For a moment, the atmosphere in the conference room dropped to absolute zero.
"Garp," Sengoku barked sharply, then shot him a meaningful look.
"Hmph." Garp snorted coldly and sat back down, clearly not taking it to heart.
Dragon's matters had always been handled by Dragon himself anyway.Steel Bone Kong was probably just putting on a show for appearances…
Watching Garp's expression, Kong's brow creased slightly. His fingers tapped twice against the tabletop before his gaze suddenly shifted toward the far corner of the table.
There, Gern Reginald Sigmar was leisurely tearing up the meeting minutes, folding them into a paper ball. Under Sengoku's murderous glare, he flicked it with a casual whoosh toward the dozing Borsalino across the table.
The paper ball traced a perfect arc through the air and slipped neatly into Kizaru's twitching nostril.
"Achoo!"
As Borsalino rubbed his nose and looked up groggily, Kong's voice exploded like rolling thunder.
"Gern!"
"Yes, sir!" Gern answered reflexively.
"This matter will be handled by you."
Gern was still pinching a second paper ball between his fingers. At those words, his wrist flipped, and the evidence vanished soundlessly into his sleeve.
Then he blinked, pointing at himself with an innocent expression."Me?"
"That's right," Kong said heavily. "The Revolutionary Army's actions must be curbed, but a direct war will only plunge the situation into greater chaos.You'll investigate Dragon's movements. If necessary… you may take forceful measures.If you can bring him back alive, even better."
"Fleet Admiral Kong! What do you mean by that?!" Garp leapt to his feet again."You're sending Gern to deal with Dragon?! He's my son! Haven't I been the one handling this all along?!"
Kong's voice was ice-cold."Precisely because he's your son, Garp, I won't let you go. You'd protect him—without question."
Garp's fists clenched, cracking loudly—but in the end, he slammed back into his chair, teeth gritted.
"Do whatever you want!"
(As if Gern isn't my disciple, he thought bitterly.)
Gern glanced at Garp, then at Kong—and suddenly understood.
Kong was trying to appease the higher-ups. After all, Garp had indeed been… less than proactive.
Gern smiled lightly."Alright. I'll take the mission."
As he spoke, he stood up, hands in his pockets, tone relaxed."But I have one condition."
"What condition?" Kong asked.
"I want full authority—no interference from CP." Gern narrowed his eyes slightly."If those idiots in the World Government start pointing fingers, I won't guarantee the outcome."
Kong fell silent for a moment, then nodded."Agreed."
"Good! In that case, let's move on to dealing with the pirate surge triggered by Roger!" With one issue settled, Kong pondered briefly before decisively continuing.
"Sakazuki will handle the New World.Kuzan will oversee the first half of the Grand Line.Borsalino will monitor movements across the Four Blues.
"Sengoku remains at Headquarters and keeps an eye on the returning Golden Lion.Garp, you'll patrol and keep Whitebeard firmly under surveillance.
"As for the Roger Pirates… after Roger became 'Pirate King,' his whereabouts are uncertain. The World Government will have CP handle intelligence on that front."
...
The meeting dragged on until evening.Only after most of the others had left did Garp step out of the office alone, standing in the corridor, staring silently at the sea beyond the windows.
"Vice Admiral Garp." Gern walked up beside him and handed over a pack of senbei."Don't worry. I won't go all-out on Dragon."
"You really plan to fight him, you bastard?" Garp took the senbei and bit down hard, his voice low."That brat… he's been a headache since he was a kid. If you can talk him back, that'd be best."
"That's harder than arresting Roger, Vice Admiral," Gern chuckled."Maybe… he's just chosen his own justice."
Garp didn't answer. He chewed the senbei fiercely, as if grinding down something unspeakable.
"Are you going alone this time?" Garp asked, glancing sideways.
"Of course I'm bringing Lipo and Tesoro," Gern shrugged."I need some help too, you know."
"Hahaha!" Garp suddenly burst out laughing."You little punk—just trying to drag them along to steal credit, aren't you?!"
"Hey now, Vice Admiral!" Gern raised a finger, feigning seriousness."You can't say things like that. This is an official mission personally issued by Fleet Admiral Kong."
"Cut the crap!" Garp laughed and cursed—then suddenly sobered.With a conspiratorial air, he reached into his coat and pulled out an object.
It was a crudely made shoe sole, its edges visibly worn.
"Take this 'symbol of fatherly love.'" Without explanation, he stuffed the Supreme Shoe Board into Gern's hands.
"This is…" Gern looked down at the legendary symbol of paternal affection.
Carved into the sole were four crooked characters: "Education Through Love."
"If you see that unfilial bastard," Garp growled, rolling his wrists,"use this and give him a good one! Getting married without inviting his own old man—does that make any sense?!"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became, fists cracking again.
"I should be the one teaching him a lesson… but now I'll let you—half my disciple—do it for me…"
"Isn't this… kind of inappropriate…?" Gern weighed the divine artifact in his hand.
His mouth said one thing, but the grin never left his face.
His fingers brushed over the uneven grooves of the sole, as if already envisioning Dragon receiving a very personal imprint.
"So—are you helping or not?"
"Don't worry, Vice Admiral Garp!" Gern said solemnly."I'll make sure Dragon experiences—very deeply—your 'fatherly love,' delivered personally by me."
Garp nodded in satisfaction, then lowered his voice again.
"Remember—aim for the left cheek. It's thicker there. Best hand-feel…"
...
At the same time—South Blue, Baterilla Island.
The sun sank beyond the horizon, dyeing the sky a deep golden yellow.
On the cliff at the edge of town, sea winds howled, waves crashing against the rocks below with heavy, thunderous booms.
Golden Lion Shiki sat cross-legged at the cliff's edge, the strange ship's wheel embedded in his head catching the light. Cigar smoke coiled around his ferocious face.
He bared his teeth in a wide grin."So, Roger—how does it feel to become the 'Pirate King'?"
Across from him, Gol D. Roger leaned casually against a rock, a peculiar hat pulled low to obscure most of his face.
"Feelings?" Heh…With a bottle of rum in hand, he tipped his head back and took a long swig before answering leisurely.
"It's like standing at the end of the world… only to realize there's an even taller mountain ahead."
"Shiki." Roger let out a deep sigh, recalling what he had seen, a faint smile touching his lips."Looks like we were born too early."
"Huh?!" Shiki frowned in confusion—then burst into loud laughter, tinged with sharp mockery.
"So you rejected me, went to ridiculous lengths, circled the entire world chasing your dream… and that's the conclusion you came to?"
Roger didn't respond immediately. His gaze drifted toward the distant sea, where a fishing boat was slowly passing by.
After a long while, he spoke again."Shiki… you didn't come all this way just to ask me something that boring, did you?"
With that, Roger casually tossed the rum bottle.
Golden Lion caught it one-handed, took a swig himself, and his smile vanished. His eyes sharpened abruptly.
"Of course not."
He exhaled a ring of smoke, voice dropping low.
"I came to ask you this…What exactly is on that 'Laugh Tale' of yours?Why did you disband your crew?Didn't you already achieve your dream, Roger?!"