"I'm over fifty years old. I was already fifty when Ace was born. Do you think it's appropriate for me to be Ace's father? Don't I have any shame? People will really think I'm a womanizer. How am I supposed to face my colleagues and friends after that? What are you thinking?"
Garp said irritably, "He really wasn't trying to take advantage of Roger. He just wanted to better protect Ace. The more reasonable the arrangement, the safer Ace would be. If they really made it look like father and son, it would easily arouse suspicion."
"That makes sense! Grandfather and grandson are a good match, but is it appropriate for the old man to tell me such a private matter? I'm under so much pressure! I'm afraid to sleep anymore, for fear that I might accidentally blurt it out in my sleep!"
Vic said helplessly. He hadn't expected the old man to trust him so much. What would he do if Ace were executed? As a Marine, should he help Whitebeard save him?
Knowing the truth would have made a completely different difference from what the old man told him. If the old man had really told him to protect Ace, he would have taken the opportunity to kill Blackbeard when he decided to fight Whitebeard. Without that troublemaker, there wouldn't have been the execution later. However, the plot wouldn't have gone the way it did, and he wouldn't have had so much of a precognitive advantage.
Garp turned and glanced at Dadan after hearing Vic's words, scaring Dadan half to death. Dadan, who had stopped eating meat and was focused on listening to the gossip, almost wet herself. She was terrified that Garp would kill her after hearing such confidential information.
The old man only glanced at Ace and then ignored Dadan. Since he had entrusted Ace to Dadan's care, that was proof of his trust. Although he hadn't mentioned Ace's background before, it didn't affect his trust.
"I will tell Ace about his past sooner or later, and then it will be up to him to choose which path to take."
If he joins the Navy like you, that's fine. But if he chooses to follow Roger's path, then you'll need to put in a lot more effort. By then, I'll probably have already retired from the Navy, and there will be many things I can no longer get involved in.
By then you'll be in your prime, probably already Marine Admiral with considerable influence. A little leniency will suffice; it's my way of paving the way for my grandson.
If it weren't for your appearance, I wouldn't have thought of anything else; I could only do my best to train him to become a navy officer in the future!
Garp revealed his purpose: even if Dadan hadn't brought Ace over for a free meal, he would have taken Vic to the mountain to see Ace alone; this was one of the reasons for his return to the East Blue.
He couldn't hide Ace's true identity from him. It was hard to say what path Ace would take in the future. Vic's arrival was a kind of insurance policy. He truly treated Ace like a grandson.
Dadan had been curious about Vic ever since he first appeared. This man was really handsome and stylish, but she didn't know what his relationship with Garp was. Now, after hearing what Garp said, she was really surprised!
This is someone who might become Marine Admiral in the future. Judging from Garp's expression, it's no surprise that this young Marine will become Admiral.
Garp's position in the Navy is incredibly secure; he even revealed Ace's past to him, which speaks volumes about their relationship.
There's also Aokiji ahead of her, who's this old guy's underling and a hot candidate to become Marine Admiral. Garp's image in her mind is growing taller and taller. She decides to be nicer to Ace in the future; maybe he'll become a big shot in the Marines someday. In this chaotic sea, connections are still important.
"Since you've personally spoken, Grandpa, what else is there to say? I'll take a picture of Ace, how about I take a picture of Luffy too?"
Vic patted Ace's head and readily agreed. He owed the old man a lot of favors, and the old man genuinely protected him. He even went so far as to beat up Akainu for Ace's sake, which was under tremendous pressure.
Ace dodged Vic's head pat with a disgruntled expression. "It's fine if my grandpa pats me, but I don't even know you. Who asked you to pat me? I'll definitely be stronger than you someday. Who is Luffy anyway?"
At this time, Ace wasn't very talkative and was a bit aloof, but his facial expressions were still quite rich.
" Luffy isn't a problem; his father is capable of handling it. I'm not too worried about that. Since you've agreed, then go back. I have something to say to them!"
After the old man finished speaking, he waved to Vic, indicating that Vic didn't need to stay there anymore, as he had something to say in private.
Vic scoffed, "Use people when you need them, don't use them when you don't. I'm too lazy to argue with you." Vic rubbed Ace's head again before standing up and walking back. He didn't know what the old man was going to say, but it was probably about introducing himself.
He did not return to the banquet venue, but instead found a secluded spot by the sea to begin his cultivation, where lightning and an aura of Haki enveloped him.
The next day, most of the villagers woke up at the banquet venue. The couple had both passed out drunk and were dragged away without even realizing it.
Dadan and her gang had already left before anyone noticed, having eaten and drunk their fill. The scene was a bit messy, but the early risers were already cleaning up. Rebecca had used her Observation Haki to find Vic and had brought Vic breakfast, which was the leftovers from last night, which had been grilled again in the morning.
"Grandpa! How long are we going to stay here? You know I'm from East Blue too, and it's not easy for me to come East Blue. I don't have as much freedom as you do. If we have enough time, I'd like to visit some old acquaintances!"
After breakfast, Vic returned to the banquet and found the old man still eating and drinking heartily, with Luffy sleeping in the crook of his legs, blowing bubbles.
"How long? We'll see. I'll give you a Den Den Mushi and my Vivre Card. I'll contact you again if there's an emergency. With your abilities, you should be able to get there quickly; it won't affect the mission!"
Garp pondered for a moment before answering, then took out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and handed it to Vic, followed by tearing off a corner of a piece of white paper and giving it to Vic.
He knew about Vic's travel speed and was incredibly envious. If he had that ability, he could come back to see his grandson every day and could live at home and work. Even Kizaru, who possesses the Glint-Glint Fruit, hadn't developed this ability.
"That's good! I'll only be gone for a few days, I'll be back if there's no mission!"
After finishing his conversation with Garp, Vic went to find Rebecca and the others. He had been planning to visit Shimotsuki Village for a long time. It had been a long time since he had seen Kuina and her son Koshiro, and he figured Kuina must hate him by now. He needed to think about how to appease the little girl when he got to Shimotsuki Village.