Chereads / SIX PATH SAGE OF THE ROCKS PIRATES / Chapter 24 - CHAPTER 24

Chapter 24 - CHAPTER 24

"I… I'm not done yet!" Garp insisted through gritted teeth, though he could barely stand. His body trembled from the sheer effort of staying upright, and his breath came in ragged gasps.

Just as he tried to muster the strength to move, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air. From the distance, a large group of Marines appeared, and at the forefront were Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru.

Kaito turned his head, glancing at the incoming reinforcements. A trace of annoyance crossed his face. "Tch, as if one wasn't enough, now there's three more?"

In his fight with Garp, Kaito had exhausted a considerable portion of his strength. Despite his earlier success, he knew that taking on Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru all at once in his current state would be a losing battle.

"Garp!" Sengoku's voice boomed as the trio approached. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of his comrade. Bloodied, battered, and barely conscious, Garp was barely hanging on.

Hearing Sengoku's voice, Garp forced a pained smile. "Heh… you're late."

Before Garp could say more, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground. The tension in the air thickened as the Marines behind Sengoku began to murmur in disbelief.

"Colonel Garp has been defeated…?"

"This… this guy took down Colonel Garp?!"

"Who is this monster? He's not even a known commander of the Rocks Pirates!"

"Wait a second. That's Kaito, the one with a 100 million bounty!"

A ripple of disbelief swept through the Marines. To them, Garp had always been an unshakable force. His strength, valor, and reputation were well-known across Naval Headquarters. Seeing him defeated by someone whose bounty was considered minor in the New World was incomprehensible.

"How can a pirate with a mere 100 million bounty do this?" one Marine asked, his voice trembling.

"This guy must be hiding his true strength. There's no way Garp would lose otherwise!" another replied, his face pale.

The stark reality hit them hard: Kaito, who appeared so young and relatively unassuming on paper, had utterly surpassed their expectations. He had not only outlasted Garp but hadn't sustained a single visible injury in the process.

Sengoku, kneeling by Garp, clenched his fists. "Why didn't you wait for us? I told you not to act alone!"

"I'm… sorry," Garp muttered, his voice barely audible. Despite his attempt at a smile, it was clear he hadn't expected Kaito to be this overwhelming.

Zephyr, standing beside Sengoku, spoke up. "No, Sengoku… Garp made the right call." His gaze shifted to Kaito, who stood silently, blade still in hand. "Because of him, we now know the truth about this pirate."

Sengoku and Tsuru turned to Zephyr, confused. He continued, "If Garp hadn't fought Kaito, we wouldn't have realized just how dangerous this young pirate is. We thought we knew the Rocks Pirates, but Kaito… he's on another level. If we let him grow unchecked, he could surpass even Rocks himself."

Tsuru's expression darkened. She had read countless reports on Rocks, including ones from his early years. "You're right," she said quietly. "Even Rocks wasn't this powerful at his age. Kaito is something different… something worse."

Sengoku, still furious at Garp's recklessness, couldn't deny the truth in their words. "A monster beyond anything we've faced before," he muttered under his breath.

As the realization dawned, the Marines shifted uneasily. The very idea that someone so young could reach such levels of power—and potentially eclipse even Rocks—was a chilling thought. The threat Kaito represented was no longer just theoretical; it was staring them in the face.

"We need to get out of here," Tsuru said. "If the Rocks Pirates are nearby, they'll come for him. We need to retreat and report this immediately."

"Agreed," Zephyr added. "The higher-ups need to know exactly what we're dealing with."

Sengoku glanced down at Garp, who was now unconscious. "He fought a losing battle so we could see the truth. Let's not waste it."

As the trio signaled the Marines to carry Garp and retreat, Kaito watched them carefully. He made no move to attack, only standing silently as his enemies began to withdraw. He wasn't in any condition to fight three more opponents, let alone fend off reinforcements.

For now, both sides parted ways, each aware that this encounter was only the beginning.

"We have to leave—now," Zephyr urged, his tone firm. "If any more of Rocks' people show up, we're finished."

Sengoku adjusted Garp, who lay unconscious and bloodied over his shoulder, casting a final glance at Kaito. "Let's go." With that, the Marines began their retreat, slipping away into the shadows of the battered back mountain.

Kaito exhaled sharply, relieved to see them leave. His body ached from the intense fight with Garp, and he knew he wasn't in any condition to take on reinforcements.

"Good. I need some time to recover."

As the Marines disappeared into the distance, a voice chimed in Kaito's mind.

"Ding, congratulations Host, the battle is over. You have gained 35 points of Sage Body progress."

Kaito smirked at the notification. Even though he was battered, the battle had been worth it. The progress made in his Sage Body training was a welcome reward.

The destruction around him was extensive. The forest was a wasteland of toppled trees and jagged craters, a testament to the power exchanged in the clash. Kaito sheathed his blade, sat on the splintered remains of a tree trunk, and allowed himself a moment of rest. It had been one of his most demanding battles since his journey began, and the toll was evident.

"Garp…" he muttered to himself. "You're not the Marine Hero yet, but you're still damn strong." Even though Garp was still years from his prime, Kaito could see the raw talent and tenacity that would one day make him a living legend.

Before long, Kaito's recovery was interrupted by the faint sound of laughter above. He looked up to see a familiar figure descending from the sky, smoke trailing from the cigar clenched between his teeth.

"Jie ha ha ha… Well, well, Kaito! You're responsible for this mess, aren't you?" It was Shiki, the Golden Lion, hovering with his swords crossed.

"Mr. Shiki," Kaito said, acknowledging him.

"Who were you fighting to cause a scene like this?" Shiki landed lightly, his sharp gaze scanning the ruins of the back mountain.

"I crossed paths with Garp," Kaito said simply. There was no reason to hide the truth.

"Garp? That Marine brat everyone's been talking about?" Shiki's interest was piqued. Even in the New World, Garp's reputation had begun to spread. As one of Marine's so-called "Four Stars," Garp was recognized as a rising force.

"Yes." Kaito's straightforward answer was enough to confirm it.

Before Shiki could probe further, another voice joined the scene.

"Jie ha ha ha! I thought you were behind this noise, Shiki," Charlotte Linlin said, striding into view.

"Linlin?" Shiki turned to face her. "What brings you here?"

"I heard the commotion and came to see who's causing all this trouble." Linlin's piercing eyes moved from Shiki to Kaito, then narrowed suspiciously. "What happened here?"

"You've got the wrong guy, Linlin. I just arrived," Shiki replied.

Her gaze locked onto Kaito, lingering on his unscathed figure and the devastation around him. "It was you?" Linlin's tone carried disbelief.

Shiki shrugged. "Who else, Linlin? It wasn't me, and Kaito's the only one standing."

"But… that's impossible." Linlin frowned, her disbelief evident. The last she knew, Kaito wasn't on the level of someone who could cause this much destruction. Two days ago, he was just a new recruit, far from the strength of a cadre. Rocks hadn't assigned him that rank for a reason.

Before anyone could challenge the idea further, another voice interrupted.

"Gu la la la… It seems we've found the culprit," Whitebeard's deep laugh echoed as he stepped into the clearing. His massive frame and commanding presence drew everyone's attention.

Not far behind him came Silver Axe, Ochoku, and John, all drawn by the earlier commotion.

"I didn't expect to see all of you here," Silver Axe said, his tone wary.

"So it was Kaito who caused all this. Seems I underestimated you." John stared hard at Kaito, as if trying to figure out the puzzle that didn't quite add up.

"It's impossible Kaito was hiding his strength earlier," Ochoku interjected. "Rocks himself assigned him as a regular crew member after watching him fight the Golden Lion. If Kaito had been cadre-level then, Rocks would have promoted him on the spot."

"Which means…" John paused, the weight of realization hitting him. "He gained this much power in just two days?"

The silence that followed was filled with unease. The idea that Kaito could leap from a regular crew member's strength to that of a cadre in such a short time defied logic. Even among the monstrous crew of the Rocks Pirates, this level of growth was unheard of.

Before anyone could dwell further on the implications, the most commanding voice of all cut through the air.

"You've done well, Kaito." Rocks himself emerged from the shadows, his sheer presence silencing the murmurs.

Kaito stood up slowly, acknowledging the captain's approach.

Rocks' eyes scanned the battered landscape. "I had a feeling someone was keeping an eye on us. Looks like you took care of that problem before it got out of hand. I'm pleased."

The crew around them exchanged uneasy glances. Rocks, a man who rarely offered praise, had just commended Kaito.

Kaito said nothing, but inside he knew one thing: this was only the beginning. The path ahead was going to be even more treacherous.