Garp Appears

Two days later, a warship lay off an island crowded with low buildings.

The warship was enormous, with three masts from bow to stern. Its most distinctive feature was its bow: a dog's head with a bone clenched between its teeth.

It was the warship of the Marine hero, Garp.

Garp stood at the bow, his expression grim as he looked over the dense rows of low buildings. Every one was a prison for civilians, cramped and claustrophobic, its walls stained with blood.

That was why Todd called this place the Red House. So many people had died here, and their blood was never washed away. Even a Pirate as accustomed to killing as he was felt afraid standing outside it.

A swordsman approached. He wore a brown double-breasted suit and a gentleman's hat. If not for the Marine cape that looked so out of place, he could have passed for a detective making a guest appearance from the Detective Conan World.

He was Bogard, Garp's second-in-command and a formidable swordsman.

"Vice Admiral Garp, we've rescued everyone and settled them in the dining hall. The soldiers have withdrawn too. Your orders?"

Garp spoke through his anger. "So there's no one left on the island? Then there's no reason for this island to exist!"

With a Geppo, Garp launched himself into the sky. A few more steps carried him above the island.

"One punch. Shatter!"

Armament Haki coated Garp's right fist. He drove it down from the sky, and with a boom, cracks spread outward from the island's center. Shattered stone flew in every direction, and great slabs of rock slid into the sea, throwing up waves.

The thunderous noise startled the terrified people who had just been rescued. They crowded around the windows. When they saw Garp smash the island that had held them captive, they burst into cheers they could no longer suppress.

Garp's punch had destroyed the place of their nightmares. They cheered for him with all their hearts. He had saved them.

Garp used Geppo to return to the deck. "Head to the nearest Marine Branch. Drop these people off, then go to Foosha Village."

Bogard said, "Vice Admiral Garp, a Marine squad has requested permission to board. They say they have important intelligence to report."

"Let them aboard."

Before long, a sergeant came before Garp and saluted respectfully.

"Vice Admiral Garp!"

Garp returned the salute just as seriously. "Sergeant, what do you have to report?"

The sergeant replied, "I'm Sergeant Taize from Hammer Town to the south. Yesterday, we patrolled Withered Leaf Village and captured dozens of Blood Blade Pirates. Their captain, Red, was killed and taken away by bounty hunters. The intelligence I need to report concerns those two bounty hunters."

"Go on."

Garp took his soldiers seriously. The sergeant continued, "According to the captured Pirates, one of the two bounty hunters is Roronoa Zoro, a Three-Sword Style swordsman already on Marine record. But the other... I can hardly believe it myself. The Pirates claim he has the powers of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit."

Garp said in surprise, "You're saying that bounty hunter has the powers of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit?"

Bogard's voice turned grave. "Sergeant, do you know what you're saying? There aren't two identical Devil Fruits in this world, and Captain Smoker, who has the powers of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit, is still alive."

Under the pressure of the two formidable men, cold sweat broke out across the sergeant's face. Still, he stood by his report. "Attacks couldn't hurt him. His whole body turned to smoke. He could fly close to the ground, and he was afraid of seawater. Those are the powers of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. There were twenty or thirty Pirates, and every one of them said the same thing."

Garp understood how important this intelligence was. He had to confirm it himself.

"Do you know where that bounty hunter is?"

"Yes. He's in Hammer Town!"

Garp ordered Bogard, "Change course. We're going to Hammer Town."

In Hammer Town, Rubick slept until noon. The jumble of thoughts in his head had finally begun to subside. Truth be told, he was tempted to visit the pleasure district. Sharing a room every day with a beautiful young woman like Nami kept stirring up thoughts he was trying to resist.

"Mister, why are you spacing out again?"

Nami rapped the table in annoyance. She had been telling him about another Pirate crew, only to turn and find him staring into space.

"Well, I plan to rest a few more days. You heard what Zoro said, didn't you? I nearly lost my mind before. I still feel a lot of pressure building up inside me. I need to find somewhere to let it out."

Nami's eyes grew hazy. She leaned close, wrapped her arms around Rubick's neck, and settled onto his lap.

"Mister, if that's what you want, I can help you~"

Rubick reached out, then instantly pulled his hands back. A moment later, he put them around Nami's waist and lifted her off his lap. "Don't fool around! You're still a kid. Uh, I'm going to find Zoro and have a drink."

Nami couldn't help laughing as she watched Rubick flee in a panic.

That mister really is adorable.

"Mister, Zoro left Hammer Town ages ago!"

Rubick's voice came from far away. "Then I'll take a walk by the sea."

Rubick actually wanted to leave. After returning from Withered Leaf Village, he had slept for two straight days. By now, he figured the Pirates must have exposed his secret, so he planned to go somewhere else to work as a bounty hunter.

Besides, Red the Blood Blade had earned him a bounty of a million. That would keep him going for a while.

At the docks, Rubick looked for a passenger ship. Now that he had money, there was no need to cram himself onto a narrow, uncomfortable merchant vessel.

"Rubick Hu?"

"Hm?"

Rubick turned in surprise and found a man with a stern face and downturned mouth staring at him. Judging by the cape of justice draped over his shoulders, he was a Marine.

"Uh, you've got the wrong person."

In the blink of an eye, Bogard drew his sword and set it against Rubick's neck. The forward edge of the blade was pitch-black. Rubick recognized it at once: Armament Haki.

"May I ask your name, sir?"

Bogard said flatly, "Come with me. Don't think about running. I'm faster than you imagine."

Rubick gave him a smile that looked more like a grimace. Come on, you've already shown me your Armament Haki. You think I'd still dare to run?

As he followed Bogard, Rubick wondered who wanted to see him at a time like this. When they arrived, should he run for his life or give in and do as he was told?

Then Rubick reached the northern shore and saw the old man.

"Rubick?" the old man said evenly. Rubick put on a nervous smile and asked, "May I ask your name, sir?"