The bear was defeated, and the team moved forward once again.
The appearance of this seemingly unkillable bear did not disrupt their plan but made them more aware of the dangers lurking on Yerug Island.
This was the first time they'd truly witnessed the mystery and peril of Yerug Island since arriving.
Seeing that beast, it was easy to draw a connection to the Sea Kings they had encountered earlier.
Those Neptune creatures had been strengthened by a mysterious power, making them incredibly strong and aggressive. The beast they encountered just now was far from ordinary. Most notably, its ability to resurrect continuously was unheard of. It seemed that the same mysterious power had not only strengthened the Neptune species but had also affected the beasts on Yerug Island.
And from a strength perspective, this bear might have been even more formidable than those Neptune creatures.
After all, the Neptunes hadn't survived attacks from Rayleigh, Gaban, and Larson.
This alone highlighted just how strong the bear was.
Rayleigh, leading the group, scanned the surroundings with a sharp, cautious gaze. "There are signs of destruction here. Someone has been through this area before us."
The weeds had been crushed, indicating recent movement.
"There's a scent of blood in the air—everyone, be on guard."
Marco and the others instantly became more alert, ready to react to any imminent danger.
Their heightened tension was largely due to their encounter with the bear earlier.
At that moment, while Marco and the others were shaken, both Larson and Whitebeard remained composed.
"..."
Larson parted the leaves ahead, and the sight before him caused even his expression to shift slightly in shock.
Whitebeard and Roger also frowned, and Marco and the others stood wide-eyed.
Before them lay a field of corpses, blood running across the ground like a river. The scene resembled a hellish nightmare.
Judging by their clothing, the dead were pirates, and from the fresh blood, it was evident they hadn't died long ago.
Larson took a deep breath and walked toward one of the bodies. He knelt and examined it closely. After a few moments of scrutiny, he moved to another body. Repeating this process, Larson eventually noticed something significant.
"These injuries… it looks like they were attacked by the same kind of beast we encountered."
Larson recognized a familiar pattern in the corpses. While the severity of the injuries varied, the fatal wounds pointed to a shared fate.
It was clear that, like Larson's group, these pirates had also encountered the resurrecting beast. They likely killed the creature multiple times, but as it grew stronger with each revival, they were overwhelmed, leading to their complete annihilation.
Since Larson couldn't find the beast's body, it indicated that the creature had already moved on.
"Was it the same one we fought?"
Rayleigh walked over and asked.
He didn't question Larson's assessment. Having fought the bear himself, Rayleigh understood how difficult it had been to deal with the creature.
It wasn't that the bear was overwhelmingly strong—it was just seemingly impossible to kill.
Frankly speaking, the bear's bad luck was encountering the Whitebeard Pirates and the Roger Pirates. Had it encountered any other crew, it was doubtful they would have survived.
"No."
Larson picked up a severed arm from the ground. "This wasn't caused by the bear. It looks like it was bitten off by something else."
"That's not good news."
Roger muttered.
It certainly wasn't.
Everyone realized the grim implication: the creature that wiped out this pirate crew wasn't the bear. This meant there were other enhanced beasts on the island—possibly many more.
"But it also reinforces the idea that there might actually be something valuable on this island."
Larson's eyes gleamed with excitement. The challenges they faced seemed more like tests, leading them closer to a final treasure.
The more difficulties and dangers they encountered, the more it suggested that what lay at the end was truly precious.
"Let's move forward, but be cautious. There's likely more than one beast on this island, and perhaps we're already being watched."
Everyone set off again, ignoring the fallen pirates.
These beasts appeared to be evaluating the worthiness of those who arrived on the island, determining if they were qualified to stay.
If not, they would meet their end by the beasts' hands.
The pirate group before them had likely perished because they were deemed unworthy.
Not long after they resumed their journey, a violent noise echoed from nearby.
"It sounds like a fight ahead. Should we check it out?"
It was Larson who spoke, and as he did, his eyes naturally shifted toward Whitebeard and Roger.
Roger and Whitebeard exchanged a glance. "Why not go see what's happening?"
"Let's go!"
With the captains' decision made, Larson and the rest had no objections.
It was strange—on their way to Yerug Island, they had only seen a few ships. Yet, not long after arriving, they encountered more and more people.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Loud crashing noises echoed ahead, signaling an intense battle.
Before long, they arrived at the scene. The fight was still raging, but as Larson, who was leading, caught sight of the fighters, his expression froze.
"Wait! That's…"
Rayleigh and the others joined him, and when they saw who was fighting, their faces showed a hint of surprise.
"Why is the Navy here?"
Larson blinked, recognizing the man throwing punches with unrelenting force. He was all too familiar with him.
It was none other than the Navy's legendary hero, Garp!
And unbelievably, the creature fighting Garp was the same bear Larson and the others had just encountered!
"This…"
The crew looked at Larson with curious expressions. Larson's earlier encounter with the bear had led to Garp taking on the beast now.
Roger, looking at Garp from afar, chuckled. "Another old acquaintance."
Roger and Garp were indeed familiar. Garp had earned his status as a naval hero when the two teamed up to defeat the Rocks Pirates a year ago.
"I thought I'd escape running into him after leaving the New World, but it seems he followed me here."
Roger's tone carried a mixture of amusement and exasperation.