"This brat really has too much free time..."
After tossing Ace and Charizard aside, Garp quickly shook his red-hot hands, his eyes becoming more focused.
Even though Pokémon had unique characteristics, Ace's strength still surprised Garp.
At only 18, Ace had already reached a power level that stood among the world's top fighters... A feat that would have been unimaginable just a year ago.
"Pokémon... truly a mysterious power..."
With a silent sigh, Garp slowly twisted his neck as if loosening up his stiff body. Then, looking at Ace and the fire-breathing Charizard standing again, he taunted:
"What's wrong, kid? You've been at sea for so long and still can't beat an old man like me?"
"Tch."
Ace frowned as he got up from the ground.
"Our power is far from finished!"
Although Garp had tossed him aside, neither Ace nor Charizard had sustained any real injuries—just a bit of embarrassment.
Ace swiftly leaped back onto Charizard's back.
Immediately, Charizard, looking like a fierce warrior, stood upright.
Suddenly, two blazing lights flared up in Ace's eyes, shining like twin suns. With a powerful punch, a wave of scorching flames erupted from Ace's body, spreading across Charizard like molten fire, coating it in armor-like flames.
Though Charizard's fire energy had become overwhelmingly powerful after its Gigantamax form, Ace's control over flames seemed even greater—as though fire was Ace's true nature.
Standing atop Charizard, Ace channeled all his flames into an even hotter form—flames like the sun—and shouted:
"Charizard, let's push our flames to their limit!!!"
The surrounding air twisted, seemingly melted by the intense heat. The flames surged higher, layering upon Charizard like waves crashing against a dam.
In an instant, a towering flame giant emerged on the battlefield.
Ace and Charizard both lowered their heads, and Ace understood at once...
Though both he and Charizard had great physical strength, it would be nearly impossible to outmatch Garp in a purely physical battle.
So he shifted his strategy, choosing to unleash the full force of their flames in this fight!
"Let's go, Charizard!!!"
"Vulcan Sun Explosion!!!"
Boom!
The flame giant threw a massive punch!
At that moment, Charizard unleashed its ultimate move—G-Max Wildfire—funneling all its fiery energy into its fists. The synergy from their bond made Ace's Conqueror's Haki surge, enveloping the massive fire fist. The flames turned from ordinary fire to sun-like intensity, burning with a suffocating heat.
"Oh? This is getting interesting."
Garp's aged eyes widened, his expression growing serious.
For the first time in years—since Roger's time—he felt a strange sense of danger looming over him.
In his estimation, this combined attack from Ace and Charizard could even defeat Admiral Akainu.
But...
For him, it still wasn't enough!
Hooosh!!
The air around Garp stirred violently, rippling outward like waves. The Justice cloak behind him flapped wildly.
In the next instant, Garp vanished, leaving only a powerful gust of wind in his wake as his feet launched from the solid marble floor.
Mid-air, Garp charged toward the sun-like fist, his eyes sharp with resolve.
"Fist Meteor!!!"
Boom!
Garp struck out—a punch with no tricks, just raw, overwhelming physical strength, backed by top-tier Haki!
The immense power from his body converted into Armament Haki, shooting forward like an energy blast, forming a transparent fist the size of the flaming giant's, colliding head-on.
In that instant, time itself seemed to freeze. All sound and light vanished.
Then, a violent windstorm erupted, mingled with searing flames, sweeping across the entire island and extending beyond it.
"Whooo! This is really something!"
Above the island, Leo, who had just finished reinforcing protective barriers, looked down at the spectacle below with a satisfied grin.
He couldn't believe that in just a few days, Ace had already adapted so well to his new power. Ace was truly born with a golden spoon given by fate.
Ace, Sabo, Luffy...
Each brother's talent was more monstrous than the last, terrifying enough to make the world tremble.
Even top-tier talents like Zoro and Sanji seemed just a little behind them in comparison.
And Ace was just a "fake son of the world"...
Seeing Ace's performance now, Leo couldn't help but wonder just how far Luffy—the world's real chosen one—would go once he set out to sea.
Though Luffy was stubborn and had vowed not to set sail until he was 17, Leo mused that if not for this, the New World might already have two more Yonko-level contenders...
While Leo pondered this, the battlefield grew more intense.
In the arena, Garp, using his Moonwalk technique, seemed locked in a wrestling match with the flame giant. Both sides threw punch after punch, and the shockwaves from their clashes spread outward like tsunamis.
Each punch they exchanged held enough destructive power to obliterate an entire town!
If these blows hadn't canceled each other out, they would have leveled any island or country in seconds!
...
...
"You've got to be kidding me."
Coby, watching from the audience, muttered in disbelief.
He had always thought that no matter how strong someone was, they could only be slightly stronger than his master Zoro.
But as he witnessed the terrifying scene before him, every earth-shaking punch filled him with both awe and fear.
It wasn't just Coby who was overwhelmed...
Even top fighters like Crocodile and Doflamingo watched the battle with a mix of disbelief, awe, and uncertainty.
This kind of power—worthy of the Yonko—was the strength they had sought after for years.
But now, it had been easily obtained by an 18-year-old boy.
It left them questioning whether the world was leaving them behind...
...
...
Amidst the battlefield engulfed in flames, Ace grinned from atop Charizard.
"Old man, if you've got no special moves left, we're winning this fight!"
Boom!!!
Even though the giant fist, blazing with the flames of the scorching sun, came crashing down, it once again collided with Garp's iron fist.
As always.
The fiery punch paused mid-air before being knocked back by Garp's iron fist. But the scorching flames lingered in the air, repeatedly brushing against Garp's body with each clash.
If Garp hadn't been shielded by his Armament Haki, his navy uniform would have been burnt to ashes by now, leaving his body exposed for all to see.
However…
Despite Ace's taunts, Garp showed no sign of frustration. Instead, he broke into a wide grin. It was hard to tell whether he was mocking Ace or simply pleased by Ace's strength.
"It's almost time..."
He muttered to himself, barely audible.
Suddenly, an overwhelming aura exploded from Garp's relatively small frame!
Without saying a word, Garp seized the moment when the flame giant retreated to adjust his body to its peak condition.
"If you're so eager to see it, then let me show you!!!"
"Take this punch with everything you've got, ACE!!"
"GALAXY IMPACT!!!!"
With a thunderous roar, Garp unleashed his full power.
Before the entire world, dark lightning crackled fiercely as Conqueror's Haki merged with Armament Haki, so powerful it seemed to consume all light, shrouding his iron fist in a shadowy aura.
The sky darkened—not from clouds, but as if the blazing sun itself dimmed in the presence of Garp's terrifying aura.
"What!?"
Ace, who had been laughing just moments ago, immediately sensed the shift in Garp's aura and his expression grew serious.
This was a force unlike anything he had ever felt.
The intensity reminded Ace of the moment when Whitebeard swung his blade at Leo, right after Ace had achieved his bond evolution...
No!
Ace was sure of it now!
This punch was even more terrifying than Whitebeard's attack that day! And this was Whitebeard in his prime!
Ace's mouth twitched, a bitter smile forming.
What kind of monster was my old man in his youth!?
"Charizard, give it everything you've got! We must block this punch!!!"
"Rawr!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Charizard's eyes filled with fierce determination.
Unparalleled flames erupted from within Charizard, and under Ace's command, they quickly formed a massive flame shield in front of them.
Suddenly!
The atmosphere condensed as if drawn by an invisible force, swirling toward Garp's fist.
Boom!
Another simple punch!
But this time, that fist felt as though it carried the power of the galaxy and stars, radiating an aura of absolute terror.
The marble floor beneath Garp's feet, which could withstand incredible forces, began to hum under the strain of his energy.
In that moment, Garp unleashed power beyond his limits.
Already at the brink of surpassing level 90, he broke through and attacked Ace with strength far exceeding his usual abilities.
"This power… it's too terrifying..."
Ace muttered with a wry smile, crossing his arms over his chest as he and Charizard braced themselves to withstand Garp's terrifying blow.
Boom!!!
The devastating wind from Garp's punch collided with the massive flame shield.
However...
The flame shield, which had gathered the combined energy of Ace and Charizard, lasted barely three seconds before shattering under Garp's full might!
Garp burst through the flames and delivered a crushing punch to Charizard's jaw.
The enormous dragon's mouth twisted under the impact, sending several huge teeth flying.
At the same time, the force of Garp's attack surged upward, crashing over Charizard's head and slamming into Ace.
Both man and dragon were sent flying, spiraling into the sky far beyond the battlefield.
Thankfully, due to Charizard's massive size, the air resistance began to slow them down after they had been flung nearly five thousand meters into the air.
"ROOAAARRR!!!!"
Charizard let out a pained cry, its once formidable and majestic presence now reduced to a helpless, panicked state—like a puppy that had just been struck down.
It wasn't that Charizard lacked determination or courage—it was simply that no one could remain composed after such a devastating blow to the head.
Even in its Dynamax form, boosted by bond evolution, Charizard didn't lose consciousness after taking Garp's full-force punch.
"Charizard!"
Thanks to Charizard's thick skull, Ace had absorbed far less impact and was still in relatively good shape.
He quickly released his Conqueror's Haki, using his immense willpower to stabilize Charizard's mind and bring it back to normal.
After a moment, both man and dragon hovered in the sky together.
"Rawr...? (Are we still fighting?)"
Charizard asked, its voice tinged with fear.
Its lower jaw still bore a deep, unmistakable imprint from Garp's fist—a mark that might remain for the rest of its life without Leo's intervention.
"..."
Ace hesitated for a moment at Charizard's question.
If Garp could still unleash such unpredictable power, even continuing the fight seemed meaningless.
But...
Backing down wasn't in line with Ace's way of life.
"Fight! We're not going down without a fight!"
Ace gritted his teeth, making his decision in an instant.
"Rawr..."
Charizard let out a reluctant cry, but flapped its wings and flew back toward the arena.
Meanwhile...
The spectators—both at the scene and around the world—were still in awe of the power behind Garp's punch.
Even Whitebeard, who had regained his youth, clicked his tongue in disbelief after witnessing the punch. He took a deep swig from his massive gourd, trying to suppress the emotions stirred within him.
How could this old man still possess such incredible strength at his age?
Are all members of the D family monsters like this...?