Chapter 26: Combined Forms
Long before Garp and Vergil began fighting, both had already asked bystanders to retreat over a hundred meters away.
Even so, the watching Marines were still caught in the aftermath.
BOOM!
"Woah!"
"Scary…"
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"…"
Overflowing Armament Haki and flying debris mingled, making it hard for the Marines to keep their footing.
Everyone was talking, soon realizing something was wrong.
Both Garp and Alvin Vergil possessed power far exceeding what a mere hundred-meter distance could contain.
If the fight continued, forget protecting Sabaody—the entire island might be destroyed.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
A Marine shouted a warning.
But Garp had anticipated this.
Me, reckless? If a world-class mess really erupted, Tsuru would skin him first.
The real issue was…
Garp shook his hand, recalling the feel of his punch. He hadn't sensed Armament Haki from Vergil. Yet the raw power was immense.
If that "power" ran amok across Sabaody…
"I'm not sure how to minimize losses…" Garp worried.
But considering Tsuru's orders, the civilians, and his Marines, Garp resolved himself.
"Only one way. Try to shift the fight to the coast."
Taking the battle to the beach—Garp could manage that.
Then, as the dust settled, Vergil declared:
"I've got another move!"
Garp grew more concerned but pressed on. He rolled his shoulders, laughing heartily to boost morale.
"Haha, bring it!"
However tough, as the Naval Hero, he had to step up, or worse trouble would follow.
Garp watched Vergil's movements.
Then he saw Vergil turn and flee without a trace.
Garp: "…"
Scratched his head.
Garp: "…"
Remained silent.
Strictly speaking, deploying Garp for a Celestial Dragon assault wasn't standard procedure. Garp was a Vice Admiral, not an Admiral directly accountable to Celestial Dragons.
As the "Hero of God Valley," with his record and prestige, Garp didn't need to appease Celestial Dragons. He had little interest in "apprehending major criminals."
Now that Vergil fled decisively, Garp couldn't muster the will for a serious pursuit.
"…"
After a moment, Garp scratched his head and ordered, "Forget them. Cover the civilians, evacuate ASAP. This chaos is about over."
"Sir!"
The Marines complied. Facing Celestial Dragon shelling was unbearable. No one wanted their base bombarded.
Garp's arrival bolstered them, allowing them to act without excessive fear of Celestial Dragon reprisal.
"Done and done!"
Garp was satisfied. He'd never approved of the slave trade. Confirming Vergil and Tiger weren't world-endangering types, he let them go.
Just as Garp was about to sit, rest, and organize his report, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket rang.
Purururu… purururu…
Click!
Sengoku's voice blasted through.
"Garp! Don't slack off!"
"Even if it's just for show, do something! Otherwise, the Celestial Dragons will make trouble for the Marines!"
Sengoku knew Garp well. While Garp prevented major disasters, minor ones were inevitable. Sengoku had foreseen this.
Hearing the irritation, Garp dug at his ear, frowning. "Alright, alright, I get it. I'll do my best!"
Click. He hung up.
Garp stood reluctantly, stretched his arms, and called to nearby Marines.
"Ah, you all keep rescuing people. I'm heading to the port."
His knuckles cracked.
"Take everyone and get clear. I'm gonna go rough someone up!"
Port Docks.
Crocodile had waited long. Alvin Vergil finally arrived as promised.
The primitive man sprinted wildly, trailed by a brawny Fish-Man with a baffled expression.
"Heh…" Crocodile raised a brow, untying the moorings, ready to sail, sneering at Vergil.
The Fish-Man likely needed no help. Fish-Man mobility at sea far surpassed humans', let alone Devil Fruit users.
But just as Vergil neared the dock, another shadow closed in rapidly.
This time, "his" appearance made Crocodile's face pale. His sail-prepping movements sped up severalfold.
Who was coming?
Garp, dispatched earlier.
"Why did this primitive drag him here?!" Crocodile's scalp prickled. He watched Vergil sprinting, unable to intervene.
In moments, Vergil and Tiger reached the dock.
Tiger dove straight into the sea to evade.
Vergil leaped onto Crocodile's deck, laughing. "Aha! So much fun!"
Fun my ass!
Crocodile called for help. Glancing back, he saw Garp already within a few hundred meters.
The Naval Hero casually grabbed an unfired cannonball nearby, aimed at Vergil, and hurled it.
Fist Bone Meteor!
THUMP!
Its speed and force surpassed warship artillery!
Crocodile, unwilling to engage the Navy, retreated hastily.
Vergil reached out, smashing Garp's cannonball mid-air.
"Wait… let me think what to do now…"
He murmured.
The segmented pattern in his right pupil spun rapidly, vaguely shifting into another form.
Three horizontal lines: the upper two solid, the bottom broken into two segments.
The Xun hexagram.
The Xun pattern appeared in his eye, opposing the Kun hexagram on the left, triggering further bodily change.
His reddish-brown skin tinged purple. Jade-green, scale-like plates grew along his back.
[Chīguǐ · Xiǎofēng — Combined Form]!
He anchored his limbs to the deck, steadied himself, took a deep breath, and aimed at Garp.
Xiǎofēng—the Wind Demon—held power over violent gales.
Now, Vergil combined Chīguǐ's brute strength with fierce winds, forging a new technique in this combined state.
He gathered all his strength—
And roared.
"ROOOOOAR—!"
Space-warping air currents blasted straight toward Garp on the shore!
(End of Chapter)
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