Chapter 37

The Black Dragon approached the sea, observing the deathly silent water's surface. He waited for a while, but Blackbeard did not resurface.

"It should be time to return," the Black Dragon murmured.

Pirates were known for their stubbornness, especially when facing death. They often clung to the belief that they could defy death or leave their mark even in their final moments. The Black Dragon cleaned up Blackbeard's broken heart, planning to use it to ask Whitebeard for the promised 30 billion berries.

In the cold, dark sea, Blackbeard's "corpse" continued its descent, gradually sinking to the sea bottom and settling in the muck. His body, torn in half and missing a heart, should have left him dead long ago.

However, Blackbeard's body displayed astonishing vitality. New granulation sprouted from the torn wounds, and the sound of a strong heartbeat reverberated from within the body.

The dual hearts within Blackbeard's body had always been a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few. Now, these hearts seemed to defy death itself, as Blackbeard's body slowly regenerated.

Ten minutes later, Blackbeard's body had fully recovered, and his malevolent eyes opened once again.

"Rocks, it's none of your business now. Return control of your body to me," Blackbeard urged urgently.

"Teach, this place is deep in the sea. With your strength, can you survive here?" Rocks sneered. "Within five minutes, you'll be drowned."

"But I'm different. My strength is far superior to yours, and the seawater has little effect on me," Rocks said darkly. "I'll return control of 'my' body to you once I escape from the sea."

"Hmph, in my opinion, you've just grown fond of my body. Hand it over!" Blackbeard roared, trying to reclaim his body.

Blackbeard's desperate pleas fell on deaf ears. He had successfully resisted Rocks' control in the past, but now, severely injured and weakened, the dominance of his own body had slipped through his fingers.

"Teach, if you want me to return to the peak as quickly as possible to avenge you, I'm afraid you need to make a little sacrifice. How about... we merge our souls?" Rocks proposed.

"No!" Blackbeard yelled in panic.

Their consciousness began to clash violently, each attempting to devour the other. It became evident that Rocks had the upper hand, his black consciousness growing larger and more dominant. In every aspect—combat experience, personal strength, and even courage—Blackbeard was outmatched by Rocks by a considerable margin.

Minutes later, the struggle for control was over, with Rocks successfully taking full control of Blackbeard's body.

"Teach, you should be delighted to become a part of my power. When I become the ruler of the world, you will bask in my glory!" Rocks' voice resonated from what was once Blackbeard's body.

Now, the legs that had once belonged to Blackbeard swayed slightly, propelling the body through the deep sea at an astonishing speed.

"Wait for me, my former enemies. When I fully recover, you'll tremble at my feet once more!"

...

The deep sea had always been a haven for colossal Sea Kings, but at this moment, a fleet of coated Marine warships silently encircled Dressrosa from all directions. Leading this formidable fleet were Garp and Akainu.

Inside the cabin of one of the battleships, Garp was immersed in alcohol, inebriated and jovial.

"Vice Admiral Garp, please stop drinking. You're headed to Dressrosa to engage the enemy soon. You're a Marine hero!" His lieutenants pleaded with him.

Garp, with his face flushed as red as a monkey's butt, and his demeanor rowdy, responded with laughter, "Huh? A Marine hero? Hahaha!"

His laughter was infused with sadness, despair, heartache, and boundless anger, "I almost forgot about still being a Marine, hahaha!".

Throughout his life, Garp had dedicated himself to the Marine. He had made countless contributions, capturing numerous pirates, and upholding justice. But what did it all amount to? His grandson, Ace, had been sentenced to execution and, in the end, was taken by the enigmatic Black Dragon.

His other grandson, Luffy, had been enslaved by the Celestial Dragons and subjected to horrendous torture, beyond recognition. When Garp had attempted to intervene and secure Luffy's release, he had been rejected on the grounds that "Straw Hat Luffy is a pirate."

Sengoku had also tried, but the family that bought Luffy, the Charlos, remained obstinate. Luffy had offended them by attacking the Celestial Dragons in Sabaody Archipelago, and they refused to let him go. Even the Five Elders had turned Garp down.

It was clear that the Celestial Dragons were untouchable, and the Marines couldn't challenge their authority. Garp had become disheartened with the Marines and had begun to question the beliefs he had held his entire life.

He had even developed a deep resentment towards the very organization he had once dedicated himself to. In his eyes, the title of "Marine hero" had become nothing more than a hollow phrase, an insult to his principles and values.

Title: Rocks' Resurrection, Garp Breaks With The Marines

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