Boom!!!
A blinding curtain of light swallowed everything before their eyes.
In that instant, all else paled into insignificance. It was as if the world had been stripped of every color except this single, overwhelming radiance.
A deafening roar tore through the heavens, rippling outward toward the distant sky.
Faced with such terrifying might, Garp could only raise an arm to shield his eyes from the blazing light, his body forced to stagger backward again and again.
At the same time, a huge doubt surged up in his heart.
"Th-This… this is really the power mastered by my grandson Luffy's pirate crew?!"
Even someone as thickheaded as Garp could imagine what would happen once today's events were reported back to Marine Headquarters—or even to the World Government itself.
Whether to preserve the dignity and authority of the World Government, or to prevent another "Yonko" from ever appearing in this world…
The Straw Hat Pirates would inevitably become a thorn in the side of the World Government and the Marines, a splinter in their flesh and an eyesore they could not ignore.
Even the other great powers and organizations of the world would undoubtedly begin to keep a close watch on them.
"Damn that Red-Haired bastard!!! Just look at what you've done!!!"
Garp roared inwardly.
If only he hadn't been forcibly assigned by Sengoku back then to sweep pirates in the New World, spending over a year away from Windmill Village… Red-Haired Shanks wouldn't have had the chance to slip in and fill Luffy's head with those terrible ideas. Things never would have turned out like this.
Unfortunately…
It was already far too late.
Time slowly passed.
The terrifying light continued to blaze for nearly three full minutes before it finally began to fade, gradually weakening until it vanished completely.
Massive waves churned violently, while destructive energy still lingered in the air.
Fortunately, Merry's target from beginning to end had been only the main island of Enies Lobby. And the weapon systems derived from the ancient weapon Pluton were far more refined than any technology commonly seen in the current pirate world, with virtually no energy leakage at all.
As a result, the injured Marines scattered around the Tower of Justice and the surrounding sea suffered little more than a battering from the waves, avoiding serious harm.
But not being harmed did not mean they were not shaken.
Once all the noise and spectacle faded, the Marines who could still move immediately turned their gazes toward the main island, their eyes filled with shock and uncertainty.
Then—
They were utterly petrified by what they saw.
The main island of Enies Lobby—the largest area of the island complex, once connected to the Forecourt Island—had completely vanished, as if it had never existed in the first place.
Meanwhile, at the point where the bridge from the Forecourt Island had once connected, there was now an impossibly smooth cross-section, suspended in midair.
However—
Before the Marines could even begin to process what they were seeing, it was as if some colossal beast had stomped down beside them. The ground beneath their feet and the surrounding seawater suddenly erupted into a violent tremor.
In the next instant, an ear-splitting rumble surged up from the depths of the miraculous waterfall sea surrounding Enies Lobby.
At the same time, smiles spread across the faces of Red and Franky aboard the Merry.
Franky, in particular, immediately entered his excited "SUPER!" mode, throwing his arms wide as he shouted,
"Keep your eyes wide open, everyone!"
"What you're about to witness is the true reason the Thousand Sunny Merry is worthy of becoming a legend!"
Boom!!!
The moment Franky's voice fell, another colossal explosion thundered up from the abyssal depths of the sea.
Along with it came a towering column of water that burst forth from deep underground, instantly filling the void left on the sea's surface and hurling glittering seawater thousands of meters into the sky.
"This is…"
Seeing this, Zoro and the others aboard the Merry—those who didn't yet know the contents of Pluton's blueprints—immediately revealed expressions of amazement, sparks of realization flashing in their eyes.
"An Upward Sea Current?!"
Those among the Straw Hats who had personally experienced Skypiea were instantly struck by a powerful sense of déjà vu.
They immediately turned their gazes toward Red, Franky, and Robin, as if seeking an explanation from them.
Red merely grinned.
"What's with those looks?"
"Since it's a warship remodeled using Pluton's technology, isn't it perfectly normal for it to possess some power that acts upon the underworld itself?!"
"How is that normal at all, hey?!"
As the Straw Hats' resident straight man, Usopp immediately cut in at the perfect moment.
Franky, the very one responsible for Merry's remodeling, burst out laughing and began to explain,
"This is a unique form of technology belonging to the ancient weapon Pluton…"
"It allows the Merry to inject massive amounts of energy into land connected to the planet's crust, forming a tight link with the planet's deep energy core, turning the area into a special domain!"
"In other words—what you're seeing right now!"
"I heard Red mention the Upward Sea Current you encountered near Jaya Island!"
"Whether Pluton's design originated from that sea, or whether that sea was once baptized by Pluton's firepower, I can't say…"
"But from today onward, this region will periodically erupt with water columns like this, until the connection between the land and the deep crust is completely severed!"
"Suuupeeer~!!! That's amazing!!!"
After hearing Franky's explanation, Luffy and Chopper immediately shouted with starry eyes.
Usopp, who normally would have joined them, instead uncharacteristically raised a question,
"Wait a second…"
"Doesn't that mean we can now turn an entire sea—or even an island—into an uninhabitable, extremely dangerous area whenever we want?!"
"Hahaha~ In theory, yeah, that's true."
Franky laughed, then shook his head.
"But sadly, with the Merry as she is now—no, even the Pluton that once existed in history—it's probably impossible to pull that off!"
Red's eyes gleamed as he picked up the explanation,
"Unlike Devil Fruits, which possess miraculous powers…"
"Pluton's strength is pure technology!!!"
"And technology… follows rules!"
Even if the technology of the pirate world often seemed absurdly unreasonable.
The truth remained—
After firing a single "Pluton-grade cannon," the Merry would be unable to unleash another attack of the same scale for at least half a year, due to energy consumption, overheated conduits, and similar issues.
Forcing its use again—even at reduced power—would inevitably damage the Merry's kinetic systems.
For a "weapon," such an extended cooldown was a glaring weakness.
And that weakness had been clearly marked on Pluton's original blueprints.
In fact, after the blueprints were fully deciphered, Red and the others had even engaged in some fascinating discussions and speculation.
If the Upward Sea Current near Jaya Island really had been caused by Pluton…
Then during the World Government–concealed Void Century, perhaps Pluton had once fought a massive battle near Jaya.
After recklessly firing attack after attack, the colossal warship may have lost its combat capability—or even suffered severe damage—forcing it to hide beneath Wano.
This might have been a flaw for Pluton itself.
But for the Merry of today, it was not an insurmountable problem at all!
From the moment the Merry evolved, the kinetic systems derived from Pluton's blueprints had already become one with her hull.
That meant that as the Merry continued to grow stronger, her body would only become more formidable.
And naturally, her power systems would grow along with her.
At present, the Merry was only a little over level thirty—practically at the bottom among the Straw Hat crew.
In the future, as she continued to strengthen, the devices and systems recreated from Pluton's technology would likewise become ever more powerful and durable…
Surpassing the legendary ancient weapon itself would be only a matter of time!!!
…
…
After listening to Red's detailed explanation, everyone was utterly unable to remain calm, exclamations of amazement erupting one after another.
Their awe was not only for the Merry's boundless potential, but also for Red, who had made it all possible.
It was precisely because of Red's godlike abilities—and the miraculous support of the Pokémon world—that they had been able to grow at such a breakneck pace.
However, just as the Straw Hats were chattering excitedly…
Luffy suddenly shuddered, his neck prickling with warning.
He snapped upright and shouted,
"Bad news!!!"
Before his words even finished, a drenched figure shot out from the roaring Upward Sea Current.
"LUFFY!!!"
Garp bellowed, his fist instantly coated in jet-black Armament Haki.
A terrifying aura surged from his body.
"Run, Red!!! It's the old geezer!!!"
The instinctive suppression of bloodline sent Luffy into immediate panic.
Seeing Garp arrive, Red didn't hesitate for a second. He shouted toward the bow,
"Merry!!!"
"Roger that!!!"
Without a word wasted, the Merry—already perfectly synchronized with Red through Psychic Power—instantly retracted her innate flight capability.
In the blink of an eye, stripped of buoyant force, the Merry plummeted downward under gravity.
Already prepared, Red waved his hand.
"Hyperspace Hole!!!"
Whoosh—
A massive black hole opened beneath the Merry.
One trick, used to perfection!
Right before the eyes of the Marine hero Garp, Red once again employed the same escape method they had used to flee the Marines in Skypiea, diving straight into Laboon's waiting body deep beneath the sea.
With no ten-thousand-meter altitude to contend with this time, their escape was even faster than before.
By the time Garp arrived, fist swinging, at the Merry's former position, the sky above Enies Lobby was already completely devoid of the Straw Hats' presence.
Boom!!!
Having lost his target, Garp vented his frustration with a single punch at the sky, instantly blasting through the clouds and carving out a vast, clear expanse of air.
Everything came to an end with that one punch.
And the Garp who had failed his mission no longer wore an expression of fury or embarrassment.
Suspended in midair using Moonwalk, he turned to look at the endlessly surging Upward Sea Current, letting the cool seawater wash over him as a satisfied smile unconsciously spread across his face.
"That brat Luffy…"
"Just as expected of my grandson!!!"
…
…
"Whew! That was close!"
"I was scared to death!"
As the scenery shifted into the familiar inner world of Laboon's body, Luffy wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
The sudden appearance of the Upward Sea Current and Red's explanation had completely drawn his attention away, to the point that he'd even forgotten his grandfather was nearby.
Thank goodness…
As expected of Red, who always bragged about his 'Kirin Arm'—his hands really were fast!
With the danger past, Luffy collapsed onto the ground.
Seeing this, Zoro and Sanji—who had just fought Admiral Kizaru alongside him—both wore puzzled expressions.
They turned their gazes to Red in unison and asked,
"Red, that Marine just now… was he really that big a deal?!"
"How did he scare Luffy like that?!"
"A big deal?" Red's lips curled as he chuckled softly.
"You could say that."
"That man truly is someone extraordinary."
"Decades ago, in his prime, he joined forces with Pirate King Roger to defeat the ruler of that era—the Rocks Pirates!"
"And before Roger became Pirate King, he drove the Roger Pirates into desperate straits multiple times!"
"Even now, despite his age, he still possesses unfathomable power!"
"He is the Hero of the Marines—Vice Admiral Garp!!!"
"So that's how incredible he is…"
Hearing Red casually list Garp's legendary exploits, realization flashed through Zoro and Sanji's eyes.
But just then, the perceptive Nami noticed something amiss in the sly gleam of Red's eyes.
She immediately caught on and demanded,
"Wait a minute!"
"Even if he's that strong, it still doesn't explain why Luffy was terrified like that, does it?!"
"And besides…"
Crossing her arms, Nami glanced at Luffy—who still looked shaken—and said skeptically,
"I really don't think our idiot captain knows Marine intel as well as you do, Red!"
"So… you're definitely hiding something from us, aren't you?!"
"Hm?"
Nami's eyes sparkled as she stared at Red.
"Hahaha, you caught us."
As Red used Psychic Power to signal Laboon to leave the area, he laughed, pulled Luffy up from the ground, and said to everyone,
"Then I'll add just a little more…"
"The full name of that Marine pillar of strength is—Monkey D. Garp!"
"That's right—the same family name as Luffy!"
Red swept his gaze across the group, wearing a mischievous grin.
"Because that Marine—"
"Is Luffy's grandfather!!!"
"And while we're at it…"
"Luffy's father's name is—Monkey D. Dragon!"
(End of Chapter)