"Shichibukai?"
Garen's first reaction upon hearing those words was, "But I'm not a pirate!"
"Mm."
Garp fell silent on the other end of the receiver. Only after a moment did he reply:
"Actually, the Shichibukai were never really considered pirates."
That was true enough.
The Shichibukai were the Shichibukai. From an official standpoint, they should be considered collaborators of the World Government.
It was just that nearly all the Shichibukai members happened to be pirates, so in the eyes of the Marines and ordinary people, the words "Shichibukai" were no different from vicious great pirates. Yet in the eyes of pirates, the Shichibukai were World Government lapdogs who had betrayed their own kind.
In short, the Shichibukai did not have a flattering reputation.
After only a few words of explanation, Garp said to Garen again:
"Kid, if you don't want to be a Shichibukai, then don't."
"You're not a pirate anyway. There's nothing Sengoku can do to you! Hahaha."
"Sengoku."
The moment he heard that name, Garen's scalp tingled.
Whether Garp had meant to or not, Garen immediately realized that this pig of his, now grown fat and strong, had caught the attention of someone as high-ranking as the Fleet Admiral.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
Garen hesitated for only two seconds before declaring righteously:
"I'll take this Shichibukai position!"
"From now on, I will firmly support the rule of the World Government and uphold—"
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Garp cursed irritably, then said something utterly unbefitting of a Marine Vice Admiral: "What's there to uphold about that bunch of World Government trash?"
"Ahem."
Only then did Garen, who had gotten too deep into his act, realize he was not being interviewed by reporters. He could not help feeling a little awkward. "Sorry, I mixed up my lines."
Garp did