Tiger wanted to say something, but Wood clearly didn't give him the chance. Instead, he drew his swords, Tenku and Asahi, and charged forward to engage Garp.
The two famed blades clashed with Garp's fist, and the ground beneath them cracked from the immense force of the collision. The shockwave rippled outwards, sending waves of pressure through the air.
Despite Wood's dual-wielded assault, he couldn't gain the upper hand in close combat with Garp. Instead, he was forced back by a powerful punch. However, Wood, who had just withstood Garp's heavy blow, was clearly unharmed. He pushed off the ground with both feet and re-engaged Garp in battle.
For a moment, the sound of dark fists clashing with blades echoed endlessly. The Fish-Men standing around were left stunned.
Marine Hero Garp was a man who could injure their boss Tiger with a single punch. Yet, here was Wood, the Fish-Man ally, holding his own against him!
The members of the Sun Pirates had initially respected Wood to some extent, mainly because Tiger had said that Wood had saved their Fish-Man Sword Saint Yasuo. But as far as they were concerned, Wood's own strength must have been just ordinary; otherwise, why would he have only been a mere Marine major before?
But seeing the scene before them now, Arlong and the others realized just how wrong they had been.
Could someone who had saved their Fish-Man Sword Saint Yasuo and become his close friend really be an ordinary person?
If Wood were just a regular guy, would their boss Tiger be calling him "Brother Wood" so affectionately?
Now Arlong and the others remembered that when tasks were being assigned earlier, Wood had mentioned that he could hold off both Marine Hero Garp and Vice Admiral Momousagi on his own.
Before, the members of the Sun Pirates hadn't met Garp in person and didn't know how powerful he was. But now, they understood just how difficult Wood's task had been.
They even began to think that the fact Wood had been able to stall Garp for so long while they fought on Enies Lobby was nothing short of miraculous!
"Why are you idiots just standing there? Without Gion's help, I won't be able to hold out against Vice Admiral Garp for long."
Seeing the Fish-Men standing around in a daze, Wood couldn't help but become frustrated.
Almost as soon as he was distracted by speaking, Garp's fist smashed into Wood's face. The iron fist, as large as a sandbag, sent Wood flying like a cannonball, his body plowing a hundred-meter-long trench in the ground.
"Tiger-boss, let's listen to Mr. Wood. As much as I hate to admit it, if we stay here any longer, we'll only be dragging him down. And from what I've seen, Mr. Wood is holding his own against the Marine hero; he should be able to escape on his own."
No one who had a chance to survive would want to die, so the other Fish-Men of the Sun Pirates, aside from Jinbe, began to urge Tiger to leave.
"Take Brother Ruth and Tom with you, and we'll leave Enies Lobby right away. Remember, even if we die, we can't let Mr. Wood's crew be harmed!"
The Fish-Men all nodded in agreement with Tiger's command.
Although they disliked humans, they would show special respect to someone who had helped them multiple times.
Since Wood had chosen to take on the dangerous task of staying behind, the Fish-Men naturally wanted to show him their gratitude.
Even Arlong, who typically hated humans, didn't utter a word of complaint. He simply picked up two of Wood's crew members and, with his actions, expressed his resolve.
As for taking over Enies Lobby, Arlong didn't dare mention that idea anymore.
The fear Garp had instilled in him still loomed like a shadow over him.
Watching the fierce battle between the two humans, Arlong felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. Either one of them could easily kill him in an instant, and he couldn't help but feel deep resentment.
All his life, he had taken pride in being a Fish-Man and considered humans to be "inferior beings." But facing these two now, Arlong had to admit that his pride was meaningless.
There were hardly any Marines left on the island who could continue fighting. Given Tiger's current group, there weren't many who could stop them.
The back of Enies Lobby led to the Gates of Justice, and leaving that way would only lead them to encounter the World Government's reinforcements.
So, the Sun Pirates quickly made their way back to the front of Enies Lobby, planning to escape from there.
However, just as Tiger and the others were about to jump into the sea, a figure suddenly blocked their path.
Yes, the one standing in their way was none other than Wood's old classmate, the Marine known as "Momousagi," Vice Admiral Gion.
With her sword Konpira in hand, Gion stood calmly, facing the many Fish-Men of the Sun Pirates alone.
Jinbe wanted to step forward to buy time for his comrades to escape, but before he could move, Tiger placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Vice Admiral Gion, we're all friends of Brother Wood. He spared the life of the Enies Lobby's warden in keeping with his agreement with you. I wonder if you could see fit to let us go?"
Although Tiger, Jinbe, and the others had been injured by Garp, they weren't entirely without the strength to fight.
But if they delayed any longer, the World Government's reinforcements would arrive, and they wouldn't just fail to escape—they would also betray Wood's trust and leave Ruth, Tom, and the others to die here.
Gion, as usual, maintained her aloof demeanor, showing no sign of wanting to speak.
But Tiger had Jinbe leave Spandam behind, and then, without hesitation, walked past Gion.
The Fish-Men had already witnessed Gion's strength. Even their boss Tiger, leaving himself exposed to a strong swordswoman, was taking a considerable risk.
But before they could warn him, they saw Tiger walk past Gion unharmed, as if she hadn't even noticed him.
Seeing Tiger cross safely, the rest of the Sun Pirates quickly followed suit, leaving behind the still-stationary Gion.
"Tiger-boss, what's going on? Is that Marine Vice Admiral on our side too?"
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a