Standing aboard Vice Admiral Garp's warship, Claudius kept his eyes on the vast expanse of sea in front of them. They had already separated from Admiral Sengoku's fleet. Garp and Claudius were tasked with dealing with Byrnndi World, while the rest of the fleet focused on executing the Buster Call to take down Douglas Bullet.
According to Sengoku's strategy, some units had landed on the island for combat, while others were positioned to stay hidden and provide support. The goal was to drive Byrnndi World onto the island and then encircle both him and Douglas Bullet in one decisive strike.
"It's probably started over there by now?" Claudius asked, a cigar clenched between his teeth as he glanced at Garp.
Garp pulled out a pocket watch from his coat pocket, checked the time, and said, "Yeah, it should have begun by now."
"What if Byrnndi World hasn't gotten the news?" Claudius suddenly questioned. If World didn't receive word of the attack on Douglas Bullet and failed to show up, wouldn't that make their efforts here pointless?
Garp paused for a moment before shaking his head. "Impossible. Don't forget, this operation involves not just the Marines and your CP-X, but the regular CP agencies too. We've planted spies on Byrnndi World's ship, so he'll get the news. He'll come."
Claudius exhaled a plume of smoke, nodding. "Alright, here's hoping the plan goes smoothly."
Despite Garp's confident assurance, Claudius couldn't ignore the fact that they'd been waiting in this sector for nearly two days now, and there was still no sign of Byrnndi World.
Sipping from his teacup as the sea breeze swept across the deck, Claudius remarked, "Could it be that this plan's gone sideways? If we don't act soon, Douglas Bullet's grave will be dug before World even shows up."
Garp, who had been starting to look a bit agitated himself, scoffed at Claudius's comment. "The CP agency better not have botched this. We had a solid plan laid out, but if this falls apart, just taking down Douglas Bullet isn't going to cut it."
Up to this point, Douglas Bullet hadn't managed to escape, there were enough powerhouses on that island to ensure that wouldn't happen. The real issue was that Byrnndi World still hadn't appeared, making Claudius feel like they were just waiting around for nothing.
As Claudius contemplated this, the watchman atop the mast suddenly shouted, "Sighting confirmed! The flag of Byrnndi World has appeared!"
Claudius raised an eyebrow and handed his teacup to a nearby Marine. "Finally, the old bastard shows up. Took him long enough. Is this the day he meets his end?"
Garp's face lit up with excitement. He tore off the cloak of justice from his back and tossed it to another Marine, flexing his muscular frame as he prepared for battle. "It's been a while since we've had a proper warm-up, huh?" he said, eyes glinting with a competitive spark.
Claudius chuckled, an evil grin crossing his face. "Take a good look at me, Garp. Do I look like the kind who rushes into a beating?"
"Anyone who 'won't rush in' shouldn't take reckless risks just to win a sparring match," Garp muttered, rolling his eyes.
Truth be told, Claudius was in excellent physical condition. He could hold his own in a fight, but with someone like Garp eager to take the brunt of the action, Claudius wasn't about to volunteer as a punching bag. He might be tough, but it still hurt to get hit.
"I'll support you from the sidelines. Every battle needs a strategist, right?" Claudius said, smirking.
Garp didn't bother to argue, just nodded and said, "Alright. We'll rough him up enough to remind him he's out of his league at sea, but we need to block his escape route. Any ideas on how to force him toward the island?"
Claudius grinned, "That's my specialty."
"Then it's all yours!" Garp said firmly.
With that, Garp's dog-headed warship surged forward, racing toward Byrnndi World's ship.
As the ship gained speed, Claudius suddenly thought of something and asked, "Just to confirm, the main objective here is to drive Byrnndi World to Cyborila Island, right?"
"Exactly, didn't I mention that earlier?" Garp said, giving Claudius a surprised look.
"Who came up with this plan?" Claudius asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course, I did! Why, got a problem with my brilliant strategy?" Garp shot back, frowning.
"No, no complaints," Claudius said, his expression turning slightly amused. "I just realized that if Byrnndi World is heading to support Douglas Bullet, wouldn't his destination already be Cyborila Island? Doesn't that mean we don't need to do anything to force him there? This chase feels a bit unnecessary."
Claudius glanced at Garp, wondering if there was a deeper layer he hadn't considered. Garp was an experienced Marine, after all.
But Garp's face flushed slightly, and he scratched the back of his head, realizing the oversight. With a sheepish grin, he said, "The sea's unpredictable. You can't rely on perfect conditions. You've got to keep control of the situation, Claudius. You're still too young. Don't ask too many irrelevant questions, just keep up."
"Hey, you old dog, you really were bluffing me! You didn't think of that, did you?" Claudius snapped irritably.
Garp ignored him. They were still a fair distance from Byrnndi World's ship, but Garp bellowed, "Open fire! Let's go!"
The Marine cannons roared to life, sending a barrage of shells flying toward World's ship. The distance was too great for accuracy, but the sheer display of firepower was impressive.
On the opposite side, Byrnndi World's ship returned fire. The two vessels exchanged volleys as they drew closer.
Suddenly, one of World's cannonballs swelled in mid-air, expanding to a hundred times its original size. If that thing hit the warship, it would shatter it in an instant.
But Garp was ready. With a powerful stomp that cracked the deck, he launched himself toward the massive projectile. "Fist of Destruction!" Garp roared, landing a direct punch on the giant cannonball.
The shell exploded in mid-air, sending shockwaves that tilted the ship and churned the water. Claudius squinted through the smoke, half-wondering if Garp had survived that impact. Moments later, Garp emerged unscathed, charging straight toward World's ship.
As Garp was about to land, a blur shot out from World's ship to intercept him. It was Byrnndi World himself, and without a word, he aimed a punch directly at Garp's chest.
"World!" Garp shouted, Armament Haki covering his body like armor. He swung his own fist, meeting World's punch head-on.
Claudius watched the exchange with awe. If it had been Fleet Admiral Kong, he might have chosen a more tactical approach, but not Garp. His response was simple: if you hit him, he'd hit back twice as hard, with no hesitation.
"As expected of the toughest man in the Marines," Claudius muttered, admiring Garp's indomitable spirit.
***
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