Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations <<
----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 63: Garp's Taunt
East Blue, the coast of Foosha Village.
The blue sky was cloudless, and the sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, brushed the golden sand. Blake was lying lazily on a beach chair, holding an exquisite fishing rod. The line hung motionlessly in the calm sea.
On a giant reef next to him, the Marine Hero Garp was grinning, letting out a deafening, wild laugh. In sharp contrast to the empty basket at Blake's feet, Garp's basket was nearly overflowing with flopping, live fish.
"Bwahahaha! Blake, kid! You're no good at this!"
Garp easily lifted his rod again. A fat, large fish was flung up, landing precisely in his basket.
Blake looked at his own line, which was as still as a pool of dead water, and then at the gloating old man. The expression on his handsome face was visibly darkening.
He slanted his eyes, glaring at Garp.
"You're definitely cheating."
Blake said, his face expressionless.
"You're using Observation Haki to sense the fish. Otherwise, there's no way you'd have this much luck."
"Bwahahaha! Slander! That's pure slander!"
Garp laughed even louder, pounding his chest and righteously refuting.
"I fish with skill and patience! You're the one who's not sincere!"
He pointed at Blake's basket, which was clean enough to be a mirror, and used a newly learned term to taunt him.
"You're 'Air Force'! Get it? 'Air Force'!"
"Bwahahaha! Now I know why the World Government has never had an Air Force! They're all here, fishing!"
T/Note: In Chinese fishing slang, the term "Air Force" (空军) humorously refers to someone who catches no fish at all. Instead of bringing home fish, they "bring home air," so they are jokingly said to have "joined the Air Force."
Blake's eye twitched.
He realized this thick-eyebrowed old guy had been corrupted by hanging around him. He was no longer the brute who only reasoned with his fists; he had learned to use trash talk to mess with his opponent.
Blake looked darkly at Garp.
"Vice Admiral Garp."
He spoke slowly, his voice quiet but clear.
"In light of your malicious taunting, I am formally notifying you."
"From now on, the ticket price for all dungeons you personally purchase from me... is permanently doubled."
"Bwahahahaha... ha... huh?"
Garp's laughter died, as if a duck's neck was being wrung.
The wild laugh froze. Within a second, it switched to an obsequious, fawning smile.
"Ahem! Boss Blake!"
Garp quickly scooped up a pile of fish from his basket and whoosh! dumped them all into Blake's, filling it halfway.
"Just now... that was just a slip of the tongue! I'm an old fool!"
"You're a magnanimous man! Don't stoop to my level!"
Watching the Marine Hero, who was gloating one second and bowing the next, Blake's lips finally curled into a smile.
As they joked, Blake's gaze drifted to Goa Kingdom.
At the end of the coastline, faint black smoke was rising, a stark blemish on the blue sky.
He asked, as if in passing.
"Hey, old man."
"Leaving something as big as the burning of the trash heap... to those three brats. Aren't you a bit too hands-off for a grandfather?"
Garp was busy tossing another fish into Blake's basket. Hearing this, he laughed righteously.
"Bwahahaha! Those are my grandsons! Monkey D. Garp's!"
"They aren't just any brats!"
"They have to walk their own path!"
Garp's laughter was filled with undisguised pride and absolute trust.
Blake gave a noncommittal smile.
That's true.
One was the man who would become King of the Pirates, one was the future 2nd Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and the last was even more of a heavyweight, becoming the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army.
None of those three were simple.
But...
Looking at this old coot's carefree expression, Blake just felt... annoyed.
I have to find something for him to do.
Blake's mind sank into the system, quickly scrolling through the dungeon list.
A moment later, he saw a newly refreshed dungeon name. A smile, mixing satisfaction and malice, spread across his face.
Garp, still grinning, suddenly shivered for no reason, a chill running down his spine.
"Hey, Garp."
Blake's voice rang out again.
"I just got a new dungeon that's perfect for you. Want to check it out?"
"This time... it's free."
Blake's light words were like a piece of ice dropped into a calm pot of oil.
Garp's wild grin froze.
His eyes, wide as saucers, stared at Blake, his suspicion almost overflowing.
Free?
This kid... can actually say that word?
Have pigs flown?
Garp's mind raced. All the things Blake had been "casually" mentioning to him these past few days came flooding back.
"Ah, Kuzan is just too young. If you went, that Uchiha Madara guy wouldn't last one round."
"Vice Admiral Garp, a man can't say 'no'! It's just an intermediate dungeon. I'm sure you can win back the Navy's honor!"
"Isn't this difficulty a piece of cake for you? It's all about the experience! The experience is maxed out!"
The kid's innocent-looking face... merged perfectly with his current one.
Garp instantly understood.
'Freebie' my ass!
This kid is just dying to watch him, the Marine Hero, get his ass kicked in a dungeon!
Garp admitted his strength was a cut above that greenhorn Kuzan.
But the problem was... an enemy that could force an Admiral to quit in three minutes, completely helpless... that wasn't a problem "a cut above" could solve!
That enemy's abilities, from Kuzan's description, were unheard of. They were bizarre to the extreme.
If he went in, the best-case scenario was lasting a few minutes longer than Kuzan.
And then?
Get kicked out, covered in dirt, and become new material for this kid's jokes?
"Free?"
Garp's saucer-wide eyes stared at Blake, his suspicion overflowing.
He looked Blake up and down, his gaze like he was studying a master con artist.
"You... this kind-hearted?"