"I can't control that kid Jig. He isn't my grandson, after all. It was hardly a surprise that Barn's disciple became a pirate. Aside from that kid who already died, I'd hoped you and Luffy would become fine Marines."
"Who knew things would turn out like this? You ended up becoming the Marines' sworn enemies..."
"..."
Garp spoke in a low voice, his tone filled with genuine regret and helplessness. Perhaps he was wondering whether things would have come to this if Ace had become a Marine as he had wanted. That thought brought someone else to mind-a friend who had been his adversary for decades, Ace's father, the legendary man who had once conquered the Grand Line...
Gol D. Roger...
At that thought, Garp spoke.
"Oh... right. I told Luffy about his father. He was pretty shocked!"
His earlier gloom lifted as he spoke, and a bitter smile appeared on his face, which seemed to have gained more wrinkles from recent events.
At last, Ace spoke again.
"Something like that... it doesn't matter whether he knows or not. Luffy and I both have the blood of world-class criminals running through our veins... so we'd never join the Marines..."
"I inherited the name 'Portgas' from my mother, to whom I owe more than I could ever repay. As for that bastard of a father, I have no memories of him, and he never did anything for me. But I really did feel his love..."
"...Even so, I never thought I'd hear you say that. Didn't you always hate him when you were little?"
Garp was surprised by Ace's words. He knew what Ace had been like as a child. Carrying the Pirate King's blood had made him hate even his own birth. Yet what he had just said meant he