"Hahaha, Michael, we really owe this one to you!"
Garp, wearing a tattered Marine uniform that was almost indecent, laughed boisterously while slapping Michael on the head.
That force...
Michael rolled his eyes.
Just how strong was this old man Garp?
There was definitely a palm print left on his shoulder!
Every time this happened, Michael couldn't help but complain in his heart—how high is the pain threshold of humans in this world?
Standing next to Garp, who was nearly three meters tall, he really did look like a miniature version of caramel candy.
Looking at the Golden Lion being escorted onto Garp's warship by numerous Marine officers, Michael asked:
"Garp, is the Golden Lion… going to be executed too?"
"Of course not. Someone like the Golden Lion must be imprisoned in the sixth level of Impel Down."
"Imprisoned? Why not just execute him and eliminate the threat for good?"
"Killing the Golden Lion would actually be sending the threat back into the sea," Garp replied, his laughter gone and his expression stern.
"A Float-Float Fruit user has power enough to create natural disasters. If he's executed, the fruit's ability would just reincarnate somewhere in the world."
"If a civilian or a Marine eats it, that's one thing."
"But what if another cruel pirate gets it and becomes a younger, even more dangerous Golden Lion?"
"That's why, under the condition that we've captured him, it's safer to keep him alive as long as possible. Delay the cycle of powerful Devil Fruits. That's the safest course of action."
Garp's logic was sound—it was even one of the core principles of the Marines.
But every rule had its exceptions.
"What if the Float-Float Fruit user was Roger, not the Golden Lion?"
Garp glanced at Michael, spread his hands, and said nothing.
But that gesture said everything.
If Roger was involved...
Then even at the risk of letting a powerful fruit vanish into the unknown, execution would still be chosen.
Roger's influence was far beyond that of any Devil Fruit.
Michael sighed silently.
Ace… really was unlucky.
Dragged down by his own father's legacy for his entire life.
Thinking of Ace, Michael couldn't help but glance at old man Garp again.
This old man had trained Ace so fiercely at the start, probably because he wanted to use the identity of a Marine to protect him, to keep him safe forever.
At least keep him from ending up like Roger.
But in the end… nothing changed.
Michael suddenly felt a bit sorry for Garp, this old man whose hair had already turned white.
His biological son was with the Revolutionary Army, and both his grandson and god-grandson were pirates.
This whole family—damn it, not a single one was worry-free.
Thank god the Monkey family had a proud tradition of being headstrong.
If they had even slightly more common sense, they probably would've died young from stress by now!
...
"You two, stop chatting already," Sengoku called out, already preparing to calm the townspeople and new recruits.
"Garp, escort the Golden Lion to Impel Down."
Then he looked at Michael, who had just helped out but was now goofing off again.
His mouth twitched slightly, and he pointed at Michael.
"You go with Garp."
"Oh right, it's about time. After you lock up the Golden Lion, pick up Gol D. Roger while you're at it."
"Then head straight for Loguetown."
Garp gave a wide, exaggerated grin and a thumbs-up to show he got the message.
Then he threw his arm around Michael's shoulder and started walking toward his Vice Admiral warship.
Though the age difference was clear, the vibe between them was like two good buddies.
Michael looked up at Garp, speechless.
That carefree look… was just a mask to hide the sadness in his eyes.
"Michael, keep your eyes wide open when we get to Loguetown."
"Bear witness to the end of an old era."
Michael nodded.
This journey marked the end of the old era…
And the birth of a new one.
...
"Michael, want some senbei? I swiped it from Sengoku's office."
"Gramps, I don't expect you to be reliable, but can't you at least act with some dignity?" Michael rolled his eyes at Garp's laid-back attitude.
"Marine Hero, Headquarters Vice Admiral, and all you do is steal snacks from your coworkers… Gimme one."
He almost forgot—he wasn't exactly a reliable guy either.
No big deal then.
Can't be a hypocrite.
He took the senbei, crunched it down in a few bites, and swallowed.
Then his eyes drifted toward the Calm Belt's sea, completely still and without a single ripple.
After all these years, he'd been in and out of the Calm Belt quite a few times.
But this eerie scene still made him marvel at the Creator's genius.
Different worlds had different rules.
Which gave birth to completely different worldviews.
A sea with no wind or current...
Had long since shattered the physical common sense he'd brought from Earth and rebuilt it from scratch.
They still had some distance to go before reaching Impel Down, and Michael was starting to get bored.
His personality was like a cat's.
Restless and sensitive, filled with curiosity—but only for a short time.
But just when Michael was about to be bored out of his mind, the world always found a way to liven things up for people like him.
The mirror-smooth sea surface suddenly broke.
A massive wave surged up, and from within it, a giant Sea King burst out of the ocean.
It dove straight toward Garp's warship!
"Holy—shit, what the hell kind of giant mantis shrimp is this!?"
Michael smacked his lips a few times.
This mantis shrimp, several meters long, had nearly transparent flesh, so Michael could clearly see...
Those orange-red, mouthwatering shrimp roe!
"Mantis shrimp… At the turn of spring and summer, they're at their fattest."
With that, he unfolded his wings without hesitation and shot toward the shrimp!
Holy flame burst from his body, instantly forming the shape of a blade.
Michael gripped it in reverse with one hand and stabbed it into the shrimp's spine, severing its nervous system instantly.
Then, using the downward momentum from the dive, he used his holy flame blade to slice the beast right open.
With a thunderous crash, the giant mantis shrimp landed on the deck, motionless.
"Inform the kitchen—extra lunch today!"
Garp, who'd been watching with his hands in his pockets, shouted gleefully.
The Marines swarmed up from below deck, immediately starting to butcher the massive shrimp.
It was way too big to fit in the kitchen, but Garp wasn't the kind of guy who worried about minor details.
He had a giant grill set up right on the deck.
Grilled mantis shrimp—delightful~
He even took a portion and handed it through the bars of a temporary Seastone cage set up on deck.
The Golden Lion didn't hesitate either—he grabbed the food and started eating right away.
Seeing this, Michael was stunned.
He had still underestimated these veteran monsters—their physical strength was beyond belief.
Even now, if Michael touched Seastone cuffs, he basically needed someone to carry him to move around.
In the original story, even Luffy was paralyzed when he came in contact with Seastone during the early and mid stages.
But the Golden Lion...
Was eating and drinking like nothing happened.
Michael gritted his teeth.
This sea… is terrifying beyond belief.
---
(For each review +1 additional chapter)
read +100 chapters on Patreon tambeerg