Garp Already Sensed the Crisis Ahead
At such a young age, Caesar had already grown powerful enough to rival him. If he continued to grow at this rate, what heights could he reach in the future?
Who else in the world could restrain him?
Caesar smiled confidently and said, "Catch me? Naval hero? Then try it!"
Although fighting Garp was extremely difficult, Caesar had gained a more accurate understanding of his own strength. A direct confrontation was tough, but if he wanted to escape, there were almost no forces in the world capable of stopping him.
Not even the Naval Hero Garp.
At the very least, both Garp and Sengoku would need to work together to contain him, yet he had no intention of simply running away.
Otherwise, relying on his immense mental power, eerily similar to the abilities of the Golden Lion's Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, combined with admiral-level combat strength, meant even a full-scale naval force might not be able to capture him.
As their battle raged on, both the sky and the sea became their battlefield.
Caesar unleashed his full power, causing massive devastation to the surrounding environment. The waves roared violently as if a typhoon had erupted across the ocean.
In order to avoid being caught in the chaos, both the naval warships and Brad, the pirate ship's helmsman, continuously retreated until they could no longer see each other on the vast sea.
---
Five Days Later…
Sailing away from the battlefield, Brad, floating in the vast ocean, glanced at the two black figures clashing high above in the sky.
"How long is the boss going to fight Garp? Will it be dangerous if this continues?"
Gliner sighed, deeply moved by what he was witnessing.
"I've completely acknowledged Caesar's strength… That guy is a monster. Just imagine how powerful he'll be in a few more years!"
"I feel like Caesar will definitely become as strong as Rocks."
Brad didn't respond. After five days of intense combat, it was only natural that their fight was nearing its limit.
At the same time, the news of Caesar's prolonged battle against Garp in the New World had already spread.
Both the Navy and the Pirate World had received word.
People everywhere temporarily stopped what they were doing, silently awaiting the outcome of this legendary battle.
For the Marines, defeat was not an option for Garp. Since the God Valley Incident, he had become a symbol of justice.
For the Pirates, Caesar's fate determined whether they would have another dominant force in their ranks.
And if Caesar won—the Navy would become a laughingstock.
---
[92] All Eyes on the Battle—Caesar Withdraws!
"Hahaha…!"
Gol D. Roger, holding a newspaper in one hand and a sake flask in the other, roared with laughter.
"That brat is truly something else!"
"He can already go toe-to-toe with that guy Garp?"
Beside him, Silvers Rayleigh sipped his drink while scanning the article, sighing in amazement.
"Ever since the God Valley Incident, the young ones who were barely comparable to you, Whitebeard, the Golden Lion, or Garp… are now reaching your level."
"His growth rate is insane!"
Roger smirked. "After a battle like this, he'll only get stronger."
"Of course! Garp isn't going to catch him, not with that strange power of his. Hahaha!"
Rayleigh pondered aloud, "It's impossible for Garp to do this alone."
"But they've been fighting for five days… If the Navy mobilizes enough forces, will Caesar still be able to escape?"
---
Elsewhere in the New World…
Clang!
Inside a tavern, a wine bottle smashed onto the ground, spilling its contents. A man, gripping a newspaper in shock, shouted:
"Hey, are you kidding me?!"
"The remnant of the Rocks Pirates fought the Navy's Hero for days and still hasn't lost?!"
"He's only seventeen or eighteen! Are pirates already this powerful?!"
"That's Garp, the strongest force in the Navy!"
The other patrons, mostly civilians, turned toward him in shock.
To them, pirates were monsters, and now, there was one even Garp couldn't suppress.
If Garp couldn't stop him, then who could?
Among the crowd, one particularly tall man with golden hair and a crescent-shaped white beard smirked as he leisurely drank and read the newspaper.
There was no doubt—this was Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate.
During his time on Rocks' crew, he had admired Caesar's potential. He wasn't a mindless brute, but someone with vision.
"If he's already pushing Garp this far at his age… what level will he reach in a few years?"
As Whitebeard laughed, a few people began to recognize his face.
Seeing his iconic beard, realization struck.
"W-Wait… that's Whitebeard, the other Rocks remnant!"
Their fear skyrocketed.
While Roger, Whitebeard, and even the Golden Lion monitored the battle, another monstrous pirate was also keeping an eye on the situation.
On an island in the New World, Charlotte Linlin—better known as Big Mom—was devouring mountains of sweets while reading the paper.
Meanwhile, a young Kaido, still without his own crew, drifted aimlessly across the sea, attacking Navy branches whenever he pleased.
---
Meanwhile, at Marineford…
The Navy's top brass convened in an emergency meeting.
But despite their discussions, the room was eerily silent.
They had already debated for days, and a conclusion was clear:
Caesar was an even greater threat than any other Rocks remnant.
And unlike the others, he was still growing.
But the Navy's forces were scattered. Many of their top officers had already been dispatched to hunt down other remnants like Silver Axe and Captain John.
Meanwhile, Sengoku and Zephyr were tied up dealing with other major pirate threats.
With Garp and Caesar locked in battle for five days, both sides were bound to reach their limits soon.
**"Is it too late?"**Fleet Admiral Kong asked grimly.
Sengoku clenched his fists.
"If Garp can hold Caesar for just one more day, our reinforcements will arrive."
"But if Caesar truly has an ability that isn't a Devil Fruit, can Garp even restrain him?"
No one spoke.
Sengoku slammed his fist on the table.
"If I had known, I would have gone with Garp myself!"
"Then we wouldn't be sitting here discussing this. We could have ensured this dangerous man was taken down!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru added, "If Caesar escapes, or worse, if Garp loses… the consequences will be catastrophic."
The room grew even more tense.
Even if Garp didn't lose, the fact that he failed to capture Caesar was troubling.
---
Atop the World Government…
In Mary Geoise, the Five Elders also debated.
"Even Garp couldn't finish him in five days?"
"That boy is the next Rocks."
"No… his potential might be even more terrifying."
They needed a solution.
But increasing the Navy's strength wasn't so simple.
And meanwhile, out at sea, the battle between Garp and Caesar was finally reaching its conclusion…
But not because one side had won.
Caesar had simply grown tired of fighting.
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