"I have many enemies", and Rowen has long been aware of this. But he has never seriously regarded the Marines as enemies... Because he has a better way to solve problems than fighting.
Just like now, becoming one of the three Admirals of the Marines, using his own influence to completely eliminate the crisis in the blink of an eye.
But...
There are always those who cannot be influenced by others. No matter how arrogant or foolish they may seem to outsiders, refusing to listen to any advice, the more they stand at the forefront of the times, the more resolute their beliefs become.
For example, Akainu and Aokiji, Kizaru and Sengoku, Tsuru and Garp!
Seeing Rowen return to the room with a not-so-good expression, Zero frowned silently. "What happened?"
"Should I say you have a mouth of a crow, Zero?" Rowen looked up, his eyes containing an inexplicable expression.
"Just now, Garp San attacked 'Gold Emperor' Tesoro, forcing him to hand over his wealth. If nothing unexpected happens, this money is definitely not for paying the government."
"What?!!" Zero stood up in shock, his powerful thigh pushing the sofa behind him to fall over.
"Impossible, what reason does he have to betray the Marines?!"
With the government on the brink of war with Orrick, no matter how many thoughts he had, he should have temporarily restrained himself.
With Garp, that Marine Hero who has upheld Justice for decades, he must be crazy to choose betrayal?!
"Don't rush to comment. My people just received the news. What if it's not betrayal but we forced him into it, wouldn't that be a laughingstock?"
Saying this, Rowen adjusted his attire.
"I'll go handle it first. The Golden City is not far from here; at my speed, I can reach it in a day... At the very least, I need to find out what he really wants!"
Rowen paused and looked at him.
"Zero, I need you to do me a favor."
"Please speak, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)!"
"Before the matter is clarified, please help keep the news under wraps... If I don't return in three days, or if something else happens, don't hide it. Make all the information you gather public... It's better to suffer a short pain than a long one; it's time to make a choice."
"Are you sure?!"
Zero was about to say that this was against the rules, but upon hearing the latter part, he gasped.
Once that information is made public, it would not only deal a severe blow to Garp as a Hero but also cause immeasurable losses to the currently flourishing Marines!
As the "Marine Hero" and "Guardian of the People," to fall to the level of associating with pirates, especially the Pirate King, such a scandal would be enough to plunge the Marines into the abyss!
This was also the reason why, after the Marineford War, all factions remained silent about Garp adopting Ace.
Because the cost was too severe!
Severe enough that neither the government, the Marines, nor the underworld giants and ordinary citizens could accept it.
In response, Rowen lit a cigar and took a deep puff.
"Do you know what a caterpillar goes through before it becomes a butterfly?"
"It has to break open the cocoon it painstakingly weaved, discarding the home it once relied on for survival, just to pursue a broader world."
"The Marines, too, need to break through that seemingly glorious Justice, which is, in fact, already rotten."
At this point, Rowen smiled.
"What am I rambling about? It's all just speculation; what if nothing is actually happening?"
"So, please, Zero. Unless absolutely necessary, I don't want to reach that point."
"I... understood."
After a moment of silence, Zero nodded solemnly.
"Don't worry, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon). Within three days, I guarantee I won't tell anyone about this matter!"
"Mm, thanks for the trouble."
Nodding slightly, Rowen opened the door and strode out.
In shock, Zero didn't notice the faint smile that appeared on Rowen's lips before he turned to leave.
...
In Golden City, "Gran Tesoro."
At this moment, Golden City had already fallen into a sea of flames.
The battle between the awakened Gold-Gold Fruit user and Garp resulted in the city being directly stranded, leaning against a mountain peak that was clearly an island, but small enough to be compared to the backrest of a chair.
"Do you think you can still have a place in the Sea after doing this, Garp?!"
In the spacious room made of gold, the walls twisted into a mass of contorted, intertwined ropes, firmly binding Tesoro in the center.
But this was not his own fruit ability; with the Seastone handcuffs on, he could no longer exert any power from the Gold-Gold Fruit.
These golden ropes were twisted by Garp's brute force, restraining him.
Hearing this, Garp, sitting on the sofa and eating a donut, looked indifferent and shrugged.
"Why say such things? Every time I make a move, I do so with the resolve to face death; I've long been accustomed to this kind of trouble."
At that moment, there was a loud "bang" as someone knocked on the door. However, on the last knock, the gilded door collapsed backward with a crash, revealing a small boy at the entrance, frozen in a knocking posture, looking utterly helpless.
"I... I didn't do it."
The boy looked like he was about to cry.
Just then, a robust bald man blocked the sunlight seeping through the door, speaking calmly.
"Garp San, as you wished, all the civilians and tourists on the island have been evacuated."
"Oh, thanks for the trouble... um, who are you again?"
The bald man looked exasperated, then straightened up.
"Just a useless person who can't protect his family; nothing worth mentioning."
After a brief pause, he raised his head, placed his left hand on his fist, and saluted Garp with his right hand at his forehead.
"Then, Vice Admiral Garp, take care!"
Only then did Garp realize that this man had once been a Marine.
"What's the benefit of spreading the news about the bomb about to explode using the giant Den Den Mushi on the island, Garp?" After the bald man left for some time, Tesoro, covered in blood, looked at Garp on the sofa and grinned, "By the time you and I started fighting, countless people had already died; now you're pretending to be merciful?!"
In response, Garp put down his donut and said solemnly, "Even so, saving one more person is worth it."
"Whether for Justice or any other reason, there will always be casualties in battle, so... we must cherish our living companions even more."
"That sounds a lot like the philosophy of that little brat Rowen; you must have heard of him, right?"
Tesoro's pupils constricted.
"Are you trying to use me to lure out Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)?"
Then he laughed.
"You're joking! If that man can say such a thing, then he has long been prepared for anyone to die... so are we."
"As long as he doesn't show up, even if I die here, the blame won't fall on him."
"With that person's temperament, he can't possibly overlook this!"
As long as Rowen doesn't show up, the enormous sin of creating the Ancient Weapon "Pluton" will only fall on him and Fujitora.
No one has the reason, the qualification, or the courage to elevate the responsibility to Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon) because of their relationship.
"Come on, kill me!"
Tesoro roared madly, "You can't stop the changes of the times, Garp! This world will be reborn in the hands of that great man!!!"
Hearing this, Garp looked at him with pity, "I didn't expect that even you, who had no subordinates willing to stay for you, would be so loyal to him... what kind of drug did he give you?"
"I remember you were just in a cooperative relationship, right?"
"Cough... cough cough, subordinates? Those useless people are just tools I control with money and gold powder."
Tesoro wickedly smiled, "Are you a fetishist?"
"You're such a... dirty man!"
Garp evaluated him in a low voice and suddenly punched him in the face.
Bang!
"Wū wa..."
Suddenly, he gasped, covering his mouth and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Feeling the pungent smell and pain on his face, Tesoro opened his eyes, "It seems the Gold Garuda has caused serious injuries to you, Garp!"
"Now, I actually look forward to that great man coming over in an extremely irrational manner."
"Hmph! It's just a minor injury; I'm not that old yet."
After a pause, Garp moved back to the sofa and lay back.
"Don't worry; he will definitely come."
"Why?"
"Because even the instructors from the recruit camp who came with me don't know why I'm taking action against you."
Garp took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, the crimson liquid staining the beard around his lips shockingly.
"As you said, he is very smart, so he definitely won't miss this golden opportunity!"
"Ugh… you madman!"
Tesoro instantly understood everything.
Indeed, if it were that great man, he would certainly, absolutely, just like an egg rolling off a table, utilize this situation to the fullest.
But...
"What benefit does this bring you?" Tesoro asked, perplexed.
"Benefit? Don't joke with me; I'm just fulfilling my responsibility." Garp tossed aside the handkerchief and smiled.
"I brought him into the Marines; now that he's gone astray, I have the obligation to bring him back!"
"Hah! It's not us who are wrong; it's the world!"
Suddenly, Tesoro exerted force with both hands, and the golden ropes binding him became as soft as clay.
"How is that possible?!" Garp looked at this scene in shock, his pupils suddenly tightening.
Golden Iron Fist!
Bang!!!
(End of this chapter)
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