A blazing red magma fist rapidly expanded, transforming into a colossal punch that smashed down on the submarine.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out. The surrounding seawater instantly boiled and erupted. Though the submarine was made of reinforced metal, under the might of that punch, it shook violently, and scorch marks became visible on its surface.
After throwing the punch, Sakazuki stepped back onto the warship using Moonwalk. As a Devil Fruit user, he couldn't continue fighting on the sea surface for long.
"Try my laser next," said Borsalino with a grin from another warship. He raised his right hand and pointed a glowing finger at the submarine. A flash of golden light burst forth.
Boom!
Another massive explosion followed. The submarine shook violently again, and under the wary eyes of the Marines, it dove back into the sea.
"Jon!" Garp shouted.
Jon responded quickly, "Northwest! He's picked up speed!"
Garp yelled into the Den Den Mushi, "Leave one ship behind to rescue the fallen, everyone else—pursue at once!"
The Marines who had fallen into the water flailed desperately, but soon they were startled to see masses of green algae suddenly appear on the sea surface.
The plants gathered around them, supporting their bodies and allowing them to float without swimming.
Some of the Marines panicked and tried to push the plants away.
"Relax, everyone! This is Brigadier General Jon's ability. These plants won't harm you. Just step on them and we'll help you back aboard!"
Relieved by the explanation, the Marines stood cautiously atop the floating algae and began climbing back onto the ships.
Under Jon's perceptive guidance, Barrett, even with his submarine, couldn't escape the pursuit of the Navy.
While the submarine could dive, Jon's advanced Observation Haki could still sense Barrett's presence, and the sub couldn't dive deep enough to escape his range.
No matter how Barrett tried to change directions or accelerate, he couldn't shake them off.
But Barrett was a ruthless man. Realizing he couldn't escape, he stopped trying and instead chose a location perfect for a head-on battle.
Despite the Navy sending such a powerful lineup, Barrett had supreme confidence in his own strength. If he could find the right battlefield, he believed he could slaughter them all.
"Vice Admiral Garp, he's changed direction again," Jon reported as Barrett shifted course once more.
The Navy adjusted their path accordingly and continued their pursuit.
Garp remained calm, unfazed by Barrett's evasive maneuvers. He'd been in the Marines for decades and had chased pirates far more elusive than this one.
Back when he was pursuing the Rocks Pirates and Roger Pirates, things were way tougher. He'd gone days and nights without sleep. Compared to those days, this was nothing.
The chase between the Navy and Barrett caused a huge stir across the New World. Many watched with bated breath.
Some pirates who had been previously humiliated by Barrett sensed an opportunity. One after another, they began to follow from a distance, hoping to witness his downfall—or get revenge.
After more than ten hours, Barrett arrived at an island.
He had intentionally led the Navy there. This was one of his temporary bases, and he had long since altered the island to suit his abilities, filling it with inorganic matter that greatly boosted his powers.
Aboard the pursuing Navy ship, Jon quickly reported, "Vice Admiral Garp, Barrett has stopped."
"Oh? Really?"
Garp raised an eyebrow. He'd been surprised by Barrett's flight path all along.
From his point of view, if Barrett really wanted to escape, he had options.
If he had headed into the territory of the major New World pirates, he might've drawn their ire—but also stood a better chance of escaping. After all, those pirates wouldn't tolerate Navy ships flaunting themselves in their domain.
But Barrett hadn't done that. Instead, he led them in a loop, then stopped.
"With you around, kid, things have been a lot easier for me. If Tsuru hadn't objected, I'd have tried to recruit you directly," Garp said with admiration.
Having Jon as a human radar saved Garp a lot of trouble.
Back in the day, chasing pirates was way more exhausting. He had to find clues, make judgments, and track them down bit by bit.
But now, with Jon's Observation Haki, as long as the target was within range, he could lock onto them directly.
It made this the easiest pursuit Garp had ever experienced.
"That brat stopped now of all times… Is he planning to fight us head-on?"
Garp stroked his chin, pondering Barrett's strategy. After such a long chase, Barrett must've realized he couldn't escape. Stopping now probably meant he was ready to fight.
Garp's new adjutant approached. (His previous one, Kuzan, had already been promoted and reassigned.)
"Vice Admiral Garp, a number of pirates are tailing us. Should we drive them off?"
Garp waved a hand indifferently. "Ignore them. Just a bunch of nobodies. We only have one target."
The Navy warships soon reached the island where Barrett had landed.
"Vice Admiral Garp, Barrett has gone ashore. Strangely though, we don't see his submarine at the shoreline."
"Forget that. Send the order—get ready. It's time," Garp said sternly.
His adjutant straightened and responded, "Yes, sir!"
With Garp's command, the nine fully functional warships opened their hatches. Over a hundred cannons were aimed at the island.
Jon observed it all and felt a sense of unease. He had just scanned the island and sensed many life forms. There were people there—lots of them.
"Sir, are we really doing this?" Jon asked.
Garp shook his head, "You're always like this, kid. No wonder Tsuru says you're too soft-hearted. I finally see it for myself."
Jon replied, "Vice Admiral Garp, you're not much better than me. Didn't we both plead for mercy last time?"
Thinking back to the incident on Batteryla Island, Garp couldn't help but chuckle, though his face quickly turned serious again.
"The reason it's called the Buster Call is because it's not just for destruction—it's also to send a message to the world. Once it's launched, there's no turning back. That island is as good as gone."
What made the Buster Call so terrifying was its indiscriminate destruction. Anything deemed a threat to the World Government—people or places—would be obliterated.
Garp didn't want to see it happen either. But orders were orders, and he had to follow them.
Jon stayed silent. Though he still felt uneasy, his heart was much harder than it had been the last time.
"Fire the cannons!"
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