The true purpose of CP0's visit to Lodestar Island became clear—they intended to seize the Marines who had guarded the Roger Pirates' prisoners. The audacity of such overreach was staggering.
There was no way Sengoku and Garp would allow that to happen. It wouldn't matter if the guard in question were Yoriichi Tsugikuni or any ordinary Marine. Sengoku and Garp would never stand by and let CP0 humiliate their men.
Even if the Marines had erred, it was not for CP0 to pass judgment. If they let these CP0 agents take their people today, what face would Garp and Sengoku have left among the Marines?
Garp, grasping their intention, had immediately "claimed" responsibility for the prison's defense.
Now, Garp lifted his head slightly, a wide grin on his face as he stared down the four CP0 agents. He was eager to see what they would dare try.
Sengoku's expression darkened as well. CP0's demands had crossed the line, encroaching on his authority as Admiral. Sengoku had never been one to crave power for its own sake, but his position was hard-won, driven by a desire to change the Marines and do real good for the world.
To achieve that, both strength and authority were indispensable.
"Vice Admiral Garp... you were the one guarding the prison?"
The CP0 leader, his mask split between a weeping face and a laughing one, hesitated for a moment before letting out a cold chuckle.
"Ha... Vice Admiral Garp, is this your way of testing our CP0 intelligence capabilities?"
Garp's grin didn't waver.
"And what if I am? Or are you going to tell me exactly who you plan to take from us?"
As he spoke, Garp's Conqueror's Haki burst forth, surging toward the four agents. The pressure became tangible, crashing down on them like a storm.
Caught off guard, all four dropped to one knee, their bodies hunched as if burdened with invisible weights. The deck beneath them cracked, and even the railings nearby splintered under the spreading force.
"Come on, tell me—who do you intend to take from my Marines?"
Garp's smile faded, his fists clenched tight. His cloak of justice snapped in the wind, driven by the force of his Haki.
"Hey, Garp!"
One of the CP0 agents struggled to stand beneath the crushing pressure. Seeing this, Garp bent his knees slightly, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Sengoku quickly grabbed Garp's wrist, his voice low but firm.
Everyone in the Marines knew Garp's unique status, and so did the World Government. Even in the future, when his son would become the most wanted man alive and his grandson would rise as an Emperor of the Sea, Garp's standing in the Marines would remain untouched.
Had anyone else sheltered the Pirate King's son, they'd have been executed long ago. But Garp? He walked away unscathed.
Pressuring CP0 like this was, to him, a trivial matter.
"Vice Admiral Garp, your message is clear. We will report everything to the Five Elders."
"Let's see if you're this bold when they come to call."
The red-masked CP0 agent began, but before he could finish, Garp vanished. A white blur shot forward. Garp appeared before him, seized his head, and hoisted him off the deck.
The deck shook as thunderous energy cracked through the air.
"You little brat! Are you threatening me?"
With a roar, Garp hurled the agent into the sea, the man's body vanishing in a spray of water.
Far off on a green-hulled ship, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kuzan watched from the rail.
The flash of Haki, the white figure's sudden flight—everything told them Garp had acted.
"Hah, that's Vice Admiral Garp for you. Doesn't matter who you are, he'll throw a punch," Kuzan said with a lazy whistle.
Yoriichi nodded.
"Truly fearless. I wonder what the World Government said to set him off like that?"
"Maybe something about Dragon?" Yoriichi guessed. He never imagined this had anything to do with him.
Unbeknownst to him, CP0's real interest wasn't the escape of Roger's crew. It was Shanks—already a marked man in the eyes of the World Government. But neither Garp nor Yoriichi knew that.
To Garp, this was simply about protecting his own.
The other CP0 agents finally reacted, leaping after their comrade. The leader, silent for a long moment, gave Garp a deep, unreadable look.
"Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Sengoku, our message is delivered."
"We understand the Marines have a way to track the Roger Pirates. CP0 will be joining your pursuit. You have no objections, I trust?"
Sengoku gave a small nod. With that, the masked leader leapt from the deck, using Geppo to return to his ship without another word about his fallen subordinate.
Watching them go, Garp spat into the sea and turned to leave.
"Too many men chasing Roger is pointless," he said over his shoulder to Sengoku.
"We should slim down our force. Let the rest of the Marines return. As for that new base you want to build? Put Kuzan in charge. Make Yoriichi his deputy. I'll talk to Zephyr."
It was phrased as advice, but Garp's tone left no room for argument. Before Sengoku could protest, Garp was gone.
Sengoku sighed. He had wanted to assign Vice Admiral Borsalino to the post, not two young officers. But with Garp backing them, what choice did he have?
Despite their youth, no one could question Kuzan and Yoriichi's strength.
The World Government ship stayed at Lodestar Island for mere minutes before departing. Sengoku ordered a week of rest, then sent the main fleet home, retaining only a small force to continue the pursuit.
Kuzan's unit, now designated G-ICE Branch, was left behind to establish the new base. Kuzan was promoted to branch commander with authority over officers below the rank of captain. Yoriichi, as his deputy, held authority over junior officers.
In one stroke, the two had risen from staff officers to commanders of their own domain.
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