"This is the original message Sengoku asked me to pass on."
Garp scratched his chin, "Oh, no, wait, this might actually be something the Five Elders mentioned, and he passed it on."
"Well, it seems they got something wrong."
Shano said calmly, "When was I ever not openly sailing on these seas?"
The young man pointed to the Endgame behind him, where the white flag was flying in the wind.
"Can you see it, old man?"
"What the heck," Garp laughed heartily, "there's never been a Pirate Flag up at all!"
"Stop playing dumb."
Shano grinned, "If I were really up to pirate deeds, would you be speaking to me in this manner? If I signed the Seven Warlords of the Sea agreement, then I'd really have a hard time explaining it, truly becoming one of those so-called 'Great Pirates'."
Seven Warlords of the Sea?
What good would it do him to become one?
Just to remove the bounty on his head, to gain the legal plundering rights that countless pirates dream of?
Screw that!
To lower oneself to being the World Government's lapdog for something as stinking as the celestial gold, and to follow commands, even having to give up one's very blood?
He might as well have joined Garp back on Korbo Mountain and enlisted in the Navy!
By now, he'd certainly have been a Headquarter Vice Admiral!
"Speaking of which, old man."
The young man looked up, staring directly into Garp's eyes:
"I'm quite curious about one thing; Sengoku and the rest of the Navy Headquarters' higher-ups, do they really know I'm not a pirate?"
Garp was silent for a moment before he sighed:
"To those big shots, sometimes, face is more important than truth."
"Is that really the case?"
Shano burst out laughing and threw the document back, "Then take this worthless paper back with you, and please deliver a message to them: if they want to deprive me of my right to 'sail openly' on the seas, they are welcome to try!"
"Sigh..."
Garp took the document and rubbed his face, "What a headache, how am I supposed to report back? Though I expected you would say something like that..."
He, unwilling to give up, shot a sidelong glance at Shano:
"Really not signing?"
"Nope."
"I brought some top-grade tea leaves, how about I give you two bags?"
"..." Three black lines appeared on Shano's forehead.
"I knew it, just joking, hahaha!"
Garp laughed and stood up, tearing the document into pieces, the snow-like paper scraps scattering in the sea breeze:
"Then keep sailing these seas, kid! Let me see how far you can go on this path!"
He strode towards his Doghead Battleship, and Bogart quickly came to drape a new Cloak of Justice on him.
Shano remained seated, silently watching Garp's departing back through the swirling paper scraps.
"Oh, by the way."
Garp suddenly turned around, scratching his head, "I almost forgot, Sengoku ordered that if negotiations failed, I was to arrest you on the spot."
"No energy left, huh."
Shano spread his hands, "But if you still want to continue, I'm here to accompany you to the end."
"Hahaha!!!"
Garp laughed heartily, waving his hand, "Are you kidding? I even used Haki Entanglement earlier, and I still couldn't take you down, could I?"
He turned and walked briskly towards the battleship, waving to Shano with his back turned:
"That's it then! I'll just report that I couldn't find anyone! After all, this sea is so vast, getting lost is normal!"
The Doghead Battleship slowly sailed away, the Navy Soldiers on deck still nervously gazing at the fragmented ice-field.
Bogart stood beside Garp, with a worried look, and asked in a low voice:
"Mr. Garp, is it really okay to go back like this?"
"What's the problem?"
Garp carelessly pulled out a pack of Rice Crackers, "The kid's right; he's not a pirate at all, so why sign some stupid Seven Warlords agreement?"
"But about the Five Elders..."
"Who cares about them!"
Garp stuffed a handful of Rice Crackers into his mouth, saying indistinctly, "I don't have that capability; if those old fogies really have what it takes, let them come and catch him themselves!"
Hmm?
Wait a minute.
Garp suddenly realized something was amiss and reached for his bald head.
Where's my Doghead hat?
Garp looked confused, searching himself all over — he clearly remembered when the fight got heated earlier, he found the Doghead hat obstructive, so he stuffed it in his pants pocket.
That scene seemed familiar...
Bogart also tensed, instinctively feeling for his own head.
Whew, thank goodness.
His hat was still there.
......
Meanwhile, on the Endgame.
Nojiko watched the distant battleship and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, what do we do next?"
Though she had anticipated it.
But seeing her brother reject the Seven Warlords agreement so decisively, it was still too cool!
This is a position that could make countless people envious!
Across the entire Grand Line, how many could do it?
He truly is my brother!
However, doing this, the embarrassed World Government is sure to retaliate more fiercely than ever...
Yet, her question received no answer.
Because at that moment, while it seemed like Shano was getting changed with Nami's help, he was actually focused on the system panel in front of him.
[You sacrificed Garp's Doghead hat, gaining 3800 points]
[Remaining points: 27000]
Back in the Goa Kingdom, how much was that Doghead hat sacrifice worth again? If memory serves, it seemed like 4000?