What terms Doflamingo had agreed to, only Sengoku and Garp, the two men who had carried out the deal, probably knew. Even Tsuru, the Chief of Staff, knew nothing about it.
But to the people of Dressrosa and the former king's line, King Riku's family, Garp's arrival and departure had made no difference. Life went on as before. The people lived in peace amid the kingdom's bustle and prosperity, while the road to revenge stretched endlessly ahead, without a glimmer of hope.
Flamingo's "fuffuffuffuffu" laughter could still be heard in the Royal Palace, and he was still "Joker" of the Underworld.
A month later, at Marine Headquarters in Marineford.
Yawning, Aokiji strolled lazily out of his room toward the area where Loa slept. It was his day to take over from Kizaru. Each of the three Admirals would stand guard for a month, by Sengoku's order.
The point of posting an Admiral there was not that anyone feared Loa might be in danger. After his terrifying feat of killing Ulysses, no one dared provoke that Monster lightly.
Their real purpose in standing guard was to keep anyone from sneaking in and getting accidentally beaten to death by Loa.
After all, the seas had been anything but peaceful lately.
Leaving the courtyard, Aokiji scratched his cheek and wandered along the clean stone-paved path, still half asleep. The soldiers on patrol saluted him as he passed.
He had just rounded a corner when he stopped and looked back.
"Huh? Mr. Garp, when did you get back?"
The burly old man with close-cropped, graying hair, endlessly munching from a bag of Senbei, was none other than Iron Fist Garp!
Hearing the voice behind him, Garp turned around, still crunching on his Senbei, and greeted Aokiji. "Oh, Aokiji! Long time no see. I just