The warship had reached the naval port.
This time, someone was waiting at the dock when they arrived.
At the front stood a woman with long, pale pink hair parted down the middle, purple-lensed sunglasses perched on her head, and a rose-red suit.
A Marine coat bearing the word "Justice" hung from her shoulders. The beautiful woman wore dark purple gloves and smoked a cigarette as she looked their way.
Everyone recognized her: Vice Admiral Hina.
Beside her stood another figure in a hat, with a strip of white cloth covering part of his face. His sharp gaze made anyone it fell on uneasy.
He was Wuli's partner, Colonel Shu—or rather, Commodore Shu. After that battle, Marine Headquarters had commended him and promoted him to commodore.
"Hina! Shu!" Wuli spotted the two of them at once, pleasantly surprised.
After most of the Marines disembarked, Wuli walked over with Garp, waving to Hina and Shu as he went.
Relief lit Shu's eyes when he saw that Wuli was truly unharmed. With the Marine Hero Garp ahead of them, he merely nodded back.
Hina, meanwhile, paid Wuli no attention at all. She turned to Garp. "Vice Admiral Garp, thank you for all your hard work again."
Garp burst out laughing. "Hahaha! What hard work? I didn't fight alongside them. It was more like taking a little trip."
He glanced at Wuli. "I know you didn't come all this way to wait for an old man like me. I won't get in your way."
Hina smiled apologetically, while Shu gave Garp a crisp salute.
"Go on, now. It's not like we'll never see each other again," Garp said with a laugh.
After a brief goodbye to Garp, Wuli left with Hina and Shu.
Behind Garp, Koby and Helmeppo watched them go. Envy filled