"See? You think it's a good idea too, don't you?"
Garp laughed heartily, proud of his own brilliance.
"Did you at least ask why Newgate was trying to trade territory with Sanders?"
"Nope!"
Garp answered boldly and without hesitation.
"Why bother with that?"
"As long as we know Newgate won't form an alliance, that's all that matters."
The Den Den Mushi mimicking Sengoku developed a throbbing vein on its forehead. After a moment, Sengoku took a deep breath and asked:
"How's Newgate's condition?"
"How did it feel exchanging blows with him?"
As an old rival, Sengoku always kept tabs on Whitebeard.
If he could eliminate the Whitebeard Pirates before retiring as Fleet Admiral, his career would be nearly without regrets.
"Very strong!"
Garp stopped picking his nose and grew serious.
"Not weakened at all."
The Sengoku-faced Den Den Mushi frowned, puzzled.
"Wasn't he suffering from internal injuries and constantly hooked up to IV drips?"
"He's not weakened at all?"
Sengoku knew Whitebeard's health wasn't great.
Maybe not the details, but the IV drip part—the Navy's intel department had thoroughly confirmed it.
Or rather, Whitebeard wasn't even trying to hide it.
"Don't know."
"We only exchanged one blow."
"But it felt like his body was in way better shape than the intel said."
"Trying to take him down before retirement? Forget it."
Garp replied.
Sengoku was silent for two seconds, then slowly said:
"If we're certain the Whitebeard Pirates won't ally with Sanders, then Chenli doesn't need to monitor them anymore."
"Head back to HQ."
"Or go assist Aokiji."
"The Beasts Pirates allying with the Thunder God Pirates is a far likelier threat."
"They might be plotting something big."
"Nope!"
"I'm heading to East Blue!"
Garp rejected the order outright.
"Didn't you just finish a vacation?"
"Don't mess around. This could be serious."
Sengoku's forehead was covered in dark lines; he was starting to lose patience.
"No, something came up on my end."
"What happened?"
"A pirate might be targeting my family!"
"WHAT?!!"
Sengoku was shocked.
A pirate threatening Garp's family? That was a massive deal!
He absolutely didn't want an old comrade to suffer the same fate as Zephyr, whose family was killed by pirates in the name of justice.
"Who is it? Where did you get this information?!"
"Oh… I accidentally told Whitebeard that I have two grandsons."
Sengoku: "..."
Before Sengoku could even respond, Garp continued:
"Whitebeard would never do something like that."
"And his sons—the Whitebeard Pirates' division commanders—are all well-known figures.
They probably wouldn't either."
"But there were plenty of other Whitebeard Pirates present."
"Maybe they wouldn't act, but what if one day they got drunk and let it slip?"
"Anyone could track my movements and figure out I often vacation in East Blue."
Garp then recounted everything Bogart had said to him.
Sengoku was utterly speechless.
"You have two grandsons?"
"Huh? I didn't tell you that, Sengoku?"
Garp scratched his forehead as he spoke.
"No!"
Sengoku squeezed the word out through clenched teeth.
"Hahaha, is that so?"
"Well, now you know."
Garp laughed carefreely, digging in his nose with a thick finger.
"The other one isn't like that Fire Fist, is he?"
"Of course not!"
"My grandson will become an outstanding Marine!"
"Once I find Ace, I'll bring him back to the right path—with the fist of love!"
Garp roared passionately, cracking his knuckles loudly.
On the other end, Sengoku's Den Den Mushi showed a helpless expression.
"So that's why I need to go back to— uh, I mean protect my family, Sengoku."
"Leave the New World to Aokiji and Akainu."
Garp continued, as if his reasoning was unshakable.
Sengoku was covered in metaphorical black lines, but he had to admit Garp had a point.
If information about Garp's family got out through the Whitebeard Pirates…
There really was a possibility they'd be endangered.
The Whitebeard Pirates weren't just a handful of core members.
They also had numerous affiliated pirate crews.
And those crews knew other pirates as well.
If the rumor spread, it wouldn't take long before half the sea knew.
Garp had made a lot of enemies over the years as a hero of the Marines.
If a pirate managed to kill Garp's family, it would be a massive achievement.
Enough to earn infamy across the world.
There might actually be someone crazy enough to try.
Garp's son was another story—few dared mess with him.
And Ace, his grandson, had already made a name for himself on the seas.
But that other grandson…
he really did need protection.
After thinking for a moment, Sengoku, though fully aware that Garp just wanted a vacation, still agreed to the request.
"Fine, go back to East Blue."
"Aokiji and Akainu can handle things here. Kizaru can assist if needed."
"Hahaha, great!"
Garp was visibly overjoyed.
He hung up immediately—like he was afraid Sengoku might change his mind.
Back in the Fleet Admiral's office…
Sengoku sat in his chair, staring blankly at the Den Den Mushi in his hand.
His mouth twitched involuntarily.
After a moment, he put the Den Den Mushi down, removed his glasses, and rubbed his brow, visibly exhausted.
"The bloodline of the Revolutionary Army's leader, Dragon…"
"Garp, you really know how to make life hard for me."
Sengoku murmured to himself.
After a moment, he reached to a corner of his desk and pulled out a thick stack of papers.
They were wanted posters of various pirates.
At the very top was Sanders'.
In the photo, lightning surged around him like a silver storm.
Sanders stood proudly like a god of thunder—majestic and awe-inspiring.
Looking at the exaggerated bounty printed on it,
Sengoku felt a sharp pang of regret.
This man should have been the Navy's rising star…
Now, he was on the opposing side.
Even now, Sengoku couldn't get over the fact that Sanders left the Marines.
He often thought:
If only, back then, the Marines had brought Sanders' adoptive father to Marineford for protection…
Or at least given him a peaceful position.
Then he wouldn't have encountered the Celestial Dragons.
He wouldn't have been killed.
And Sanders wouldn't have left the Marines.
If that hadn't happened…
He wouldn't now be dealing with such a threat on the seas.
With a man strong enough to challenge even Whitebeard at my side, I could have planned to eliminate the Four Emperors…
But now, it was all too late.
Sengoku lifted Sanders' wanted poster, revealing the other members of the Thunder God Pirates beneath it.
The blind swordsman Issho, the Devil's Child Nico Robin, the Cat Burglar Nami, the Surgeon of Death Law...
He had intentionally placed every Thunder God Pirates member at the top of the stack—
That alone showed how seriously Sengoku regarded Sanders and his crew.
After flipping through the pile for a while, Sengoku pulled out a specific wanted poster.
Fire Fist Ace!
"Heh…"
"The old man didn't really think he could hide it forever, did he?"
"The name of Roger's saber was also 'Ace'!"
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