After clashing fists with Yoriichi, Garp now had a clearer understanding of Yoriichi's current strength. In terms of Haki, even Garp's formidable Armament Haki could no longer overpower Yoriichi's Conqueror's Haki coating.
Don't mistake this as Garp being weak, on the contrary, he rarely needed to use Conqueror's Haki because his Armament Haki alone had overwhelmed most foes throughout his career. That Yoriichi could so casually block his punch with a bamboo sword showed just how far the young man had come.
From Garp's perspective, even if Yoriichi wasn't yet part of the absolute top-tier (T0 echelon), he could definitely be considered one of the Navy's strongest combatants.
But this realization didn't bring comfort, it brought concern.
Yoriichi was still a teenager, at the age where ambition burned hottest, when the desire to prove oneself often clouded judgment. And he was someone who couldn't tolerate evil. Now armed with such overwhelming strength, there was no telling how far he might go when acting on his beliefs.
Garp had seen too many promising young Marines go astray because of power and pride.
Not long ago, Yoriichi had killed a CP0 agent in front of high-ranking Marine officials. Now he'd gone and slain a CP9 operative. Even if many upper brass were inclined to protect him, it was hard to imagine Fleet Admiral Kong or certain figures within the World Government turning a blind eye forever.
Yoriichi was still being tolerated because:
He'd earned massive merit for killing Golden Lion Shiki.
The Navy and the Government still saw value in him.
This balance was delicate.
By killing a CP9 agent in Water 7, Yoriichi had added more weight to the already tipping scale. Mishandle this, and the consequences could be catastrophic, not just for Yoriichi, but for the Navy as a whole.
That's why Garp was so furious when he found Yoriichi casually sparring with friends instead of recognizing the storm he'd stirred.
He didn't want someone like Yoriichi, a prodigy with justice in his heart, to stray from the path of the Navy.
As Yoriichi stood in silence, Kōshirō finally handed over the documents and footage from the interrogation.
Garp glanced through the written confessions, face remaining grim. He didn't even check the Den Den Mushi footage, he'd seen enough.
Then he looked at Yoriichi and sighed deeply:
"Youth… You think you handled this perfectly, don't you?"
"What the hell is Zephyr teaching you?! A Marine shouldn't act with such recklessness!"
"This isn't about right or wrong. The issue here… is you, Yoriichi!"
Garp slammed a fist into the ground, frustration palpable.
"You've already got a record for killing CP0. Now you've attacked government agents again!"
"Don't you realize you might be dragging up old wounds? Things we already buried?"
"And you did it in front of civilians. The damage to our reputation is enormous!"
Yoriichi, still calm, smiled slightly.
"Damage? I'd say those shipwrights are probably cheering for us."
"Happy that the Navy stood up to correct CP9's mistakes."
He had a simplistic view of the World Government, believing it was flexible enough to tolerate even the Seven Warlords system, so surely they wouldn't overreact to him punishing rogue CP9 agents.
Garp, who'd spent decades inside the system, knew otherwise.
"You… You think you've become untouchable now, don't you?"
"Is that why you're being so brazen?"
Garp's anger faded a bit as he asked this, worried Yoriichi's arrogance was growing with his power.
Yoriichi shook his head and looked at Fujitora, Mihawk, and Kōshirō, before answering:
"Vice Admiral Garp, strength is just one part of it."
"More importantly, I believe what I did… was justice."
Then he added:
"Can I ask you a favor, Vice Admiral Garp? Could you contact Morgans for me?"
"I think he'd be very interested in a story about how the Navy helped CP9 correct their errors."
Hearing this, Garp's expression froze.
He didn't respond directly, but ordered:
"Stay on this island and wait for your warship to be completed."
"I'll report this to Sengoku."
"Once the ship's ready, I'll personally escort you to the New World."
"Now… where are the CP9 agents? I'm taking them with me."
Kyros stepped forward and pointed the way. As Garp walked by Fujitora, he suddenly stopped, grabbed his shoulder, and spoke solemnly:
"Issho, right? I'll just call you that."
"Among this group, you're the eldest, the most stable, and extremely powerful."
"If you're going to work alongside Yoriichi… then keep him grounded. Don't let him act without restraint."
"That's your job. All of you."
He glanced toward Kyros and Kōshirō too, giving the same warning.
Garp clearly didn't know Fujitora was the one who killed the CP9 leader. If he had… well, his face might've looked a lot different.
"Understood, Vice Admiral Garp," Fujitora replied without flinching.
Yoriichi shot him a sideways glance, amused by how smoothly he lied.
Once Garp left with the CP9 agents, what would happen to them was no longer Yoriichi's concern. Most likely, they'd be released. Maybe lightly punished internally. But one thing was certain:
They wouldn't be returning to Water 7.
With the drama over, Yoriichi and his crew picked up shovels and tools to fix the training grounds.
It was a rented lot, and if the landlord saw it in ruins, they'd probably be evicted on the spot.
Just Three Days Later…
A bombshell newspaper hit stands across the world.
"Shocking! Righteous Navy Saves the Government's Reputation!"
That was the front-page headline.
As the story spread, word of the Water 7 incident reached both Marine Headquarters and certain ears within the World Government.
In the end, Garp did exactly what Yoriichi asked.
Morgans, always hungry for headlines, didn't care about consequences. And this report?
It was like tossing a grenade into the calm sea…
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