Garp's Secret Mission

"Hey, Garp, you old geezer!"

Leon's voice jolted Garp awake from his nap in the rocking chair, dog-head hat still perched on his head.

"Leon, you brat, finally got the guts to come back, huh..."

Garp chuckled, raising his fist and eyeing Leon menacingly.

In his mind, there was no way Leon could have fixed a ship that even the Marine shipwrights couldn't handle in just a week...

This was the perfect chance to teach the cocky kid a lesson...

"Everyone's ready, just waiting for you to give the order to set sail, Instructor Garp?"

"Huh?"

Garp felt like he'd punched a cloud, frustration stuck in his throat. He followed Leon out, half-doubtful.

The Dog Head Warship on the water was exactly as it had been before...

"Sigh... let's go..."

Watching Garp board the ship in a sullen mood, Leon turned to his adjutant Bogard and asked, puzzled, "What's up with Instructor Garp?"

Bogard, always stern-faced, slowly shook his head without a word...

Meanwhile, as Leon and the others began their return voyage, Sengoku, who had already returned to Marine Headquarters, received a mysterious call.

"What?!"

"Are you sure this is confirmed?"

"I understand."

"If there's even a sliver of a chance that it involves the Pirate King's offspring, we have to crush it in the cradle!"

With a grim face, Sengoku hung up the phone and issued orders. A fully armed warship set sail from Marineford.

Target—South Blue, Baterilla Island.

After nearly a month away, Leon and his crew were half a day's voyage from Marine Headquarters.

Garp had been acting strange, locking himself in his room for days. Leon didn't mind the peace and trained alone on the deck.

"Got a bite!"

After sitting still for half an hour, Leon finally hooked a big fish!

He'd already seen how rich the fish stocks were in the Pirate King's world. This time, he'd used shark as bait—who knew what monster he'd reel in.

The float twitched, and in an instant, the rod nearly ripped out of Leon's hands.

Quick as a flash, Leon gripped it tight. A massive force from below dragged him hard into the deck railing.

"This is a big one!"

The entire warship was being pulled along by the giant fish underwater. Leon grinned in excitement, braced his stance, and dug in his feet. The sheer pressure made the Dog Head Warship dip.

Man and fish locked in a tug-of-war. Just as Leon was confidently about to call for the biggest net on the ship...

The expensive fishing rod he'd bought at Water Seven finally couldn't take the strain.

With a crack.

Leon watched helplessly as the rod snapped into pieces. Fury surged, and recklessness took over. He leaped onto the railing and dove straight into the water.

The deck was crowded with Marines drawn by the commotion. They leaned over the railing, craning their necks to see what was happening below.

The water churned without wind, rolling into waves.

A broad fish tail suddenly broke the surface, twitched a few times in a death throe, then slammed back down.

A goldfish-shaped Sea King floated up, belly white and lifeless.

Leon burst out of the water and climbed back onto the deck.

"Chief Petty Officer Leon!"

"That's our Chief Petty Officer Leon!"

"Long live Chief Petty Officer Leon!!!"

The crowd cheered, already planning to have Sea King barbecue for lunch.

Without any air support, Leon was about to excitedly measure the Sea King's length when he heard Garp's voice—a man he hadn't seen in days.

"Leon, come here a moment..."

Leon followed Garp to his room. The windows were shut, making it dim inside. Garp stood with his back to Leon, his expression unreadable.

"Leon, there's something I need to ask of you."

Rarely seeing Garp so serious, Leon didn't agree right away. Instead, he spoke slowly, "Instructor Garp, what is it?"

"I need you to go to Baterilla Island in the South Blue and find a woman named Portgas D. Rouge..."

Garp's voice paused. Leon heard the name and felt a sudden jolt of recognition.

It should still be far from the time Ace is born. At this point, the Marines have probably just learned about the Pirate King Roger's offspring and started their search...

"Portgas D. Rouge is pregnant—she might have already given birth..."

Garp's voice carried clear hesitation and inner conflict.

"I want you to protect her and her child, to evade the Marines' search..."

Garp's head drooped low.

Leon watched the conflicted Garp, unsure what to say...

He couldn't just tell Garp not to worry—Rouge would manage to hold out against the Marines' search on her own.

"Master Garp..."

Leon spoke up, breaking the silence in the room. Garp let out a sigh but still turned to face Leon directly.

"Forget it... I can't hide the truth from you forever..."

"That child who may have already been born—his father is the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger!"

Leon nodded, not looking particularly surprised.

"With all due respect, Master Garp, I don't mind, but for someone of your standing as a Hero of the Marines to do something like this..."