The boundless sea stretched endlessly as the navy warship carrying Creed and his companions left the Calm Belt.
What happened at Impel Down was already behind him—and even if he knew, it no longer mattered.
"Ying ying."
Hiyori's little dragon skimmed above the waves, its large eyes scanning for fish that mistook it for some weak seabird. The foolish creatures usually ended up frightened out of their scales. It had inherited its master's love for playing the pig to eat the tiger.
On deck, the officers aboard the escort ship looked at Creed with deep respect.
A month earlier, he had annihilated the infamous "Marine Hunters" pirate crew. The news had long since spread, making him a living legend among the younger generation of marines—an idol whose reputation was already encroaching upon that of the three Admirals.
The "Marine Hunters" had been despised for years—ambushing navy ships, slaughtering marines, preying especially on those without high-ranking officers aboard. Now, the scourge was gone.
"The elite camp trainees who went out for trials should be returning soon. Headquarters will award them their ranks and assignments."
"Graduates of the elite camp usually start at lieutenant. Some may even be directly appointed as commanders of branch bases in the four seas."
"And Vice Admiral Creed was once one of them, right?"
Faces twitched. Truly, comparisons were deadly.
Creed and Ain, standing nearby, heard every word. Unlike him, the other elite camp students had yet to even earn a rank.
"I wonder where we'll be sent," Ain whispered, sneaking a glance at Creed, her face tinged pink. "It doesn't matter where, as long as I'm not separated from him…"
"We'll know soon enough. Time really flies." Creed sighed. Nearly three years had passed since he joined the elite training camp. Three years of growth had transformed him completely.
Smoker and the others—he hadn't seen them for almost a year. After the incident with "Whitebeard Jr.," how much stronger had they become?
The warship cut steadily through the waves, free from harassment. Soon, it docked at Marineford.
Thanking the officers who had escorted him, Creed and Ain disembarked, walking toward the fortress.
At the Fleet Admiral's office, he pushed open the door—only to see three old men sitting in a row, munching on rice crackers like children in a nursery eating snacks.
Creed's mouth twitched. What kind of scene was this?
"Oh, you're back. Well done, capturing the Marine Hunters," Garp said around a mouthful of rice cracker.
"Indeed. As expected of my prized disciple," Zephyr added, nodding in approval.
"Not bad," Sengoku agreed—then his face darkened. "But! Did you really release Redfield and Ace from Impel Down?!"
"Yes," Creed answered simply. "Is that a problem?"
Sengoku's head throbbed. "Do you even understand the consequences? Redfield and Ace were monsters on par with Sabo! Even Kong was defeated by them. If not for your grandfather capturing them, there would have been Five Emperors in the New World, not Four!"
"I already beat them. Their lives are in my hands—they can't cause much trouble," Creed said calmly.
"Hahaha! That's my grandson! Redfield fell to me, Ace fell to him. Perfect!" Garp laughed, stuffing the rest of his cracker into his mouth.
Sengoku glared at him. "You only caught Redfield because his stamina was exhausted. Don't get cocky!"
These two were insufferable. Even exiled to Impel Down, this brat still managed to stir up chaos. At least it hadn't exploded into disaster.
Afterward, Creed chatted with them idly. All the while, curiosity tugged at him. With the system's update, what would Garp's stats look like?
He pulled up the data.
[Name]: Monkey D. Garp
[Strength]: SSSS
[Agility]: SSS
[Defense]: SS+
[Spirit]: SS
[Abilities]: Armament Haki SSS+, Observation Haki SSS, Rokushiki SSS, Iron Fist SSS
[Overall Strength]: SSSS
Creed: "…"
Excuse me for disturbing.
That level of power was terrifying. But this was what the sea's true peak should look like. Compared to this, the previous SSS ratings seemed laughable.
What would it look like if Garp unleashed his full strength? Creed couldn't even imagine.
"In two days, the other elite camp students will return. They'll receive their ranks and assignments to branches," Sengoku said.
Creed nodded and left the office.
Inside, Zephyr sighed. "This boy… his progress grows more astonishing by the day. He actually defeated Redfield."
"Indeed," Sengoku agreed. "What sort of monster is he?"
"Hahaha! He's my grandson, of course!" Garp said smugly, picking his nose.
…
Two days later.
Marineford bustled with activity, warships crowding the harbor.
At dawn, in one of the main drill grounds, dozens of elite camp trainees stood assembled.
Creed was among them.
Zephyr and Garp stood at the front. Today, the young marines would be awarded their first ranks and postings.
Creed felt a flicker of curiosity—where would the system assign him?
(End of Chapter)
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