Kizaru passed out there and then. If Veyron hadn't sliced a crack in the ice, his head would have likely exploded like a watermelon and his devil fruit would be lost forever, There was no way for Veyron to know where the nearest fruit was, more than likely in Marie Geoise.
'I'll kill you some other day, prepared'.
Veyron sighed, he had already thought about taking a few fruits with him just in case... but after licking his mom's delicious body for half a day, all thoughts and plans went out on holiday.
Aokiji groaned as his platform was technically obliterated.
"This is a troublesome fellow".
"If you don't tell me, I don't realise".
Momonga readied his sword but looking at the devastation caused by the enemy he knew it was going to be a tough battle.
"We haven't got time for this. Marie Geoise is in danger if a brat this powerful was sent just to stall for time" Their plan was to have at least one of them go to the red port and head to Marie Geoise but Veyron wasn't about to allow that.
"The two of you are not going anywhere".
A kid resurfaced from the water, wielding a sword. Veyron was annoyed. These two together ended up being more than what he signed for, thankfully they were now on the spot.
"I have your friend stuck underwater. Soon he's going to drown".
He was holding Kizaru's body under the water with his psychokinesis, it was the perfect ransom.
"Bastard! Who the hell are you!?" Momonga threatened, they were completely helpless... Kizaru's life was not one they could just abandon for the sake of 'justice', he was an admiral candidate.
"I'm Dark Mantle".
"I said your real name, not that p*ssy *ss nickname!"
"Tch, no respect. I'm Dracule Veyron and if you want Kizaru to live the three of you are going to stay here with me here. The moment either of you leave-"
*BOOOOMMMM!!*
It was a future Veyron wasn't even able to see in time. A haki-imbued fist impacted against his face, blasting him away deep into the red line.
A man landed on an ice platform and stuck his hand inside the water, taking out Kizaru and throwing him towards Kuzan and Momonga as if he were a sack of potatoes.
"Garp-san… why are you here?" Kuzan was the first to react, in shock... There weren't many things left in this world that could force Monkey D. Garp to personally make a move. The imminent danger of the world nobles was certainly one of them.
"Hurry up and head to Marie Geoise. To think a brat reduced the three of you to this state".
*cough!*
*cough!*
Kizaru raised with a headstart, his head numb.
"Vice-admiral Garp".
"Stop wasting time. Don't worry, I'll give this brat some love in your name, Borsalino".
This wasn't Garp's original plan. He wanted to head to Marie Geoise and personally take care of his traitorous son, but there happened to be some brat wet behind the ears that was somehow capable of facing both promising men of the marine: Kizaru and Aokiji, all on his own.
Borsalino threw a last glance towards the pile of debris at the red line where his foe had landed, it was the first time ever since he ate his devil fruit that he faced such a defeat against a pirate.
"Dracule Veyron, I'll remember that name".
Aokiji created three pillars of ice that shot Kizaru and Momonga to the skies, heading towards the redline.
*CRACK*
The boy cracked his head and floated in front of Garp, gripping Youbi that just resurfaced from the water where it had fallen due to the inadvertent strike.
Veyron didn't know how strong Garp was, he only knew the man was strong if that fist was anything to go by. He still felt dizzy from the impact which he received with Armament Haki and even yet, it felt like he received that fist bare.
'If you see Garp or Tsuru, don't even bother fighting them' Those were Mihawk's words and yet, he felt that he still needed to make more time.
"I totally didn't sign up for this, old man".
"Old man? Is that how you speak to your seniors? it seems you're thirsting for love, brat~" Garp kissed his fist and Veyron felt the shivers.
"No, thank you. If that's how you give love, I'd rather you hate me!".
His job was to stall. Veyron prepared to slice the three pillars of ice but Garp was there to stop him.
*BAANG!*
It was hopeless, he was once again sent flying, this time into the sea. Garp thought that did it but Veyron resurfaced from the sea, soaked and angry. This difference was just too abysmal.
*RUMBLE!!!*
Veyron released his conqueror Haki even if to just get rid of the dizziness produced by having your head pounded to oblivion by a maul.
Garp felt that energy and frowned profusely
"You're indeed a brat full of mysteries. So, what you're using is not a devil fruit, huh? Moreover you have Conqueror Haki plus the 4th Haki of Dreamers".
!!!
'He knows the 4th Haki!?' But then Veyron thought about it. He was supposed to be Gol D. Roger's rival, if he didn't know about the 4th Haki, who would?
"What rock were you hiding under all this time, slippery brat? so young with so much potential and yet you're already going down the grown path, a pity. Don't worry... I'll kidnap you and make you into a fine marine after giving you lots of love"
Garp was serious.
'This old man is insane!'.
Not only did the phrase sound hella skewered, but Veyron knew that were it to happen as he just said, his fate would be worse than death... a fate where he'd receive fists to his head every day, away from his beloved mother.
"How are you related to Dracule Mihawk?" Garp asked again, both of his arms coated in Armament Haki.
"She's my mother".
"Then I won't ask for permission".
The first coming from Garp felt like death incarnate.
'Strong bastards coming one right after the other, so annoying. I'm not going to lose again no matter what!' Veyron prepared to receive it or dodge it, it didn't matter. What he knew for certain was that he didn't want to lose again, not after how he felt losing against Mihawk.
'I'll just stall him a little longer before fleeing'.
It couldn't be helped if Kuzan, Momonga and Kizaru reached Marie Geoise, but if he could stop Garp from reaching it, that would be an achievement in itself.
"I won't lose again!"
He first used the technique to press Garp down, using the battlefield to his advantage. They were fighting on the scattered pieces of Aokiji's ice platform.
"I know you're stronger than me. Don't expect this to be a hand-to-hand!"
Before the fist could hit him. The pressure took Garp to the sea. It didn't matter if his will was strong enough, at the end of the day, he couldn't just fight gravity inside the sea, right?
*RUMBLE!!*
'Wait, Garp has Conqueror Haki!?'