admiration.Although they held the same rank as Garp—all being Vice Admirals—Garp's seniority, prestige, and combat power in the Marine were unrivaled; only Fleet Admiral Sengoku could be mentioned in the same breath.Since the era of Roger, Garp and Sengoku had been leading the Marine front lines, fighting at the very forefront to uphold the absolute justice of the Marine.Every soldier who arrived at Marine Headquarterswould hear Seniors recount the legends of Garp; among Marine Soldiers, Garp was known as the "Strongest Guardian of the Marine."The Vice Admirals present had witnessed Garp's legendary path from the moment they joined the Marine until they became Vice Admirals themselves. Many Naval Officers in the Marine had received favors from Vice Admiral Garp, and some had even served under him.Even the current Admiral had to respectfully address him as "Hero Garp" or "Mr. Garp" in his presence.It was precisely because he had such a awesometeacher, combined with his own formidable talent, that Marcus was able to make such a splash in the Marine, his status rising with the tide.To these greetings, Garp merely nodded. His gaze swept over to Tsuru, and a smile appeared on his face; he was quite delighted to see Tsuru.He said happily: "Hey, little Tsuru, long time no see. Ever since you went to the New World, I haven't seen you for ages."Regarding Garp's words, Tsuru merely glanced at him briefly before shifting her gaze to the surrounding crowd, as if looking for something. Having been colleagues with Garp for many years, Tsuru understood him perfectly.This old man was regressing as he aged; he was already old, yet he acted like a young person every day, never doing any serious work, and speaking without any boundaries. 'Long time no see'? She had just bumped into him at a Marine base last month.Seeing Tsuru actually ignoring him, Garpimmediately felt terrible and said helplessly: "Hey, hey, little Tsuru, I'm such a big person standing right here, you have to at least look at me."Tsuru glanced at him again, "Hmm, I see a big figure," and then her gaze swept elsewhere.Lines of black appeared on Garp's head. What was wrong with little Tsuru today? Why did she seem so absent-minded?After scanning the area and not seeing that person, Tsuru finally looked at Garp and asked: "Hey, Garp, why don't I see Marcus? Where is Marcus? Did you beat him up again?"Hearing Tsuru's words, Kuzan and the others also quickly scanned the area. Discovering that Marcuswas indeed nowhere to be seen, a hint of confusion appeared on their faces. Marcus should have been here at this time.Having just Rebirth into the One Piece world, Marcus was very curious about everything, so he often wandered around Marine Headquarters, Marineford, when he had nothing to do.He would often run into many high-ranking Naval Officers. Because Marcus had been taken in as a Disciple by Garp, most people treated Marcus quite well.Furthermore, although Marcus appeared to be a ten-year-old kid on the surface, inside he was an orphan who had experienced the coldness and warmth of the world, and his psychological maturity was on par with these people in their decades. Thus, through such interactions, Marcus had become acquainted with almost all the Naval Officers.Among them, the deepest connection was with Tsuru. Among the Naval Officers, Tsuru was the fondest of Marcus, treating him completely like her own grandson.Sometimes, when Marcus had no choice after being chased, he would run to Tsuru and ask for her help. Whenever Tsuru stepped in, Garp naturally had to behave.Therefore, Garp was always very disgruntled that the Stinky Kid Marcus was so close to Tsuru. He had been colleagues with Tsuru for so many years, yet he couldn't compare to that Stinky Kid who had only been there for a year.It would have been fine if Tsuru hadn't mentioned Marcus, but the moment she did, Garp became incomparably angry. He didn't know if it was because Marcus had run off, or because the reason little Tsuru hadn't noticed him was that she was looking for Marcus."That Stinky Kid, as soon as he arrived here, he ran off. From this morning until now, I don't know what he's gone to do; he still hasn't returned.""Hmm!" Tsuru nodded understandingly, looked up at Garp, and asked: "Garp, are you really not going to take action this time? You should know that if you were to take action, this Marine plan could be completely changed; it would be possible to eliminate quite a few of these Great Pirates."The other Naval Officers also looked at Garp, their faces showing a hint of confusion. Earlier, when they heard that Vice Admiral Garp was also here, these Naval Officers thought that the results of this Marine Headquarters plan could be increased significantly.But upon hearing that Vice Admiral Garp was here but not participating, everyone couldn't understand. Even if Garp had something important to do, it would only delay him for a day, and as far as everyone knew, Garp didn't have anything going on recently.As Tsuru said this, Garp also put away the smile on his face, and his expression gradually became serious."It is enough to leave this matter to Kuzan. This was also my proposal to Sengoku, and Sengoku agreed," Garp said, glancing at Aokiji. "As for the reason, you should also be clear."Tsuru and Garp naturally understood the reason; the other Marine Vice Admirals were confused listening to this, but they could roughly guess the reason.Currently, there were only two Admirals in the Marine. In normal times, having two Admirals to deter was enough, but if there were any unexpected situations, it wouldn't be enough.Just like the situation this time, the New Worldsuddenly rioted, and all the Admirals headed there. The "tenryuubito tribute" was something to be offered to the Celestial Dragons, and it couldn't be ignored. Such matters required an Admiral to maintain deterrence, and only an Admiral was qualified to lead so many Marine combat forces.Therefore, adding an Admiral had to be put on the agenda. In the vast Marine, the only ones qualified for this were Vice Admiral Kuzan and Vice Admiral Garp. But Garp felt being an Admiral was too tiring and had refused promotion to Admiral many times; therefore, the person who could be promoted was Kuzan.An Admiral needed not only strength but also sufficient prestige in the Marine, which meant military exploits. This plan was not only to encircle and suppress the Great Pirates but also a preparation made by Marine Headquarters for Kuzan's promotion to Admiral.In the first half of the Grand Line, with Garp's strength, he could completely crush these Great Pirates, while the Great Pirates of the New Worldhad already been intercepted outside by the Admirals; they had no chance to participate in this matter.Mingo also had no intention of letting them participate. If the New World Great Pirates also participated, Mingo's strength would not be enough to obtain the 'tenryuubito tribute'."Vice Admiral Garp, thank you for this," Kuzan said softly.Being able to make Kuzan, who was not good at expressing emotions, say such words showed the gratitude in Kuzan's heart toward Garp.Garp waved his hand, "I only proposed this matter; specifically, it is because your own strength is sufficient that Marine Headquarters planned it this way."Immediately following, Garp changed the subject and said seriously: "However, I hope you do not let down Zephyr's expectations of you.""Hmm!" Aokiji slowly nodded.Upon hearing Garp's words, Tsuru couldn't help but roll her eyes at Garp, "You have the nerve to talk about others? You should just mind yourself. Aren't you also refusing promotion to Admiral multiple times because you find it troublesome?""Hehe..." Garp didn't speak, just scratched his head and laughed awkwardly; Tsuru was indeed not wrong."Oh, right," Garp suddenly thought of something and asked: "Little Tsuru, why did you come this time? Aren't you in the New World? Why did Sengoku send you here?""Isn't this all your fault?" Tsuru replied unpleasantly."Me!" Garp pointed at his own nose with an innocent face. He hadn't done anything; what did this have to do with him?"This matter is related to the Celestial Dragons, and it also involves various allied nations of the world. The World Government attaches great importance to it, so the Marine naturally has to treat it with increased seriousness.""They were originally going to send you, but in the end, you Stinky Old Man didn't want to come because you found it troublesome, and you even recommended Kuzan. To be on the safe side, Sengoku had to pull me, who had just returned to Headquarters, over here."This was also why, although there were no very powerful Great Pirates in the first half of the Grand Line, the Marine still dispatched such a powerful lineup of one Admiral-level combat force, four Vice Admirals, and nine Rear Admirals; all of this was because of the Celestial Dragons.Last time, the Holy Land Mary Geoise was actually attacked, and thousands of slaves were let go. The Celestial Dragons had deep resentment about this. Although the Celestial Dragons couldn't easily get angry because the Seventh Branch was sacrificed, the Celestial Dragons still had strong opinions about the Marine.If something went wrong with the 'tenryuubito tribute' this time, the Celestial Dragons would likely make a fuss about it, and the Marine would again fall into a passive position."Sorry, I didn't know you happened to be at Marine Headquarters," but looking at Garp's expression, there was no sincerity of apology at all; Tsuru was already used to this.Rubbing his stomach, Garp suggested: "Let's go, let's go eat. Standing here is quite hungry work.""Right, everyone must be hungry after the long journey. We have already prepared food."Tsuru and Aokiji looked at each other, and both nodded in agreement. It was better to eat first; as for the meeting later, they would discuss it then—anyway, there was no rush.PS: Four updates today, the first update is presented, hope everyone likes it.UU
Chapter 122: Marcus on the Verge of Death"Garp, aren't we waiting for Marcus?" Tsuru asked, standing to Garp's right.Garp turned his head and looked at Tsuru in confusion: "Xiao He, why are you being so good to that Stinky Kid? That brat doesn't respect his elders, likes to act on his own, and loves to cause trouble... what's so good about him?"Tsuru glared at Garp and turned away, "That's just your opinion. Xiao Tian is much better than you, you Stinky Old Man. He's kind to people, smart, and an extremely outstanding Marine Soldier. Unlike you, who never does anything proper.""Is that so?" Garp turned back and asked the Vice Admirals behind him, clearly not believing that the Stinky Kid was much better than himself."Yeah!" Everyone, including Aokiji, nodded in unison.Garp suddenly felt heartbroken. Not just Xiao He, but even the other Marine Vice Admirals thought so. Was he really that bad in everyone's eyes? He couldn't even compare to that Stinky Kid.But on second thought, a smile appeared on Garp's Face. If that Stinky Kid was so good, it was all because he had taught him. All the credit should go to him."Garp, I've always felt that Xiao Tian becoming your Disciple was a huge mistake. Even being taught by Zephyr would have been better. Luckily, Xiao Tiandidn't inherit your bad habits."Beside him, Tsuru saw the smile on Garp's Face and added mercilessly.Garp moved a bit closer to Tsuru and whispered: "Xiao He, we've been friends for so many years. Can't you give me some Face? Talking about me like this in front of so many people, okay?""Sure! If you can ever change your habit of being afraid of trouble and lazy—even if you're just like Aokiji, that would be fine."Aokiji rubbed his head helplessly. Why am I being dragged into this again? I don't think I did anything.Just as Garp didn't know what to say, a loud alarm suddenly echoed over the base, and the lights brightened, startling everyone.The giant searchlights in the base, which had been turned off, lit up again and shot toward the sky. The Marines on duty heard the alarm and hurried back to their posts, picking up their weapons and watching in all directions.Jonathan was also startled by the sudden event. Why did the alarm suddenly go off? Could it be that those pirates couldn't hold back and were coming to attack the Marine base?He quickly ordered the Marine beside him: "Immediately contact the Duty Officer on the perimeter of the base and ask him what happened. Is it a pirate attack?"The Marine quickly pulled out a den den mushi and stared at it nervously, cold sweat dripping from his head. After all, all the Marines present were now watching him.With a "beep," the den den mushi finally connected. Jonathan quickly took the den den mushi and asked."What's going on? Why did the alarm suddenly sound? Are there pirates attacking the Marinebase?""No.""No? Then why did the alarm go off?""Several powerful experts just had a great battle next to the Marine base. Since it's too dark, we can't be sure if they were pirates."Just as Jonathan was about to speak, an urgent voice came from the other side, along with the sound of gunfire."General, it's bad! There's an expert among them who bypassed the outer interception by flying and has entered the Marine base's range. He's heading your way right now!""Not 'right now,' he's already here," Aokiji said in a deep voice, looking down.Everyone present was high-level Marine combat power. How could they not know when someone was blatantly intruding into the Marine base from the sky?However, the expressions of the Marines were not good. To intrude so blatantly into the Marine base was simply not taking the Marines seriously. Marinejustice could not be trampled upon by such people.*Click*... hearing Vice Admiral Aokiji's words, the Marine Soldiers nearby quickly looked up into the sky. Sure enough, there was a figure above. Immediately after, the sound of gun bolts and clashing steel rang out."Hoo..."Aokiji opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of cold air, and the moisture in the air instantly condensed into tiny ice particles.Finally, they solidified into several ice spears floating in the air, their tips pointed at the figure above.Just as Aokiji was about to strike, drops of blood fell from the sky, landing on the pure white ice spears. It was so eye-catching that the Marine Vice Admirals nearby showed a trace of confusion on their Faces upon seeing this.Everyone looked up and saw the figure falling rapidly toward the ground. Judging by the clothing, he was clearly seriously injured. Aokiji quickly waved his hand, signaling the Marines to lower their guns.When Garp saw the clothing on the figure clearly, his eyes showed surprise, which was immediately replaced by anger. In his emotional state, a terrifying Aura erupted from his body.A wild wind was stirred up out of thin air, blowing up countless dust. Many Marine Soldiers had to close their eyes.Without a word, under everyone's puzzled gazes, Garp shot toward the figure in the air, gently caught him, and landed on the ground.The figure's Face was hidden by hair, but his build was still visible. Recalling Garp's expression and behavior just now, a bad thought popped into everyone's minds, and they quickly approached.Aokiji, Tsuru, and the others approached, just in time to see Garp's Face looking terrifyingly grim. Even Tsuru, who had been Garp's colleague for many years, had rarely seen him like this. Usually, Garpwould laugh no matter what was said about him.Usually, even if something happened, Garp would laugh it off. He had never been like this.Holding the figure with his left hand, he used his right hand to brush away the messy hair from the figure's head, finally revealing the person's true Face."What?!" Seeing the true Face, the Marine Vice Admirals were all incredibly shocked. This person was actually Brigadier General Lin Tian, Garp's only student.Tsuru quickly took a few steps forward and rushed to Garp's side. She crouched down to look at Marcus's current state, a trace of worry flashing across her Face.At the same time, the group of Marines who had come down with Aokiji and the others were shocked to see six Marine Vice Admirals worrying about this child who had fallen from the sky.They couldn't help but wonder who this kid was and what his identity was to make several Marine Vice Admirals worry about him. Who exactly was he?Among these Marines, the only female Marine saw the Face of the figure and her whole body couldn't help but tremble. She quickly covered her mouth with both hands to keep from crying out, as two lines of tears slid down her snow-white Face.However, everyone's eyes were focused on the front, and they didn't notice the girl's actions or expression.Rear Admiral Jonathan, coming to his senses, quickly ordered the Marines beside him: "Doctor! Get the base's doctor over here immediately! Go!"Everyone was startled by this figure that fell from the sky; this person was Marcus.At this moment, Marcus was unconscious. His clothes were in tatters, his hair smelled of burnt material, and dark red bloodstains were everywhere.His Face was covered in black stains, and his body gave off the smell of gunpowder smoke. He had clearly experienced a massive explosion.This wasn't even the most serious part. There were scars over ten centimeters long on both shoulders, deep enough to see the bone inside. There were also two crisscrossing scars on his chest; one was very deep, while the other was relatively better. These scars were still bleeding.Besides these four severe wounds, there were many other injuries all over his body. Although they weren't as serious as those four, they were still severe traumas.Moreover, since Marcus was in a coma, he must have suffered extremely serious internal injuries. His breathing rate was incredibly slow, more than twice as slow as a normal person's. These were symptoms of extremely low vitality.*Hiss...*Seeing this tragic sight, the Marines couldn't help but gasp. What kind of fierce battle must he have gone through to sustain such serious injuries? He was completely on the edge of death."This is Brigadier General Lin Tian. How could Brigadier General Lin Tian be injured like this...?" some Marine Soldier cried out in alarm.These Marines were elites from Marine Headquarters. Many had seen Marcus at Marine Headquarters two years ago, and some had even spoken or trained with him.It had been a long time since they last saw him, so they didn't recognize him at first. But after looking for a while, someone finally remembered that this person was Marcus—the one known as the strongest genius of the navy, who had gone from a Marine Captain to a Navy Rear Admiral in just two years.Now, everyone understood why Vice Admiral Garpwould rush forward and why the Headquarters Vice Admirals would show such worry.It was all because he was Marcus, a Genius who shaped a Marine legend, known alongside Vice Admiral Garp as the legendary master and Discipleof the Marine!Questions couldn't help but arise in the hearts of the Marines present. Where did Brigadier General Lin Tian go? And who was it that beat Marcus like this? Was it pirates or someone else?Thinking of this, everyone simultaneously turned their gaze toward that figure—Vice Admiral Garp. His only Disciple had almost been beaten to death; what exactly would the enraged Vice Admiral Garpdo?In this troubled time in Korode, what consequences would Garp's actions cause?This was exactly what Aokiji was worried about. He didn't expect such a thing to happen at a time like this. He really didn't know what to do; he had to notify Fleet Admiral Sengoku.However, the most important thing right now was to find a way to save Marcus!
Chapter 123: TreatmentLooking at the heavily injured Marcus, one could imagine the fury in Garp's heart.Marcus was his only Disciple in many years; Garpalready viewed him as family, like his own grandson. Seeing him beaten like this, how could Garp not be angry? How could he not be grieved?Usually, Garp didn't seem to care about anything. Even if Sengoku scolded him, Garp would just laugh it off, eating donuts and smiling nonchalantly.But that didn't mean Garp didn't get angry or didn't know what anger was. Even a Dragon has a reverse scale, and so did Garp. In this world, Garp's reverse scale was his family.Seeing Marcus beaten like this, Garp really wanted to go to Korode City and kill those bastards.But Marcus's life was in danger. Saving Marcus was the top priority and couldn't be delayed.At that moment, the medical staff immediately arrived. A doctor and several medical personnel pushed a hospital bed, bringing along many medical tools.After all, Marcus's injuries were so severe that time was of the essence. If they waited to move him to a hospital, too much time would be wasted in transit. For Marcus right now, time was life.As soon as the doctor arrived and saw Marcus's injuries, he was also extremely surprised. To survive such injuries—just how strong was this person's vitality?One must realize that Marcus was still just a thirteen-year-old child. To be so heavily injured and still escape, his vitality was unimaginable."Everyone, move back. With so many people, the air can't circulate and it's too stuffy. It's not good for the patient."Hearing the doctor's words, the Marine Vice Admirals present were all stunned. As Marine Vice Admirals, they were usually the ones giving orders. Being ordered around by a doctor now, they couldn't quite react."Everyone, move back and leave enough space," Aokiji spoke up.In the blink of an eye, a clearing with a radius of five or six meters was made. Even Garp was driven out by Tsuru, who scolded him for always trying to solve problems with his fists and being clumsy. He could only stand aside with Aokiji and the others.Everyone focused their gaze here, silent, waiting for the final result of the doctor's examination.The one inside was the strongest genius of the navy, a future Admiral, perhaps even a Fleet Admiral who could lead the Marines. Was the heavens jealous of his talent? Was he going to die young here today?"Vice Admiral Garp, don't worry. Marcus is very resourceful and wouldn't put himself in danger so easily," Aokiji whispered in consolation.Garp only nodded without saying much, his eyes fixed on Marcus in the center.Seeing this, Aokiji knew that no matter how much he said, Garp wouldn't be in the mood to listen, so he stopped talking. After thinking for a moment, he beckoned to Vice Admiral Momonga, signaling him to come over.He whispered in Vice Admiral Momonga's ear: "Notify Fleet Admiral Sengoku about this and see what instructions he has.""But?" Glancing at Vice Admiral Garp, a trace of hesitation flashed across Vice Admiral Momonga's brow."Such a major event must be reported to Marine Headquarters. Given Marcus's status and his connections within the Marines, if anything happens to him, it could cause a major upheaval in the Navy. We must notify Fleet Admiral Sengoku to take precautions."Thinking of the consequences, Momonga's hesitation vanished. He responded firmly, took out a den den mushi, and went to the side to report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku.Although Garp's attention was on Marcus, it didn't mean he didn't hear their conversation. He didn't stop Aokiji's actions because, as Aokiji said, Sengoku had to be notified about this.After a while, the doctor and Vice Admiral Tsuru walked over together and spoke to the crowd who were anxious for news about Marcus."According to my preliminary diagnosis, the patient is now out of life-threatening danger. This is all thanks to his powerful vitality.""Phew..." Hearing that Marcus was out of danger, everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief.As long as his life wasn't in danger, everything else was manageable."Then how are Marcus's injuries? Are they serious?" Garp asked urgently.The doctor shook his head, removed his mask, and said, "It's not a matter of whether they are serious; it's a matter of them being extremely severe.""From the outside, the patient has experienced a powerful explosion and has countless wounds on his body. Most wounds just need a little treatment and won't be a big problem. The four wounds on his shoulders and chest are the most severe.""Let's talk about the shoulders first. They were cut straight to the bone, and the Meridians connecting to his hands were also severed. His hands can be said to be ruined. Although some powerful medicines can restore them, his hands will be much less effective in the future.""What!"Everyone cried out in shock, especially Garp, who looked stunned. One must know that Marcus's dream was to become the strongest in the world. If his hands suffered permanent damage and couldn't even compare to an ordinary person's, Marcus's path to becoming a powerhouse would be half-broken.If Marcus woke up and learned this news, how could he possibly accept it?"What are you shouting for?" Seeing everyone so loud, Tsuru scolded, "With you being so loud, it's easy to wake Xiao Tian up. Besides, the doctor hasn't finished speaking yet.""Yes, yes..." Many Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals quickly responded in low voices, like children.The Marine Soldiers nearby were stunned by this scene. In the future, a saying would circulate among the Marines that every new recruit would hear."The most awesome person in the Navy is Vice Admiral Tsuru. Back then, Vice Admiral Tsuru scolded Admiral Aokiji, Marine Hero Garp, and several other Vice Admirals until they didn't even dare to speak."The doctor continued to explain: "The external trauma isn't the most serious part. What's truly severe is the internal damage. Several ribs are broken, there's a fracture in the lumbar vertebrae, and multiple internal organs are injured. From inside to out, there isn't a single part of his body that's intact.""However, it seems the patient previously consumed a medicine with extremely high efficacy. This trace of medicinal power has been repairing the patient's body, which is why he's out of danger despite such heavy injuries."Covered in injuries, one could imagine how tragic the battle Marcus went through was. Everyone couldn't help but wonder who could have beaten Marcus like this.As the strongest genius of the navy, Marcus did not fail that reputation. His combat strength surpassed a Marine Rear Admiral and was slightly lower than a Vice Admiral. But in the first half of the Grand Line, such strength was not weak and was enough to handle pirates with bounties of one or two hundred million.Yet he was heavily injured. Which group of pirates could have done this?"Doctor, with Xiao Tian like this, even if he's treated, will there be permanent damage?" Tsuru asked softly, her voice tinged with heaviness.The doctor glanced at everyone. "It's not a matter of 'if,' but how severe the permanent damage will be. With such heavy injuries, the patient will likely need to recuperate for a long time and cannot engage in strenuous exercise.""Furthermore, the patient's constitution will be much worse than an ordinary person's in the future. However, the patient is still young and will have another chance to develop and grow. As long as there is good enough medicine, he can still fully recover, but such medicine is very rare."Hearing the latter part, everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief. They had thought Marcuswould be crippled after this battle.As long as there was a chance for recovery, it was fine. Medicine wasn't an issue; the Marines could obtain it. As for a few years' delay, that was even less of a problem. Marcus was only thirteen now; even after a few years, he would only be seventeen or eighteen. That age was still plenty young."Then doctor, is there any way to ensure Marcus has no permanent damage?" Garp asked.Garp knew Marcus. For Marcus, having to sit around doing nothing—and not just for a few months, but for years—how could he endure it?"There is," the doctor replied affirmatively."What is it?" everyone asked urgently."The world is vast and full of wonders. If you have something that can quickly heal the patient, then there will be no permanent damage."Tsk!Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but roll their eyes. This goes without saying. Everyone knows that; if we had such a thing, why would we need you?"No, I think I have such a thing," Tsuru said suddenly, resting her chin on her hand, startling everyone.Garp said, "Xiao He, if you had this, why didn't you say so earlier? You made us worry for so long." The others also nodded in agreement.Earlier, seeing Xiao Tian like that, Tsuru was only concerned about him and didn't think of it. Now, with the doctor's reminder, Tsuru finally remembered she had such a thing."Ain, go to my room and bring that glass bottle we seized from the pirates earlier.""Yes, Vice Admiral Tsuru!" A young girl with pale purple hair in her teens stepped out and ran toward the marine warships anchored behind them
Watching the figure running away, a flash of familiarity crossed Garp's eyes, but for a moment, Garp couldn't recall where he had seen her."Hey, Tsuru, who is this female Marine Soldier?" Garp asked in a low voice."Her?" Tsuru replied, puzzled. "She is a new Marine Soldier I recruited. She is also a Devil Fruit Userwith a bright future. Why, do you know her?"Garp nodded and recalled, "I always feel so familiar with her, but I can't remember where I've seen her. Tsuru! How did she join the Marine?""I don't know about that. You should ask Aokijiabout how she joined the Marine," Tsuru said, pointing at Aokiji.Aokiji? What does this have to do with Aokiji? Garplooked at Aokiji, his eyes full of confusion."I'm not exactly sure about the details. I know this girl is named Ain, but I don't know anything else," Aokiji also looked clueless."You don't know?! You two just keep her by your side without knowing anything, and you trust her this much?" Garp said quickly, his tone full of surprise."Th-this girl was actually someone Teacher wanted me to bring along," Aokiji said, resting his chin on his hand as he recalled.That time, Aokiji had just returned to Marine Headquarters and went to find Teacher for a drink as usual. When he entered, he saw Teacher training this girl.In all these years, I have rarely seen Teacher Zephyrbring a student home, especially a female student. Finally, through conversation, I learned that this girl is named Ain, a Little Girl Teacher saved at sea during a mission.Her parents had already been killed by pirates. She was an orphan and also a Devil Fruit User, so Teacher let her join the Marine. She is smart and witty, deeply favored by Teacher Zephyr, and seems to be working as an assistant under Vegapunk... Kuzan doesn't know the specifics of what's going on either.It's just that Teacher Zephyr said it would be much safer with me around, and wanted me to take her out to gain some experience, so I brought her along.Since she is Zephyr's student, Garp didn't say much more; he trusted that Stinky Old Man's judgment quite a bit.Garp said, "Hey, that's not right, isn't she under Tsuru's command?""Hmph!" Tsuru snorted coldly. "Do you think it's convenient for a girl to be on the same ship as a bunch of grown men like you?"Facing Tsuru's reprimand, Garp and Aokiji smiled helplessly. She wasn't wrong; it really isn't very convenient for a girl."By the way, how is your teacher Zephyr doing lately?""He's alright, just like before, training those Marinerecruits all day long," Aokiji waved his hand and replied.Just as they were talking, Ain had already retrieved the item and came running over."Huff, huff..." Ain panted rapidly and handed the transparent glass bottle in her hand to Tsuru."Vice Admiral Tsuru, this was the only glass bottle on your desk, so I brought it over."Carefully taking the glass bottle from her hand, "Hmm! This is it. Thank you, Ain.""It's nothing! Let's save him first," Ain wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, shook her head, and said.Garp looked at the glass bottle, his face full of confusion. It was just a small glass bottle, and there were only a few drops of transparent liquid inside."Tsuru, are you sure you're not mistaken? Is this thing really useful?" Garp asked, looking incredulous.Tsuru rolled her eyes at Garp. This thing concerned Marcus's life; would she joke around with something useless? That Stinky Old Man Garp really didn't think things through."Hehe..." Feeling the malice in Tsuru's eyes, Garpimmediately touched his head and smiled embarrassedly."I snatched this from a Pirate Crew. As for its efficacy, I saw it with my own eyes. At that time, I had beaten a pirate into a coma with severe injuries, but after this liquid was poured onto his body, all his injuries healed, and he was instantly completely recovered.""So, this thing is really useful.""Of course."Whew...Seeing Garp's anxious expression, Tsuru tossed the bottle in her hand casually, throwing it accurately towards Garp, who quickly caught it. He held it up to his eyes, observing it carefully. Looking back and forth, it was just some liquid that looked like ordinary water, nothing special."By the way, Garp, whether to use this or not, I think we still need to consider it. Because I only saw that pirate recover, and I don't know if there are any side effects if this thing is taken.""After all, this kind of thing is just too miraculous. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. I'm afraid this kind of recovery might come at a significant cost.""Where is he?"After saying this, Tsuru looked towards where Garphad just been standing, but Garp's figure was already gone. Aokiji shrugged his shoulders, looking helpless, and pointed towards Marcus, who had already been transported to a hospital bed.Tsuru hurriedly turned to look and saw that the anxious Garp had already run to Marcus's side, opened the bottle cap, and had already poured the liquid onto Marcus's body."What! You bastard, what are you doing? Didn't you hear what I said?" Tsuru, who usually had a good temper, felt a nameless rage rise in her heart upon seeing this situation.Seeing Tsuru get angry, Garp was also startled. Why was she angry for no reason? He hadn't done anything wrong.Looking at the empty bottle in Garp's hand, Tsuru's anger quickly vanished. The liquid had already been used; saying anything more was useless. It was already too late, and now she could only hope that this thing had no side effects."Uh, what? Tsuru, what did you say just now? I didn't hear you. Why don't you say it again?" Garp said with a fawning smile."You still have the nerve to ask? I said this liquid might have some side effects and told you to consider it, but you just went ahead and used it.""What!" Garp exclaimed. "Tsuru, why didn't you say so earlier?""You still have the nerve to say that? Who told you to be so impatient? I had just started speaking, and you couldn't help but use the potion, leaving me no chance to stop you at all.""Hehe..." Knowing he was wrong, Garp smiled embarrassedly. He glanced at Marcus and asked worriedly, "Then what should we do now? I've already used up all the medicine. There's nothing we can do."Tsuru said irritably, "What else can we do? Now we can only leave it to fate and hope that Marcus will be fine. Otherwise, do you have anything else that can treat his injuries?"As soon as she finished speaking, Tsuru didn't care what expression Garp had on his face. She looked towards Marcus, who was lying on the hospital bed, her eyes filled with worry, hoping that this medicine would really be useful.Because Marcus was so severely injured, it would take some time for the effects of the medicine to appear, so everyone had to wait anxiously.It didn't take long for the doctor, who had been observing Marcus, to say happily in a low voice."It's working! It's working! The medicine is taking effect. The patient's injuries have already started to recover, and the speed is very fast.""Whew..." Hearing that Marcus's injuries were starting to recover, everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Their tense hearts finally relaxed. It would be fine as long as he was okay; if something happened to Marcus, the consequences would be too great.Walking quickly forward, everyone took a few steps and gathered around Marcus's bed to observe.Just as the doctor had said, the small wounds on Marcus's surface had already scabbed over, and the faster ones had even started to have scabs fall off, revealing the newly grown skin underneath.And the four most serious wounds on his body were also starting to heal. The blood-red flesh was moving rapidly, which looked quite disgusting, but this was precisely the sign of the wounds recovering quickly. The white bones had already been covered by new flesh, and the Meridians were also growing rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, reconnecting together.In short, every part of Marcus's body was undergoing a recovery process hundreds of times faster than an ordinary person's, and his pale face finally revealed a hint of rosiness."Not only the external injuries, but the patient's internal body is also recovering very quickly. At this rate, it won't take long for the patient to largely recover. As long as he rests for a few days, he will be fully recovered," the doctor explained in a low voice from the side."This recovery speed is truly terrifying," Kuzan said, watching this scene, sighing from the bottom of his heart.Hmm! The Naval Officers on the side all nodded in agreement; Kuzan had expressed everyone's inner thoughts.If one had this kind of thing on them, it would practically be like having an extra life. As long as there was still one breath left, one could recover. This was simply a bug.However, everyone also knew that since this thing had such great efficacy, it was extremely precious. It was very rare even in the world, and it was already immense luck for those pirates to have obtained it.Even Tsuru was a bit shocked by this efficacy. That time, she only saw that pirate saved by this liquid; Tsuru had never observed it from such close range before.However, regardless of everything, Marcus was no longer in life-threatening danger this time, and everyone could finally rest easy.Only then did everyone start to wonder, who exactly was it that beat Marcus into such a state?
Chapter 125: The Black Hand[Broadcast] Follow "Qidian Reading" to get firsthand news about the 515 Red Envelope event. Students who missed out on grabbing red envelopes after the New Year can show off their skills this time.Tens of minutes ago!On the dim street, there were no pedestrians coming and going; only Marcus walked leisurely along the path paved with bluestone slabs.Compared to the busy commercial street in the center of Korode, which was illuminated like daylight by countless lights, even late at night, it was still crowded with people and bustling with activity.The outskirts of Korode City, however, were much quieter. No! Perhaps silent would be a better word. The shops along the street had long closed their doors, and even the lights in the residential buildings had been extinguished; people had long since fallen asleep.Marcus walked along the road, stepping on the bluestone slabs one by one, producing a crisp sound that echoed off the tall walls on both sides of the path.In this silent alley, the sound was exceptionally clear. The dim, yellow, and dilapidated streetlights, spaced several meters apart, still held fast to their posts.The faint yellow light shone diagonally onto Marcus, casting long shadows behind him.In such an environment, Marcus remained deep in thought, walking forward step by step, leaving behind a strange melody.Just now, after the explanation from Uncle Teng and the old man, coupled with the thick document, Marcus gained a general understanding of the entire tenryuubito tribute incident.The reason the entire tenryuubito tribute incident had escalated so much was because Mingo was fueling it from behind.Mingo must have used some condition to persuade Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors, to take action in the New World. Naturally, the pirates in the New World who wished for chaos readily joined in.Thus, the Marine Admiral had no choice but to head to the New World to suppress Kaido of the Beasts, as only an Admiral was qualified to fight a Four Emperor.Because of this, the Marine Admiral was not escorting the tenryuubito tribute this time. However, this news was leaked, and the person who leaked it was Mingo.This is why countless pirates, regardless of their strength, flocked to Korode—everyone wanted to take advantage of the chaos.And this time, Mingo was also the one who invited many pirates to Peak for discussions.It is speculated that Mingo planned to gather these weaker pirates to form an alliance, allowing them to compete against the stronger pirates and claim a share of the tenryuubito tribute.Such detailed and specific intelligence could only be gathered by someone as powerful yet low-key as Gudrit.However, this intelligence left Marcus extremely puzzled; he couldn't figure out Mingo's true intentions.Logically, since Mingo managed to tie up the MarineAdmiral in the New World, creating such a favorable opportunity, he should have kept it secret to monopolize the spoils.Without the Marine Admiral, the Donquixote Family's strength would likely allow them to swallow it whole.But why would Mingo broadcast this news? Wouldn't that just invite everyone to join in and take a share, just like what is happening now?Furthermore, it would raise the Marine's vigilance, forcing them to mobilize every available force to protect the tenryuubito tribute.Wouldn't everything Mingo did before be in vain? To get Kaido of the Beasts to act, the price paid must have been enormous.After paying such a huge price, why would he still spread the news? What exactly is Mingo thinking?Also, gathering these pirates now to form an alliance—isn't that redundant? In this struggle for the tenryuubito tribute, even pirates with bounties reaching hundreds of millions could easily die if careless.What's more, no matter how many of these pirates there are, eliminating them is only a matter of seconds in front of a true powerhouse.What exactly is Mingo aiming for? Marcus pondered for a long time but couldn't figure it out. No reasonably normal person would do these things.Moreover, Mingo is an extremely intelligent person. Why would he do something so foolish?What exactly is Mingo doing all this for?What is his goal? This question kept echoing in Marcus's mind."Clang"—the sound of a hard object colliding with steel was piercingly loud in the silent alley."Ah!" followed immediately by a cry of pain.Marcus was bent over, holding his forehead with both hands, occasionally letting out faint hisses of pain.Looking up at the streetlight in front of him and the deep dent in it, Marcus gave a wry smile. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't even noticed such a large streetlight.Turning his head to look around, Marcus suddenly realized he was lost. He had been so focused on thinking that he hadn't paid attention to the road and didn't know how he had ended up here."Damn it, where is this? Only a few streetlights are on, and not a single shop is open."Marcus looked up and saw that apart from a few windows, the rest of the windows upstairs were dark; everyone had already gone to sleep.Crack... Clang... Crack... Although these sounds were extremely faint, Marcus still noticed them. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully, finally realizing where the sounds were coming from.The sounds were coming from the streetlight in front of Marcus, the one he had dented. Marcuslooked closely and realized that only a small piece of metal was still connecting the dented section; he just hadn't noticed it earlier."Crack!"As the sound rang out, the last piece of metal snapped, and the streetlight tumbled down. The bulb on top instantly went out.Not only the light on the pole, but the entire street went dark, and the few windows that had been lit also plunged into darkness.Crackle... Pop...!A burst of blue electrical sparks appeared above Marcus, and the entire streetlight pole crashed down towards him."Soru""Bang"Marcus dodged in time. The streetlight slammed onto the ground, making a huge noise that was deafening in the silent night.Suddenly, an object flew through the air, slowly drifting down from the sky. Because it was too dark, Marcus only managed to see what it was when it was about to hit the ground.However, after seeing what the object was, Marcuswas dumbfounded, because this thing was truly awesome, and could be called a great weapon against all male compatriots.A bra!This object was a bra, thrown down from who knows which window."Holy crap, which bastard downstairs cut the power? I spent ages trying to get it off! F***! That bastard actually cut the power!"A man, bare-chested, leaned out of a window, absolutely furious, cursing incessantly."Which bastard did this? Get out here! Hurry up and get out here, or I'll kill you!"The man cursed for a long time, but still seeing no one, he finally returned to his room.Meanwhile, outside Korode City, Marcus stood on a piece of wasteland, panting heavily. That previous scene truly left Marcus speechless.Who would have thought that people were still *doing that* so late, and that he just happened to cut the power?Turning back to look at Korode engulfed in darkness, it resembled a man-eating beast, yet so many people were desperately rushing inside.Thinking of this, Marcus couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly; wasn't he doing the same thing?Although he had only stayed in Korode for a day, Marcus felt his experiences here had been long and colorful.Mingo, Dragon, Kuma, Uncle Teng, the old man, Gudrit... Although the strength of these people hasn't reached the Peak of this world, they are not far off.Normally, such people are rarely seen, but today so many have gathered in Korode. It seems this 'tenryuubito tribute' event is destined to become a rare and great battle.Finally, for some reason, Ashley appeared in Marcus's mind. Once he left this time, he would be departing Korode tomorrow, and it was likely the two of them would never meet again.Alas! Time to go!He turned around calmly, yet his mood was anything but calm.The gentle breeze caressed his cheek, the starry sky was vast and brilliant, and the chirping of insects was intermittent. The breeze, using its slender fingertips, lightly swept over the flourishing growth, watching the grass sway gently in the wind.Staying on the vast sea all day, Marcus had almost forgotten this kind of scenery, especially the intermittent chirping of insects. It had been a long time since he felt so relaxed.This was also why Marcus didn't rush back at a faster speed but chose the slow method of walking—to fully experience this beautiful night scene.However, the moment Marcus thought about having to face the Stinky Old Man's iron fist when he returned, all his pleasant feelings vanished.Step!Marcus, walking slowly, suddenly stopped after taking one step, standing motionless.In an instant, Marcus stomped his foot, his speed soaring, and he dodged to the side.Boom!A massive explosion occurred where Marcus had just been standing, sending countless flying stones into the air and leaving only a crater several meters wide in the ground.Fortunately, Marcus dodged in time. Otherwise, such a large explosion would have been quite severe for him.P.S. Fellow readers following the updates, do you still have any free Appreciation Tickets and Qidian Coins? The 515 Red Envelope Ranking countdown has begun. I'm here to ask for votes, please boost me and send Appreciation Tickets for one last
Chapter 124: AmbushAnnouncement: Follow Qidian Reading to get first-hand news on the 515 Red Envelopes. For those who haven't grabbed a red envelope since the New Year, now's your chance to show off your skills.Looking at the large crater created by the explosion, Marcus was inwardly shocked; if he had been hit, he probably would have been injured.Before Marcus could breathe a sigh of relief, he noticed the ground beneath his feet expanding at an extremely fast speed, and his expression changed.When that explosion occurred just now, the ground he was standing on had also suddenly expanded, and then the ground instantly erupted in a massive explosion.Spatial ArmorBangA violent explosion rang out again where Marcuslanded, and the thick smoke completely obscured his figure.With a whoosh, a figure rushed out from the smoke into the sky, performed a roll, and landed directly on the open ground dozens of meters away.This figure was Marcus. He lightly wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth; clearly, despite his defense, he had still been injured by that explosion just now.Through those two explosions, Marcus understood he was being ambushed. Although he didn't know why the ground would explode, it must be a Devil Fruit Ability.This method of explosion reminded Marcus of landmines—they would explode upon contact, having the exact same nature as a landmine.According to the terminology of his past life, Marcushad just entered a minefield. There were definitely more than one of those explosive traps, which was why Marcus had landed so far away.Swish! A cold gleam suddenly flashed before Marcus.Without a second thought, Marcus quickly used the "Soru" of the Marine Six Powers, dodging several meters away.A light blue slash flew past where Marcus had been, cutting down a tree so large it would take several people to encircle it.Lumbago Style: Me-no-Tsuku.Before Marcus could steady himself, the sound of something cutting through the air came from not far away, and he quickly turned to look.He saw a figure rushing toward him, spinning at high speed like a spiral. Under the high-speed rotation of this figure, the surrounding air moved violently, creating whirlwinds out of thin air that surrounded him.It kicked up many withered leaves from the ground. Although he didn't know the power of this Move,Based on this powerful aura, Marcus didn't dare to underestimate it.Observation HakiThe speed of this attack exceeded human dynamic vision, making it difficult for the naked eye to see the movement. However, under Observation Haki, Marcus could still see these movements clearly.Armament Haki: Iron FistWithout thinking, Marcus directly raised his fist, which was filled with a metallic black luster, and struck toward the figure.The figure had intended to use this Move while Marcus was unprepared, but who would have thought Marcus's reaction would be so fast? He threw a punch directly, and at such a high speed, it was very difficult to stop.Geo-on-kenThe figure quickly changed his Move, his hands forming the shape of the English letter 'G'. He met Marcus's Iron Fist with a punch, this series of changes happening in an instant.Seeing that this figure actually dared to clash fists with him, Marcus couldn't help but sneer, increasing the strength in his hand by a few more degrees.The two fists collided violently. There were no sounds or sophisticated techniques, only a contest of strength as both men instinctively mobilized their entire bodies' power into their arms.Marcus was slightly surprised that the figure blocked his punch. One must know his teacher was Garp; Garp's greatest strengths were his Haki and Taijutsu, which were honed to the Peak, and his terrifyingly immense strength.As Garp's student, Marcus's attainment in these areas was naturally not low, and his physical strength was also terrifying, yet this person actually held his ground.The moon in the sky was covered by clouds at some point, plunging the land into darkness where one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face, making it difficult to see the figure's face.Taking a deep breath, Marcus gave a low shout, and the strength in his arm increased once more.That figure was instantly sent flying over ten meters away. Suddenly, another figure flew out from a nearby bush and caught the person Marcus had knocked back.That wasn't all; another figure walked out from not far behind Marcus. This time, there were a total of three people ambushing Marcus.Looking at the three figures that had suddenly appeared in front of and behind him, Marcuslaughed and said:"I didn't expect the famous Doflamingo to think so highly of me, actually sending out three cadres just to kill me. Should I feel honored?"He hadn't even stayed in Korode for a full day, and he had only offended two groups of people: one was the mastermind behind Ashley's assassination, and the other was the Donquixote Family.As for the masterminds behind Ashley's assassination, they had already sent people to kill him, but they were caught off guard by him.Finally, although Marcus didn't act, with that Man in Black's combat power, those people wouldn't be able to escape. Losing six high-level subordinates at once would surely pain the mastermind; it was impossible for them to send three more high-strength subordinates in such a short time.Deducing this way, the only one who could act against Marcus was Mingo, and for the Donquixote Family, deploying three cadres like this was a very simple matter.At this time, the moon in the sky also seemed to want to watch the upcoming battle, as the clouds above drifted away at some point, and Moonlightshone upon the earth once more.By the pale white Moonlight, Marcus also saw the identities of these three people clearly.Among the two people in front of him, one was Diamante, who had previously exchanged a Movewith the Okama King Ivankov. He wore a fringed hat, had two facial markings, a red cloak, and was dressed like a member of a native tribe.The other person hadn't done anything in the bar, just silently standing behind Mingo the whole time.Wearing a skin-tight suit with lightning patterns and a headpiece, he spoke.Diamante advised him. If this kid knew what was good for him, it would save them from wasting time.Marcus laughed loudly: "You actually dare to come and capture me so close to the Marine base. It seems you think you've got me for sure.""To be honest, just the three of you won't be enough."Being mocked by a brat like this, Diamante and the others were all incredibly furious.Lao G said in a deep voice: "Brat, you're facing death and yet you're still so arrogant. Don't think that just because you have a bit of strength, you're some invincible Genius. Next, I'll show you what a real battle is.""Is that so?" A cold sneer appeared at the corner of Marcus's mouth, his tone full of indifference.Space Blade