Sengoku's Call

The azure sea gleamed with a golden sheen beneath the sunlight, its ripples sparkling. It was so peaceful that the fierce battle from not long ago felt like an illusion.

That Dog-Head Battleship, a symbol of "hell's arrival" in pirates' eyes, now looked more like a sightseeing cruise ship.

Two lounge chairs stood 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 colorful beach shirts, loose shorts, and sunglasses. They looked like a pair of old friends retired by the sea.

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

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

He scratched his head, then added, "And while you were at it, you beat up that blond idiot Shiki?"

Rock took a huge sip of his drink and replied casually, "Ah, you mean that noisy guy with a head full of blond hair who looks like a lion? Yeah, him."

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

"Pfft—!!!"

Garp burst out laughing, spraying coconut juice into the air. "Hahahaha! That guy deserved to get beaten up!!!"

"Out of everyone in the Rocks Pirates, he's the one who deserves a beating the most!"

The Marines aboard the warship huddled together some distance away, secretly observing the two "monster-class figures."

They lowered their voices, but their excitement made it impossible to keep them down. "Is that the legendary Lightning Boy himself?!"

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

"He stormed Hachinosu alone and came back alive... If that's not a monster, what is?!"

"Shh! Keep it down! If he hears you, he might smack you with lightning until you start smoking!"

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

Several young Marines had stars in their eyes and were about to rush over and ask when Bogard's icy glare pinned them in place.

"Ahem."

The Marines immediately became as obedient as quails, though their eyes still kept sneaking glances at 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 stares and simply continued drinking his iced beverage.

Garp laughed heartily and slapped his shoulder. "Brat, the things you've gone through in one month are more outrageous than what I've seen in over ten years!"

Just then, Bogard finished straightening his collar and walked over with a Den Den Mushi in hand. He lowered his head slightly. "Vice Admiral Garp."

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

Bogard's tone was calm. "All the wounded have been treated, and temporary repairs to the ship have been completed."

As he said that, he glanced at Rock lying on the lounge chair and paused slightly. "Also... Vice Admiral Sengoku has called through the Den Den Mushi several times."

The vacation-like smile on Garp's face immediately darkened.

"That bastard Sengoku..."

He turned to Rock, a mischievous grin in his eyes. "Brat, should I report you up the chain, then?"

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

"I was planning to join the Marines anyway. Whatever you say is fine~"

Garp narrowed his eyes at the utterly fearless boy and suddenly grinned wickedly. "Is that so? Then this will be easy..."

He snatched the Den Den Mushi and answered it.

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

Garp shouted into it without a hint of politeness. "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 Den Den Mushi!!!"

"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 warship.

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

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

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

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

Rock, who was hit head-on by the roar, was already laughing so hard that he slid halfway off his lounge chair. "Pfft—hahahahahahaha!!!"

Bogard held his forehead and sighed. "Here we go again..."

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

"Hey, hey, why are you yelling so loud? You're going to deafen my ears."

There was a second of silence on the other end before Sengoku's fury intensified. "Garp!!! Be serious—!!!"

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?! How dangerous is he?!!"

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

Rock smiled and replied, "Yo~"

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

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

Rock raised his drink and lazily waved it. "Nope~ I came to find you myself~"

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

The entire deck fell silent.

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

All the Marines looked at Garp and Rock as though they were two unknown creatures wearing human skin.

—Were they really still aboard a Marine warship?

—Why was their vice admiral pranking someone like an elementary schooler??

—This Lightning Boy didn't seem normal either?!!

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

At that moment, Sengoku on the other end had completely crashed.

The next second, the Den Den Mushi let out an unprecedented roar.

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

Garp covered his ears and held the Den Den Mushi away with a look of disgust. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it. Why are you yelling? You're so noisy~"

Wearing his sunglasses, Rock leisurely took a sip of coconut juice, a playful smile curling at the corner of his lips.

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