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Aero glanced at Gin's puzzled expression and quickly pieced it together.
Out of the four in the room, he, Aero, naturally understood the topic. After all, he retained memories from his past life, including a rough idea of who the Seven Warlords of the Sea were.
Eddie had always been a sharp informant, especially around East Blue.
When Aero first invited him to join, he had learned through their conversations that behind Eddie's carefree personality was a man with experience and knowledge. That was part of why Aero welcomed him aboard without hesitation.
Dylan might have been a quiet type, but that didn't mean he lacked sources. He often listened to Eddie's tall tales and half-true rumors about the Grand Line and the other three seas.
But Gin was different.
Born and raised on a backwater island, he had almost no exposure to the world beyond. While newspapers existed, the ones that reached remote islands were sparse and selective. Most headlines were about which pirate attacked what port.
Ordinary people avoided sailing altogether it was dangerous. As a result, few cared about distant news, which led to major information gaps.
"The Seven Warlords, the Marine Headquarters, and the Four Emperors are the three great powers of the Grand Line," Eddie explained patiently. "If we ever make it that far, we'll eventually cross paths with the Warlords."
"Maybe," Aero added. "But that goal is still far away. Once we claim that title, we'll have to lie low again."
Then he turned to Dylan. "Copy the Navy's Six Techniques. Give Gin a copy to study."
"Yes, Captain," Dylan nodded and got up.
Gin was still stuck in thought, trying to remember who the Seven Warlords were.
He hadn't even heard of the Navy Six Styles before.
But Aero clapped his hands and cut through the silence. "Enough talk. We're heading for Krieg's stronghold. It's time the Hurricane Pirates made their name echo across all of East Blue!"
"Aye, Captain!" All three officers stood and saluted in unison.
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Meanwhile…
Marineford is the headquarters of the World Government's navy on the Grand Line.
The massive fortress stood surrounded by layers of small strongholds and outposts. Towering above it all were two bold black letters spelling out:
"MARINE."
Dozens of warships, large and small, were docked at the harbor.
Inside one of the offices within the main tower, a man in a white cloak sat at his desk. He wore a white cap, and perched on the cap was a white dove. His round glasses, well-groomed mustache, and long braided chin-beard gave him a unique presence.
He stopped writing and pulled two bounty posters from the folds of his newspaper. Rising from his chair, he slammed them down on the desk and shouted:
"Garp! How can you sit there daydreaming?! Your grandson is about to shake the Grand Line upside down!"
Across from him, lounging lazily, was none other than Vice Admiral Garp, a living legend.
"Ha! Sengoku, there's nothing I can do," Garp replied, digging into his nose nonchalantly. "That brat has always wanted to be a pirate."
"You're a Marine hero, Garp!" Sengoku snapped. "Your grandson being a pirate is a national embarrassment! What do you think that says about us?!"
He was so agitated that his braided beard swayed with every shout.
Garp just kept scratching his nose.
Sengoku huffed and flopped into his chair. "And now he even turned down the World Government's offer to become a Warlord. I thought at least your name would influence his decision."
"He's stubborn as hell," Garp sighed, sipping some tea. "Once he sets his mind on something, no one can stop him. He dreams of freedom, of life on the sea... So no, he would never accept that title. I already knew the answer."
Sengoku leaned back, groaning in frustration. Then a new thought crossed his mind.
"Don't you have another grandson, Garp? Maybe we can recruit him into the Marines."
Garp spat out his tea in shock.
"Damn it, Sengoku! Look what you made me do!" he snapped, tea dripping from the documents.
Sengoku jumped up, yelling, "You idiot! That was official paperwork!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Garp apologized sheepishly, wiping his mouth.
"'Sorry' doesn't fix anything, old man!" Sengoku tried to dry the tea-soaked forms.
"You're not that much younger than me," Garp mumbled.
"What was that?" Sengoku glared.
"Nothing, nothing! Don't mind me!" Garp chuckled nervously.
Sengoku, knowing it was pointless to argue, sat back down and muttered, "Seriously, Garp… your family…"
"My other grandson wants to be a pirate too," Garp admitted. "It's Red-Haired Shanks' fault! And maybe his father's bloodline too. And don't get me started on Ace! None of these kids gives an old man any peace!"
Sengoku rubbed his temples. "Your family is a mess! You're a Marine legend. Your son is the Revolutionary Army's leader. And now both grandsons want to be pirates?!"
"If I didn't know you personally, I'd accuse you of being part of a conspiracy against the government," he muttered.
Garp laughed, trying to change the subject.
"Hey, who's this kid?" He picked up one of the bounty posters Sengoku had tossed aside.
One was clearly Portgas D. Ace, the other a new face. A teenager, unfamiliar.
"Another pirate from East Blue," Sengoku replied offhandedly.
"East Blue's got pirates with bounties this high already?" Garp raised an eyebrow, studying the photo.
The boy looked about the same age as his grandsons.
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