Self-Imposed Punishment: Three Drinks

Garp and Sengoku, longtime friends, clashed once again over Leon.

Sengoku turned his head and looked through the window at Marineford, which had returned to prosperity.

"Those are all false reports. At least, so far, there haven't been any cases of innocent civilians being killed or injured..."

"Hmph." Garp took his feet off the desk and slowly stood up. "Sengoku, I can't understand why the Marines are acting as if the sky's falling over a child who might not even exist."

"Garp!"

"Do I really need to remind you how much harm Roger did to this world?"

"A child who inherited Roger's bloodline is a crime just by being born!"

"And what about your disciple, Garp?"

"Do his actions still look like those of a Marine?"

"Aren't you afraid he'll become the next Dragon?"

Sengoku spoke gravely, but Garp seemed unconcerned. He pursed his lips and said, "I don't need you to lecture me."

"I know what I'm doing."

You don't know a damn thing!

Just looking at Garp's detestable old face made Sengoku furious. He reached over, snatched the pack of rice crackers Garp had just opened, and strode away.

"Tch."

Watching Sengoku slam the door shut, Garp dropped back into his recliner and opened the drawer, which was stuffed with all kinds of snacks.

He casually pulled out a bag of doughnuts, opened it, and tipped them all into his mouth.

Garp wasn't nearly as unconcerned as he pretended to be.

"I knew that brat Leon would cause trouble..."

"I wonder if he found Roger's child..."

"Sigh..."

After more than ten days on the road, Leon finally returned to his beloved Marineford.

Fortunately, he no longer had to hide his identity on the way back. With the Marines helping him find ships, Leon didn't look nearly as haggard as he had when he first arrived at Baterilla Island.

Leon had barely set foot in Marineford and caught his breath when a squad of fully armed Marine soldiers appeared before him, as if they had been waiting for him.

"Hello, Chief Petty Officer Leon."

"We've been waiting for you."

The Marine officer leading the squad greeted Leon with a stern expression.

"Hello. What's this about?"

"Chief Petty Officer Leon, I'm with the Marine Headquarters Inspectorate."

"I'm here to inform you that, in view of your open assault on a Marine Headquarters lieutenant colonel on Baterilla Island in South Blue, which left him seriously injured—"

"After deliberation, the Marine Headquarters Inspectorate has decided to sentence you to six months' confinement."

"Your place of confinement—"

"Marine Headquarters—Marineford!"

"This is the punishment order issued by the Marine Headquarters Inspectorate and personally signed by Fleet Admiral Kong, concerning Chief Petty Officer Leon."

"Chief Petty Officer Leon, if you have no objections, please sign the notice!"

"Uh..."

Leon had expected the Marines to punish him.

But what did it mean to be confined in Marineford...?

"Chief Petty Officer Leon?"

Seeing that Leon seemed confused, the Inspectorate officer stepped closer and spoke quietly. "Chief Petty Officer Leon, most of the Inspectorate's members, myself included, greatly admire your righteous actions!"

"Someone who wantonly slaughters civilians doesn't deserve to be called a Marine!"

"But... I hope you'll understand that rules are rules. We have to punish you."

"During these six months, please stay at Headquarters and train..."

Ohhh.

Leon nodded.

Got it.

A self-imposed punishment of three drinks, huh?

He hadn't expected to earn the Marines' support. He'd simply thought that lieutenant colonel's constant talk about justice was disgusting.

Leon's actions had also, by sheer coincidence, suited Sengoku's wishes.

Sengoku had already removed the seriously injured lieutenant colonel from his post, entirely by the book, and replaced him with a more moderate Dove Faction Marine.

Whether the lieutenant colonel's actions on Baterilla Island in South Blue had been ordered by Admiral Sengoku didn't matter anymore.

After all, the investigation had found no civilian deaths on the island.

"What?"

"You say he'd wanted to slaughter them, but simply hadn't had time to do it?"

"Then go ask him yourself."

The lieutenant colonel was still lying in a hospital bed with an IV in his arm. Whether he'd even survive remained to be seen...

"I understand. Thanks!"

Having sorted things out, Leon took the Punishment Notice from the Inspectorate officer and signed his name.

"Very well. We won't keep you any longer!"

The Inspectorate officer smiled warmly, then quickly led his squad away. Leon stretched, and his bones and muscles creaked.

Well, what was done was done. He might as well eat first...

He wandered over to the Marine Cafeteria. Even though he'd missed mealtime, the serving window was still open.

As soon as he walked in, Leon spotted a familiar figure.

A body as big as a hill, with orange hair framing his head like a lion's mane.

It was none other than Sauro, the giant Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters.

"Vice Admiral Sauro, long time no see!"

"Huh?"

Hearing someone call his name, Sauro lifted his head from his food basin.