Garp: I'm just on vacation, and the Navy has changed hands?

Marineford Port.

"Ahahaha, what a long vacation."

A hearty laugh echoed from the deck of a warship.

Immediately after, an old man wearing a dog mask and a Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral's coat leaped from the deck.

Monkey D. Garp, the legendary Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters, had once cornered the Pirate King Roger multiple times. He had become a hero in the eyes of countless Navy soldiers for suppressing the Rox Pirates during the God Valley Incident, which had shocked the World Government.

As soon as he landed, Garp removed the dog mask from his head and casually took out a box of senbei from his bag, savoring them.

"Vice Admiral Garp, you're finally back~"

A Navy soldier waiting at the port rushed over, his expression excited. "Marshal Sengoku knew you were returning today, so he specifically asked me to wait here for you."

"Huh?"

Garp blinked, looking bewildered. "How did Sengoku know I was coming back today? That's impossible. I cut my vacation short to return, he absolutely couldn't have known I'd be back today! Wait, who are you? Where are my soldiers?"

"Vice Admiral Garp," the soldier blinked, looking wronged. "I am your subordinate!"

"Oh, really?"

Garp chuckled awkwardly. "I guess I'm getting old, I can't even remember you brats anymore. Go on, I'll find Sengoku myself!"

With that, Garp tossed the dog mask to the soldier and strode towards the Headquarters Building.

The soldier who watched Garp walk towards the Headquarters Building didn't leave immediately. After Garp was out of earshot, he quickly picked up a Den Den Mushi, his smile vanishing instantly as he said with extreme seriousness, "Vice Admiral Garp is about to enter the Headquarters Building!"

"Received!"

In the lobby of the Headquarters Building, a Navy soldier who received the Den Den Mushi report immediately picked up another one.

Before this soldier could report the news, the elevator door opposite him suddenly opened.

Then, Akira and Gion walked out, one after the other.

Seeing this, all the soldiers in the lobby stood up and saluted in unison, "Loyalty."

Akira didn't stop walking and quickly exited the building.

As soon as he stepped outside, Garp's figure came into view for both him and Gion.

"Ahaha, young Akira, I'm back~"

Seeing Akira emerge from the building from afar, Garp quickly picked up his pace, his face beaming with excitement. "Surprise, surprise?"

Looking at Garp, who had approached them, Gion spoke first, politely. "Mr. Garp."

"Gion, what's been going on with you these past two years?" Garp looked at Gion and said cheekily, "You already have Kaki, that crazy pursuer, so leave the opportunities to the young female officers of the Headquarters, like young Hina... By the way, where is Hina? I can't reach her by Den Den Mushi!"

Gion shook her head and smiled, looking a little helpless. "Mr. Garp, haven't you noticed anything different about the Headquarters since before you went on vacation?"

"Nothing's different," Garp blinked, then quickly scanned his surroundings. As if realizing something, he nodded repeatedly. "When I passed by the plaza earlier, there was a human-shaped crater there!"

Hearing this, Gion secretly let out a sigh of relief and subtly turned her head to look at Akira.

Akira couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush with Garp. He said directly, "I thought you'd be back a few days later, I didn't expect you to come back early? Since that's the case, there's no need for me to hide anything. The Navy Headquarters is under my command now. To put it simply, I staged a mutiny and took the position of Marshal. All Headquarters officers, including the Three Admirals, have made the wise choice."

"?????"

Garp, who was chewing on senbei, was covered in question marks. After staring blankly at Akira for a while, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Staged a mutiny? Pfft, kid, you're getting funnier! But you can't joke about things like this. If someone overhears you, be careful that Onigumo and the others who haven't gotten along with you all these years don't report you!"

Akira didn't laugh. He said, dropping a bombshell, "Onigumo is dead. Doberman and Menard, and others, they were obstacles to me taking the Marshal's position. They all had to die."

As Akira finished speaking, dozens of officers suddenly rushed out of the Headquarters Building and, under Garp's disbelieving gaze, quickly surrounded him.

Then, more Navy soldiers rushed in with guns, surrounding Garp layer upon layer.

This sudden turn of events caused the smile on Garp's face to gradually stiffen.

Sensing the oppressive atmosphere permeating the air, Garp finally believed everything Akira had said.

After a brief silence, he put the box of senbei in his bag, then looked up and stared intently at Akira, saying in a deep voice, "Akira, what do you mean by this? Are you planning to take me out too? If that's the case, these people alone can't handle me!"

Akira waved his hand, signaling the surrounding officers and soldiers to step back.

As Akira made the gesture, the suddenly appearing officers and soldiers immediately retreated the way they came.

Witnessing this, Garp's expression changed slightly. He knew that Akira hadn't given any orders, but with just a gesture, the officers and soldiers followed them without question. He hadn't seen such disciplined officers and soldiers in many years.

Of course, that wasn't important.

What was important was that Akira wasn't joking, and the Headquarters was now completely under Akira's control.

However, he still had a hundred questions in his heart.

Although he had always thought highly of Akira, ever since Akira entered the officer training camp, he had placed great expectations on him. Akira had not disappointed him, nor Sengoku and Zephyr, growing from a rookie soldier to a capable Vice Admiral in just six years.

But what he hadn't expected was that this young Vice Admiral, whom they had placed so much hope in, not only staged a mutiny while he was on vacation but also successfully took control of Navy Headquarters.

This was truly difficult for him to comprehend. He couldn't deny that Akira possessed terrifying talent beyond his peers, but it was absolutely impossible for him to defeat the Three Admirals. Even though he knew Akira had won over many officers and soldiers over the years, it was impossible for them alone to successfully stage a mutiny and control the Headquarters.

Yet, the reality was that Akira not only succeeded but also had the Three Admirals make the wise choice?

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Garp asked the question that concerned him most at the moment, "Where is Sengoku? He's still alive, right!"

Akira nodded, "He should be having afternoon tea with Teacher Zephyr right now."

Upon hearing this, Garp's eyes widened instantly. "Even now, he still has the mood for tea?"

Realizing he had lost his composure, Garp quickly cleared his throat and said with a serious expression, "So, how do you plan to deal with me? Lock me up? Or strip me of my rank? And then throw me over to have tea with Sengoku and Zephyr?"

Akira nodded again. "Garp, the Marine Headquarters no longer has any warships that can accommodate you. You are all old, it's time to retire."

"You can't just make me leave like this, brat!"

Garp took a step forward, his iron fist clenched, and said in a deep voice, "The Navy is a massive war machine, not something just anyone can control. Let me see if you can truly bear this heavy responsibility!"

Sensing the immense fighting spirit that suddenly erupted from Garp, Gion, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward and urged, "Mr. Garp, please calm down! Lord Akira came to see you alone precisely because he doesn't want to be your enemy! The general trend is set now, your fight will be meaningless!"

"Gion, stand down!"

Garp rolled up his sleeves and said irritably, "It's one thing for Akira to be acting out, but I never expected you, who has always been so steady, to join in the foolishness. Don't you know that Sengoku, myself, and Zephyr all placed great hopes on him? If we had stepped down, he would definitely be an Admiral, if not the Marshal of the Headquarters! But he actually launched a mutiny. Don't tell me the general trend is set. As long as I'm alive, he won't be able to continue this nonsense!"

Before he could finish speaking, Garp suddenly stomped forward, and a terrifying wave of energy spread out from beneath his feet.

The next second, Conqueror's Haki, a mix of red and black, was released and intertwined around him, causing the very air to vibrate at a low frequency. An invisible, immense pressure surged out like a raging tide, instantly engulfing Akira.

However--

As the invisible pressure enveloped Akira, an even more immense pressure erupted, instantly colliding with the surging Conqueror's Haki.

BOOM--

The collision echoed through the sky, followed by a destructive shockwave that radiated outwards from Akira and Garp as the center. It was like a hurricane rising from flat ground; where it passed, the earth cracked and houses trembled, creating a scene of impending doom.