Setting Sail, a Lackey on the Dog-head Warship!

Setting Sail, a Lackey on the Dog-head Warship!

It had to be said that Garp was truly an unconventional figure within the Marines.

With his unparalleled achievements and his "Special Fist," this vice admiral was practically beyond restraint at Marine Headquarters, enjoying privileges that no other vice admiral possessed.

Less than a week had passed since Garp had mentioned over dinner at Zephyr's home that he would take Tsugikuni Yoriichi out to sea, and Yoriichi had truly waited until this day arrived.

Early in the morning, while Tsugikuni Yoriichi was quietly reading at home, Garp barged straight into Zephyr's house.

As if he had returned to his own home, Garp found Tsugikuni Yoriichi directly and said to him:

"Hey! Brat, I'm setting sail. You're coming too. Follow me!"

Yoriichi, who was reading behind a pile of books, looked up at the sound. Seeing Garp's hurried appearance, the corner of his eye twitched.

"Wouldn't this be inappropriate?"

"Teacher Zephyr isn't home. No matter what, I should at least let him know, right?"

Yoriichi was rather tempted by the prospect of going to sea.

He had been with the Marines for nearly a month, but aside from receiving Zephyr's family-like care, his strength had made no progress at all.

Yoriichi vaguely guessed that Zephyr's refusal to teach him how to fight was likely due to orders from above. He had gotten that feeling when he saw the books Zephyr had brought him before.

Garp's return only confirmed his suspicions.

It definitely was not because his physical abilities were too weak for him to learn powers unique to the world of the Pirate King, such as Haki. Although Yoriichi acted like a complete novice who had only just joined the Marines, he still had some understanding of this world's power system.

Although Zephyr had said that his Doriki Value of over five thousand was weak, Yoriichi knew full well that at this level, he could already learn things like the Six Powers and Haki.

Even a "genius" like Lucci only had a Doriki Value of four thousand.

Although he wanted to go to sea, Yoriichi did not want to appear "uncontrollable." Zephyr and Garp were not the problem, but Yoriichi knew that the people restricting him were not those two.

"I've already told Zephyr. He has no objections!"

"And why ask anyone else about something like this?"

"Brat, do you want to stay here reading books? Do you really not want to go to sea?!"

"What you want to do can't be accomplished by reading books!"

Although Garp had not known Yoriichi for long, after all his years of experience, he was still quite accurate in judging people.

"..."

"I want to go to sea, but—"

After a long silence, Yoriichi nodded. Just as he was about to choose his words, Garp raised a hand and cut him off.

Glancing at the black long sword beside Yoriichi, Garp smiled. He walked over, grabbed Yoriichi around the waist with one hand and seized the sword with the other, then carried Yoriichi straight out the door.

"Uh..."

"Vice Admiral Garp, I think I can walk by myself."

Garp tucked Yoriichi under his arm like a chick and headed for the Naval Port. Whenever the Marines they passed greeted Garp, they would curiously examine Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

Being stared at with strange looks felt awful. After being carried like that for a while, Yoriichi could not help saying:

"Hahahaha!"

"What does it matter?!"

"If you want to go to sea, then go to sea."

"We Marines are quite free too! Hahahaha!"

Garp laughed heartily, paying no attention to how those around him looked at him.

You're the only one who's free.

Yoriichi thought to himself. Since he could not resist, he simply accepted it and let Garp carry him.

Before long, Garp's personal vessel, the Dog-head Warship, entered Yoriichi's sight. Garp seemed to have prepared to set sail long ago. Every Marine aboard the warship was already in position, waiting only for Garp, their leader, to arrive.

However, just as Garp was about to board with Yoriichi, a group of Marines blocked his path.

The man at their head was none other than the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Kong!

Behind Kong, Zephyr and Sengoku stood to either side. Behind the three of them was a squad of Marines. Upon seeing Garp arrive, Kong immediately roared:

"Hey! Garp, what are you doing?!"

When Garp saw Kong, surprise appeared on his face. He had not expected that merely taking Tsugikuni Yoriichi out to sea would alert the Fleet Admiral of the Marines.

Was Kong so idle that he even bothered with such trivial matters?!

The surprise vanished in an instant. Garp casually set Yoriichi down, tossed his long sword to him, then picked his nose with his pinky and calmly replied:

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I got word about Roger, and I'm preparing to head out to sea."

Kong appeared to have long since become immune to Garp's rude behavior. Ignoring him, he turned his gaze toward Tsugikuni Yoriichi beside Garp and said:

"If you want to chase Roger, then go."

"But you can't take this boy with you."

"He is Zephyr's disciple and someone our Marines are focusing on training. He cannot be sent to sea so casually."

Hearing this, Garp walked to Yoriichi's side, placed a hand on his back, and said with a smile, "I know. That's precisely why he needs to go to sea."

"The Marines can only become stronger out on the sea!"

"That's how I got where I am. I have the right to say so."

Garp's expression was resolute. He showed no fear in the face of Kong's opposition. A vice admiral facing the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, yet he still behaved entirely as he pleased.

"..."

"Must you do this, Garp?!"

Looking at Garp's expression, Kong's tone unexpectedly softened. This greatly surprised the squad of Marines behind him. Kong had attained his position through an iron-fisted approach; throughout all of Marine Headquarters, no one could make Kong yield.

"Hahahahaha!"

"I'll bring him back. Move aside."

Garp suddenly burst into laughter. Grabbing Yoriichi by the shoulder, he prepared to board the ship. This time, Kong did not stop him. As Garp passed by, Kong said quietly:

"Garp, you must take responsibility for your actions. Don't disappoint me."

Garp turned and grinned at Kong without saying anything, then led Yoriichi onto the warship.

"Set sail!"

A roar rang out from the deck. Then, the anchor slowly rose, and the Dog-head Warship gradually departed the Naval Port under Kong and the others' gaze before vanishing from sight.

Zephyr watched the warship sail from the port with a smile in his eyes. Yet the moment Kong turned around, the smile vanished completely.

Seeing Kong's displeased expression, Sengoku tried to smooth things over.

"Fleet Admiral, you know what Garp is like. Don't take it to heart."

"Besides, he's just a kid. So what if he was taken out to sea? It doesn't matter. Hahaha, it doesn't matter!"

Sengoku's words completely ignited the anger Kong had been holding back.

At that moment, all the fury in his chest erupted.

"Bastard!"

"That boy has awakened Conqueror's Haki! Sengoku, you know what that means!"

"Such talent is one in a million. As long as we nurture him properly, he will definitely become a pillar of the Marines in the future."

"No matter how many Marine officers we train, nurturing just one person like him can bring peace to an entire stretch of sea!"

"Don't you understand how important that is?!"

"It's precisely because Garp took him that I'm worried!"

"Does he know anything about training Marines? He doesn't know shit!"

"Talking like he's some experienced hand—if every one of them turned out like him, I'd have died of anger long ago!"

"Hmph!"

It was clear that Kong was truly furious, but more than that, he was complaining. Even as Fleet Admiral, there was nothing he could do about Garp.

On the vast, boundless sea, azure waves rippled. As the warship sailed across them, it left a trail of white foam in its wake.

Yoriichi stood on the deck with both hands resting on the railing.

The cool sea breeze refreshed him, sending Yoriichi's crimson hair fluttering and exposing the red mark on his forehead. Gazing at the endless sea, his heart felt open and at ease.

"There's a reason so many people head out to sea."

"No matter how many times I experience this feeling of freedom, it still feels wonderful."

Yoriichi narrowed his eyes slightly and enjoyed the sea breeze.

"Do you like the sea too?"

Footsteps approached from behind. A tall figure came to stand beside Tsugikuni Yoriichi, looking out over the sea in the same direction as him as he asked with a smile.

(End of Chapter)