THE STRONGEST CREATURE OF THE BEAST PIRATES

Seeing the battle approaching, no one came to stop Marco.

Just as Marco believed he was about to succeed, an iron fist slammed into his neck, sending him crashing to the ground.

"This old man is also a Navy sailor!"

The owner of that iron fist was none other than Garp. He sat between the three Admirals, folding his arms, and declared loudly:

"If you want to pass here, you'll have to step over my corpse first!"

Garp's reputation as a hero was well-known, and his presence immediately drew the attention of the battlefield. Memories of his legendary deeds instilled fear in the hearts of the Whitebeard pirates.

Whitebeard, despite his age and the increasing strain on his heart from using the power of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit, continued to push forward. His punch sent Akainu flying, showing that his condition wasn't as bad as many thought. But the burden on his heart was undeniable. At this point, though, Whitebeard couldn't afford to think about his health—victory was within reach, and he had to seize it.

"Don't be afraid of him! He's just an old man!"

Whitebeard's powerful voice resonated through the battlefield, boosting the morale of his crew and Pirates once again.

Meanwhile, Alastor was moving rapidly, glancing toward Garp with a faint, mocking smile.

"Garp…" he muttered to himself. "No matter how strong you are, you're not worth fearing."

Garp's justice was inconsistent, and to Alastor, his actions during the War of the Best were laughable. Despite being a hero of the Navy, Garp had saved the Celestial Dragons during the Valley of the Gods battle, and he had criticized pirates while teaching his grandsons, Luffy and Ace, to become pirates. His contradictions were glaring, and his attempts to fight for justice seemed meaningless.

"If Garp really killed Akainu," Alastor thought, "the Navy's morale would have plummeted, pirates would have turned the tide, and Garp would have only ensured the Navy's collapse. How can someone like that inspire fear in anyone?"

Alastor then charged into the fray, knocking a dazed Rear Admiral unconscious with a brutal strike that sent blood pouring from his orifices.

"You're surrounded, boy," an old voice called from behind him. "Your luck ends here!"

Suddenly, laser beams shot from all directions, forcing Alastor to stop abruptly and survey his surroundings.

Ten figures stood before him—five Rear Admirals, four Pacifists, and the figure who had orchestrated this ambush: the Great Staff Officer, Tsuru.

It made sense. Tsuru, an Admiral of the same era as Sengoku and Garp, possessed unmatched experience and strength.

Alastor frowned but quickly dismissed the tension. Smiling lightly, he said, "Old woman, you're getting too old. Why don't you go home and rest instead of seeking your own death?"

Tsuru's expression darkened, but she responded calmly.

"I'd like to rest, but the evil pirates like you force me to act," she said sternly.

"'Evil' pirates? Not necessarily," Alastor replied. "Your Navy doesn't represent justice. No matter how you justify it, your hands are still stained by the Celestial Dragons and their sins."

Tsuru's gaze sharpened, but before she could respond, Alastor continued:

"Heroic, yet your friend son is the leader of the Revolutionary Army, the Navy's most wanted enemy. Isn't that the definition of ignorance?"

Tsuru remained silent for a moment before narrowing her eyes further.

"Sharp-tongued boy," she said. "Let me wash away your sins!"

Tsuru, along with the five Rear Admirals and four Pacifists, attacked in unison. The scale of their assault was comparable to Whitebeard's power on the battlefield.

"You really think highly of me," Alastor remarked, though his tone remained relaxed.

He had already used one of his death-damage negation chances, leaving four more. The earlier clash had left the Navy weakened, and it was time for him to press his advantage.

The Pacifists were powerful, but their slow movements and sluggish reactions posed little threat. It was the Rear Admirals who required attention, especially Tsuru, whose Devil Fruit ability, the Wash-Wash Fruit, could permanently erase sins—physical or mental—from those she targeted.

"If I'm hit by that power," Alastor thought, "my invincible arm will be reduced to a fragile piece of paper, beyond repair, unless my Haki is strong enough."

"But even with my Haki," he realized, "I won't surpass someone as experienced as Tsuru."

"Give up," Tsuru said. "A person washed by my power can never return to their former state—unless your Haki surpasses mine."

Alastor smirked. "Hard to believe, as expected of the Great Staff Officer Tsuru."

The battle intensified as Alastor clashed with Tsuru and her forces. Though he suffered injuries from the Rear Admirals, he continued to fight relentlessly, knowing that his remaining death-damage negation chances would give him a chance to endure the assault.

Tsuru's ability was formidable, but Alastor wasn't ready to back down. His eyes gleamed with determination as the battle raged on.

The powers of Doflamingo, who had fled from the Marines and hidden away in Dressrosa, had all awakened. Even Tsuru, the Great Staff Officer, had no reason to hold back any longer.

Sure enough, Tsuru nodded without hesitation.

"So you've given up hope of survival, boy. I will not allow you to continue acting so arrogantly."

"That's not necessarily true."

Alastor smirked, his expression cold as he charged toward Tsuru once again, his entire body cloaked in the crackling energy of Thunder and the blazing flames of his Devil Fruit.

An earth-shaking battle erupted.

In the end, all four Pacifists were obliterated, three of the five Rear Admirals were killed, and Tsuru was severely injured, rendered incapacitated.

Alastor, however, suffered immense damage—his entire body had been reduced to a thin, paper-like form, transforming him into a literal "paper man." Yet, just as mysteriously, he vanished from sight.

The battle between Alastor and Tsuru had drawn significant attention.

The Empress, Boa Hancock, was naturally among those most captivated by the scene.

"That smelly old woman turned the man I liked into paper! Out of my way, you bastards!"

In a fit of rage, the Empress launched indiscriminate attacks, turning anyone in her path—both Navy and Pirates—into stone. Even the Pacifists couldn't withstand her immense power.

In this chaos, Boa Hancock proved to be a valuable ally to Alastor, adding further turmoil to the already chaotic battlefield.

On the other side, Doflamingo observed the battle with amusement. His eyes gleamed as he watched Alastor face off against Tsuru.

"That lunatic's worn himself out," Doflamingo chuckled, a cruel smile on his face. "He's met someone like Tsuru, whom even I dare not provoke easily. Can he make it back to the battlefield? Kaido, you should keep your subordinates in check!"

Clang! Clang!

The distinct clash of swords echoed, as Hawkeye Mihawk sparred with Vista, the swordsman of the Whitebeard Pirates. Despite Vista's skill and determination, he couldn't help but feel the pressure from Hawkeye, the world's strongest swordsman.

However, Hawkeye remained focused, sensing Alastor even as he fought. His Observation Haki allowed him to track Alastor's unpredictable movements.

"Interesting," Hawkeye thought as he observed Alastor's mastery of Thunder, Fire, physical combat, and now... swordsmanship.

"Is his Thunder Swordsmanship as formidable as they say?" Hawkeye mused, his fighting spirit ignited by Alastor's growing prowess.

Meanwhile, Tsuru coughed violently, spitting up blood that still crackled with electric arcs. She managed to stay upright, a wry smile on her lips.

"It seems I've grown too old," Tsuru admitted bitterly. "I couldn't keep up. That kid got away... but don't underestimate me. I've already uncovered how he managed to vanish."

She took out a phone bug and spoke briefly, her voice faint, before slumping into the arms of her subordinates. The Great Staff Officer was out of the battle for good.

On the execution stand, Sengoku observed quietly, his eyes gleaming sharply as he slipped the phone bug into his sleeve. Moments later, he made two calls—one to Admiral Kizaru and the other to Admiral Aokiji.

With Tsuru incapacitated and Garp unable to participate, Sengoku knew the Navy could no longer rely on their top-tier combatants. The only remaining Admirals with energy to spare were the Yellow Monkey, Kizaru, and Aokiji.

"We need both of you to eliminate Alastor once and for all," Sengoku ordered coldly.

Aokiji, fighting Jozu, remained calm. His ice powers were formidable, capable of freezing diamonds, but Jozu's diamond-hard body made it difficult. Still, Aokiji had no intention of letting up.

When Sengoku's call reached him, his expression shifted.

"So there's someone who can teleport," Aokiji muttered. "No wonder... He's stronger than I expected. No ordinary man."

Aokiji had encountered Alastor at sea before and knew he was no ordinary foe.

Though Aokiji was lazy and skeptical of the Navy's justice, his ambition for real justice remained. He'd quietly let Robin go and allowed Sauro to return to Elbaf, watching as they carried away the forbidden knowledge of O'Hara.

"I won't rely entirely on the Navy," Aokiji thought, "but if I can take control as Admiral, I'll be able to reshape the Navy according to my ideals."

Though Sengoku seemed to favor Aokiji, his competitor, Akainu, enjoyed strong backing from the World Government. Aokiji knew the battle for the title of Admiral wouldn't be easy.

With both Admirals—Kizaru and Aokiji—aware of the threat Alastor posed, the battlefield was about to see even greater clashes as the Navy sought to eliminate the rising danger.

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