Hero Garp

A scarred boy plummeted through the air at high speed, crashing into the water and kicking up a massive splash.

Normally, falling into water from such a height was no different from landing on hard ground. An ordinary person would have died on the spot.

The boy's body was covered in cracks, like a shattered porcelain vase that had been pieced back together. Being surrounded by seawater didn't make him uncomfortable in the slightest. He smacked his lips contentedly and actually fell asleep right there in the water...

His body sank into the sea.

A powerful vitality containing a strange energy drew the surrounding schools of fish toward him.

More and more fish gathered, until countless sea creatures formed a massive sphere around the boy.

"I wanna eat... but I'm kinda scared..."

How strange...

They could actually sense a threat from this bizarre creature far greater than that of the Sea Kings.

The enormous school of fish cautiously tested the waters, drawing closer and closer to Leon.

At last, one brave fish, driven by instinct, overcame its fear. It opened its half-man-sized mouth and bit down hard on Leon.

A searing pain spread through its mouth, and the brave fish shot backward.

The enormous school scattered in an instant. After a while, they gathered again, returning to their original formation.

Unfortunately, they never got to see another brave fish step forward.

The disturbance in the water attracted a famished predator.

A Sea King nearly a thousand meters long, its entire body covered in black-and-white stripes like a zebra!

Its terrifying jaws opened, swallowing the school of fish and Leon whole, like a black hole.

Then it turned gracefully and vanished into the pitch-black depths.

The endless ocean stretched out, its surface utterly calm. Only a Marine warship, its bow adorned with a dog-head emblem, sailed across the water.

"What! A newspaper costs 50 Beli now!"

On the warship, a Marine officer complained to the seagull beside him.

The News Delivery Seagull, wearing a sailor's cap, scratched its head with a wing, showing no sign of backing down.

"Honestly, even newspapers are getting more expensive."

The Marine muttered, but still fished out 50 Beli. The News Delivery Seagull took the money, dropped off the newspaper, and immediately flapped away.

The Marine officer shook his head and carried the newspaper into the cabin.

"Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Sengoku! The latest newspaper is here."

"Okay, sorry for the trouble."

After watching the Marine officer leave, Sengoku, then a Marine Admiral, stopped practicing calligraphy and read the latest issue of the newspaper.

< A New King Is Born! The Terrifying Giant Beast That Destroyed Mary Geoise!!! >

The eye-catching headline was printed across the front page. Sengoku snorted.

As a Marine Admiral, he had learned what happened as soon as the incident occurred.

The execution of the Pirate King and the attack on the holy land of Mary Geoise—two earth-shaking events in a single day—had thrown the seas into an uproar.

The peace he had dreamed of seemed farther away than ever...

Sengoku let out a quiet sigh. Beside him, Garp lay in his chair, idly picking his nose.

"Garp, Roger's ship didn't have a Giant Tribe member who'd eaten a Zoan Devil Fruit, did it?"

"Probably not. I don't really remember."

"Roger's been executed, Shiki's been captured, and of the three great powers that once ruled the seas, only Whitebeard remains—and he has no desire to become king. I thought these pirates would lie low for a while, but..."

"Garp, have you really not considered taking the position of Admiral?"

"I have a feeling these seas are going to grow even more chaotic soon. As the Hero of the Marines..."

"Hey! Garp!!!"

Sengoku was still rambling when he turned and saw that Garp had fallen asleep in his chair, still picking his nose.

Pop!

His snot bubble burst.

Seeing Garp's bewildered expression, Sengoku sighed again.

"Is it time to eat? I'm getting hungry."

Garp stood up, yawned, and walked out of the cabin.

Admiral?

I don't want to be ordered around by those Celestial Dragon scum.

As Garp stepped out of the cabin, he nearly bumped into a Marine officer hurrying over.

"Vice Admiral Garp, thank goodness you're here. Come out and take a look!"

"Isn't it time to eat, Bogard? What's the hurry?"

Garp followed his adjutant to the deck in confusion. He looked in the direction the adjutant was pointing and raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Far off, the once-calm sea was churning like boiling water. The massive bodies of Sea Kings leaped straight out of the ocean, sending wave after wave across the Calm Belt.

To save time, Garp's Dog Head Warship was returning to Marineford directly through the Calm Belt. The warship had been fitted with Sea Prism Stone along its hull, so the Sea Kings would mistake it for part of the sea.

Garp scratched his head. Had these Sea Kings gone crazy?

The Sea Kings were fighting right along their route. Going around them wasn't really an option now.

If they couldn't go around, then they'd just have to take them all out.

"Bring me a cannonball."

"Yes, sir!"

The Marine soldiers watching from the deck immediately answered. As they went to fetch the cannonball, they also made sure to call their friends over.

"What? Vice Admiral Garp's going to take them on himself!!?"