One-Sided Beating

Chapter 107: One-Sided Beating

Garp, the Marine Hero known for his martial arts, and Haki, especially his powerful fists, who once gave the Pirate King Roger a thorough beating, had now given Rodney a lesson.

Rodney, coughing as he stood up from the ruins of a building, muttered, "Geez, that was close to killing me."

If it weren't for his quick thinking and the use of Rokushiki in mid-air to disperse some of the force, he might have been gravely injured.

"You used Rokushiki? Haha, good kid, so you've learned all the six styles," Garp laughed heartily.

Garp stomped the ground with a burst of tremendous impact, landing in front of Rodney. He swung a fierce and unyielding punch.

Boom!

A wooden beam turned into splinters in Garp's hand.

"Used this move to escape again? Rodney, you should face challenges head-on like a man!" Garp punched the ground, then grabbed a house-sized chunk of earth, revealing Rodney stuck in a hole, looking rather bewildered.

Rodney: ???

He had forgotten about Observation Haki!

He better run!

Amidst Garp's laughter, Rodney, who had just crawled out from underground, witnessed darkness once more.

Boom!

The earth shook. Someone nearby mumbled, "Um, is the Shichibukai Rodney alright?"

"A Shichibukai can't die that easily, right?"

"Probably."

Some were still unsure. What if Warlord Rodney was beaten to death by Vice Admiral Garp? So many people were watching!

"Kid, don't hide. I know you're still alive!" 

Garp's Observation Haki clearly detected Rodney hiding underground. In their earlier exchange, Garp had dug deeper underground to evade being crushed by Rodney.

"Seriously, Vice Admiral Garp, are you trying to kill me? Thank goodness I'm fast," Rodney complained. 

He had originally intended to use his clone to trick the old man, but Garp had detected two Rodneys with Kenbunshoku Haki, deemed one of them fake, and was prepared to catch the real one.

The older generation was truly terrifying.

"Don't worry, young man. I have control over my strength. You won't die," Garp assured him.

"What? So you're planning to beat me into severe injury, then?" Rodney retorted.

"Impossible. Am I that kind of person?"

Aren't you?

Rodney silently roared in his mind. Severe injuries were no walk in the park!

For the sake of his life, Rodney formed a seal with his hands. A massive amount of chakra flowed from the diamond-shaped mark on his forehead.

This was the chakra he had accumulated over time, reserved for special circumstances. It wasn't something he would use unless it was absolutely necessary. But for the sake of his health, he decided it was time to use it. What if Garp beat him into a half-paralyzed state?

"Yin Seal: Release!"

Starting from the four sides of the diamond-shaped mark on his forehead, a black seal spread across his body.

"What's this...?" 

Both Garp and Sengoku sensed a unique energy emanating from Rodney. His entire aura had changed, and his cells seemed unusually active.

It appeared his strength had increased again!

"This is the power I've accumulated, the Creation Rebirth, reserved for special situations. Vice Admiral Garp, I'm coming!" 

Following the combat rules of this world, Rodney explained his ability to his opponent. Then he rushed forward.

Body Flicker Technique!

This time, his speed was nearly twice as fast as before. Garp laughed heartily, revealing his sharp fangs, and delivered a punch. The punch landed on Rodney's arm with a loud crack, as if bones were breaking. However, Rodney merely changed his expression momentarily and then, as if nothing had happened, used his newly healed arm to punch Garp in the face.

"Is it reattached?"

"No, it healed." Sengoku, wise as ever, noticed that Rodney's bones had indeed been broken by Garp's punch but had healed almost instantly, allowing him to continue the attack. This young man's body was surprisingly powerful, comparable to that monstrous Hundred Beasts Kaido.

The battle between Rodney and Garp continued.

"Leaf Whirlwind!" 

Rodney attempted a spinning kick, but instead of hitting his target, Garp swiftly evaded it with incredible agility. There was no sign of his age in his movements. It was hard to believe he was a man in his seventies.

This time, Rodney had a bad feeling about it.

Garp seized his ankle and then... Boom, boom, boom!

With his ankle gripped in a vice-like hand, Rodney felt incredibly uncomfortable. The wind howled in his ears as Garp swung him around, smashing him repeatedly into the ground. It reminded him of the Hulk smashing Loki in The Avengers movie.

He could hear his entire body screaming in pain. What in the world was he doing?

Boom!

His entire body was embedded in the ground.

He twisted his body to break free from Garp's grip. Instead of retreating, he punched Garp relentlessly. He didn't hold back; he was confident Garp wouldn't be taken down so easily.

As expected, his fists landed on Garp's body like hitting a steel plate. Garp's decades of training had built up his muscles to the point where Rodney's attacks couldn't break through.

"It won't work! Kid, let me teach you how to use your fists!"

Vroom!

A sense of danger overwhelmed Rodney. A black fist enlarged in his vision. His eyes with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly, tracking Garp's movements. Simultaneously, his body reacted by leaning to the side, narrowly avoiding the fist. It generated a gust of wind that stung his face.

Boom!

The ground cracked open. Rodney barely kept up with Garp's movements, but the old man was getting faster. Garp's warm-up exercises were over.

"Garp, you said you wouldn't kill me! If I get hit by that, I'm a goner!"

"Haha, you won't die, you won't die!" 

Garp laughed dismissively and continued his attack. Rodney defended himself against Garp's relentless strikes, enduring injuries while healing them. It was an oddly satisfying sensation.

Ninjutsu wasn't much use against Garp; unless it had tremendous destructive power like a Tailed Beast Ball, Garp would simply smash it away with a punch. Genjutsu was out of the question. Sealing jutsu wasn't Rodney's strong suit either. He had to rely on Taijutsu.

Boom!

Once again, he narrowly avoided a punch, seizing the opportunity to launch a kick.

Garp, initially expected to be unable to dodge, surprised Rodney with his unmatched agility. He effortlessly evaded the attack, moving smoothly without any signs of stiffness. It was hard to believe this man was in his seventies.

His movements showed no signs of aging but rather resembled those of a young man in his prime.

Giving Rodney another punch, Garp said, "You can't keep up anymore, Rodney."

Wiping away the blood from his mouth, Rodney looked at the ruined Marine Square. The Yin Seal on his body dispersed, forming once more. There was only a little chakra left inside.

He wouldn't use Creation Rebirth unless absolutely necessary. It significantly shortened his lifespan.

"That hurt like hell," Rodney said with lingering fear, tearing off his tattered clothes to reveal his muscular upper body, tanned from years of exposure to the sea's elements.

"Not bad at all. Your potential for learning and growth is rare. With time, you'll definitely catch up to me. Haha, I'm looking forward to that day!" 

Garp patted Rodney on the back and expressed his confidence in the young man. 

"If anything happens to Ace in the future, I'll be waiting for you to bring him back."

Ace's identity had always been a question, so if any problems arose, Garp planned to have Rodney capture him as an alternative solution.

In front of them, the entire Marineford Square was in ruins, pockmarked and scarred from their battle. Sengoku covered his face, feeling another stomachache coming on.