Chapter 543 Advanced Uses of Conqueror's Haki Entanglement!
After a day of preparation, they only found a dilapidated boat in the rapeseed flower village, just big enough to carry the few of them.
"I estimate it can only sail to one or two small islands." Arthur, with a large, still-swollen bump on his head from yesterday's beating, pondered as he looked at the old ship, which was seven or eight meters tall, in front of him.
The red-haired twins, Gion and Leia, stood behind them, surrounded by supplies given to them by many villagers.
"You guys are acting like brats, I'm speechless." Leia's slightly sarcastic greeting drifted into Gion and Arthur's ears.
Yesterday, everyone witnessed Arthur being chased and beaten throughout the village.
Gion looked disdainful, tilting her head, unwilling to face the carefree self she had been yesterday.
"What do you mean, 'like brats'? Aren't we brats?" Arthur turned to look at Leia, grinning.
"I'm 7 years old, she's 6 years old! You're the oldest, almost 19, right?"
recovery."
As he spoke, Arthur activated his power and reached for the bag he had deliberately left behind to satisfy Gion.
Under the resurrection effect of the Devil Fruit power, he returned to normal in just a few seconds.
"!" Leia heard this and belatedly realized that Arthur was teasing her about age again, and she pouted with a look of dissatisfaction.
……
At dawn, on an uninhabited island in the first half of the Grand Line.
Garp, covered in bruises, straightened the belt around his neck, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth, and walked toward a civilian boat on the beach.
“Father…” Dragon stood behind him, staring in shock at the heavily injured Sengoku the Buddha lying on the ground beside him.
"Let's go, you idiot son! The justice I'm looking for isn't here! Even if you're an old friend, I won't give you face!"
Karp didn't turn back and kept walking towards the shore where the boats were moored.
Shortly after, he passed by Zephyr, who was waiting on the shore below the warship.
"Garp!" Zephyr called out loudly to Garp, who was preparing to leave, his voice heavy.
"Do you know how many people with true sense of justice will leave the Navy because of your departure?"
Garp, who was constantly struggling with his inner demons, stopped in his tracks, clenched his fists, looked up at the sky, and sighed deeply.
“Zeffa… What happened in God Valley is far beyond our understanding, and even beyond the understanding of the Sengoku period.”
"Even if that brat is hiding well, you can't leave the Navy, Garp!" Zephyr urged again.
"Once the news was released, do you know how many people around the world chose to resign?! You are the pillar of all soldiers with a sense of justice!"
"I've had enough!!!" Garp, having heard too much advice, suddenly erupted in anger, shouting furiously.
"Do you know the whole picture of God Valley? A country! Living people! Hundreds of thousands of living people! Slaughtered like ants!"
I became… became an accomplice! That brat… that Arthur, after being pierced through the body by that black monster, after using some terrible technique… with just one… one strike!, he destroyed the entire kingdom, the island!”
Zephyr's expression remained serious upon hearing this, making it rare to see Garp showing any fear of power.
As someone who enjoys fighting and makes a living from it, he has never shown fear of anyone.
As long as there's a satisfying battle, Garp has always been at the forefront ever since he met Zephyr.
"One strike... killed those World Government guards... Hey... do you believe that an immortal can be killed, Zephyr? Do you believe that a person can be cut through by a blade and then regenerate like water? This world is like a giant lie, the power of those in power... is completely unimaginable."
Seeing such advanced Conqueror's Haki and demonic abilities for the first time left Garp feeling bewildered.
Having lived for nearly 40 years, this was the first time he had felt a chill run down his spine from the pale-faced Arthur.
"Don't be confused! Fool! If that kind of monster wanted to go on a killing spree, civilization would have fallen long ago, wouldn't it?" Zephyr continued to dissuade him.
"Isn't justice about protecting the peaceful lives of people around the world?"
Upon hearing this, Garp looked at Zephyr with a dejected expression, his face filled with despair.
"So, do you think the navy is righteous?"
When this question was raised, Zefa paused for a moment.
These high-ranking officers were already aware of the God Valley incident; even the massacre of civilians from non-member states was a major event that tarnished the reputation of justice.
"Is your mind made up?" Zephyr remained silent for a long time before finally asking.
"Garp?"
"Goodbye, Zephyr!" Garp boarded his ship and left the island where the Warring States had fought, taking Dragon with him.
He was the victor of the duel! Even his best comrades couldn't persuade him to stay or change his mind.
……
A few days later—!
Donghai·Shuangyue Village.
Inside the Frost Moon Dojo.
Arashi and Koushirou stared in disbelief at Arthur, who was sitting cross-legged on the dojo floor, propping his cheeks up and lazily watching their match.
"Ha~!" Arthur yawned, drowsiness washing over him, and asked.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to fight anymore? Or is there something on my face?"
"It's only been three years, how come you've changed so much? You look like you've grown up." Koushirou asked with a puzzled expression.
"Arthur? You're Arthur, right?" Lan was also annoyed, staring at Arthur.
"How about we have another spar? It's been three years, and we're not the same people we were before."
"No," Arthur refused outright, looking quite bored. "You guys continue the competition; I'll just enjoy it."
Arashi and Koushirou are 15 years old this year, about 8 years older than Arthur. They are already like Arthur, and are spirited young men.
However, Arthur was more than twice their age.
In particular, Lan's appearance reminded Arthur of a familiar look—the family's signature short haircut.
“I’ll have a contest!” Gion stepped forward, walked to the bucket containing the wooden swords, reached in and took out a suitable wooden sword.
"We don't fight with women!" Arashi and Koushirou declared to Gion almost in unison.
Gion looked annoyed and demanded, "Why? It was just a friendly spar!"
“Anyway, we’re not fighting women… our target is him!” The two pointed at Arthur. “Three years ago, this guy defeated us in one move.”
"Really?" Gion looked at Arthur with great surprise after hearing the news.
Arthur smiled smugly at her. "Hmph, your man won't lose to anyone."
“Arthur, let’s have a contest.” Gion proposed to Arthur. Since the two geniuses from the dojo refused, she had no choice but to challenge Arthur.
"What did you call me?" Arthur was stunned when he heard the other person call him by his first name.
"Say it again...!"
"Is your name taboo?" Gion asked suspiciously, sensing that Arthur was acting strangely.
"No! This is the first time you've called me by my real name!" Arthur jumped up excitedly, leaped to the wooden barrel in the yard, grabbed a wooden sword, and instantly assumed a fighting stance to confront her.
"Come on! I'll show you an unbelievable power! Slash at me with all your might!"
On the balcony of the dojo, Lan's parents watched their match intently.
"..." Gion didn't think much of it and swung her sword swiftly towards Arthur.
"How I wish..." Arthur grinned as he watched the sword fall from his head.
"You also possess Conqueror's Haki!"
Boom! The powerful and heavy blow landed precisely on Arthur's forehead, but it failed to break through the thin red barrier of aura in front of his forehead.
"What is this?" Gion was shocked, looking at the barrier-like thing that the wooden sword couldn't cut through no matter what she did.
Arthur was standing still, yet the attacks couldn't hit him.
"One of the highest-level techniques for using Conqueror's Haki!" Arthur explained, pointing to the barrier.
"This airflow protective layer isolates an entire world! Unless your domineering aura surpasses mine, you absolutely cannot harm me."
