Undercurrents Stir

North Blue.

One of the Donquixote Family's hideouts.

Wearing a pink feathered cloak and red sunglasses, the Donquixote Family's leader, Donquixote Doflamingo, sipped coffee as he read the newspaper that had just arrived that day.

The contents of the paper made Doflamingo burst into laughter.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, in this day and age, there's actually an idiot who dares declare war on the Celestial Dragons!"

"Lynn Barek..."

After pondering for a moment, Doflamingo called out:

"Trebol!"

A sticky, snot-dripping figure wearing a blue cape and leaning on a cane pushed the door open.

"You called for me, Young Master?"

Doflamingo handed Lynn's Bounty Poster to Trebol and instructed:

"Keep a close eye on his movements. Idiots like this are a rare sight in this world! Fuffuffuffuffu!"

"Yes." Trebol nodded slightly.

The first half of Grand Line, Paradise.

A certain island, Baroque Works' temporary office.

Crocodile, known as Sand Crocodile, had a cigar clenched between his teeth and a look of contempt on his face.

"Hmph, 100 Million Beli for his first bounty? Lynn Barek, what an extraordinary fellow."

"But that's probably only because he injured a Celestial Dragon."

Crocodile set down Lynn's Bounty Poster and began flipping through the information he had gathered beside it.

"That's it."

"As long as I obtain it, the World Government probably won't even dare put a bounty on me!"

"Ancient Weapon, Dark King!"

"The Alabasta Kingdom? How interesting. Hahahahahaha!"

After a brief bout of laughter, Crocodile fell into thought. "Hmm, it seems I'll need to find someone who can translate Ancient Text."

East Blue, Foosha Village.

The forest outside the village.

At this time, Garp still had a full head of black hair, though his temples had already begun to turn gray.

Holding a purple-haired Den Den Mushi, he laughed so hard he could barely close his mouth.

"Hahahahaha! Zephyr, the way you begged Tsuru to write that report was just too funny!"

Zephyr sounded somewhat helpless from the other end of the Den Den Mushi. "Tsuru told you?"

"No, I guessed it myself."

Zephyr: "..."

Garp grinned and laughed. "But putting that aside, Zephyr, a stubborn old fool like you actually let that brat named Lynn go. What exactly happened back then?"

At those words, Zephyr suddenly fell silent.

The events of that day had been designated by the World Government as the "Sabaody Arena Riot Incident."

A gladiator named Lynn Barek, known as BOSS, had been dissatisfied with the payment offered by Sabaody Arena. He joined forces with a Fish-Man named Fisher Tiger and numerous other gladiators to launch a riot.

During the incident, the rioters had even opened fire on innocent civilians!

Although former Marine Admiral Zephyr had arrived in time, the rioters used the lives of civilians as leverage, seized ships at the harbor, and ultimately escaped from the Sabaody Archipelago.

The Marines were currently pursuing the fleeing rioters.

That was the entirety of the World Government's report on the incident.

Garp was an old Marine. Naturally, he didn't believe the World Government's nonsense.

After all, whenever the Celestial Dragons were involved, the reports were one part truth and nine parts lies.

Even after a long while, Zephyr remained silent.

Garp finally couldn't hold back any longer. Digging at his ear, he laughed, "Forget it, I won't ask. You're still the same as ever."

"Anyway, I'm guessing it had something to do with your students, right?"

Only then did Zephyr nod on the other end of the Den Den Mushi. "Yes. If I ever get the chance, I'd like to properly thank him."

Then, Zephyr heard a child's voice from Garp's side.

"Grandpa! Why are you making me fight those monkeys?!"

Zephyr smiled. "Is that your grandson?"

"Yeah, he's a little over three. A real headache of a brat." Garp laughed. "But he'll definitely become an outstanding Marine someday!"

"No, I want to be a pirate!"

"You little brat!"

Bang!

Fist of Love!

"Ah! Grandpa's fist hurts the most!"

Listening to the commotion from the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Zephyr smiled faintly.

If his child were still alive, he would probably be old enough to be Garp's grandson's big brother by now!

If not for those detestable pirates...

...Wait.

Did Garp's grandson just say he wanted to become a pirate?

Zephyr grabbed the Den Den Mushi. "Hey, Garp, that boy in your family..."

Click!

Garp decisively hung up, muttering to himself in resignation.

"That stubborn old man is such a pain!"

The black-haired child beside him was still making a fuss.

Garp scratched his head helplessly and looked at the newspaper and Bounty Poster in his hands.

"Lynn Barek, Fisher Tiger... two more incredible men have appeared on these seas!"

Just then, the black-haired child suddenly stuck his head into Garp's arms and spotted the Bounty Poster.

"Whoa! A Bounty Poster! So cool!"

"You little brat, are you asking for another punch? Don't say wanted criminals are cool!"

Bang!

"Wah!"

While the name Lynn Barek resounded throughout the surface world.

In the dark world where villains gathered, Lynn Barek's Bounty Poster was given an additional reward, a generous price personally offered by the Celestial Dragons.

Lynn Barek.

Overnight, this name became known to criminals all over the world.

On a pirate ship:

"Men, bring me Lynn Barek's head, and we'll become nobles recognized by the World Government!"

"Ooh!"

At an assassination organization:

"Hehehehe, a favor from the Celestial Dragons? What an enticing reward."

At a Revolutionary Army branch:

"Understood, Dragon. We will continue monitoring Lynn Barek and attempt to make contact with him."

At a circus:

"Captain! This guy named Lynn is worth so much gold. Should we..."

"Shut up! He's someone who dared stand up to the Celestial Dragons! He's not someone we can afford to provoke!"

As undercurrents surged.

At the center of the storm, Lynn Barek was sleeping soundly on the deck.

Beside him, Fisher Tiger had long since collapsed from exhaustion, leaning against the mast and gasping for breath.

Right now, he just wanted some peace and quiet.

Who could have imagined that Lynn Barek, the man who dared challenge the Celestial Dragons and could eat enough for a hundred people in a single meal, would get drunk after only half a cup of alcohol!

And the most crucial part was that once Lynn got drunk, he had one particular hobby—

Jumping into the sea.

Over and over again!

Fisher Tiger could only be grateful that he was a Fish-Man, able to move freely underwater. Even so, diving into the sea again and again to fish Lynn out had left him utterly exhausted in body and mind.

Fortunately, perhaps because he had grown tired of jumping, Lynn finally stopped causing trouble and lay on the deck snoring.

As the sky gradually darkened, it was time to eat.

Lynn's stomach growled.

He groggily opened his eyes, feeling parched.

In his haze, Lynn spotted a glass bottle not far away.

He picked it up and gave it a shake. There seemed to be half a bottle of "water" left inside.

So Lynn tipped his head back and drained the bottle of "water" in one gulp.

Fisher Tiger witnessed everything. He wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.

Splash!