"What did you just say? The two of you couldn't defeat him?"
"You only managed to knock him into the sea when he wasn't paying attention?"
Facing Sengoku's questioning, Garp nonchalantly picked his nose and wiped it on Sengoku's favorite sofa. Then, as if nothing had happened, he pulled out a bag of rice crackers, tossing a handful into his mouth as he spoke between crunches.
"I forgot to mention last time—Jack, that brat, is at least as tough as Kaido, if not stronger!"
"The scariest part is his recovery."
"We fought at full power for five days and nights, and while I was on the verge of collapse, that kid barely seemed tired!"
"Whether it's the amount of Haki he possesses or his sheer physical endurance, he's already standing at the pinnacle of this world!"
"If I had to compare, I'd say even Kaido wouldn't be his match!"
"If those two ever clash, the victor will undoubtedly be that brat!"
"Garp!"
Sengoku clenched his fists as he watched Garp absentmindedly munching on his rice crackers. His frustration boiled over, but he forced himself to take a deep breath before turning to Sakazuki.
"You've done well, Sakazuki. Take some time off and recover."
Once Sakazuki left the room, Sengoku turned to Tsuru, who had been sitting quietly with her eyes closed, deep in thought.
"Tsuru, inform the World Government about what happened."
"We need to suppress this news!"
"The hero of the Marines cannot be seen as a failure!"
Tsuru opened her eyes and nodded, but before she could respond, Garp suddenly burst into laughter.
"Why hide it?"
"A Marine hero? I've carried that title for so many years... it's exhausting."
"Garp, you bastard!"
"This isn't your decision to make!"
Sengoku grabbed Garp by the collar, his forehead wrinkling into deep furrows. His eyes flicked to the rice crackers in Garp's hand, and in a fit of petty revenge, he snatched them away and shoved them all into his own mouth.
"Sengoku! You—!"
"How shameless! Stealing from an old man like me!"
"Shut up, Garp! These are mine now!"
After everyone had left, Sengoku removed his glasses, rubbing his temples as he sank into the sofa, exhaustion written all over his face.
"The Beasts Pirates, Whitebeard Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, and the Red-Haired Pirates, whose influence only keeps growing..."
"Kaido, Whitebeard, Big Mom, Shanks... and now Jack."
"The Great Pirate Era has truly reached its peak."
"Damn you, Roger!"
"And that bastard son of Garp's..."
"More and more monsters are emerging, throwing the world into deeper chaos."
"The World Government is struggling to maintain balance, but how long can we hold out with just the Seven Warlords and the Marines?"
"Even though Vegapunk is developing new technology for us, where does his true allegiance lie?"
"And those damn Celestial Dragons..."
"Where is the future of the Marines headed? Justice..."
"What a headache."
...
After being fished out of the sea by Rim and his men, Jack ate, drank, and rested before setting off alone for the New World. Rumors of the Red-Haired Pirates making waves in the New World had reached his ears—they had defeated several veteran pirate crews. Jack decided it was time to give them a lesson, and at the same time, test the limits of his Armament Haki at its peak.
Meanwhile, Rim took his crew to search for the Okama King. After gathering intelligence from various sources, they finally pinpointed the island where he resided. Given that this mission concerned whether Master could truly regain her original form, Rim was particularly invested.
...
"Mihawk! Safe travels!"
"We look forward to your next visit!"
Watching Mihawk's lone boat disappear over the horizon, the shipyard owner sighed in admiration.
"Mihawk really saved us! In just a month, he ordered two more of those solitary boats!"
"I was about to close up shop, thinking it was a dying trade... who knew?"
"Mihawk sure has a passion for collecting these boats. That makes four now..."
Out on the vast ocean, a lone boat with a built-in private restroom drifted with the wind.
Mihawk swirled his wine glass and stood up, walking a few steps. Just as he was about to relieve himself, he hesitated, glanced around warily, and then begrudgingly stepped into the private restroom.
High above the sea, Jack soared through the sky, occasionally skimming the water's surface to show off his aerial skills. Just as he was fully immersed in the joy of flying, a lone boat suddenly appeared in his path.
"Damn! I'm gonna crash!"
"Boom!"
At the last moment, Jack shot upward, but not before taking out half of the boat's private restroom.
Inside, Mihawk sat frozen on the toilet, wine glass in hand, staring in disbelief at the familiar figure in the sky.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"Oh? You finally upgraded to one with a private restroom?"
"Nice! Shows you're improving your standards!"
Jack hovered in the air, unfazed. "Hey, don't blame me! Next time, get a boat with taillights!"
"And what the hell is your taste?"
"Drinking wine while taking a dump?"
"Are you pairing your own creation with fine alcohol? Is this what the upper class does?"
"You sick bastard!"
As Jack soared away, Mihawk shot to his feet, his pants still around his ankles. Grabbing his sword, he slashed at the sea, launching himself forward like an arrow.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"YOU LITTLE—!!!"
Elsewhere, Aokiji pedaled his bicycle across the ocean's surface, leisurely making his way to the battlefield after hearing about Jack's clash with Garp.
As he cycled, he suddenly looked up.
A massive pink mammoth soared through the sky above him, flapping its tiny wings.
Before he could react, a lone boat zipped past him at blinding speed.
"...A flying mammoth?"
"And that guy... was Mihawk?"
Aokiji closed his eyes, sighed, and muttered, "Man, I must've been cycling for too long. I'm hallucinating. Better find a place to take a nap."
Looking down at Mihawk, who was still hot on his tail, Jack sighed in exasperation.
"Give it a rest already! I forgive you!"
"It's just half a toilet! Don't be so petty!"
"What, you trying to scam me? We're old acquaintances! Where's your conscience?"
"Fine, fine, I'll compensate you. Here, take an ivory tusk as payment!"
"COME DOWN HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!"
"Huh? One tusk isn't enough? Fine, catch this!"
"Ivory Gatling!"
"Boom!"
Watching his boat get shredded, Mihawk trembled. He picked up a floating tusk, tears streaming down his face.
"Jack... JACK... JACK!!!"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg