"Alright, that's enough."
"Don't let anyone else know about this."
Sengoku waved his hand at Brannew, signaling him to leave.
"Understood." Brannew saluted and turned away.
"A new era... is it really coming?"
Standing in the hallway, Sengoku looked at the bright moon hanging in the night sky, frowning slightly.
The meteoric rise of the newcomer Sora, along with the death of the veteran pirate Gecko Moria, made Sengoku feel that relics like them—men in their seventies and eighties—might really be unable to keep up with the times.
Back in the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku looked at the still-sleeping Garp and let out a quiet sigh.
He knew full well why Garp had come.
With the execution of Fire Fist Ace approaching, Garp, the one who raised him, was surely conflicted and distressed. Most likely, he came to plead on Ace's behalf but couldn't bring himself to say it directly—so instead, he picked a fight over rice crackers.
If Ace had just followed Garp's advice—joined the Marines, or lived quietly as a civilian—then even though he was Roger's son, Sengoku would've turned a blind eye, even offering his help for Garp's sake.
But the kid insisted on becoming a pirate. Worse still, one of the Four Emperors, Whitebeard, was preparing to name him as successor to the Pirate King.
With that, Sengoku had no choice but to strike.
Roger's final words had inspired thousands to set sail under the pirate flag, leading to chaos, murder, and pillaging across the seas. Countless Marines had died trying to contain that chaos. If they spared Ace just because he was Garp's grandson, what face would they have left to show those who sacrificed everything?
This was the true reason Garp was so tormented. The "Justice" draped across his back wouldn't allow him to look the other way.
Pop!
The bubble of snot on Garp's nose popped, waking him up.
"Garp, you actually slept that long? I barely even rested a few minutes!" Sengoku shouted at him, furious.
He rushed over and smacked Garp hard on the head.
Letting Ace off the hook wasn't an option anymore. The only thing Sengoku could do now was humor Garp, distract him with petty antics.
Garp rubbed the large lump on his head and sighed.
"I just dreamed about Ace and Luffy when they were little."
"In the dream, Ace burned my beard and I beat him up. Luffy tried to help and got smacked too. Hahaha..."
He laughed heartily, then slumped onto the sofa, eyes hollow.
In that moment, he was no Vice Admiral. No Marine Hero. Just a grandfather in pain over the path his grandsons had taken.
Sengoku sat down beside him and spoke.
"Moria is dead. That brat Sora killed him."
"Moria's dead?" Garp blinked in surprise.
Moria was one of the Seven Warlords—a major pirate on the Grand Line—and now he was dead?
Seeing he had successfully shifted Garp's attention, Sengoku brewed a pot of tea.
"According to the message from Hina, Sora may hate the Celestial Dragons and the World Government, but he loathes pirates even more. Any pirate who runs into him ends up dead on the spot."
"If your grandson runs into him, he's probably as good as dead."
Sengoku took a sip of tea.
His message was clear: stop worrying about Ace. Focus on Luffy before it's too late.
Because if Luffy got caught by Sora, he'd be dead before sundown.
Garp grabbed Sengoku's teacup and asked in shock:
"That Sora is really that ruthless?"
If he hadn't known Sora killed a Celestial Dragon, Garp would've suspected this guy was Sakazuki's disciple.
'Fine, you're heartbroken. I'll let it slide.' Sengoku silently endured the loss of his tea and poured himself another cup.
"You remember Buggy the Clown?"
Garp raised an eyebrow. "Roger's old cabin boy? That guy who came up alongside Shanks?"
"He's dead. Killed by Sora."
Sengoku said it casually, sipping tea like it was just another day.
More dead pirates was a good thing in his book.
Garp frowned. With Sora's strength and brutality, Luffy wouldn't stand a chance.
Sengoku continued, watching Garp carefully.
"I've heard your grandson is on some Sky Island right now, but he's headed toward Sabaody Archipelago. If this keeps up, he's going to run right into Sora."
"You should act fast."
"...Yeah. I get it."
Garp sighed and stood up.
He knew Sengoku was trying to send him away—and frankly, he didn't want to hear about Luffy getting killed either.
He'd already lost one grandson. He couldn't lose another.
"Don't worry, Sengoku. I'll come back and beat you in a rice cracker contest some other time."
"Hahahahaha!"
Having made up his mind to bring Luffy back, Garp laughed and walked out the door.
"Tch."
Sengoku clicked his tongue.
His belly suddenly deflated like a balloon, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
As the Fleet Admiral, he'd long since mastered Life Return.
Standing on the veranda outside the office, Sengoku looked down at Garp boarding his ship and muttered to himself:
"Straw Hat Luffy, you'd better survive long enough."
"Don't come back and ruin my plans."
...
A few days later.
On the Thriller Bark.
Inside Perona's room.
"Kaya, can you sleep with me tonight?"
Perona, still wearing a sea stone handcuff on her right wrist, grabbed the hand of the doctor who had just finished checking her condition and made her plea.
Lately, she'd been having nightmares of Moria's decapitation. Every night. She'd wake up screaming, unable to sleep, and dark circles had formed under her eyes without even needing makeup.
"You won't be sleeping alone tonight."
Before Kaya could respond, Anna and Shalria—both in maid uniforms—walked in.
Kaya's face flushed red. She clearly understood what they meant.
"Huh...? Why?"
Perona blinked in confusion.
Over the past few days, she had learned from Kaya that Sora intended to let her officially join the ship, so she wasn't too worried about her current situation.
Anna and Shalria walked over, took her by the arms, and led her toward the bath.
"Because tonight..."
"...you'll be serving the young master."
______________
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