At this time, Garp finally arrived at Baltigo, accompanied by several Marine officers — including Doberman and Koby.
The reason for their arrival was simple: to verify the truth of the reports. After all, the newspaper had provided no photographs. Still, everyone believed the story — because when the news comes from Morgans, it's almost always true.
After all, Morgans' News practically monopolized journalism across the world. It was the unchallenged overlord of both information and influence.
But among those present, only a few Marines knew Garp's real reason for coming — not as an officer of the Marine, but as a father wanting to see his son, to confirm the body of Dragon.
It was a son meeting his father…An old man with white hair facing the lifeless body of a man with black hair.
When the Marines landed, they were immediately hit by the overwhelming stench of death — the foul odor of rotting corpses. The island itself was nothing but ruins and devastation. Bodies were scattered everywhere, twisted in agony, silent witnesses to a brutal war.
"He's been dead for several days" Doberman muttered, frowning.
Garp didn't respond. With a face full of desperation, he rushed inland, searching among the ruins — searching for him.
He was looking for Dragon's body.
"The body of Karasu, Commander of the North Army — yes, it's him! Although it's decayed, you can still recognize the uniform! These are Revolutionary soldiers!"
"I found the Commander of the West Army!"
"The one with blue hair in the distance — is that Ivankov?"
"Yes… it's him!"
"I never thought I'd live to see the entire Revolutionary Army wiped out."
"Elior… truly terrifying!"
"Even though we didn't witness the battle ourselves, the devastation here, the cratered landscape, the corpses — it's horrifying enough!"
"There are also numerous bodies from Germa 66! It seems that among the Yonko, Elior's forces are different from the others — instead of massive pirate crews, he relies heavily on Germa's army!"
"They say Germa is about to be expelled from the World Government's allied nations — the Vinsmokes have gotten far too close to Elior."
As the Marines ventured deeper into the island, shouts of shock echoed through the ranks.
The sight of the corpses filled them with mixed emotions — relief at the fall of the Revolutionary Army, but also fear at the sheer might of Elior.
The Marines were shaken, frightened, and awestruck all at once.
And then — Garp found him.
At the bottom of a massive crater lay Dragon's corpse.
Compared to the other fallen revolutionaries, Dragon's body was in a far worse state.
Dried blood covered every inch of him. A massive hole pierced through his chest — nearly as large as Garp's fist. Garp didn't need to guess. As a master of hand-to-hand combat, he knew exactly what this was: a punch.
The sheer force had shattered Dragon's ribcage, crushed his organs, and torn through his body completely.
No one could have survived a blow like that. Not even Whitebeard.
By now, Dragon's body had already begun to rot. The stench was unbearable. But Garp didn't care.
This was his son.
He knelt weakly beside the corpse, his body trembling. Tears welled in his eyes and began to fall freely down his wrinkled cheeks, dripping onto the blood-stained earth below.
"...Dragon…"
Garp's voice cracked as he choked on his own grief. Slowly, he reached out and closed Dragon's eyes — eyes that were still frozen in an expression of pain, rage, and regret.
Dragon had died without peace.
"I've failed completely as a father…"
Garp's chest ached with helplessness and guilt. How he wished this was all a nightmare — something he could wake from. But it wasn't. This was cruel, undeniable reality.
His son was dead.
The stench of decay filled the air, but Garp didn't move.
"I failed you all," he whispered bitterly. "Ace and Luffy became pirates… and you, you became a revolutionary. I'm truly… the most worthless father in the world. I only ever wanted you to become a great Marine…"
He clenched his fists tightly, his shoulders trembling.
For him, losing Dragon was like watching the sky collapse. The pain was no less than when Ace had died.
Behind him, Koby and Helmeppo stood silently, unable to speak. They both knew the truth — that the leader of the Revolutionary Army had been Garp's son. They couldn't imagine his pain; they could only stand in silence.
They knew there were no words that could comfort him.
That day, under the watchful eyes of the Marines, Garp carried Dragon's body onto the warship himself. Most believed he intended to bring it to Marine Headquarters for official report and burial.
But Garp's real intention was to take his son back to Windmill Village in the East Blue — to bury him quietly, as family.
Doberman seemed to understand. He simply ordered the men to keep silent and carry out their duties.
After the burial, Garp sat alone on the deck, motionless for hours. He refused food, refused to speak.
But no one knew the storm raging inside him — the pure, burning hatred toward Elior.
Elior had killed Ace before. Now, he had killed Dragon.
Old wounds and new grief merged into one — the unbearable pain of losing two sons to the same man.
Inside Garp's heart, sorrow turned to fury.
He had already decided: After Dragon's burial, he would return to the first half of the Grand Line — to Paradise — and kill Elior with his own hands.
At any cost.
Reason no longer mattered. Justice no longer mattered.
For Garp, it was a miracle he hadn't already lost his mind on the spot.
He had fought countless wars and faced powerful foes all his life — but never had he known fear like this. Not for himself… but for what his rage might drive him to become.
Little did he know — Elior had planned this all along.
He had deliberately ordered Crocodile to leak the information about Dragon's death to Morgans, ensuring the story would reach Garp's hands.
Elior's goal was simple: lure Garp into Paradise, and eliminate him ahead of time.
After all, Garp was perhaps the single strongest man remaining within the Marine Headquarters.
And to Elior — removing such a force was simply one more step toward dismantling the world's order. One step closer to breaking the rule of the Celestial Dragons — and the Gorosei themselves.
At the very least, it would clear the path of obstacles.