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In the desert of Alabasta, two young men were running swiftly under the scorching sun and heat waves.
"Hey, Luffy, why do I have to run with you? He's just a smoke-smoking Marine. Can't I help you block him?"
The older man spoke, the logo of the Whitebeard Pirates tattooed on his back, and the "ASCE" tattoo on his left arm particularly eye-catching, with a large cross over the "S."
"Ace, we don't need to fight him. My target is Crocodile—I have to beat him for Vivi!"
Luffy, running ahead, had a glimmer of determination in his eyes and answered without turning his head.
"What about your crew? Aren't we taking them with us?"
"Don't worry, Zoro and the others will be fine!"
Looking at his brother's figure, Ace felt a sense of relief for no reason. It seemed that this guy had found some good companions after setting out to sea!
Boom!
Just as the two were talking, a deafening roar suddenly echoed from afar, like thunder, making their ears ring.
Then, a powerful shockwave swept in, kicking up rolling sand and dust, forcing the two men to cough involuntarily.
After coughing, the two brothers looked at each other, and Ace's face lit up with excitement.
"Hey, Luffy, it seems like there's an incredible fight happening over there!"
A battle that could produce such a massive shockwave—even on the open sea—would involve absolute powerhouses. How could they miss such a spectacle?
"Okay, okay, let's go check it out! Maybe Crocodile is over there!"
Luffy, ever fearless, clapped his hands and changed direction with Ace, rushing straight toward the source of the noise.
At the same time, Allen, who had just countered Garp's attack, casually returned it. His Observation Haki immediately swept over the two rapidly approaching presences.
"This is really interesting!"
Garp was momentarily stunned by Allen's sudden smile, but the next second, his Observation Haki also detected the approach of Ace and Luffy.
"Damn it, why are they here? Shave!"
Garp's face changed instantly. Seeing that Allen had already shifted his gaze in that direction, he immediately moved to block Allen, but he was a step too slow.
Garp had never been a speed-focused fighter. Now that he'd lost the initiative, how could he catch up with Allen? He could only try his best to close the gap.
"Straw Hat Kid!"
Luffy, still running forward, suddenly saw Allen approaching rapidly, and his expression changed.
Although he had seen Allen before, suffered a minor loss, and even thrown out some harsh words, he knew deep down that the other man wasn't someone he could challenge yet.
Ace, running beside Luffy, noticed his brother's hesitation and immediately picked up on his tension.
"Is he an enemy? Take this—Fire Fist!"
With Ace's roar, his arm transformed into a massive flame, its intense heat distorting the air even in the desert.
However, despite the impressive display, Allen charged straight through the fireball Ace had launched, his expression unchanged.
Armament Haki covered his body, and with a single punch, Allen shattered Ace's Fire Fist into countless sparks that scattered and fizzled out on the desert sand.
This left Ace and Luffy momentarily stunned. Before they could react, a loud shout came from the distance.
"Don't even think about fighting him—run!"
"Old man?" "Grandpa?"
Luffy and Ace wore completely different expressions, but both were equally shocked.
In all their years, they had never seen Garp so panicked!
"Shave!"
Garp, seeing Allen closing in, used the Marine Six Technique Shave at full speed, appearing not far behind him.
But he didn't expect Allen to suddenly change direction and rush toward him.
In that moment, Garp's momentum faltered. His old strength was spent, and his new strength hadn't yet built up. He didn't even have time to raise his arms to block the incoming attack.
Allen, on the other hand, was fully prepared. A black aura enveloped his body, forming a robe-like cloak, and his eyes turned into vertical pupils— Fruit: Human-Beast Form.
His fist, coated in immensely powerful Armament Haki, struck Garp's chest half a second later.
Bang!
The sound of the impact was deafening, leaving those nearby with a ringing in their ears.
Garp felt darkness cloud his vision, and the cracking sound of bones echoed in his ears. The force of the blow sent him flying backward.
The wind generated by Garp's body formed a faint vertical circle in the air as he soared.
A sand dune not far away was obliterated by Garp's crashing body, leaving a deep crater in its place.
When the dust settled, Garp lay sprawled in the pit, blood spilling from his mouth.
On his chest was a fist-shaped indentation, a terrifying testament to the power of Allen's strike.
"That's so underhanded!"
Ace, having spent years at sea, could see that Allen's earlier actions hadn't been aimed at the two brothers at all.
He had made that move solely to distract Garp and seize the opportunity to deal a devastating blow!
"Don't talk about underhanded tactics when you're a pirate!"
Allen glanced at Ace with disdain.
"A sneak attack is despicable, but does a siege count? Roger's son, Portgas... Oh, no, it should be Gol D. Ace?"
Ace's face paled at the mention of his father, his eyes locking onto Allen as flames erupted around him.
"My father is Whitebeard, not the Pirate King!"
Ace spoke each word with deliberate emphasis, but it only deepened Allen's disdain.
The next second, Allen appeared in front of Ace. His blackened hand shattered the flames, gripping Ace's throat before slamming him to the ground and stepping on his hair.
"If it weren't for your Pirate King father, would Garp care about you, the son of a pirate?"
"If it weren't for your Pirate King father, would you even have Conqueror's Haki?"
"Your genes, your life—they were all given to you by Roger. What kind of rebellious act are you putting on here?"
And then...
Allen turned his head slightly, glancing at Garp, who still lay in the crater.
"Be careful when taking in grandchildren or apprentices. I'm going to teach you a lesson today so you won't be fooled again in the future."
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