Arrival of Garp

Sengoku hesitated and didn't send anyone to stop Garp. They'd been friends for many years, and Sengoku knew Garp's personality very well.

Garp had already been deeply dissatisfied with how Kong had dealt with Michael. If not for his position in the Marines, Garp would have raised hell long ago.

To be honest, Sengoku also thought Kong's handling of the situation was inappropriate.

Sengoku wasn't trying to plead Michael's case. Michael had struck a Celestial Dragon, and dealing with him according to Marine rules wasn't wrong. Sengoku simply felt that Kong's way of doing things was problematic.

After all, Sengoku had always believed in "Justice that reigns supreme." The ruler in that creed referred both to himself and to the World Government. In Sengoku's eyes, anyone who disobeyed the government's orders wasn't a Marine.

From the moment he joined the Marines, Sengoku had firmly believed in and carried out the government's orders. That was how he had climbed to his current position.

Anyone who doubted the government, even a comrade, could become a target. His loyalty to the World Government was exceptionally strong.

(PS: This is how Sengoku is described on his Vivre Card. Sengoku himself was somewhat blindly loyal. He only changed after stepping down as Fleet Admiral.)

Thus, in Sengoku's eyes, Michael's attack on a Celestial Dragon was a slap in the World Government's face. As a Marine, he deserved to be executed for doing such a thing.

However, Kong had made too much of a spectacle of it, even seeming to want to use Michael as an example to intimidate others.

But Kong had overlooked one thing: from the lowest-ranking soldiers to the Marine Admirals, many Marines hated the Celestial Dragons.

Punishing Michael publicly would certainly breed resentment among those Marines.

So the best course of action should have been to execute him in secret, not make such a spectacle of it.

If Kong had chosen to execute Michael in secret back then, none of these troubles would exist today.

"Buru buru buru~" The sudden ringing of a Den Den Mushi interrupted Sengoku's thoughts.

Sengoku picked it up, and Kong's voice came through the receiver. "Sengoku, is Garp back?"

"He came back, but he's left again."

"He left again? What did he go to do?"

"I asked him to handle something at Impel Down."

"What was so urgent that you sent him out as soon as he got back?" Kong asked, taken aback.

"I heard the remnants of the Flying Pirate Group were planning to attack Impel Down and rescue Golden Lion." Sengoku casually made up an excuse to cover for Garp.

"I see! I was going to ask Garp to go to Sabaody Archipelago!"

"What for?"

"Someone saw Pluto Rayleigh there."

"Rayleigh! Fleet Admiral, why don't I go?"

"No need. It's too much fuss to send you when we can't confirm it. Besides, you're a Marine Admiral. You going there isn't the same as Garp going." With that, Kong hung up.

After putting down the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku furrowed his brows. He didn't think Rayleigh appearing on Sabaody Archipelago was something they couldn't confirm.

Fleet Admiral Kong wouldn't come to him with unverified intelligence.

So there was no doubt someone had really seen Rayleigh on Sabaody Archipelago.

Rayleigh showing up so suddenly at a time like this couldn't be a good thing.

But Kong was right: Sengoku was a Marine Admiral. If he made a move, it would affect everything, and the consequences would be significant.

Thinking of this, Sengoku suddenly regretted it. He shouldn't have reflexively covered for Garp. Garp would have been the perfect person to investigate Sabaody Archipelago right now.

But the words had already been spoken, and there was no taking them back. All Sengoku could do was hope Garp would return soon.

Meanwhile, Garp boarded Tokikake's warship and swaggered out of Marine Headquarters.

Before long, Garp arrived at Impel Down.

Impel Down had received word of Garp's arrival well in advance, and Hannibal had been sent out to greet him personally.

Hannibal was exceptionally respectful toward Garp.

By rights, Hannibal had been appointed by Impel Down's warden and had no need to grovel before a mere Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral like Garp.

But although Garp was called a Vice Admiral, his authority was absolutely no less than that of Sengoku, an Admiral. What's more, Garp didn't have to follow all the rules and restrictions that came with being an Admiral.

"Mr. Garp, what brings you to Impel Down? Is there a mission?" Hannibal asked respectfully.

"Don't ask too many questions. Just take us to Impel Down 5th Layer."

"5th Layer? You want to go to Extreme Cold Hell? Are you sure you don't mean the sixth level?" Hannibal asked, taken aback.

He figured that if Garp had come all this way in person, something must have happened to the prisoners on the sixth level.

"I'm sure! Stop wasting time and take us there!"

Hannibal nodded and led Garp all the way to Extreme Cold Hell.

Meanwhile, in Extreme Cold Hell, Mosen was practicing drawing and sheathing his sword, while Michael stood nearby, giving him pointers on his movements.

Suddenly, the door to Extreme Cold Hell opened. Hearing the commotion, Mosen sheathed his sword and ran toward the entrance.

The door to Extreme Cold Hell usually stayed shut. When it opened, nine times out of ten, a new prisoner was being brought in, and as the jailer, he had to go and see.

But to Mosen's surprise, when he ran over this time, he didn't see any prisoners. Instead, he saw Hannibal.

Hannibal was also taken aback when he saw Mosen. He scratched his head and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing in Extreme Cold Hell?"

"Mr. Hannibal, my name is Carlos Mosen. I—"

"Oh! I remember now. You're the one the Headquarters sent here earlier, the guy who isn't afraid of the cold, right?"

"Yes."

"Magellan assigned you here right away? Sorry, I've been busy lately, so I didn't—"

"Carlos Mosen? Where is he? Let the old man have a look!" Before Hannibal could finish, someone pushed him aside. Only then did Mosen notice the others behind him.

Mosen looked closely and realized the newcomers were Garp and Tokikake. His legs suddenly felt weak.

Garp knew his name, so he had obviously come for him. Michael and the other three were still in his little room. If Garp and Tokikake saw how well he got along with the prisoners, would his undercover career be over?

"All right, Hannibal, we don't need you here anymore. I'll talk with this kid. You can leave." Garp stepped in front of Mosen and looked him up and down.

There was no hostility in Garp's gaze, but Mosen still felt immense pressure.

"M-Mr. Garp..."

"Kid, you're a jailer here, right?"

Mosen nodded without thinking.

"Do you know Michael?"

Mosen was taken aback. He never would have expected Garp to ask about Michael.

Mosen's mind raced. He remembered Michael telling him that he'd been sent to Impel Down for striking a Celestial Dragon, and that Garp was the kind of man who wanted the Celestial Dragons dead as soon as possible.

Could that mean Garp had some connection to Michael?