Garp's Invitation! Refusal

"That's it for today!"

Dunn waved his hand and turned to walk toward the pier.

Kuina and Zoro, who had just climbed to his feet, watched Dunn's retreating back 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 pull too close to the docks.

"It's a Marine warship!"

Even though 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.

Shimotsuki Village had never seen any pirates before; after all, the East Blue was vast, and pirates were few and far between.

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

Aboard the Dog-Head Warship.

"Vice Admiral Garp!"

Garp's adjutant, a Marine Headquarters Colonel named Bogard, stood before Garp and shouted as he snapped to attention.

Garp, dressed in his Marine uniform, had been napping on a beach chair. Bogard's shout startled him awake, popping the snot bubble he had been blowing.

Garp opened his eyes and let out a yawn.

"We're here?"

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

Bogard turned to look at the small island not far away and nodded.

"Hmm, you all wait here."

Garp stood up, stretched his limbs, and looked up toward Shimotsuki Village. Then, he leaped 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 his actions.

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

Meanwhile, Garp landed directly on the pier.

His arrival clearly terrified the people on the dock.

No normal person could jump 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!

Just as Garp was preparing to use his Observation Haki to see if he could find his target, his expression froze. 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 slowly toward him.

Abruptly, Garp felt that this youth was the person he had been looking for.

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

Compared to the monsters with exaggerated physiques found on the high seas, this build was nothing special, but within that sturdy frame lay terrifying power.

Garp was also sizing up Dunn.

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

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

He was indeed a promising talent.

That was Garp's assessment.

Thinking this, Garp stood his ground and watched as Dunn walked up to him.

"Pirate Hunter Dunn?"

Garp grinned as he asked.

"Hmm, Hero of the Marines Garp?"

Hearing the question, Dunn nodded in acknowledgment and then countered with a question of his own.

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

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

Garp laughed heartily to himself as he spoke.

"..."

Watching Garp laugh away, Dunn looked at him, speechless.

People in this world seemed to love laughing.

"Are you happy?"

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

"Happy, indeed. After all, this old man is still quite famous."

Hearing the question, Garp stopped laughing and answered Dunn. He didn't put on any airs—or rather, he was just staying true to his character.

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

Garp extended the invitation directly.

"No!"

Dunn shook his head immediately.

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

Hearing the refusal, Garp withdrew his hand and asked curiously.

"I am 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 in the Navy. There are plenty of strong people within our ranks."

Garp chuckled upon hearing this.

"But I've heard that if you become a Marine, you have to take orders from the Celestial Dragons," Dunn said softly after a brief silence.

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

"I see. I understand."

With that, Garp turned around, leaped into the air, and headed toward his warship.

Did that old man misunderstand something?

Garp's reaction left Dunn feeling puzzled.

It seems he's another young man who distrusts the Navy because of the Celestial Dragons, Garp sighed to himself.

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 detestable people.

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

After landing back on the warship, Garp sat directly in his deck chair.

"Set sail. Return to Headquarters."

Garp said this 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 headed somewhere else."

Garp replied without opening his eyes.

Huh!

Bogard was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at the pier before ordering the ship 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 is surprisingly easy to talk to.

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

"Trouble!"

Dunn sighed and walked over.

"Did the Navy come for you?" Koushiro asked as Dunn approached.

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

Dunn nodded, confirming the Navy's purpose.

"You refused?"

Koushiro was taken aback.

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

Dunn spoke up.

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

"It was Garp who came."

Dunn looked at Koushiro and said.

Garp?

Koushiro's body jolted.

He knew Dragon's identity, and naturally, he 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 wasn't strange at all.

"However, my two types of Haki have already awakened, so I shouldn't be staying here for much longer."

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, Koushiro felt quite sentimental.

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

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

"Are you heading to the Grand Line?"

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

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