Just Turned Eighteen~

The Dog Head Warship was still docked at the harbor. Large numbers of Marines were helping the island's residents with some basic reconstruction work while also rescuing the injured.

But that was about all the Marines could do. As a violent institution, they had always been good at killing but not cleaning up afterward—especially since this island was not territory under the World Government.

Inside the cabin, Garp held a Den Den Mushi and was speaking with Chief Staff Officer Tsuru.

"Yes, Bane Ortolan. I don't know whether that's his real name or an alias; I got it from the owner of the inn where he was staying. As for his age, he looked around twenty-three or twenty-four, but I'm not sure. He's three meters and twenty-four centimeters tall. Hmm... he's a Goro Goro no Mi devil fruit user. That's pretty rare. Anyway, look into him as soon as possible and see what his deal is," Garp said casually with a chuckle.

"Got it, got it. Though I already know the answer, let me ask anyway: where's Roger?" Chief Staff Officer Tsuru asked through the Den Den Mushi.

"If you already know the answer, then don't ask. Let me save some face—that's good manners too, isn't it? You really aren't much of a lady, little Tsuru," Garp said bluntly.

"What manners should I bother with when speaking to a brute like you?" Chief Staff Officer Tsuru shot back before continuing, "The Fleet Admiral and the higher-ups have finished their meeting. The concrete strategy for this operation in the New World has been decided, and Sengoku is in charge of it. If you have nothing else to do, don't linger in the New World. Return as soon as possible."

"Really? They settled it that quickly? What's the plan?" Garp asked curiously.

"Take the gateway waters of the New World completely and secure them. Further compress the living space available to New World pirates, then let them wear each other down from within," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru said.

The so-called "gateway waters" of the New World referred to a certain stretch of sea extending toward the New World, with the Red Line and the Holy Land Mary Geoise serving as the reference points.

For a long time, the Marines had called those waters the "gateway waters," as though they were the gates of Mary Geoise itself.

Originally, the Marines and the World Government had held those waters firmly for years. But as early as the Roxx Era, the Marines had lost control over part of the region. Then came Shiki's era. In order to bolster his standing among the pirates, Shiki had pressed farther into the area, seizing many islands and greatly squeezing the Marines' sphere of influence.

Before the Ed War Sea Battle, the Marines had planned to launch a counteroffensive in the New World's gateway waters soon. Now there was no need. Shiki had taken a disastrous fall on his own, so the Marines did not even need to start a major war.

"They really have no ambition, huh? Shouldn't we take this chance to beat the hell out of all those bastard pirates in the New World?" Garp said offhandedly.

"According to Sengoku's analysis, only by easing the pressure on them can we ensure they continue fighting among themselves. If we appear too aggressive instead, we may force those pirates to put aside their internal disputes and join hands against the Marines," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru said.

After a slight pause, Chief Staff Officer Tsuru added, "And you know as well as I do that we don't have enough troops or combat power for that right now."

"Ahahahaha! Then we have to talk about the promising youngster I picked up this time. If we can get him to join the Marines and train him properly, he'll become another powerhouse no weaker than Sakazuki, Kuzan, or Borsalino!" Garp said happily.

"We still need to see what he's really made of," Chief Staff Officer Tsuru cautioned before saying, "I'll go investigate him now. You should return as soon as you can."

"Got it, got it," Garp replied twice before hanging up the Den Den Mushi.

Afterward, Garp sat at his desk and studied a strategic map of the New World. It was marked with the latest intelligence, possible pirate movements inferred from the information gathered, and the Marines' own arrangements and deployments.

After moving several strategy pieces and running through a few scenarios, Garp stroked his chin. "Big Mom and Kaido, huh? If we leave them alone, those two may end up as the ultimate beneficiaries on the pirate side in this incident... Looking at it this way, after Shiki, the leading pirate forces in the New World will form a three-way structure: the Big Mom Pirates, the Beasts Pirates, and the Whitebeard Pirates?"

After moving a few more pieces, Garp mused, "Based on the current situation, the Whitebeard Pirates still hold an overwhelming advantage. Charlotte Linlin comes next, while Kaido is the weakest..."

As Garp considered these matters, his door was pushed open. A hat-wearing Marine entered. It was Bogard, Garp's accompanying adjutant.

Bogard was extremely strong. Back then, he had followed Garp into the battle at God Valley, where he had performed well even on a battlefield full of elite fighters—and survived. In short, he had the strength to compete at the highest level.

Logically, with his strength and seniority, becoming a Vice Admiral in the Marines would have been no issue at all. But perhaps Garp's personality and ideas had influenced him. In any case, Bogard kept an exceptionally low profile in the Marines, and many young Marine officers did not even know his true level.

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Bogard himself had little interest in promotion. For all these years, he had remained by Garp's side as a Commodore and had repeatedly refused transfer orders for promotion.

Bogard and Garp knew each other far too well, so there was no need for pleasantries or beating around the bush. As soon as he entered, Bogard said, "That guy you brought back—the ship's doctor says he's about to wake up."

"Is that so?" Garp tossed the piece in his hand onto the table, rose to his feet, and headed for the door. "How is he?"

"Nothing serious. The injury on his arm is superficial. The doctor says his physique is exceptionally strong, and he'll recover quickly. If I hadn't applied Armament Haki, even the needle wouldn't have pierced his skin. He's just mentally overexerted, but that's also a normal manifestation of Conqueror's Haki awakening," Bogard replied calmly.

Garp reached the door, bent down, and picked up the Warhammer from the floor in one hand. "Did you try it?"

Bogard glanced at the Warhammer and shook his head. "No."

"It's ridiculously heavy, like a warship. I didn't pay attention at the time and grabbed it casually, trying to lift it. Nearly threw out my back!" Garp complained.

Naturally, Bogard did not believe Garp's nonsense. As Garp's subordinate, he knew very well that this guy's strength was monstrous too.

Or rather, pure hand-to-hand fighters skilled in Haki were generally all freakishly strong. If you did not even have the strength to hit someone, how could you call yourself a martial arts master?

Before long, Garp and Bogard arrived at the medical cabin where Ortolan was staying. Garp pushed the door open carelessly and saw Ortolan sitting on the hospital bed, talking with the Marine ship doctor.

When Ortolan saw the Warhammer in Garp's hand, his expression visibly relaxed. It was clear that he had been terrified of losing his weapon.

After asking a few more simple questions, the ship doctor said to Garp, "Vice Admiral Garp, there's no problem. He just needs to rest properly for a couple of days and let his mental state recover."

After exchanging a few words, the ship doctor left. Garp sat down in the chair opposite Ortolan and asked with a friendly grin, "Kid, what's your name?"

"Bane Ortolan," Ortolan answered after looking at Garp.

He had once considered that if he wanted to join the Marines, having a high-ranking Marine endorse him would make many problems—including his identity and background—no longer problems at all.

But back then, it had only been wishful thinking. Who was he, anyway? How could he possibly meet one of the Marines' big shots?

Someone worthy of being called a Marine big shot was roughly on Garp or Sengoku's level. Even within the Marines, their movements were highly confidential. Only people of sufficient rank or those directly involved in their operations could possibly know where they were.

There was no way Ortolan could casually inquire about their whereabouts, unless they were on leave. In that case, they might appear in a newspaper or something.

So even if he wanted to meet those big shots, he had never had much of a chance. He had previously considered staking out Garp in Windmill Village in the East Blue, but he had never expected to actually run into him on Polis Island this time!

If Garp was willing to give him a hand, then joining the Marines would be easily solved!

"Ortolan, huh? That's a great name. How old are you this year?" Garp asked, his smile still exceptionally kind.

"Eighteen. Almost nineteen," Ortolan answered honestly.

Garp froze for a moment, then looked even more delighted. "You're only eighteen? I thought you were already twenty-three or twenty-four!"

What did eighteen represent? It meant he was younger, which naturally made the potential he had displayed even more astonishing. At the same time, being younger meant he would more easily accept the Marines' beliefs and ideals, making him even more worth cultivating!

Do not underestimate the difference of five or six years. Such a gap—especially the experiences and encounters one had while young—could often change a person's entire life, personality, and aspirations!