Shaya Preparing to Take Stussy Out to Sea

Two months later...

Shaya was finally ready to take Stussy out to sea.

Ahem.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

"Garp! There is something you need to do!"

In the office of the Fleet Admiral, Fleet Admiral Kong, the current head of the Marines, sat with his arms crossed behind his desk...

Standing before Kong was the person who caused him endless headaches: the over-fifty-year-old, yet still energetic, overgrown "problem child," Monkey D. Garp.

Even with Kong's experience and patience, his expression held a hint of "pleading" when he saw Garp. After all, this old guy was notorious for not following orders.

"Huh? What is it?"

"Could it be that the Marines have finally found the trail of that old guy, Roger?"

"I'll go capture him right now."

Facing Kong's order, the overgrown "problem child" known as Garp looked indifferent. He picked his nose while looking at the Fleet Admiral with a nonchalant expression, then asked softly.

"It's not about Roger..."

Hearing this, Kong's expression turned helpless.

"Then is it Whitebeard? Or the Golden Lion?"

"The Golden Lion hasn't been heard from since he lost to Roger..."

"As for Whitebeard, isn't Sengoku keeping an eye on that front? I shouldn't be needed for that, right? Or does that old guy Sengoku have other things to do right now?"

Garp looked at Kong, asking while rolling a large glob of snot he had just dug out of his nose into a ball, then flicking it onto the floor of the Fleet Admiral's private office, right under Kong's disgusted gaze.

"It's not a matter of pirates."

"A big shot from above is coming, and you need to provide protection!"

After weighing his words, Kong spoke to Garp earnestly.

"Heh, a big shot who needs me to provide protection?"

Upon hearing this, a look of disdain immediately filled Garp's eyes.

"It's the Celestial Dragons, right?"

To this, Garp asked Kong directly.

"Garp, this time it was specifically requested from above that you, the Hero of the Marines, personally provide the escort! Garp, please don't make things difficult for me..."

Kong said to Garp sternly.

"Besides that, there is one more thing..." Kong continued without waiting for Garp to speak further: "Garp, you have sat in the position of Vice Admiral for too long. The higher-ups mean that you should move up! How have you considered the promotion?"

"Currently, although we have Sengoku and Zephyr in the positions of Marine Admiral, you know the situation with Zephyr, don't you? Therefore, the only Admiral we can mobilize is Sengoku. The higher-ups believe that one Marine Admiral is not enough to guarantee their safety, so they need you, the Hero of the Marines, to be promoted immediately..."

Kong explained the current difficulties and plight of the Marines to Garp.

Kong truly hoped that Garp could share some of the pressure; no one understood the current predicament of the Marines better than he, the Fleet Admiral, did...

"Hahaha, let's just forget about the promotion."

"I, Garp, am not worthy of the position; I don't deserve the rank of Marine Admiral..."

"As for helping the Celestial Dragons? Sorry, I'm not a Marine Admiral, just a plain old Vice Admiral. I don't have that kind of strength, so let the other Vice Admirals take on the burden!"

"After all, this vast Marine organization doesn't lack a Vice Admiral like me, does it?!"

"Aren't there plenty of people within the Marines who want to get in good with the Celestial Dragons? Let them have this rare opportunity; I won't be going..."

After hearing Kong's words, Garp burst into loud laughter and, while speaking, prepared to leave Kong's office. Thirteen years ago, the events at God Valley had left Garp with half a lifetime of regret. The title of Hero of the Marines sounded so grating to his ears; if he could, he would never want to have anything to do with the Celestial Dragons again for the rest of his life.

"Garp, come back!"

"You get back here..."

Watching Garp leave as he pleased, Kong's brows furrowed into a knot, and he roared in anger.

"Hahaha..."

Facing Kong's roar, Garp simply laughed heartily and strode away.

"Mr. Garp has refused the promotion again!"

"It's said that he made Fleet Admiral Kong roar in his office!"

"Hahaha, that's so cool! I want to be like that too..."

"Kuzan, just having that thought is lazy enough! Just as lazy as Garp! As soldiers, it is our mission to obey orders and follow commands..."

"Huh? What are you saying, Sakazuki? Mr. Garp is the Hero of the Marines! How could there be anything wrong with learning from the way a hero does things?!"

"Sigh, Sakazuki, Kuzan, are you two arguing again? What a pain."

As Garp defied the Fleet Admiral's authority in front of everyone, the entire Marine Headquarters of Marineford was once again in an uproar. The various Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals of the Marine Headquarters were, in turn, happily engaged in a heated discussion about Garp's refusal to be promoted yet again.

Holy Land Mary Geoise.

"Your Highness Saint Shaya, I am truly sorry..."

"Vice Admiral Garp has other important matters to attend to! Therefore, he is temporarily unable to take on the task of escorting you on this trip..."

"However, please rest assured, our Navy will immediately arrange another suitable candidate for you, and we will certainly not delay your itinerary in the slightest..."

A Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral sat properly and with utmost decorum before Shaya, his head bowed, his expression filled with a mix of sincerity and trepidation.

This Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral was the liaison specifically appointed by the current Fleet Admiral Kong to communicate with the Celestial Dragons! In other words, he was the so-called designated punching bag for the Celestial Dragons...

Although this Vice Admiral's mastery of Rokushiki and Haki was not particularly impressive, his ability to bow, kneel, and smooth things over was truly a unique talent within the Navy.

"No! He will come."

Regarding what the Vice Admiral had just said, Shaya's expression remained indifferent.

"Go and inform Vice Admiral Garp..."

"Tell him that the World Government has already located Pirate King Roger."

Shaya looked at the Vice Admiral before him and spoke without changing his expression.

"What? Roger? The Pirate King Roger?"

"Has the World Government actually managed to find the Pirate King Roger, who successfully circumnavigated the world and reached Laugh Tale just a few months ago, in such a short amount of time?"

Upon hearing this, the Vice Admiral's expression was instantly one of shock.

"Is there a problem?"

Shaya looked at the Vice Admiral and asked.

"No! No, there is absolutely no problem..." The Vice Admiral shook his head repeatedly and looked at Shaya, promising, "I will report exactly what Your Highness Saint Shaya has instructed to Vice Admiral Garp. I believe that when the time comes, Vice Admiral Garp will make the correct choice—one that will satisfy the World Government and Your Highness Saint Shaya."

It must be said that this Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral's rhetoric was absolutely flawless.

This demeanor, filled with trepidation and reverence, was indeed very much to the liking of the Celestial Dragons.

To this, Shaya noted that Kong certainly knew how to use his people.

"You may leave."

After Shaya finished speaking, he did not give the Vice Admiral a chance to say more, turned around, and left the conference room.

"Young Master Shaya, when did our World Government find out Roger's location?!"

As Shaya walked out of the conference room, Stussy, acting as Shaya's personal maid, immediately leaned in close and asked in a low voice.

"Just now, I found out just now..."

"Stussy, you should understand. I am a Celestial Dragon, a descendant of the great Figarland family, a descendant of the creators of the world, an incarnation of a god!"

"In this world, as long as it is something I want to know, there is nothing I do not know! As a descendant of the gods, it is only natural that I am omniscient and omnipotent, isn't it?!"

To this, Shaya replied without changing his expression.

Alright! This naturally evil Celestial Dragon brat is lying again.

At this, a flash of realization crossed Stussy's expression.

Stussy naturally did not believe that Shaya truly knew Roger's whereabouts.

One had to know that even they in CP0 did not have much information on Roger's trail.

Therefore, Stussy concluded that this child, Shaya, was spouting nonsense again...

At the same time, Stussy felt a hint of sympathy, only waiting for the next victim to appear, ready to be hoodwinked and deceived by Shaya's words.

"Huh? The World Government actually found a trace of Roger?"

On the other side, when Shaya's words reached Garp's ears, he frowned in a rare display of concern. In his heart, Garp felt that Roger should not be so easily found.

However, Garp was unsure of the authenticity of this intelligence; after all, the power of the World Government was hidden far too deep.

The contract status has changed, please follow the updates! Dear readers~