Garp threw back his head and laughed, a deep, hearty sound that echoed off the marble walls of Marineford.
"Don't be hasty, Sengoku!" he bellowed, shaking his head. Then, without another word, he pushed himself upright from the chair he had been leaning against. "I'll go myself."
Sengoku's eyes narrowed. "Huh… Garp. I thought you didn't take orders from the Celestial Dragons."
Garp dug his nose with a pinky, letting out a loud snort. "I'm not taking any orders from the Celestial Dragons. I'm doing this of my own volition."
Sengoku's patience frayed. "I cannot allow you to go, Garp. Why do you always make things harder for me as Fleet Admiral?"
Garp's grin widened. "Then try to stop me, Sengoku."
Sengoku opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Tsuru spoke, calm yet unyielding.
"Let it go, Sengoku," she said softly. "You know full well that once Garp has made up his mind, it cannot be changed. You'd just be wasting your time and effort."
Sengoku exhaled, a long, defeated sigh. He sank back slightly into his chair, finally accepting the truth in her words.
Garp turned and strode toward the door. He paused just before leaving, one large hand resting casually on the frame. Without looking back, he called over his shoulder.
"And Sengoku… if I run into an Admiral in that place, I cannot promise a fight will not take place."
Sengoku's knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of his desk. "I won't send any Admiral. But Garp… you better be prepared to take full responsibility for this."
Garp chuckled deeply. "Yeah, yeah." And with that, he disappeared through the doors.
Momonga bowed low to both Sengoku and Tsuru. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, may I be excused?"
"Yes, Momonga," Sengoku replied. "Thank you for your time. I guess you will not need to perform the escort mission for Tenjin anymore, as Garp will carry it out himself."
Momonga's lips curled into a faint smile. "Thank you, Fleet Admiral."
He spun on his heel and quickly moved to catch up with Garp. The sound of heavy boots echoed down the hallway, but Garp moved with a fluid, almost effortless stride. Momonga's pace increased.
"Vice Admiral Garp!" he called. "Thank you"
Garp's large frame stopped, but his expression didn't change. "Huh? For what?"
"For saving Tenjin," Momonga said, slightly out of breath. "If an Admiral were sent after him… I'm not sure he would have survived."
Garp laughed, a booming, contagious sound. "Who says I'm not going to capture him?"
Momonga blinked. "Huh?"
Garp's grin turned serious for just a moment. "I'm going to capture that boy myself. Turn him into the light for the next generation." He looked straight ahead. "I'm old now, Momonga. What the world needs is a next generation not corrupted by this cruel World Government motion. Tenjin… he's one of those kids."
Momonga chuckled softly. "I see. Then I'll be counting on you, Vice Admiral Garp."
Garp dug his nose again, a signature move that always seemed to punctuate his thoughts. "Don't you worry."
Momonga nodded, then took the next turn, heading down his own path, leaving Garp to continue forward alone.
Sunlight began to pour through the open doorway at the end of the hall, illuminating the vast expanse beyond. Garp stepped out, and before him sprawled an abandoned shipyard, the wooden skeletons of old vessels stacked carelessly alongside rusted metal scraps, remnants of ships long past their prime.
From deeper in the yard came the unmistakable sounds of wooden swords clashing, thwack, thwack, thud. Garp's eyes narrowed, and his grin returned. He recognized those familiar rhythms immediately.
"Bogard! Koby! Helmeppo!" he bellowed.
The three stopped mid-motion. Bogard's hat shifted slightly as he sheathed his sword with fluid precision. Koby and Helmeppo froze, wooden swords in hand, sweat glistening on their brows.
Koby had changed drastically in the three months since Garp last saw him. He now stood taller, his shoulders broader, his posture confident. His once-boyish face carried the sharpness and determination of a burgeoning young Marine. Helmeppo had improved as well, looking less timid, more assured.
"Koby! Helmeppo!" Garp called again, voice cutting through the open yard. "Come on! We're leaving!"
Koby's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Garp-sensei! Are we leaving already?"
"Yes," Garp said simply, the grin never leaving his face. "Something interesting has come up."
Bogard adjusted his hat and began walking past them. "I'll be waiting on the ship, Garp-san," he said with a measured nod. "Make it quick."
Koby and Helmeppo exchanged a glance, adrenaline kicking in. With synchronized movements, they began rushing off to change into proper uniforms and ready their equipment. Their wooden swords had trained them well, but they knew the coming mission demanded full preparedness.
Garp watched them for a moment, arms crossed, a grin stretching wide across his face. The wind carried the faint scent of salt and old wood, a nostalgic aroma that reminded him of countless adventures, battles, and training sessions past.
He shook his head, chuckling to himself. "That boy Tenjin… can't wait to meet him."
---
2 days later.
How could news ever stay hidden with the existence of Big News Morgan? The headlines screamed across the seas, spreading faster than any current or storm. The incident in the North Blue—the shocking clash involving Captain Tenjin—was now common knowledge. Every corner of the world had its own reaction.
---
South Blue.
Prince Grus lounged carelessly on his captain's chair, legs propped up on the desk, a bag of chips balanced on one knee. He flipped through the newspaper with a smirk, crunching idly as he scanned the pages.
A female Marine, carefully carrying a tray of tea, stepped closer. "Captain Grus, is… what's in the newspaper so interesting? You're never this invested."
Grus looked up through the corner of his eye, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Oh, Yoru… you have no idea how happy I am right now." He tapped the paper lightly. "It seems the trainee program I'm heading to will not be boring at all. Interesting people, all over the place… I can't wait."
Yoru shook her head, exasperated but amused. "I should've known. Only you would be thrilled by this kind of chaos."
---
East Blue.
Elsewhere, a scene unfolded that left civilians blinking in sheer disbelief.
The Navy had been called to respond to a pirate raid. What they saw when reinforcements arrived was… unconventional, to say the least.
A woman sat perched on the back of a man kneeling before her, his tongue lolling out as he huffed like a dog. In front of her, twenty-three pirates were positioned on all fours, paws raised, trembling in perfect obedience. Kujaku, the Commander General, wielded her whip sword with deadly precision. Every strike cracked through the air with a sharp snap.
"You will never commit piracy again, right?" she purred, voice low and sultry.
The pirates, uniformly kneeling, terrified yet strangely reverent chanted, "Yes! We will never commit piracy again!"
Kujaku licked her finger slowly, biting the tip with a grin that sent chills down the spines of everyone present. "Good. All of you deserve a treat." Her whip lashed again, merciless, and somehow, it seemed the men… enjoyed it.
Just then, a Marine appeared at her shoulder, urgency written all over his face. "Commander General Kujaku, you have to see this."
Kujaku took the newspaper handed to her and scanned the page. Her eyes widened, a wild smile creeping across her face, teeth bared. "Ohhh… it seems there are some very… bad boys in my class that I might need to whip into shape. How interesting."
The air seemed to vibrate with her amusement. Even the trembling pirates paused to watch her, realizing that the world itself could be far more chaotic than they ever imagined.
Amazon Lily.
Within the golden, serpent-laden halls of Amazon Lily, Gloriosa, the tiny but energetic palace attendant, practically skidded down the corridor, her feet clattering against the marble. Her arms waved frantically as she reached the throne room, where the Empress herself, Boa Hancock, lounged with all the regality of the island. Hancock's throne was a massive coiled snake, its head poised menacingly above her. She sipped her tea slowly, exuding an air of indifferent majesty.
"Boa! Boa! You have to see this!" Gloriosa called out, nearly out of breath.
Hancock lifted one languid eyelid, clearly unimpressed. "What is it, Gloriosa? I really don't want to deal with your drama today."
"Nevermind my drama!" Gloriosa interrupted, thrusting a newspaper into Hancock's hands. "It's the newspaper for today! A Celestial Dragon… someone punched a Celestial Dragon! Can you believe it?!"
Hancock froze mid-sip. The porcelain cup slipped from her delicate fingers and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. Her eyes widened, her usual icy composure cracking as she slowly stared at Gloriosa.
"What… did you say?" she whispered, her voice a mix of shock and disbelief.