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Armament Haki truly was an all-purpose power, coating the user's body in an invisible armor.
As one's skill developed—it not only enhanced offensive power, but also amplified defense, like a weaker version of Arthur's Isolation Field.
"Armament—Hardening!"
Garp's laughter boomed as his arms turned black, his Justice coat billowing around him. Garp had traded blows with the strongest in the world, even Whitebeard's monstrous fists—A mere Thunder Dragon wouldn't intimidate him.
His Haki-clad fists slammed into the massive lightning dragon, each blow more powerful than the last.
The air itself trembled under the force of his assault. If Whitebeard hadn't eaten the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Arthur would have sworn Garp had acquired it.
Arthur gasped for breath, his stamina depleted. He couldn't maintain his Thunder God form, but he needed it to unleash the full two hundred million volts of his most powerful attacks.
He'd unleashed his strongest attack, short of Raigo, and he couldn't repeat it until he recovered.
He watched, anticipating Garp's reaction—his own face paling as Garp's laughter boomed through the anglerfish's stomach.
"Bwahahaha! You're still a thousand years too early to defeat me, kid!"
The Thunder Dragon exploded under Garp's relentless assault, his hands scorched black, the smell of burnt flesh filling the air.
But Garp didn't flinch, seemingly unconcerned by the damage.
"Out of stamina, brat? What else have you got?" He grinned, his eyes fixed on Arthur.
Nothing was truly perfect. Great power came at a cost. There was no escaping that truth.
Some claimed the Hobby-Hobby Fruit granted invincibility.
Arthur scoffed at such naivete.
The fruit permanently stunted the user's mental and physical growth. And to activate its power, the user had to make physical contact—Could someone like Sugar even get close to a true powerhouse before they were neutralized?
Even an Awakened Hobby-Hobby Fruit couldn't turn people into toys remotely. Such an overpowered ability wouldn't exist.
Sugar's power came with significant limitations, requiring constant protection. And even then, her transformations seemed effortless, requiring minimal stamina, if any.
As Arthur developed his Rumble-Rumble Fruit, the stamina cost of his abilities increased—The greater the power, the greater the drain.
Garp's attack, while shattering the two hundred million volt Thunder Dragon, had also taken its toll. He couldn't unleash another attack of that magnitude.
But Arthur had one distinct advantage—his accelerated stamina regeneration. Given time, or a quick meal, he could recover quickly. His endurance was practically limitless. In a war of attrition, he would always prevail.
"You're not exactly in top form yourself—old man," Arthur retorted, his breathing ragged. "I bet you'll be the first to drop."
His Observation Haki located Myskina Olga—Tsuru was pursuing her, while Akainu, unable to contribute to the fight against Arthur, was also searching for the Pure Gold.
It was just him and Garp now. Whoever fell first lost.
Arthur wouldn't abandon the fight to search for the gold himself. Since perfecting his Isolation Field, he feared no one. He'd fight—consequences be damned.
"Bwahahaha! Trying to stall for time, kid? I see right through your little tricks. Just give up!" Garp taunted, his breathing heavy.
"That's rich coming from you, old timer. You're the one stalling." Arthur shot back, every second counting as he recovered. "You're getting too old for this. Can't even use Moonwalk to chase me anymore? Hahahaha!"
"You little…!" Garp's face flushed with anger. Arthur had just earned a spot on his "Must Capture" list, joining his long-time rival—and reluctant friend—Gol D. Roger.
Minutes later, their strength partially restored, Garp launched himself into the air with an explosive burst of Geppo, his speed surprising even Arthur.
He swung his fist—scorched black by Arthur's lightning, the bone beneath visible—towards Arthur.
Arthur's senses screamed, his Isolation Field activating instantly. His jaw clenched, his fist meeting Garp's attack head-on.
His electrically enhanced punch, faster than Garp's, wasn't coated in Armament Haki, but shimmered with a deep blue aura.
The impact of their clash shattered the air itself, the resulting shockwave rippling through the anglerfish's stomach.
The force of it sent debris flying, the acidic sea parting, revealing the iridescent walls of the stomach.
Arthur, protected by his Isolation Field—was unharmed, but his face paled, his body swaying slightly.
Garp, however, lacking such a defense, was sent flying backwards, crashing into another floating island, his body partially submerged in the corrosive acid.
The impact—a direct, physical blow against the anglerfish's stomach, unlike the dispersed energy of the lightning attacks—caused it more pain than Arthur's previous assault.
The massive creature thrashed wildly in the dark depths, the golden glow of its lure illuminating the churning waters, desperate to expel the source of its discomfort—The churning acid within its stomach made both the Marines and the creature itself nauseous.
Garp, his head spinning, quickly pulled himself from the acid, scrambling onto a nearby rock, removing his Justice coat and shaking his head, trying to clear the dizziness.
He coughed, rubbing his scorched fist, then locked eyes with Arthur, who floated unsteadily in the air.
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