Hearing this, Rowan let out a hearty laugh. He tapped out the spent tobacco from his pipe, tucked it into his waist, and said, "Gahahaha! It's good to be young, truly good. By the way, girl, do you have any more Shaojiu? If you do, prep two large jars for me."
"Two jars?" The clever Makino seemed to realize something. Her brow furrowed slightly as she asked, "Grandpa Rowan, are you... leaving again?"
Rowan nodded. "That's right. And this time, I might be gone for quite a while."
Noticing the faint look of loneliness on Makino's face, Rowan said with a gentle smile, "Don't worry, little girl. No matter how long I'm away, I'll never forget to come back and see you."
At those words, the smile slowly returned to Makino's face. "Then it's a promise!"
With that, she turned and disappeared into the storehouse. She soon emerged carrying two large ceramic jars of freshly brewed Shaojiu. "Here you go, Grandpa Rowan. Two jars of the strongest stuff. That should last you a good while."
Looking at the two jars Makino had prepared, Rowan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This sweet girl...
Partings were always difficult. He didn't linger for more small talk; the more they spoke, the harder it would be for the girl to let him go. Knowing Makino would never accept his money, Rowan secretly left enough Berris on a side table before picking up the heavy jars and walking toward the docks with a carefree stride.
Before long, Rowan arrived at the harbor to find Luffy waiting by their small, prepared boat.
"Hey! Great-Grandpa! It's getting late, let's go!" Excited, Luffy waved his arms and shouted the moment he spotted Rowan's silhouette.
After securing the jars in the cabin, Rowan laughed and unfurled the sail. "Alright! Let's set sail!"
He untied the mooring ropes, and under the push of a gentle sea breeze, the small boat slowly drifted away from the dock. Rowan hadn't made a scene of his departure, so there were no villagers at the pier to see him off. Once the sail was set, Rowan pulled a Den Den Mushi from his robes and dialed Sengoku.
About a day later. Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Creak!
Without the slightest warning, the heavy doors to the Fleet Admiral's office were shoved open. A robust figure with silver-streaked hair marched in, followed by that unmistakable, booming laughter.
"Gahahaha! Sengoku, did you get the report? That pirate crew that just tried to enter the New World was pathetic! I didn't even get a chance to warm up before they were all face-down on the deck. What a bore!"
Laughing all the while, Garp strode into the office. Without even a hint of a salute, he made himself right at home, plopping down onto the sofa opposite Sengoku. He pulled a bag of rice crackers from his shirt, crossed his legs, and began to crunch away loudly.
Despite the racket Garp was making, Sengoku didn't even lift his eyes from the documents on his desk. He was long past being surprised by Garp's antics.
Only after finishing the file did Sengoku pick up his cold cup of tea, took a sip, and said, "If you're so bored, go to Kaido or Whitebeard's territory and tell them to behave. Make sure they aren't planning anything behind the Navy's back."
"Gahahaha! Whitebeard and Kaido? While I'd love to trade blows with them, the thought of dealing with all their little subordinates gives me a headache. Forget it. Let the youngsters handle that. These old bones of mine can't take too much excitement anymore," Garp said, waving a hand dismissively.
"Hmph." Sengoku let out a cold snort. "You actually remember you're an 'old bone'? Running around like a madman all day... what kind of example is that? Don't forget, you're a grandfather now!"
"Eh? Sengoku, what's with you today? Why are you being so serious?"
Noticing something was off, Garp realized Sengoku's expression was much grimmer than usual. He asked curiously, "Did those brats in the New World pull another stunt?"
When Sengoku didn't answer, the smile finally vanished from Garp's face. He knit his brows. "Is it something from the World Government?"
"The New World? The World Government? If it were just those things, I wouldn't be this stressed."
Sengoku let out a long sigh and set down his pen. He stood up, walked over to Garp, and without a word, snatched the brand-new bag of rice crackers right out of Garp's hand. Before a stunned Garp could react, Sengoku tore the bag open and poured the entire contents into his own mouth, chewing furiously.
Garp finally snapped out of it and snatched the bag back, but it was too late—only crumbs remained. Before Garp could demand to know what the hell he was doing, Sengoku spoke first.
"It's about Pops."
"The Old Man?"
Hearing that, Garp immediately forgot about the rice crackers. "What happened to him? I was going to wait a few more days before heading back to the East Blue, but I guess I'm leaving today."
Garp stood up, ready to bolt out of the office. Sengoku hadn't even detailed the problem yet, but the mere mention of Rowan's name was enough to change Garp's entire demeanor. It was clear exactly how much weight Rowan carried in Garp's heart.
"Garp!"
Sengoku barked, slamming a hand onto Garp's shoulder to force him back into the sofa. "You old fool, you're nearly eighty and still this impulsive! I haven't even finished speaking. Why are you rushing back to the East Blue?"
"You haven't finished, but I've heard enough!" Garp growled, his face dark. Rowan was the most important person in his life; he wouldn't tolerate a single bad thing happening to him.
"You haven't heard a damn thing!"
Sengoku's voice rose. "The Old Man is perfectly fine. In fact, he's coming here to Marine Headquarters in a few days!"
"What did you say? Pops is coming to Marineford?"
Hearing that Rowan was safe, Garp's face instantly brightened. His confusion turned to pure joy. "Gahahaha! Sengoku, why didn't you say so earlier? You scared the life out of me! I thought something had happened, but it's just a little visit!"
The darkness on Garp's face vanished, replaced by a grin so wide his wrinkles looked like a blooming chrysanthemum. He slapped Sengoku on the back and laughed.
"Isn't this great? Think about it—since Pops retired, how many years has it been since you've seen him? And Tsuru and Zephyr, too. You three are always so busy; you could never find the time to visit him in the East Blue. Now that he's coming here, isn't it perfect?"
Suddenly, Garp's expression shifted. He leaned in close to Sengoku, his brow furrowed in suspicion.
"Wait a minute, Sengoku. If that's the news, why do you look like your cat died? Don't tell me that now that you're Fleet Admiral, you've grown too big for your boots? You think the Old Man is a burden? Let me tell you, we were all raised and trained by his hand. If you have those kinds of thoughts, I'll be the first one to turn your head into a pig's head."
"Get out of here! You old moron, what is wrong with your brain?!"
Sengoku shoved Garp's face away, his eyes wide. "How could I, Sengoku, ever be that kind of person? Just because you're his foster son doesn't mean you get to question my bond with him! Let me tell you, I'm happier about him coming than you are."
Sengoku's brow furrowed again.
"Do you have any idea why he's coming to Marine Headquarters?"
"Why would he need a reason?" Garp said with total confidence. "It's obviously because I haven't been back in months and he misses me. Out of all of you, I'm his favorite!"
"You insufferable..."
Sengoku rubbed his temples, looking utterly exhausted. He looked Garp dead in the eye and said:
"Pops called me. He told me the reason he's coming to Marine Headquarters is because he wants me to promote his rank... to Marine Admiral."
"What did you say? Admiral?" Garp's jaw dropped. He stared at Sengoku, unable to find a single word to say.
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