Sengoku's Call

The azure sea had been gilded by sunlight, its rippling surface shimmering. It was so peaceful that the fierce battle from not long ago seemed like an illusion.

The Dog-Head Battleship, which pirates viewed as a symbol of "visitors from hell," now looked more like a vacation cruise ship.

Two lounge chairs had been set side by side on the mostly repaired deck.

Lying in them were Marine Headquarters' monster Vice Admiral Garp and the recently much-talked-about lightning monster, Rock.

Both wore patterned beach shirts, loose shorts, and sunglasses. They looked like a pair of old friends who had retired by the sea.

Garp held a coconut drink, gulped it down, and let out a long breath. "Whew—refreshing!!!"

Then he turned and asked, "So, the moment you set sail, you rode on the Kuja Pirates' ship straight to Hachinosu to cause trouble?"

He scratched his head and added, "And while you were at it, you beat up that golden-haired idiot Shiki?"

Rock took a large sip of his drink and answered casually, "Ah, you mean that noisy guy with a head full of golden hair who looked like a lion? Yeah, him."

He paused, then added lightly, "If Rocks hadn't stepped in, I'd have pinned him two kilometers beneath the sea already."

"Pfft—!!!"

Garp burst out laughing and sprayed coconut juice into the air. "Hahahaha! That guy had it coming!!!"

"Among the Rocks Pirates, he's the one who deserves a beating the most!"

The Marines aboard the battleship gathered in a small circle some distance away, secretly observing the two "monster-class figures."

They lowered their voices, but they were far too excited to keep them down. "That's the legendary Lightning Boy himself?!"

"I heard he's a Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit user who can control Thunder and turn pirates into charcoal!"

"He stormed Hachinosu alone and came back alive... if that isn't a monster, what is?!"

"Shh! Keep it down! If he hears you, he might slap you and zap you smoking!"

"But he actually said he wants to join the Marines... is that for real?!"

Several young Marines stared with shining eyes, just about to rush over and ask, when Bogard pinned them in place with a cold glance.

"Ahem."

The Marines immediately became as obedient as quails, though their eyes still kept sneaking toward the boy on the lounge chair.

A boy who could treat Shiki like a punching bag, trade blows with Roger, and make Marine Headquarters launch a search... was now right in front of them, wearing beach clothes, sunbathing, and drinking juice.

They truly didn't understand the world of the strong.

Rock paid no attention to those gazes and simply continued sipping his iced drink.

Garp laughed heartily and patted his shoulder. "Brat, what you've been through in one month is crazier than my past ten years!"

Just then, Bogard adjusted his collar and approached with a Den Den Mushi in hand. He lowered his head slightly. "Vice Admiral Garp."

Garp pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead. "Hmm?"

Bogard spoke calmly. "All the wounded have been treated, and the ship has undergone temporary repairs."

At that, he glanced at Rock, who was lying on the lounge chair, and paused. "Also... Vice Admiral Sengoku has contacted us through the Den Den Mushi several times."

Garp's vacationing grin darkened at once.

"That bastard Sengoku..."

He turned to Rock with a mischievous grin. "Brat, should I report you to Headquarters?"

Rock pushed his sunglasses up and shifted into a more comfortable position, lazily waving a hand.

"I was planning to join the Marines anyway. Say whatever you want~"

Garp narrowed his eyes at the fearless-looking boy, then suddenly grinned slyly. "Is that so? Then this will be easy..."

He directly snatched the Den Den Mushi and answered it.

The Den Den Mushi immediately changed into Sengoku's face: a round, explosive afro, raised eyebrows, a taut expression, and slightly flared nostrils—the classic look of someone about to start yelling.

Garp yelled into the Den Den Mushi without any courtesy. "Hey!! Moshi moshi? Sengoku!!!"

The next second—

An even louder roar erupted from the other end. "Garp!!! Why the hell haven't you been answering the calls!!!"

"I heard you went to war with Roger's lot again?!"

"How did it go?! Report to me already!!!"

The deafening roar instantly exploded across the entire battleship.

Every Marine soldier shuddered. Some nearly dropped their tools, some secretly covered their ears, and some went pale.

"Vice Admiral Sengoku's rage level has broken through the heavens!"

"Who's turning off the echo?! My ears are going deaf!!!"

"Is Vice Admiral Garp really not afraid of dying...?"

Rock, who had taken the full force of the roar, was already laughing so hard he slid halfway off his lounge chair. "Pfft—hahahahahahaha!!!"

Bogard sighed while rubbing his forehead. "Here we go again..."

Meanwhile, Garp was completely unfazed. He even dug at his ear with his pinky, looking disgusted.

"Hey, hey, why are you yelling so loudly? You're going to deafen me."

The other end of the Den Den Mushi fell silent for a second, then its fury flared even hotter. "Garp!!! Be serious for once—!!!"

At that exact moment, Garp casually added, "Oh, right, Sengoku. Haven't you been looking for that 'Lightning Boy'?"

The moment those words fell, Sengoku on the other end instantly entered cheetah mode. "What, you found him?! Where is he?! What's his threat level?!!"

Garp turned and pointed at Rock, who was beside him drinking coconut juice with his legs crossed under the sun. "He's right next to me, sunbathing."

Rock smiled in response. "Yo~"

Den Den Mushi: "...!?!????"

Sengoku's face distorted into a mosaic on the Den Den Mushi. "Y-you said wh-what?! You caught him?!"

Rock raised his drink and gave a lazy wave. "Nope~ I came to find you myself~"

The Den Den Mushi's expression instantly became: "???"

The entire deck fell deathly silent.

Garp slapped his thigh and burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha!!! Sengoku! Your brain's gone blank, huh!!!"

Every Marine looked at Garp and Rock as if they were two unknown creatures wearing human skin.

Are we still on a Marine battleship?

Why is our Vice Admiral pulling pranks like an elementary school kid??

This Lightning Boy doesn't seem normal either?!!

Vice Admiral Garp, Vice Admiral Sengoku is really going to beat you to death!!!

Meanwhile, Sengoku on the other end of the Den Den Mushi had completely crashed.

The next second, the Den Den Mushi unleashed an unprecedented roar:

"Garp!!! Bring that brat back to Headquarters immediately! At once! Right now—!!!"

Garp covered his ears and held the Den Den Mushi farther away, looking annoyed. "Yeah, yeah, got it, got it. Why are you yelling? So noisy~"

Wearing sunglasses, Rock leisurely took a sip of coconut juice, a playful curve rising at the corner of his mouth.

"Hmm~ Marine life looks like it'll be pretty lively~"