It took a full half-hour before Garp finally managed to calm down.
Beside him, Bogard looked no better—his expression was basically a copy of Garp's.
Only the two of them truly understood how world-shattering Raifeng's words had been.
With their experience, they were practically starting to doubt reality itself.
Elsewhere, the duel had officially ended.
But the result left everyone shaken and unable to believe what they'd witnessed.
Before long, the marines who'd gathered on deck dispersed, still carrying that overwhelming shock in their chests, returning to their posts.
Koby and Helmeppo were no exception—both walked away in a daze, eyes unfocused, as if their souls had been knocked loose.
There was no doubt about it.
Today's match had brutally refreshed everyone's worldview.
A seven-year-old fought a Marine HQ colonel head-on, never fell behind, and the fight ended in a draw.
Meaning—
Today, they had watched the birth of a monster:
A seven-year-old whose strength could rival a Marine Headquarters colonel.
And that monster was Vice Admiral Garp's grandson—Raifeng.
Seven years old, shaking a Marine HQ colonel to the core…
It was the kind of thing people didn't even tell as a rumor.
Even someone like Garp, with decades on the seas, couldn't help being impressed.
But what truly rattled him wasn't the draw.
It was what Raifeng said as he left—that was what flipped Garp's worldview upside down.
Garp let out a heavy breath. Standing on the nearly empty deck, he rubbed his temples, finally forcing the shock down.
"Vice Admiral Garp… you think…"
Bogard stared at him, still stunned.
"Th-That… is that even possible?"
Bogard didn't have Garp's mental toughness. Raifeng's words were still lodged in his heart like a spike.
Garp shot him a look.
"Then let me ask you something."
"Can you think of any other explanation?"
"How else do you explain that brat improving this much in just two days?"
Bogard went silent.
He couldn't.
Not a single explanation.
Nothing that could neatly justify what they'd just seen.
After that thought, Bogard could only shake his head.
"Exactly." Garp's voice was flat.
Bogard forced himself to speak through his dry throat.
"Vice Admiral… do you actually believe what Raifeng just said?"
It was too terrifying to accept.
Less than a week of swordsmanship?
What kind of joke was that?
If anyone else had said it, Bogard would've slapped them on the spot.
Less than a week—yet fighting him evenly?
A draw?
Who were they insulting?
But Raifeng had said it.
And that made Bogard… unwillingly start believing.
Because honestly—
How many impossible things had already happened around Raifeng?
Too many.
Far too many.
"Less than a week with the sword…"
"And he's already able to fight you evenly…"
Garp's eyes went unfocused.
"At this point, I'm starting to wonder if my grandson is some kind of monster reincarnated."
"Genius?"
"No. A genius is still human."
"My grandson has crossed the line out of the human category."
Garp went quiet for a beat, then—
"Wait."
A critical detail hit him.
"If what he said is true…"
"Doesn't that mean he's also only been exposed to Conqueror's Haki for a short time?"
"And he awakened it, mastered it, all on his own—without a teacher?"
Garp's eyes widened again, the shock rising right back up.
Seriously…
Why was everything about this kid so unbelievable?
Compared to that, "two days to rival Bogard" almost started to feel… manageable.
Garp and Bogard stood there in silence, no one daring to disturb them as they tried to digest the impact of Raifeng's words.
Until—
Buru-buru!
A Den Den Mushi rang out, sharp and loud, cutting through the strange stillness.
Both men snapped out of it.
"A Den Den Mushi?"
Garp raised an eyebrow.
"Who's calling me at a time like this?"
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his emotions, then pulled out a neatly-made Den Den Mushi—one wearing a tiny Marine uniform.
A standard-issue Marine Den Den Mushi.
Nearly every warship had one.
He answered.
On the other end came a familiar, steady voice.
"Garp."
Garp's expression changed instantly.
"Sengoku?"
He recognized it immediately.
His longtime comrade—
Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha.
A legend on the seas, just like Garp.
Garp looked surprised.
"Why are you contacting me now? I'm about to reach Marineford."
"Wait… don't tell me you're saying I don't need to return for now."
As it turned out, Garp's guess was dead-on.
Sengoku spoke bluntly.
"You got it. Where are you right now?"
"I have a mission for you."
"And it happens to have a strong connection to you."
"That's why I'm assigning it to you."
"Don't screw it up, old man."
"I had to pull some strings to secure this mission for you."
Garp glanced at Bogard.
Bogard immediately understood and answered quietly.
"Vice Admiral, we're near Enies Lobby—close to Water 7's waters."
Garp nodded and spoke into the Den Den Mushi.
"Near Enies Lobby. So what's the mission?"
They'd already left the Calm Belt and entered the Grand Line.
Sengoku's voice sharpened.
"Near Enies Lobby? That's perfect."
Then, after a brief pause, he continued in a serious tone.
"Garp. Due to pressure from certain people above…"
"I need you to change course immediately and head to Water 7."
"Go arrest your grandson—Straw Hat Luffy—and capture the entire Straw Hat Pirates."
"The Straw Hat Pirates have been acting far too recklessly."
"They've already triggered the anger of people upstairs."
"So, Garp…"
"I'm counting on you not to botch this."
Garp's eyes bulged.
"…Arrest my grandson?"
Hold on—
Since when was Luffy in Water 7?!
And the timing was this convenient?!
Sengoku added, measured:
"Can you accept the mission?"
"If you think it's inappropriate, I can assign someone else."
Garp answered instantly.
"Don't worry. I won't mess it up."
"And if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known that brat ran off to Water 7."
"It's been a while. Since we're crossing paths, I have to go see him."
"No—go arrest him properly."
Then Garp hung up without hesitation.
Nearby, Bogard's mouth twitched.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku…
You're sending Garp to arrest his own grandson?
Is that… actually realistic?
Isn't this basically begging for "family bias"?
But of course, Bogard didn't dare say any of that out loud.
"Bogard!"
Garp barked.
"Tell the helmsman and navigator to change course immediately."
"New destination—Water 7!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Bogard hurried off and relayed the order.
Under the helmsman's control, the warship's heading shifted.
Their destination changed—
From Marineford to Water 7.
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