Garp's Invitation! Refusal

"That's all for today!"

Dunn waved his hand, turned around, and began walking toward the direction of the pier.

Kuina and Zoro, who had just climbed to his feet, watched Dunn's retreating figure with curiosity.

That direction did not lead to the Isshin Dojo.

Shimotsuki Village pier.

The people on the pier watched in shock as a massive warship approached, though it did not get too close to the docks.

"It's a Marine warship!"

Although they had never seen one before, only a Marine warship could have such a design and be of such immense size.

Of course, the most important detail was the Marine emblem emblazoned on the giant sails.

"Why are the Marines here? Could there be pirates nearby?"

Someone said, their tone tinged with fear.

His words caused many others to show expressions of dread.

Pirates had never really come to Shimotsuki Village before; after all, the East Blue was vast, and pirates were relatively rare.

However, they had read plenty in the newspapers about the brutality of pirates.

Aboard the Dog-Head Warship.

"Vice Admiral Garp!"

Garp's adjutant, Marine Headquarters Captain Bogard, stood before Garp and called out while standing at attention.

Garp, dressed in his Marine uniform, was napping on a beach chair when he was startled awake by Bogard's shout, causing the snot bubble he had been blowing to pop.

Garp opened his eyes and let out a yawn.

"We here?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp. Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue."

Bogard turned his head to glance at the island in the distance and nodded.

"Mm, you all wait here."

Garp stood up, stretched his limbs, and looked up toward Shimotsuki Village before leaping over a hundred meters into the air, heading toward the village.

As a subordinate who had followed Garp for over twenty years, Bogard was well-acquainted with his behavior and was not at all surprised by Garp's actions.

He skillfully commanded the Marines on the warship to drop anchor and stand by.

As for Garp, he landed directly on the pier.

His arrival clearly terrified the people on the dock.

No normal person jumps that high and that far; before Garp could even speak, the villagers of Shimotsuki Village scattered like birds and beasts.

Uh!

Garp scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.

It seemed he had frightened these people.

Wait!

Garp, who had been preparing to use his Observation Haki to see if he could find someone, paused. He turned his head toward the direction of the town—the same direction those people had just fled.

A youth wearing loose robes was walking over slowly.

Abruptly, Garp felt that this youth was the person he had come to find.

Dunn looked at the tall figure standing on the pier with a calm expression and approached slowly.

Compared to the monsters with exaggerated physiques found on the high seas, this build wasn't particularly imposing, but within that sturdy frame lay terrifying power.

Garp was also sizing up Dunn.

He wasn't old, looking at most fifteen or sixteen years old, just as described in the intelligence reports.

His build was lean and well-proportioned, his footsteps were steady, and he looked full of strength.

He was indeed a fine talent.

This was Garp's assessment.

Thinking of this, Garp stood still and watched as Dunn walked up to him.

"Pirate Hunter Dunn?"

Garp grinned as he asked.

"Mm, Hero of the Marines Garp?"

Hearing the question, Dunn nodded in acknowledgment and then asked in return.

"Huh?" Garp was stunned for a moment before scratching his hair, which was already starting to turn gray.

"It seems I'm still quite famous, hahahaha!"

As he spoke, Garp burst into laughter all on his own.

"..."

Watching Garp laugh to himself, Dunn looked at him, speechless.

People in this world really seemed to love laughing.

"Are you that happy?"

Seeing the laughter continue, Dunn asked, feeling rather helpless.

"Happy, of course. After all, I'm still quite famous."

Hearing the question, Garp stopped laughing and answered Dunn. He didn't put on any airs—or rather, it was perfectly in character for him.

"Come join the Marines, Dunn! You have great talent; don't let it go to waste."

Garp extended an invitation directly.

"No!"

Dunn shook his head immediately.

"Why? Isn't being a Marine better than being a Pirate Hunter?"

Hearing the refusal, Garp pulled back his hand and asked out of curiosity.

"I'm currently in the middle of my training, so I can't."

Dunn thought for a moment and gave his answer.

"You can train just as well as a Marine. There are plenty of strong people in the Marines, you know."

Garp chuckled happily when he heard that.

"But I've heard that as a Marine, you have to take orders from the Celestial Dragons." Dunn paused for a moment and said softly.

Garp froze, his smile fading. He studied Dunn's face for a while before nodding slowly.

"I see. I understand."

After saying that, Garp turned around, leaped into the air, and headed toward the warship.

Did that old man misunderstand something?

Garp's reaction left Dunn feeling a bit confused.

"Looks like another young man who distrusts the Marines because of the Celestial Dragons."

Garp sighed.

He was well aware of the reputation the Celestial Dragons had on the open sea.

Even he himself had refused to be promoted to Admiral precisely because he didn't want to deal with those annoying people.

If he didn't want to deal with them himself, he shouldn't force others to do so.

Landing back on the warship, Garp sat directly in his beach chair.

"Set sail. Return to Headquarters."

Garp said with his eyes closed.

"Vice Admiral Garp, what about the target?"

Bogard looked at Dunn on the pier with some confusion and asked.

"He's not here. He probably came by and then went somewhere else."

With his eyes still closed, Garp replied.

Huh!

Bogard blinked, glanced back at the pier, and immediately ordered the warship to set sail.

Whether what Garp said was true or not didn't matter; it was enough to treat it as the truth.

On the pier.

Dunn watched as the warship slowly turned and sailed away.

That old man Garp was surprisingly easy to talk to.

Shaking his head slightly, Dunn turned back and saw Koshiro standing in the distance with his hands tucked into his sleeves.

"Trouble!"

Dunn sighed and walked over.

"Did the Marines come for you?"

Seeing Dunn approach, Koshiro asked.

"Yeah, they invited me to join the Marines, but I refused."

Dunn nodded in acknowledgment and explained the Marines' purpose.

"You refused?"

Koshiro was taken aback.

"Yeah, I don't want to be a Marine, you know that, it's my wish."

Dunn spoke up.

"And you refused, so they just left that easily?"

"The one who came was Garp."

Dunn looked at Koshiro and said.

Garp?

Koshiro's body jolted.

He knew Dragon's identity, so naturally, he also knew that Dragon's father was the Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Garp.

Of course, he also knew a thing or two about this Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.

If it were him, then it wouldn't be strange at all.

"However, my Two-Color Haki has already awakened, so I shouldn't be staying here for too long."

Dunn said.

"I knew you wouldn't stay here for long, but I didn't expect it to be this soon."

Hearing Dunn's words, Koshiro felt quite sentimental.

Counting it all up, it hadn't even been two months, yet Dunn had become much stronger.

He could clearly feel it; there had even been significant progress in his swordsmanship.

"Are you going to the Grand Line?"

Koshiro knew that Dunn was aware of many things, so he asked directly.

"No, until I have enough confidence to deal with those powerful pirates in the Grand Line, I won't be going there."