Sensing Roger’s killing intent, Garp intervened, sweeping his right leg like a mountain range. Roger raised his right arm to block, resulting in both of them crashing through the wall and being propelled outside.
“Whoosh… whoosh…”
Garp chased after Roger, disappearing. Others followed suit.
In mid-air, powerful gusts swirled as Garp’s punch caused the entire atmosphere to ripple.
“Garp, you’re still as strong as ever.”
As their fists collided, Roger suddenly coughed up blood, making Garp frown deeply. Although his punch was powerful, it shouldn’t have made Roger bleed.
As rivals for nearly twenty years, Garp knew Roger better than anyone.
Like a meteor crashing to the ground, the impact created cracks across the large plaza, forming a deep pit at the centre. Roger lay inside, looking defeated and barely breathing, as if fatally wounded.
Landing on the ground, Garp looked at his fist, his expression dark and troubled.
Several figures appeared around the pit, all with furrowed brows as they observed the weakened Roger. It seemed impossible that he could be defeated so easily.
“Intruder alert…”
“It’s… it’s Pirate King Gol D. Roger!”
The commotion attracted many Marines, who were all shocked when they saw Roger in the pit.
“It’s Pirate King Gol D. Roger! He’s been defeated by Vice Admiral Garp!”
Someone shouted from the crowd, causing the entire plaza to erupt in excitement.
“Restrain him and take him to the prison.”
Suppressing his doubts, Kong issued the order.
“Yes, sir.”
A Vice Admiral carefully approached Roger with Sea Stone handcuffs. Roger did not resist.
With a gloomy expression, Garp approached Roger as he was being taken away, his fists clenched tightly.
“You can’t be this weak.”
Anger and frustration filled Garp, making him roar like a lion.
“I’ve finally been caught by you.”
Roger, mouth full of blood, grinned and laughed heartily at Garp.
“Take him away.”
Kong frowned, feeling just as uneasy. It seemed more like Roger had surrendered than been captured.
“Damn it.”
Garp muttered angrily, watching Roger’s retreating figure with a sense of dissatisfaction.
“Meeting.”
With a serious expression, Kong flew towards the Marine Headquarters building.
Minutes later, in the Marine meeting room, Kong sat at the head of the table, his face sombre.
“Sengoku, what do you think?”
Sengoku had been frowning since the start.
“It was too easy.”
Sengoku felt something was off.
“He came to surrender.”
Tsuru calmly deduced Roger’s actions.
“There must be something we don’t know. After disappearing for so long, he suddenly shows up at Marineford.”
Kong turned to Garp, noticing his dazed expression.
“Garp.”
“Garp.”
Kong called twice before Garp snapped out of it.
“Fleet Admiral Kong, what is it?”
“Did you notice anything unusual during your fight with Roger?”
Everyone looked at Garp. Sakazuki was ignored since he wasn’t on the same level.
“Roger was much weaker.”
Everyone grew even more puzzled; anyone could see that.
“Keep this news under wraps. I’ll report it to the Holy Land.”
“Yes, sir.”
The meeting concluded quickly.
At Mariejois, the Holy Land, the centre of the World Government and residence of the Celestial Dragons, five elders gathered in an opulent office, either sitting or standing, facing Fleet Admiral Kong, who had just concluded the meeting.
One of the elders, dressed in a black suit with white curly hair, a bushy white beard, a flat hat, and a scar on his left cheek, spoke first. “Are you sure?”
“Gol D. Roger is indeed imprisoned at Marineford.”
Kong nodded.
“You say he surrendered?”
Another elder, with long white hair, a matching long beard, and dressed in a deep blue suit, inquired.
“Yes, he fell after a few exchanges with Garp.”
“What about the other members of Roger’s crew?”
Leaning against the sofa, an elder dressed in a white robe, bald with glasses and a sword at his waist, asked with a fierce gaze.
“Roger came alone.”
Kong shook his head.
“This is strange. We searched for him for so long without success, and now he shows up on his own.”
The elder in a dark red suit, with golden hair and beard, pondered.
“Regardless of his plans, since we’ve captured him, we should make good use of it.”
The bald elder, with two moustaches and a distinctive birthmark on his forehead, finally spoke.
“What do you suggest?”
The other four elders, along with Kong, looked at the elder with the birthmark.
“We’ve always wanted to eliminate Roger to prevent him from revealing the secrets of Laugh Tale and the Void Century. Now that we have him, we should execute him publicly to show the world that the World Government, not pirates or a so-called Pirate King, rules the seas.”
His eyes were sharp, the elder with the birthmark suggested.
“You’re right. Now that we have him, any plans he might have are insignificant.”
“We need to deliberate further.”
“Kong, return to Marineford and ensure nothing goes wrong,” the elder in the white robe instructed Kong sternly.
“Understood.”
Kong nodded and left the office.
“We should report this.”
The elder with the bushy white beard looked at the others.
“To the Flower Chamber.”
The five elders stood up and walked through the hallway towards the depths of the castle. The long corridor was silent except for their footsteps.
As they approached their destination, the elders’ initially composed expressions turned nervous, some even breaking into a light sweat.
A closer look revealed a hint of fear in their eyes.
Passing through the hallway, they entered a serene garden bathed in warm sunlight, filled with birdsong and blooming flowers, with butterflies dancing around.
It was like a paradise.
In the middle of a flower field, a figure stood with its back to the entrance, a hazy hand extended with a butterfly resting on it, creating a picture of peace and tranquillity.
“Lord Imu.”
The highest authorities in the world, the Five Elders, knelt before this figure, looking like nervous servants.
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