Logan's expression remained calm as he casually found a place to sit.
In his memory, this was the first time Garp had ever lost his temper so completely with him.
"Grandpa Garp," Logan said quietly, "even if I told you the truth… you still wouldn't believe me."
He looked around the small courtyard he knew so well, emotion surfacing in his eyes.
When he was young, he had stood right here, day after day, practicing endlessly.
Every blade of grass, every stone—no one was more familiar with this place than he was.
Later, when he came of age, he officially joined the Marines and began training outside the courtyard.
Garp's expression was heavy now, the usual carefree smile gone.
"How could grandpa not believe what his own grandson says?" Garp replied.
Logan thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and said:
"Ace is chasing Teach right now. You know that, don't you?"
"I do," Garp answered without hesitation.
"Next, Ace will lose to Blackbeard Teach. Then he'll be captured by the Marines and publicly executed as a warning."
"Hahahaha!"
Garp burst into laughter, laughing so hard tears nearly came out.
"I know Teach isn't weak," Garp said between laughs, "but Ace isn't weak either. He's the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Teach won't beat him so easily."
"Even if—even if—Ace really does lose and gets captured, the Marines wouldn't dare execute him. Whitebeard is fiercely protective of his own."
"If Ace were executed, Whitebeard would tear Marine Headquarters apart!"
Logan rolled his eyes and sighed.
"See? I told you—you wouldn't believe me."
"Whitebeard will come to save Ace. And that day will erupt into a war that shakes the world. Marine Headquarters will be almost completely destroyed."
"What I'm trying to do now… is stop that war with everything I have."
Garp shook his head repeatedly.
"Impossible. Even if Ace were captured, the Marines wouldn't go to war with Whitebeard over a single pirate."
Logan raised his head and looked directly at Garp, speaking a single calm sentence—
One that made Garp's fists clench instantly.
"Grandpa Garp… Ace's true identity isn't known by just you."
There was one thing Logan didn't say aloud.
Even if he couldn't stop the war—
then at the very least…
he had to protect Ace.
Garp collapsed onto the ground, his expression dim.
Deep down, he was already starting to believe.
Ace's true identity—he knew it better than anyone.
If the Marines acknowledged that identity…
Ace would unquestionably die.
"Even if you want to stop the war, you don't have to leave the Marines," Garp said heavily.
"With the rank of Major, you'd have far more freedom outside."
"Even with Armament Haki, you're still not enough against the real monsters of this world."
Logan grinned.
"If I wear Marine colors, how am I supposed to face Luffy?"
"Do you want me to drag your own grandson back to Marine Headquarters?"
"…Fair enough," Garp muttered. "With your current strength, Luffy definitely isn't your match."
His mood finally eased a little.
"But are you really decided? Once you leave the Marines, you'll never be rehired."
Logan slowly placed his hand over his heart and spoke softly.
"Grandpa Garp, my justice isn't those two words on my back."
"It's not blind obedience to the Celestial Dragons."
"I'm not someone with a strong sense of duty. Right now, I only want to do one thing—"
"To stop the war I keep seeing in my dreams."
"My justice… is here."
Garp froze for a long moment.
Then suddenly—
He burst into roaring laughter.
"Go, go then! Since you've seen your path clearly, go charge forward without hesitation!"
"It's just a pity my son hasn't met you yet. If he had, the two of you would've gotten along immediately."
There was an indescribable pride in his voice.
Thankfully, only the two of them were present.
Otherwise, anyone else hearing this would've been scared half to death.
Who was Garp's son?
Logan knew perfectly well.
The leader of the Revolutionary Army—
the world government's most wanted criminal.
Logan took a deep breath and looked at the towering old man with complicated emotions.
No one truly knew how strong Garp was.
Even now—having mastered Armament Haki and Kamehameha—Logan still felt like a sapling facing a raging storm when standing before him.
I need to become stronger.
Only by becoming stronger could he protect Luffy and Ace.
Logan suddenly bowed deeply to Garp—without saying a word.
For ten years, Garp's care and concern had never gone unnoticed.
And now… it was time for him to act.
Knowing the future, he simply couldn't stand by and watch Ace die on the execution platform—
or see Luffy nearly break.
"Take care, Grandpa Garp."
Logan straightened, slung Zhenhai over his shoulder, and pushed the door open.
Back in his room, Logan cleaned everything meticulously.
After careful thought, he took only one thing—
The Zhenhai sword that had accompanied him for ten years.
He stood at the doorway for a long time.
Then, without even closing the door, he turned and left.
Near the shoreline, he found a small wooden boat.
With a single leap, he landed on it, water splashing high into the air.
Under the sunlight, the spray sparkled like crystal.
The boat drifted slowly with the waves.
Logan turned back one last time to look at the majestic Marine Headquarters.
Tashigi.
Smoker.
And many others.
They were good people.
But the next time they met…
they might be enemies.
Waves rolled gently, sea breeze brushing past.
Golden sunlight stretched across the endless sea ahead, shimmering like a dream.
Suddenly, a group of familiar figures appeared on the shore—
Smoker, Tashigi, and even some Marines who had once mocked him.
All of them waved toward Logan.
"Logan! Next time we meet, I'll definitely surpass you!"
"Kid, I've already mastered those two sword moves—thanks!"
"..."
"..."
Listening to their noisy shouts, Logan smiled and waved back.
After about an hour at sea, Marine Headquarters had faded from view.
Only then did Logan speak quietly:
"System, I want to start the next mission."
[Understood, sir. The next mission is located in Cocoyasi Village. Begin teleportation now?]
Cocoyasi Village?
That's Nami's hometown.
If so… he might even meet Nami.
And more than that—
He was curious what the next sign-in reward would be.
"Begin teleportation."
[Acknowledged. Locating destination.]
[Teleportation commencing.]
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