William shoved the vial back into his pocket and continued sprinting deeper into the forest. Behind him, Garp tore through the dense woods like a human bulldozer, leaving a trail of shattered trees in his wake. What was truly terrifying, however, was that even with all this destruction, Garp's speed was still faster than William's.
As William ran, a large tree loomed ahead. He grabbed the trunk with one hand, swinging himself agilely around to the other side. Planting his feet firmly on the tree, he pushed off with force, launching himself toward another tree.
The moment William left the tree, Garp obliterated it. Looking up, he spotted William standing on a branch, no longer running but staring down at him from above.
"You're out of options, Morgan William," Garp said, cracking his knuckles as a series of sharp pops echoed from his joints. "Why don't you drop the scheming and face me head-on? Even if you lose, at least you'll go down like a man."
Elsewhere in the forest, Dampier crushed a vial in his hand, letting the shards fall to the ground. Beside him, Edmond did the same. Together, they turned to face Vice Admiral Strawberry, who had been pursuing them.
Strawberry didn't attack immediately. Instead, he stopped about ten meters away, observing the two. Slowly, he drew the twin blades from his waist and asked casually, "Why did you run into the forest? What's your plan? An ambush? M.H.5? But I don't see either of you carrying gas masks. So... is it an escape airship? Are you planning to abandon this island and all the poor souls left behind?"
Dampier remained silent, but the impulsive Edmond brushed his hair back and charged at Strawberry, growling, "We're planning to take you down right here!"
"Fools!" Strawberry scoffed. With a light step, he leaped into the air, evading Edmond's horizontal slash. Using Moonwalk (Geppo), he didn't descend but instead rose higher and higher.
Tap, tap, tap!
The sound of quick footsteps echoed as Dampier leaped from tree trunk to tree trunk like a monkey, rapidly closing in on Strawberry mid-air. With a rapier in hand, he thrust toward Strawberry's vital points.
"Too slow!" Strawberry raised his right blade horizontally, parrying Dampier's rapier. At the same time, he swung his left sword downward in a counterattack.
Dampier's rapier, being lightweight, allowed for swift movements. As Strawberry's blade came down, Dampier quickly adjusted, pulling back his weapon to guard himself. He managed to block Strawberry's strike, but in the next moment, Strawberry used his now-free hand to deliver another slash. The sheer force of the blow sent Dampier hurtling toward the ground.
Strawberry wasn't about to let up. As Dampier fell, Strawberry kicked out, sending a Rankyaku (Tempest Kick) slicing through the air toward him. However, Edmond intercepted it with his blade, blocking the attack.
Strawberry landed on a tree branch, but to his surprise, he nearly lost his balance and stumbled off.
Alarmed, he instinctively glanced at his right hand, which was gripping the tree trunk. His pupils suddenly contracted in shock.
On the back of his hand, several noticeable green spots had mysteriously appeared.
Back in the forest canopy, Garp continued his confrontation with William.
"Vice Admiral Garp, it's easy for you to say such things because you have the Marines behind you," William replied calmly, unfazed by Garp's words. "It doesn't matter if you lose, because the Marines can afford it. If you fall, there's still Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the three Admirals, and countless Vice Admirals. But I... I can't afford to lose. Without the schemes and strategies you despise, I'd probably still be a small-time pirate, unsure if I'd survive to see tomorrow. Or worse, the moment you ambushed me and threw me into prison, I'd already have been utterly defeated, with no hope of turning the tables.
"You've long been a legend, and the Marines are a colossal force. Compared to you and your organization, my crew and I are nothing more than fledgling wolves facing a pride of mighty lions. If we didn't use our wits, if we relied solely on brute strength, how could we possibly contend with you? If we charged recklessly, we'd have been torn apart long ago."
"Even so, you'll still be torn apart," Garp said, exhaling deeply. "You've only managed to stall for time. But to be honest, I do admire what you've accomplished. It's just a shame you're a pirate who chose the wrong path."
There was a hint of regret in Garp's tone, but as soon as he finished speaking, he launched himself forward. In an instant, he was in front of William, his fist hurtling toward him like a cannonball. There was no mercy in his attack.
The moment Garp's fist came down, William's chest transformed into a dense cloud of steam, leaving a gap where the punch was aimed.
BOOM!
Garp's punch hit nothing but air, yet the shockwave from the strike demolished a massive tree behind William. Even the steam from William's body wavered under the impact.
The fierce winds forced William to squint. With a swift turn of his blade, Wado Ichimonji, he slashed upward toward Garp.
Garp didn't dodge. The blade of Wado Ichimonji merely tore through his Marine uniform but couldn't penetrate any further. Garp retaliated with a powerful kick, sending William flying.
William twisted mid-air, grabbing hold of a thick tree branch. His fingers dug deep into the wood, finally halting his momentum. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he turned to face Garp once more.
"What about that little trick of yours?" Garp asked.
William knew Garp was referring to Overheat, but he had no intention of using it. The Overheat state placed an immense strain on his body, with one of the most obvious symptoms being labored breathing.
William's eyes remained fixed on Garp's face, unblinking. If one looked closely, faint green spots were beginning to appear on Garp's skin.
William smiled, a gesture that confused Garp but also heightened his vigilance. Garp had witnessed William's cunning before and feared he might pull another trick to escape. Without hesitation, Garp launched another attack.
In his normal state, William was no match for Garp. He could barely defend himself, constantly on the back foot. Despite his best efforts, Garp's relentless blows landed again and again, forcing William to endure the full force of the legendary Marine's so-called "Iron Fists."
Yet, the more Garp pressed his attack, the more his wariness grew. Something about the situation felt off. Why had William deliberately retreated into the forest, knowing he couldn't win? With his intelligence, why would he willingly engage in a fight he couldn't possibly win? Could it be that he had truly given up all hope, resigned to his fate?
Distracted by these thoughts, Garp let his guard down for a split second. Seizing the opportunity, William counterattacked, slashing him with his blade. Although Garp instantly activated Armament Haki to shield himself, the force of the strike still sent him tumbling backward. He landed on one knee, looking up at William in disbelief.
He had clearly seen William's attack coming and had intended to dodge, yet his body hadn't reacted in time!
William, pale and coughing, wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Though he appeared battered, he managed to pull a faint smile as he looked at the stunned Garp.
(End of Chapter)
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