Garp and Roger walked out of the cell one after the other.
Michael simply shrugged at the Golden Lion.
"Bye-bye, Golden Lion. Hope you have a fun and pleasant time in here."
Then he followed them out.
When the three of them reached the elevator again, a tall figure in a black coat appeared from around the corner.
"Vice Admiral Garp! Are you preparing to take Gol D. Roger away?"
"That's right. Thanks for your hard work, Magellan."
The man in front of them was none other than Magellan, who had just come out of the restroom due to the side effects of his Devil Fruit.
Michael couldn't help but glance a few more times.
Magellan… both his strength and his downfall come from the Venom-Venom Fruit.
He's undeniably powerful, but the side effects are equally absurd!
Subtracting time spent eating and sleeping, he has to spend nearly ten hours a day in the bathroom.
Which means his actual combat-ready time each day only amounts to around four hours, at best.
But during those four hours, his combat power is absolutely terrifying.
Especially in a completely enclosed space like Impel Down.
Wiping out Blackbeard's entire crew in seconds was no joke.
He was originally a Marine too, but after eating the Venom-Venom Fruit, he was transferred here.
And at this point, Magellan was only twenty-five years old—truly a promising young talent.
If it weren't for the side effects, he might have been a future contender for Admiral.
At the very least, he performed way better than that lame idiot Green Bull.
"All for the sake of justice!" Magellan gave a slight bow to Garp. "I wish you a safe journey."
"By the way, the Golden Lion is in Roger's old cell. Go ahead and take custody of him," Garp said, pointing deeper into the prison.
Magellan nodded, then turned and headed toward the cell where the Golden Lion was held.
Aside from those ten hours in the bathroom, he was always dutiful during work hours.
Unlike Hannyabal, he didn't try to curry favor with Garp.
The most important thing was...
Within Impel Down, Magellan was nearly invincible.
So, he didn't need to play politics.
...
After bringing Roger aboard the ship, Garp had a room specially prepared for him.
He didn't throw the Pirate King into the onboard brig.
Instead, he let him stay in an ordinary room.
"If I'm not mistaken, this kind of treatment would count as… end-of-life care, wouldn't it?"
Michael, standing to the side, twitched the corner of his mouth.
This guy really had a big heart.
And to be fair, he wasn't wrong...
But from what Michael knew of Garp all these years, Garp was the kind of man who truly despised evil.
But unlike someone like Sakazuki, who's basically a brainless zealot, Garp was full of human warmth.
So this kind of action was "unexpected but within reason."
"Roger, are you really ready?"
"Garp, when did you get so chatty? You weren't like this when you were chasing me across the seas."
Roger sat down on the bed and let out a relaxed hum, as if he hadn't slept in a real bed for a long time.
"Besides, do you think I turned myself in to you for no reason? Garp? I have my own plans..."
"Turned yourself in… to me? What do you mean? Is there something… you want me to do?"
Garp scrutinized the Pirate King, who had been both an enemy and a friend.
And Michael, standing to the side, was scrutinizing Garp.
As expected, even Garp didn't understand why Roger had turned himself in.
"Not 'want,' but 'ask.' If you're willing, it could even be 'beg.' Beg you to do me a favor."
"What exactly… is it?"
Roger was just about to speak when he suddenly remembered Michael was also in the room.
With just one look...
A terrifying surge of Conqueror's Haki swept toward Michael.
He possessed the ability to "hear the voice of all things" and held an unprecedentedly powerful Conqueror's Haki.
It was terrifying!
Michael felt like he'd been completely seen through. That wave after wave of Conqueror's Haki kept crashing into his mind.
It felt like he was suffocating—like he had fallen into the sea.
This overwhelming sensation...
Was absolutely unpleasant.
But he had to admit—this man…
Was worthy of the title Pirate King.
"Roger, sneak attacks like that are seriously irritating." Michael wiped away cold sweat and pouted, unfurling his wings as holy light filled the entire room.
"Don't think I won't hit you just because you're the Pirate King."
Roger raised an eyebrow, clearly having underestimated Michael's strength.
"Now you've seen the gap between yourself and the top-level fighters, huh? Kid, you've still got a long way to go." Garp patted Michael's shoulder, then turned to Roger and said, "Michael can be trusted. Even if he hears something, he won't bother repeating it."
Since Garp said so, Roger didn't continue testing Michael.
Beneath his calm expression, however, was… excitement.
And deep, deep regret.
"Garp, my child is about to be born."
"That's right. Can you believe it? I'm going to have a child!"
"But to protect him, I have to turn myself in. I have to sacrifice myself to ensure his future... so I won't be able to watch him grow up."
The room inside the ship was somewhat dim. The lighting wasn't bright enough.
Half of Roger's face was hidden in shadow.
Even Roger, when speaking of parting from his child in life and death, showed a trace of warmth between his brows.
His throat moved slightly, and he finally let out a long breath.
"I'm entrusting my child to you, Garp."
As those words landed, Garp's entire face was filled with shock.
Meanwhile, Michael—who had already guessed it—remained calm.
As expected, a child-delegation plotline.
"What kind of nonsense are you saying?!" Garp's expression shifted from shock to seriousness.
"You're the Pirate King. You're the Marines' greatest enemy. You're the most feared criminal in the world! And you want a Marine Vice Admiral… to look after your child!?"
"But my child is innocent." Roger didn't stand, but his gaze seemed to pierce into Garp's soul.
"How many times have we fought at sea? Can you even count?"
"Damn it, if you want, we can settle things right now—just the two of us! Instead of dumping your child on me!"
In this matter, Garp had the stronger reaction.
But Roger's next words left Garp completely silent.
"You are my greatest rival, and I know you better than anyone. And likewise, you know me better than anyone."
"So, to me..."
"A Marine hero is far more trustworthy than the Pirate King!"
Michael opened his mouth slightly...
Roger trusted Garp because he knew him so well?
"..."
Garp instinctively looked away and didn't answer immediately.
"So, Garp."
"Having you protect him is the best ending I could imagine."
"I'll leave my child to you, old rival."
With that, the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, smiled...
A smile filled with release and radiance.
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