It was precisely because he and Garp defeated Rocks that Roger realized how dangerous Garp truly was.
When they were in the New World, Garp was mainly responsible for hunting down the Roger Pirates, which caused them to constantly be on the run, trying to avoid Garp's relentless pursuit.
"I thought I could finally enjoy some peace and quiet in the East Blue this time," Roger muttered, "but I didn't expect Garp to follow us here. It seems like he even arrived ahead of us."
"Should we take advantage of this golden opportunity to deal with him?" Rayleigh stroked his chin and made a tempting suggestion.
"Rayleigh, you're trying to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable situation!" Roger responded, his tone clearly showing his disapproval.
"I know, I know," Rayleigh said, sounding a bit resigned.
He wasn't surprised by Roger's reaction—he knew his captain's character too well to expect otherwise. But, in truth, Rayleigh's suggestion was indeed quite tempting. Even Larson, who was typically more measured, seemed momentarily swayed.
At this time, Garp was the only member of the navy present. It was uncertain whether the navy had sent him alone for this operation or if he had been separated from others. Regardless, this was undeniably the best chance they had to deal with Garp.
A key detail Larson noticed made this situation even more intriguing: the bear they were watching had become much stronger since their last encounter.
This could only mean one thing—the bear, previously defeated by Rayleigh, Gaban, and Larson, had significantly improved its strength. Now it was stronger than before, and it seemed likely that Garp had also pummeled the bear several times, pushing it to a new level.
It became clear that Garp was being frustrated by this bear, which, though not a match for him, kept getting back up every time it was knocked down. This relentless ability to rise again was giving Garp a real headache.
If Larson and the others decided to intervene now, Garp would have no chance to defend himself.
Even though Garp was incredibly powerful, with Roger, Whitebeard, Larson, and the others present, defeating him would be simple.
But, as expected, Roger had no interest in using underhanded tactics and promptly rejected Rayleigh's proposal.
Larson thought for a moment before suggesting, "If that's the case, then let's use this chance to observe just how strong this bear can get."
The bear's ability to grow stronger each time it was knocked down was almost unbelievable. Larson surmised that this growth couldn't be limitless—there had to be a ceiling. Otherwise, such creatures would become truly terrifying.
If it kept rising stronger after falling hundreds of times, no one would be able to stop it.
The group had no objections to Larson's suggestion, and they all quietly kept their distance, watching carefully.
Garp, fully focused on his battle with the bear, was using all his combat skills and experience to evade its attacks. He didn't notice the dozens of eyes faintly watching him from the shadows.
Boom!
Seeing Garp land punch after punch on the bear, Larson couldn't help but sigh, "He truly is a hero of the navy."
Rayleigh and Gaban, standing nearby, nodded in sincere agreement. They had both experienced the power of Garp's fists firsthand.
"Ahhh!" Garp roared as the bear fell again, and he stood over it, rubbing his knuckles. "What a strange forest... wild animals dropping from the sky randomly."
Everyone in the distance heard Garp's words and immediately turned their eyes to Larson.
Feeling the weight of their gazes, Larson's expression turned a little awkward. "What are you all looking at me for? Keep watching Garp!"
They quickly returned their focus to the scene before them.
After defeating the bear, Garp didn't leave. Instead, he continued to stare at the creature, clearly aware that this beast wouldn't stay down easily.
After about ten seconds, the bear twitched.
In the blink of an eye, Garp's expression darkened. He jumped onto the bear, clenched his fists, and began pounding its head.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Fist after fist landed on the bear's head, and Larson and the others, watching from a distance, found the scene too brutal to bear and had to avert their eyes.
The sound of Garp's punches was relentless. The bear's skull was crushed, and a mixture of white and red fluids poured out onto the ground.
Satisfied with his work, Garp stood tall, smugly declaring, "There's no way you're getting up from this one."
Larson, still observing from afar, became intensely curious. Could the bear, with its head now obliterated, possibly stand up again?
As Garp retrieved his clothes from the ground and began putting them on, his expression froze.
The bear moved again.
Garp's face turned serious, and Larson, hidden in the shadows, started analyzing the situation further.
It seemed that no matter how much damage the bear received after falling, it did not affect its ability to stand back up.
What happened next left Larson and the others utterly stunned.
The bear, whose skull had been smashed by Garp, staggered to its feet once more, despite having only half of its head left, its empty skull exposed to the air.
Garp's expression turned blank as he stared at the creature, visibly shaken by its unbelievable tenacity.
"It's not dead???" Rayleigh's voice wavered, his mouth twitching slightly. "Is this thing really unkillable?"
Larson, however, remained silent. Unlike Rayleigh and the others, who could only see the bear's physical form, Larson perceived something far deeper.
He could see clearly that no matter how many times the bear fell, the flame within its body never extinguished. Each time it collapsed, the flame grew stronger.
The most important realization was this: after Garp initially knocked the bear down, the flames within it had intensified. Then, after Garp mounted it and smashed its skull, those flames grew even more powerful.
Larson pursed his lips. He was beginning to understand what was happening with this strange bear.
This beast was unlike any ordinary animal. Its survival wasn't dependent on its heart or body; rather, it was fueled by the flame within. In other words, to truly kill it, they would need to find a way to extinguish that flame.
As long as that flame continued to burn, the bear would continue to rise again and again, growing stronger each time. One side, whether it was Garp or the bear, would keep increasing in power, and the other side would keep pushing back, forever locked in this cycle.
The second round of combat between Garp and the bear had begun.
Of course, this was the second round that Larson and his companions had witnessed, but they had no idea how many rounds Garp and the bear had already fought before they arrived.
As Garp launched into another intense battle, Larson and the others began to discuss amongst themselves.
"What should we do? Should we leave now?" one of them asked.
Although Garp's sudden appearance had been a surprise to everyone, it hadn't derailed their overall plans.