Kizaru's hands trembled as he held Garp's, his usually lazy and indifferent demeanor now filled with pain and struggle.
His eyes flickered with alternating waves of black and golden light, tears streaming down endlessly.
Garp's hand tightened slightly, and Kizaru shuddered.
The black light in his eyes faded, and he calmed down.
At some point, Akainu and Aramaki had also come to stand before Garp.
Garp turned his gaze to Akainu and chuckled.
"Sakazuki, see... being Fleet Admiral isn't so easy, is it?"
"Old man, if you're injured, save your sarcasm!" Akainu said through gritted teeth, blood trickling from the corner of his eye.
"Hahaha, Sakazuki, did you know? When Sengoku was young, his temper was no smaller than yours. We fought our way across the seas—the name 'Sengoku the Buddha' was earned with every punch. It wasn't until later that we realized... force can't solve everything. Rashness is often just poison."
Garp's face was flushed with an unnatural redness, as if he was suddenly revitalized, his words coming faster now.
"We oppose the establishment of the Shichibukai system, but for the sake of temporary peace on the seas, we must suppress our anger and pain, allowing rampant pirates to wreak havoc, wielding their legal right to plunder as they rampage across the ocean!"
"We oppose the destruction of the scholars' sacred land, Ohara, but reason tells us that the future and the present are what we must cherish. What good does it do to obsess over the past, uncovering historical injustices or the secrets of the Ancient Weapons?"
"Would it lead to another war that overturns the world? Destroy the World Government, eliminate the Celestial Dragons, and then what?"
"New world nobles would inevitably emerge—new Celestial Dragons, new kings, whether twenty or thirty in number!"
Garp spoke with rising emotion, even managing to sit up with great effort, startling everyone.
A flicker of excitement flashed in Kizaru's eyes.
Garp continued addressing Akainu.
"Sakazuki, as Fleet Admiral, no matter what criticism, infamy, or humiliation you face, there's one thing you must uphold."
Akainu gritted his teeth. "I know, I know! For justice! For the future of the Marines!"
Garp chuckled and turned his gaze to Aramaki beside Akainu. Follow current novels on novel[f]ire.net
"Aramaki, Bwahahaha! How does it feel to become a woman? And such a beauty at that—a female admiral! The Marines haven't had one in two hundred years."
Aramaki flushed with anger, though a faint blush also rose on her delicate cheeks, making her appear even more charming.
"Wahahaha! Truly an eye-opener for this old man. Sakazuki, maybe the two of you should get married and have a few dozen kids. With talents like yours, your children might not be any weaker than Caesar's son, hahaha!"
Garp laughed uproariously, tears streaming from his eyes.
Akainu and Aramaki twitched, glaring at Garp in unison.
"You shameless old man! Cut the nonsense and rest properly, you bastard!"
A sudden gale swept across the land, and within the wind, a towering figure gradually materialized, landing softly on the ground.
Fujitora abruptly opened his eyes, his cane-sword unsheathing with a metallic ring, already infused with Haki and his Devil Fruit power.
Kizaru also stood abruptly, a slender black-and-gold light sword appearing in his hand, aimed at the newcomer.
Akainu turned, his expression cold as he ground out the name through clenched teeth.
Ignoring their hostility and the overwhelming pressure they exuded, Dragon walked forward steadily, step by step, towards Garp.
"Dragon… you came." Garp's face showed no anger, no disappointment—only a smile, just as he always approached life, bringing joy to the somber athmosphere.
"Yes, Father… I've come."
Dragon passed between Fujitora and Kizaru, stepped past Akainu and Aramaki, and knelt beside Luffy, reaching out to support Garp's back.
Akainu and the others didn't stop him.
Fujitora sheathed his weapon, Kizaru's light sword vanished and the group silently watched the grandfather, father, and son.
Garp's gaze shifted from Dragon to Luffy, his face blooming with a tender smile, though his voice grew weaker and his eyes gradually dimmed.
"Dragon, Luffy, if you had joined the Marines, you would have been the finest Fleet Admiral and Admiral... Alas, one of you became a revolutionary, the other a pirate. Neither of you listened to me..."
"Father..." Dragon's voice trembled, his face hidden beneath his hood, expression unreadable.
Only the slight shaking of his hand as it held Garp's betrayed his emotions.
Garp looked at Dragon—the son who had once been his greatest pride.
Dragon had been part of the same generation as Akainu and Kizaru, all of them the Marine's most outstanding officers.
Due to Garp's status and achievements, Dragon had been groomed from the start to become the next Fleet Admiral.
With his innate Conqueror's Haki and talents surpassing all others, Dragon's brilliance had even overshadowed Akainu and the others, making him the strongest young officer of the Marine Headquarters in his time!
Under the guidance of several mentors, Dragon's Haki, combat skills, leadership in battle, political acumen, and strategic command all reached extraordinary heights.
Back then, Dragon becoming the Fleet Admiral after Sengoku was practically a foregone conclusion.
Yet, this exceptionally talented young man, with such impeccable roots, one day vanished from Headquarters.
When he reappeared, he had founded the Revolutionary Army, standing in direct opposition to the Marines.
Garp's voice grew weaker, his fingers twitching as if trying to grasp something.
"Was I too harsh on you... Please don't hate me, Dragon, Luffy. Follow the path you believe is right. As long as you have no regrets... then it's all... worth it..."
"Grandpa!" Luffy's usual grin was gone, replaced by anguish as he knelt on the ice, tears streaming down his face, his hands clawing at the frozen surface.
Dragon gently cradled Garp's aged body in his arms, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Akainu and the others stood rigidly at attention, raising their hands in a slow, solemn salute.
"What a long journey it's been... Sengoku, Zephyr, Tsuru, Roger, Newgate..."
Garp lay weakly in Dragon's embrace, his clouded eyes slowly closing, his trembling fingers gradually stilling.
"Hey, you cocky brat, what's your name?"
"Huh? Me? I'm Monkey D. Garp, the man who'll become the strongest Marine!"
"Pfft—HAHAHA! I'm Sengoku, and I swear I'll be the strongest Marine!"
"Bastard, what did you just say? I'll beat the crap out of you!"
"Eh? Who's that female officer? She's pretty sharp-looking. Sengoku, you interested?"
"Hm? Tsuru? She's not the gentle type—better watch out or she'll hang you out to dry."
"That blockhead Zephyr, always holed up in the training grounds. A total training maniac."
"So you're the Supernova from the New World, Roger? Hmph! Your pirate days end here today! I, Monkey D. Garp, am the one who'll end your fate!"
"What? You want me to take care of your son? Damn it, Roger, don't decide things on your own! I'm your enemy!"
"Hey, Garp, why are you still sleeping? Get up, we're moving out!"
"Huh? Moving out? To where?"
"To the New World! Tsuru, Zephyr—we're going after Roger and Newgate!"
"Ha ha! You should've called me sooner! I'm on my way..."
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