Chapter 11

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Another one for u guys.

Finally some Garp action.

Hope u like it:)

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Italy

POV GARP

The rest of the night passed without incident. It was just walking ahead. In the early morning hours, we could see the monastery ruins of Montecassino perched on the mountain peaks in the distance. Somewhere within those ruins lay our target—the hidden Hydra base. I extended my Observation Haki until it enveloped the entire ruin.

What I sensed made my blood race. Deep inside the mountain, a monstrous network of tunnels and caverns sprawled. I could detect thousands of presences, moving like ants in a colony, each going about their tasks. There was also a strange blue-black energy stored in large batteries and used in various technical installations. The most intriguing part was that the energy seemed to have a will of its own.

I reported my findings to the rest of the team, and their faces immediately tightened. We were eleven, and we faced a fight against thousands of Hydra soldiers. The thought put a grin on the faces of the brothers and me. I was truly a battle junkie at heart.

"Any signs that our mission's been compromised?" Fury asked with a serious expression, likely already planning a thousand different strategies.

I scanned again, but found no indication of an ambush or a sudden evacuation of the base, so I shook my head.

"Alright... then we just wait for the Allied forces to launch their attack, and then it's us or them! We're only eleven strong, so we need to use our strength wisely. Garp, Howlett, and Creed will lead the charge as the spearhead. I'll go into the snake's den with you and provide cover. The rest of the team and Rodenko will cover all entrances and exits, shooting anything that comes or goes..." Fury began outlining his plan, only to be interrupted by the KGB agent.

"I'll be storming in too. It's appropriate to inform you now that I've also been physically enhanced. Probably comparable to your propaganda hero, Captain America..."

A brief argument erupted between them, as neither wanted to back down, but ultimately, Fury lost. Technically, he had no authority over Rodenko.

"Garp, how many gates are there from the mountain?"

"I can detect four manned gates. But there are likely numerous secret passages out of the mountain that aren't constantly guarded..."

"Doesn't matter. If someone escapes, we'll hunt them down later... We'll cover the four main gates. Garp, how close can we get without constantly having to evade patrols?"

"1,500 meters, maybe only 1,000... I didn't have enough time to analyze the exact routes."

"Alright, 1,500 meters then... Rodenko, Creed, Howlett, Dugan and I will wear the Hydra uniforms. We'll pose as a returning patrol. Garp, once the mission kicks off, you'll sprint in and we'll light a fire under these motherfuckers!" Fury ordered. He then tactically positioned the rest of the team to cover the four gates.

Thirty minutes later, everyone was in position, just waiting for the first shots of Operation Diadem to ring out and for our mission to truly begin. Fury, Rodenko, the brothers and Dugan, who will guard the gate alone, marched at a steady pace toward the largest of the main entrances. I held back at a distance of 1,500 meters, a distance I could close in a matter of seconds.

The tension and anticipation of the fight gripped me, and I couldn't suppress a wild grin. This was going to be fun—I just hoped everyone would survive.

Then, at 8 o'clock, everything suddenly began. From a distance, we could hear the thunder of heavy artillery explosions. Operation Diadem had commenced.

I shot forward and quickly reached the rest of the spearhead team. Ahead of me, a massive steel gate was beginning to close. I stopped thinking, focusing all my concentration on the task at hand.

Laughing, I charged toward the gate and struck it with all my strength. Just like with the tank the night before, I smashed the gate out of its hinges, shattering it into pieces. The fragments tore through the soldiers stationed behind it like shrapnels from a grenade. But I felt no remorse, only an unyielding hatred for Hydra and their atrocities. The time for my revenge for Abraham had come.

"Bwahahaha, I'm here, you bastards! Come on, let's play!" I shouted with all my heart. Part of me recognized how crazed I was behaving, but I didn't care. Today, Hydra would start to bleed and pay for what they'd done. The future I dreamed of had no place for Hydra.

With a roar of laughter, I burst through the remains of the shattered gate and charged down the tunnel. The Hydra soldiers who managed to avoid the initial blast of debris scrambled to draw their weapons, but it was already too late. I was on them in an instant, my fists swinging with the force of a wrecking ball. The first soldier's head exploded under my punch, sending a spray of red mist across the stone walls. I tore through the rest, scattering bodies like broken dolls. There was no mercy here, only an unrelenting fury that drove me forward, deeper into the nest.

James, Victor, and Fury split off not long after we entered, carving their own bloody path through the tunnels. That was not the plan, but a dissision made on the go.

Rodenko stuck by my side, her presence calm and focused as we surged through the dark passages. She had dropped the playful act; there was no flirtation now, only a cold resolve that could probably matched my own.

A wave of Hydra soldiers came charging down the tunnel toward us. I grinned and met them head-on. My fist smashed into the chest of the first man, crushing his ribcage and sending him flying into his comrades. Another soldier fired his rifle at me in desperation, but the bullets barely grazed my skin before I closed the distance and grabbed him by the throat. With a squeeze, his neck snapped like a twig, and I flung his limp body into the advancing ranks.

"Bwahahaha!" I bellowed, enjoying the chaos. "Is this all you've got, Hydra? Come on, let's make this interesting!"

The soldiers kept coming, but it was like throwing pebbles at a tidal wave. I was a force of nature, tearing through them with raw power. One of them tried to swing a knife at me, but I caught his wrist and twisted until I heard the bones crack, then slammed him headfirst into the stone wall, leaving a bloody smear. Another lunged at me from the side, and I backhanded him so hard his skull caved in.

We pushed deeper, descending further into the labyrinth of tunnels and chambers. The air was thick with dust, smoke, and the stench of blood. My senses were on high alert, my Observation Haki stretching out to detect any movements beforehand. There was a massive concentration of wills below us—hundreds, maybe thousands—scurrying like rats in a warren. I could sense their fear, their desperation. They knew we were coming.

Scientists scrambled out of the way as we stormed past, their white coats flapping as they ran for their lives. I ignored them. They weren't worth my time; they'd only get in the way. But when one of them grabbed for a nearby alarm switch, I dashed forward and slammed him against the wall. I felt his bones break as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious but still breathing. Scientists were different; I spared them for the sake of the information they could provide, but I made sure they'd stay out of the fight.

Rodenko was quick to gather up any documents she found on the way, stuffing scientific reports and research papers into a leather satchel. I glanced at her but didn't care enough to intervene. Let her take what she wanted; it made no difference to me. I was here for Hydra's blood.

The corridors twisted and branched out, leading us into a vast underground chamber. The ceiling was high and supported by massive stone pillars, and the dim light of electric lamps cast long shadows across the floor. There, I saw rows of scientists huddling behind stacks of crates and machinery while soldiers took defensive positions in front of them, setting up a makeshift barricade. I smashed out a wafe of emperor haki and put all the scientist out cold.

But I didn't wait for the soldiers to make the first move. With a bellowing roar, I launched myself forward, fists blazing. The barricade crumbled under my assault, the crates splintering and metal bending. The soldiers barely had time to aim before I was on them, slamming one into the ground so hard it left a crater, then grabbing another by the torso and hurling him into the machinery with bone-shattering force. The man's body crumpled against the equipment, leaving a bloodstain on the cold metal.

Rodenko darted between the chaos, her movements precise as she evaded the debris and continued collecting any valuable documents.

More soldiers poured into the chamber from side tunnels, trying to overwhelm me with sheer numbers. I welcomed them, my laughter echoing through the cavern as I smashed through their ranks. I could feel my heart pounding, my adrenaline surging with every blow. I grabbed a Hydra agent by the head, lifting him off his feet, and crushed his skull in my hand. The wet crunch of bone and flesh was satisfying, but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough until Hydra was nothing but ashes.

A heavy machine gun set up in the corner of the room began firing in my direction, the rounds pelting me like a hailstorm. I felt the impact but pushed through, charging straight at the gunner. Before he could adjust his aim, I was upon him, ripping the weapon from its mount and swinging it like a club. The gun's metal frame shattered against the soldiers who had dared to stand against me, and they fell like broken toys.

"Bwahahaha! Is this your best defense?" I shouted, my voice filled with contempt. "You think you can stop me with this?"

Rodenko glanced at me as she rifled through another pile of documents. Her expression was unreadable, her focus unwavering. She seemed unbothered by the carnage around her, as if it was just another day at work. I sensed no hesitation or fear from her, only a cold determination that matched the steel in her eyes. One soldier tried to stop her, but she just shot him without even looking straight through the right eye.

We continued our assault through the tunnels, moving like a storm that couldn't be stopped. Every Hydra soldier we encountered met a bloody end. I tore limbs from bodies, crushed torsos underfoot, and left a trail of death in our wake. My fists were soaked with blood, the walls stained red wherever I struck. I wasn't just fighting Hydra; I was tearing down everything they had built, erasing their existence piece by piece.

The deeper we went, the more frantic the resistance became. It was clear that they knew they were losing. The soldiers fought harder, but it didn't matter. For every one that I smashed into oblivion, two more would try to take their place, and they would meet the same fate.

At one point, I caught sight of a group of scientists trying to flee down a side tunnel. I intercepted them, grabbing one by the collar and lifting him off the ground. "Where do you think you're going?" I growled, my voice dripping with menace. The man stammered, his face pale with terror. I threw him against the wall, knocking him unconscious but leaving him alive. With another wafe of Haki they all got send to unconsciousness. Let the others deal with them later. There were bigger threats ahead.

I could feel the tension in the air rising as we neared the core of the Hydra base. Whatever they were hiding, it was deeper still, buried beneath layers of stone and secrets.

"Come on, Hydra!" I shouted, my voice reverberating through the tunnels. "Come out and face me! I'll tear down this whole mountain if I have to!"

And I meant every word. Today, Hydra would know what it felt like to be hunted.

Western Main Gate

POV PINKY

'Holy shit! What the hell are they doing down there?!' I wondered as I put another bullet through the head of a Hydra soldier. He had only one arm left, and his face was twisted in terror and panic.

From the tunnel ahead, all I could hear were screams of agony and Garp's maniacal laughter. It was terrifying, pure horror. Every soldier that managed to escape the tunnel was either severely injured or looked completely broken, as if they'd just crawled out of hell itself. And then there was that laughter, echoing through the darkness again and again.

"Bwahahaha!"

It sent chills down my spine every time. There was something almost inhuman about the sound, like Garp was possessed by a demon that fed on the chaos and bloodshed.

I reloaded my rifle, trying to steady my breath as another Hydra soldier stumbled out of the tunnel. His uniform was soaked in blood, and he was clutching a shattered arm, his eyes wide and unfocused. I didn't hesitate. I took aim and pulled the trigger, dropping him before he even had the chance to utter a sound.

'What the hell is Garp doing to them?' I thought, as another burst of his laughter echoed up the tunnel.

A few minutes later another soldier came stumbling out in a panicked frenzy. He was bleeding and had vacant expressions on his face, as if his mind had completely checked out. He was mumbling incoherently, repeating the same words over and over: "The devil… he's the devil…"

At the same time

POV GARP

Ahead of me, the tunnel opened into a massive cavern. It looked like we had reached the heart of the Hydra base. Rows upon rows of energy batteries stretched out before me, the same ones I had sensed earlier.

Suddenly, my Observation Haki flared, warning me of immediate danger. I threw myself to the side just in time to avoid a blue energy beam that burned into the wall behind me.

My gaze snapped to the shooter—a lone soldier surrounded by the bodies of various scientists. His uniform was adorned with more badges than the number of Hydra soldiers I had killed. Clearly, he was high up in the ranks.

"HEIL HYDRA!" he screamed before firing again. I dodged once more and sprang forward, closing the distance fast. A flash of panic crossed the officer's face, and I saw him biting down on a molar as he squeezed the trigger again.

"Not this time," I muttered as I surged forward, unleashing my Conqueror's Haki at full force. The officer collapsed instantly, his consciousness snuffed out by the wave of willpower. With a grimace, I grabbed his jaw and wrenched it open, pulling the cyanide capsule from his mouth. I checked for any other loose teeth but found none.

Thoughtfully, I picked up the energy weapon and examined it. The recent shots had stirred a feeling of danger within me that I hadn't felt in a long time—a reminder not to grow complacent in my power.

Rodenko stepped up beside me and quickly rifled through the clothes of the scientists and the officer, finding nothing of interest. She then turned her attention to the weapon in my hands.

"What an intriguing invention! It could change the entire war! We need to secure it along with all the ammunition here," she said excitedly.

I remained silent, considering her words. This weapon would only lead to more death in the future, no matter who wielded it—us, the Nazis, or Hydra. Thousands would die on the battlefields.

Acting on impulse, I crushed the weapon in my hands, reducing it to scrap. The energy violently discharged, tearing the skin on my hands and causing the first real injury I had suffered that day.

Rodenko looked at me in astonishment, but quickly understood my reasoning.

"Maybe it's for the best… a weapon like this in the wrong hands could bring about the end of the world," she said, though I detected a hint of regret in her tone.

"Come on, let's go! There are still soldiers here, and Fury and the others will be arriving soon!" I urged, and together we sprinted down the next corridor, heading in Fury's direction.

My thoughts were already forming a plan to destroy the energy batteries.

(TO BE CONTINUED)