Garp Returns to the Village

"Vice Admiral Garp?"

The older agent's dagger froze in mid-air. Another agent had already reached for the Den Den Mushi, but was hit on the wrist by a senbei that Garp casually flicked out. The Den Den Mushi rolled under the counter, making a series of panicked cries.

Garp placed the bag of senbei on the table, casually picked up a piece, and popped it into his mouth. "Don't mention your rank; I'm currently the Navy Protection Order Executor near Foosha Village."

Lin Qi watched him enter through the back door, then glanced at the image of Garp at Marineford on the Sky Screen, his tone slightly unsteady. "Mr. Garp, weren't you at Marine Headquarters?"

On the other side of the Sky Screen, Garp in Marineford was also stunned.

Sengoku turned to look at him. "When did you leave?"

Garp looked down at himself, then at his reflection in the Sky Screen, and suddenly laughed. "That's not me."

The crane reacted the fastest. "The one in the Foosha Village Tavern, it must be System Projection Protection?"

The Sky Screen provided a clue.

[Protection Protocol accesses Local Historical Protection Image]

[Base character: Monkey D. Garp]

[Function: Deter illegal Executor; does not possess a complete combat entity]

The projection of Garp in the Tavern cracked his wrists, but the wooden floorboards creaked under his foot.

Lin Qi looked at the cracked wooden plank beneath his feet. "Since it doesn't have a complete combat structure, can you compensate me for the floor?"

Projector Garp turned to look at him. "Kid, still thinking about the floor at a time like this?"

Lin Qi pointed at CP. "I care about life, and I care about debts. That's how adults are."

Makino stood at the doorway, initially relieved, but then her expression tightened again upon realizing that Garp was merely a projection. "Mr. Garp, can he stop them?"

The real Garp looked up in Marineford. "Sky Screen, I request to take over the projection."

Akainu frowned. "What do you want to do?"

Garp tossed his cloak over his shoulder. "Protect the civilian witness."

Sengoku immediately said, "Garp, if you use projection to attack CP, the Holy Land will have something on you."

Garp looked at the guns and knives in the Foosha Village scene. "When they put the knives in front of the villagers, they already gave me leverage."

The Sky Screen indicator flashed.

[Access authorized by me]

[Vice Admiral Garp can provide one Non-lethal Defensive Action]

Garling sneered. "The Hero of the Marines is using the Sky Screen to protect the suspected question setter. Is the navy openly rebelling against the Throne?"

Akainu's voice directly drowned out his. "Marine Headquarters orders that Executor on-site at Foosha Village immediately lay down their weapons, disclose the source of their authorization, and undergo a preliminary investigation."

Garling turned to look at the Marineford screen. "Sakazuki, you're digging a grave for the Navy."

Akainu tossed his cloak back. "You dug this grave yourselves. As for how many people are buried inside, Sky Screen is counting them."

At the exit of Sabaody, Luffy heard Garp's voice and stopped abruptly. "Grandpa?"

Nami held him back. "Don't rush in yet, he's helping Lin Qi."

Luffy stared at the projection of Garp in the Tavern, unsure whether to curse or rejoice. "Old man, don't let them touch the village!"

Projector Garp scratched his ear. "I heard you, brat."

The two CP Agents exchanged a glance. The older one didn't back down; instead, he pressed his short blade against Lin Qi's computer. "Target device first."

Lin Qi's expression changed. "Hey, don't touch that."

The projection of Garp stepped forward, his fist not aimed at anyone, but slammed into the edge of the counter, causing the floor beneath the two agents' feet to flip, the short blades to deflect, and bottles of liquor to roll all over the floor.

The older agent seized the opportunity to turn the tables, concealing a black syringe on his wrist, the needle aimed directly at Lin Qi's hand.

Makino exclaimed, "Lin Qi!"

Lin Qi closed his laptop and shrank back behind the counter. The needle tip grazed his cuff and pierced the wooden board.

The projected Garp's fist stopped in front of the agent, unable to continue attacking, and Golden Light indicator light immediately lit up.

[Non-lethal protection attempts have been used]

The agent gritted his teeth and laughed. "The projection doesn't have a second punch."

Lin Qi looked down at the syringe on the wooden board, and a new notification popped up on the screen.

[Memory-Extraction Drug detected]

[Evidence gathering in progress]

He looked up at the agents. "So you weren't just after me, you wanted to take what's in my head?"

The agent's face darkened. "Shut up."

The Sky Screen, however, had already magnified the syringe to the entire world.

[Cipher Pol Erasure Squad is carrying a forbidden Memory-Extraction Drug]

[Purpose: To extract memories of suspected test creators and destroy their personality integrity]

Outside the Foosha Village, the villagers were in an uproar. Makino's hand was pressed against the door frame, her fingertips turning white from the pressure.

The Village Chief raised his cane and pointed it at the special agents. "You still call this official business?"

The agent kicked towards the Village Chief, but the projected Garp blocked the doorway. Although he could no longer throw a punch, he used his body to block the door.

"Who gave you permission to harm the villagers?"

The older agent looked at the projection and said coldly, "The projection can't stop the Erasure Order."

The Den Den Mushi lit up again from under the counter, and the black light of Imu's authority crawled out from its eye.

[Throne Command Update]

[Target devices and target memories will be prioritized for recovery]

[Remove witnesses if necessary]

Lin Qi watched the black light crawl towards the computer, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he typed a few words. "You want the equipment, right? Then first ask if equipment counts as evidence."

The Sky Screen immediately unfurled, revealing the question.

[Emergency Evidence Preservation]

[Question: Can suspected test-setting equipment be seized on-site by the Holy Land Silencing Chain?]

[A. Yes, the equipment poses a global stability threat.]

[B. Yes, it can be detained and then further investigated]

[C. No, third-party witnessing and sealing are required]

[D. No, and seizing equipment in Silencing Chain constitutes evidence contamination.]

Upon seeing the question, Robin immediately said, "D, once the equipment enters the Holy Land, the chain of evidence will be broken."

Vegapunk slammed his fist on the table. "D, sealing it up with the Future Island Technical Team is fine, at least don't give it to the Silencing Chain '."

Akainu coldly stated, "Marine Headquarters, D, the equipment was sealed under the joint witness of the Navy Independent Review Group, the Revolutionary Army, Future Island, and myself, who are under protection."

Sengoku asked in a low voice, "You've included the Revolutionary Army too?"

Akainu looked at the dragon on the screen. "If we only write about the Navy today, nobody will believe it."

Long raised his hand to confirm. "Revolutionary Army, D, accept joint witnessing, without touching the original equipment."

Shanks looked at Lin Qi's computer. "Red Hair Pirates, D. Equipment must not be handed over to the Throne."

Luffy shouted after him, "D, you're not allowed to steal Lin Qi's stuff!"

Lin Qi muttered in the Tavern, "It doesn't have to be said so casually as if it's about protecting a secret stash of money."

Nami gritted her teeth. "The fact that he still has the energy to complain means he's not dead yet."

Golden Light descended from the Sky Screen.

[Answer: D]

[Equipment included in evidence preservation]

[The Silencing Chain must not be seized at the scene.]

[Touching this will trigger Evidence Contamination Mark.]

The older agent's hand had already touched the computer case when Golden Light immediately climbed onto the back of his hand, burning him so much that he threw the computer back onto the counter.

Lin Qi quickly caught it. "Be gentle, there really is an account book inside."

The agent whispered, "Change the plan, take them away."

Another agent pulled out a smoke grenade from his waist and was about to throw it when suddenly a flurry of footsteps came from outside the door.

The East Blue Branch Marines rushed into the alleyway. The leading major raised his gun, but did not aim it at the villagers. "By order of headquarters, protect the civilian witnesses of Foosha Village. CP personnel on site, put down your weapons!"

The agent gritted his teeth. "You dare stop CP?"

The major looked at the Sky Screen, then glanced at Makino and the Village Chief. "Public authorization."

The agent remained silent.

The major raised his gun. "Put down your knife without public authorization."

Garling stood on the Chief Adjudication Platform, watching the Navy intervene in the situation in Foosha Village. His blade left long marks on the stone. "Navy, Revolutionary Army, pirates, civilians—they're all testifying for the one who set the questions."

Sabo said coldly, "It sounds like you're the minority."

Garling looked up. "Even a few can clear the field."

The black markings on the Chief Adjudication Platform suddenly retracted, no longer bothering Shanks, and poured entirely towards the edge of the Foosha Village scene.

Vegapunk immediately shouted, "He's going to sever the Sky Screen Protection Protocol!"

A warning also popped up on Lin Qi's computer.

[Protection Protocol Cut Apart by Throne]

[Residual stability decreased]

Lin Qi looked at the CP at the door, the Navy at the alley entrance, Garling in the Sky Screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.

He suddenly turned the computer screen towards the two secret agents.

"You want to arrest me? Fine."

The agent frowned.

Lin Qi pressed Enter, and the question page lit up again.

[I have additional questions]

[Question: If Lin Qi is Protected Civilian Witness, should the on-site Cipher Pol Erasure Squad be immediately subjected to public scrutiny?]

[A. Not required]

[B. Only need to report to the Holy Land]

[C. Required, but can be taken away for review later]

[D. It is necessary and imperative to disarm on the spot and hand over the authorization record for the Silencing Chain.]

The expressions on the two CP Agents ' faces finally changed.

Lin Qi looked up and smiled at them.

"Don't rush, it's your turn to answer the questions."