"That's enough for today!"
Dunn waved a hand, turned, and headed toward the docks.
Kuina and Zoro, who had gotten back to his feet, watched Dunn's retreating back curiously.
That direction didn't lead to the Isshin Dojo.
Shimotsuki Village's docks.
The people at the docks stared in shock as the massive warship approached, though it stopped some distance away.
"It's a Marine warship!"
They had never seen one before, but a ship of that size and design could only belong to the Marines.
Of course, the most obvious clue was the Marine insignia on its enormous sails.
"Why are the Marines here? Are there pirates nearby?"
Someone asked nervously.
His words made many people look afraid.
No pirates had ever come to Shimotsuki Village before. After all, the East Blue was vast, and pirates were few.
But they had seen plenty in the newspapers about how brutal pirates could be.
Aboard the Dog-Head Warship.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
Bogard, Garp's adjutant and a Marine Headquarters Colonel, stood at attention before him and called out.
Dressed in his Marine uniform, Garp was dozing on a deck chair. Bogard's shout startled him awake, bursting the bubble of snot beneath his nose.
Garp opened his eyes and yawned.
"We there?"
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp. Shimotsuki Village, in the East Blue."
Bogard glanced at the island nearby and nodded.
"Good. Wait here."
Garp stood and stretched, then looked toward Shimotsuki Village. A moment later, he leaped a hundred meters into the air and headed for the village.
Having served under Garp for more than twenty years, Bogard was used to his antics and wasn't the least bit surprised.
He calmly directed the Marines aboard the ship to drop anchor and wait.
Meanwhile, Garp landed directly on the docks.
His arrival clearly frightened the people there.
What kind of person jumped that high and that far? Before Garp could even speak, the villagers of Shimotsuki Village scattered like startled birds.
"Huh!"
Garp scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
I must've scared them.
Wait!
Garp was about to use Observation Haki to see if he could find anyone when he paused and turned toward the town, in the direction the people had fled.
A young man in a loose robe was walking slowly toward him.
For some reason, Garp had a sudden feeling that this was the person he had come to find.
Dunn approached at an unhurried pace, his expression calm as he watched the towering figure on the docks.
Compared to the monstrous physiques of some people out on the sea, Garp wasn't especially huge. But beneath his solid frame lay terrifying strength.
Garp was sizing Dunn up, too.
He was young, no more than fifteen or sixteen, just as the report had described.
He was tall and well-proportioned, with steady steps and a powerful presence.
A promising young man, indeed.
That was Garp's assessment.
With that in mind, Garp remained where he was and watched as Dunn came to a stop before him.
"Pirate Hunter Dunn?"
Garp grinned as he asked.
"Yes. Hero of the Marines Garp?"
Dunn nodded to confirm, then asked in turn.
"Huh?" Garp paused, then scratched his graying hair.
"Looks like I'm still pretty famous! Hahaha!"
With that, Garp burst into laughter all by himself.
"..."
Watching Garp laugh on his own, Dunn stared at him speechlessly.
People in this world seemed to love laughing.
"Are you happy?"
When Garp kept laughing, Dunn asked, sounding rather helpless.
"Of course. I'm still pretty famous, after all."
Garp stopped laughing and answered Dunn's question. He didn't put on any airs—or rather, he was exactly as one would expect.
"Join the Marines, Dunn! You've got a lot of talent. Don't waste it."
Garp extended an invitation without hesitation.
"No!"
Dunn shook his head at once.
"Why? Isn't being a Marine better than being a pirate hunter?"
After Dunn refused, Garp lowered his hand and asked curiously.
"I'm in the middle of training, so I can't."
Dunn thought it over, then gave him an answer.
"You can still train as a Marine. There are plenty of strong people in the Marines."
Garp perked up at that and replied cheerfully.
"But I heard that Marines have to obey the Celestial Dragons," Dunn said quietly after a moment's silence.
Garp froze. His smile faded as he studied Dunn's face for a while, then slowly nodded.
"I see. I understand."
With that, Garp turned around, leaped into the air, and headed back to the warship.
Did that old man misunderstand something?
Garp's reaction left Dunn puzzled.
Looks like another young man who doesn't trust the Marines because of the Celestial Dragons.
Garp sighed.
He knew all too well what people thought of the Celestial Dragons.
Even he had refused to become an Admiral because he didn't want to deal with those despicable people.
If he didn't want to, he had no right to force anyone else.
Back aboard the warship, Garp sat down on his deck chair.
"Set sail. We're returning to Marine Headquarters."
He gave the order with his eyes closed.
"Vice Admiral Garp, what about our target?"
Bogard glanced at Dunn on the docks, puzzled, and asked.
"He's not here. He probably came here and then went somewhere else."
Garp replied with his eyes still closed.
"Huh!"
Bogard paused, looked back at the docks, then immediately ordered the warship to set sail.
Whether Garp was telling the truth didn't matter. They could simply act as if he was.
On the docks.
Dunn watched the warship slowly turn and sail away.
That old man Garp is pretty easy to talk to.
He shook his head slightly and turned back. In the distance, he spotted Koushiro standing with his hands tucked into his sleeves.
What a hassle.
Dunn sighed and walked over.
"Did the Marines come for you?"
Koushiro asked as Dunn approached.
"Yeah. They invited me to join, but I turned them down."
Dunn nodded and told him what the Marines had wanted.
"You turned them down?"
Koushiro paused in surprise.
"Yeah. I don't want to be a Marine. You know what I'm aiming for."
Dunn explained.
"And after you refused, they just left that easily?"
"It was Garp who came."
Dunn looked at Koushiro as he answered.
Garp?
Koushiro's body stiffened.
He knew Dragon's identity, and naturally, he knew that Dragon's father was Vice Admiral Garp of Marine Headquarters.
He also knew a thing or two about the Vice Admiral.
If it was Garp, then it wasn't surprising.
"My two types of Haki have awakened, though. I probably won't stay here much longer."
Dunn spoke up.
"I knew you wouldn't stay here for long, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon."
Koushiro sighed at Dunn's words.
It had been less than two months, and Dunn had already grown much stronger.
Koushiro could feel it clearly. Even Dunn's swordsmanship had improved by leaps and bounds.
"Are you going to the Grand Line?"
Koushiro knew Dunn was familiar with many things, so he asked directly.
"No. I won't go to the Grand Line until I'm confident I can handle the powerful pirates there."
Before you continue