On deck, as the warship turned and altered its course, Garp's mood settled down a little.
Raifeng's shock factor wasn't going to vanish overnight.
But with Garp's steady temperament, it wouldn't dominate him for long.
What Garp was looking forward to now was simple—
Meeting Luffy in Water 7.
"The Straw Hat Pirates…"
"Luffy…"
"It's been a long time."
"I bet you've missed your grandpa's loving iron fist."
Garp stared toward the distant sea, his face full of anticipation.
For a grandson who refused to listen and insisted on becoming a pirate…
Garp's "best method" was always the same:
A fist full of love.
Before long, Bogard returned after passing along the orders.
"Vice Admiral Garp, the command has been delivered as instructed."
"We're fairly close to Water 7."
"If nothing goes wrong, we should arrive in about one day."
The warship was fast.
If they had smooth sailing, one day was enough.
Of course, the sea was full of accidents and surprises.
Even the Marines couldn't guarantee a perfectly clean voyage.
"One day, huh…"
Garp's eyes gleamed, his expression growing even more eager.
So in one day—
He'd see Luffy.
After a beat, inspiration struck.
A "perfect idea" popped into his head.
He turned to Bogard.
"Go bring Raifeng here."
"I've got a mission I want him to handle for me."
"Yes, Vice Admiral."
Bogard nodded and left.
Not long after, Raifeng returned to the deck with Bogard.
Raifeng looked puzzled.
"Old man, what kind of mission needs me to help you?"
"Bogard, you can leave."
Garp waved him off.
Bogard didn't hesitate and disappeared from the deck.
He knew Garp well—if Garp didn't want him to hear something, he wouldn't push.
A subordinate's rule of survival:
Don't question your superior's orders.
Soon, only Garp and Raifeng remained on the wide deck.
"Do you know where we've changed course to?"
Garp asked, grinning like he was enjoying himself.
"Changed course?"
Raifeng looked surprised.
"We're not going to Marineford anymore?"
Garp nodded.
"Sengoku sent a mission. So we're not returning to Marineford for now."
"We'll deal with this first, then talk about Marineford later."
Raifeng's gaze sharpened slightly.
"What mission?"
"Our destination is…"
Garp paused deliberately.
"Water 7."
"You heard of it?"
"Water 7…"
Raifeng narrowed his eyes, already guessing where this was going.
Before he could respond, Garp continued.
"The mission is to arrest a pirate crew."
"The Straw Hat Pirates."
Raifeng's guess was confirmed.
So it really was them.
He hadn't expected he'd meet them like this.
And the timing—
It was close.
But what Raifeng truly didn't expect was how absurdly dramatic this first encounter was going to be.
Garp crossed his arms, tone turning matter-of-fact.
"There are things Dragon never bothered to explain to you."
"So I'll tell you properly."
"In this family… you've got two older brothers."
"One is named Ace. He's in the New World now, part of the Whitebeard Pirates."
"The other is named Luffy."
"And Luffy happens to be the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates."
"In other words—Sengoku's target."
Garp laid it out in one go.
Strictly speaking, Ace wasn't a Monkey by blood.
But Garp wasn't going to say certain things openly.
And in his heart, Ace was family.
So it made sense that he introduced him that way.
Garp looked at Raifeng.
"Now you understand, right?"
Between Ace and Luffy—
Garp valued Raifeng the most.
Talent, potential, everything.
Raifeng made him feel, constantly, that he had a successor.
Raifeng stared at him with a strange expression.
"Old man…"
"Don't tell me you're planning to dump this 'arrest Straw Hat' mission…"
"On me alone?"
Arrest the Straw Hat Pirates?
Arrest Luffy?
Honestly—
The thought stirred a small spark of anticipation in Raifeng.
He wanted to see them for himself.
See what the Straw Hat crew's strength looked like in this world—
and see what his "brother" Luffy was like up close.
Garp sighed dramatically.
"I don't have a choice."
"Sengoku said if I don't take the mission, he'll send someone else."
"So what can I do? I can only accept it."
"And we'll treat it like a trip."
"With your current strength, dealing with them should be easy."
In Garp's eyes, Raifeng could already fight Bogard evenly.
That meant Raifeng was at least HQ colonel level—and near the top end.
Using that strength to handle the Straw Hats?
Garp considered it basically guaranteed.
Garp added with a grin.
"And hey—this way, you get to meet your brother Luffy."
"If you can, just catch them all in one net."
"Better we do it than let someone else handle them."
"If they can't avoid getting caught by you, that's their own incompetence."
"Don't hold back. Do what you have to do."
"And if you bag them all…"
"That's real merit for your future in the Marines."
Raifeng's expression got even weirder.
"So…"
"You want me to send my brother to prison?"
Garp really was shameless.
But…
Yeah.
This mission was honestly kind of exciting.
Raifeng nodded.
"I'll take it."
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