Let's turn our attention back to Garp.
"Is Mr. Garp back for vacation or something?" Gustave asked after Luffy ran away.
"Ah, this time I came to the East Blue to carry out a mission, and I thought I'd drop by to see you all! Bwahahaha!" Garp laughed while scratching his head.
"Really?" Looking at Garp's expression and that ridiculous excuse, Gustave obviously didn't believe anyone would actually commandeer a warship to visit the East Blue—the weakest of all seas—just to see someone.
Seeing Gustave's look of complete disbelief, Garp knew his deception was useless.
"Bwahahaha, I knew I couldn't fool you."
"I just haven't had your cooking in so long, and I've been craving it!" Garp admitted somewhat sheepishly, then burst into laughter again.
Gustave couldn't help but twitch his lips upon hearing this reason, but it was indeed perfectly in line with Garp's unreliable character. When he got hungry, he'd commandeer a warship and drag a whole crew to his hometown.
Actually, what Garp had said originally wasn't completely false. He really had come out this time to carry out a mission, but the location was supposed to be in the Grand Line.
After sailing around the Grand Line for several days with his crew, Garp had suddenly felt peckish. He figured that since he was already out on assignment, he might as well detour to the East Blue for a proper meal.
Garp had immediately ordered the ship to turn around and head toward Windmill Village at full speed. The moment they'd arrived, they'd encountered this incident.
"Since Mr. Garp wants to eat my cooking, how can I disappoint you?" Gustave replied with a smile.
"By the way, Mr. Garp, your ship should have food stores and a kitchen, right? I can see it's not easy for your Marine comrades to travel all the way to Windmill Village, so how about I come aboard and cook a meal for everyone?"
"Eh? Really? That couldn't be better! Bwahahaha!" When Garp heard that Gustave was willing to cook for his subordinates aboard ship, he felt like he'd received a blessing from heaven. After all, if he ate alone, he'd feel somewhat guilty toward these subordinates who'd come all this way with him.
Gustave's willingness to cook for the sailors on Garp's warship had multiple motivations: first, after the recent commotion, most customers in the restaurant had left anyway; second, cooking on the warship would save money on ingredients while allowing him to charge Garp for his services; third, it would spread his culinary reputation among the Marine, potentially creating business opportunities when he eventually set sail. It really was killing three birds with one stone!
"Po, Tom, pack up—we're going to cook on the warship!" Gustave walked into the restaurant, called to Po and Tom, and began gathering supplies.
As for Mary and Ruth, Gustave gave them half a day off while still paying them for a full day's work. After all, Gustave wasn't some evil capitalist. Especially since Mary had been injured while performing her duties, he gave her an additional bonus.
While Gustave, Po, and Tom packed their tools, Garp brought Ace and Luffy aboard his warship.
"Hey, Ace, Luffy, look—this is your grandfather's warship! Pretty impressive, isn't it?" After boarding, Garp asked the two boys.
Both nodded vigorously upon hearing Garp's question, indicating they found the warship truly magnificent. After all, this was Garp's personal ship and ranked among the finest in the entire Marine.
"How about joining the Marine? If you become Marines, you two could have impressive warships like this in the future!" Garp began trying to persuade his grandsons to join the Marine.
"I don't want that! I'm going to be a great hero in the future! Even without joining the Marine, I can have my own ship!" Luffy retorted immediately.
After six months of Gustave's teachings, Luffy now had only one thought—to become a great hero who helped the weak and fought against the strong! Even when Shanks arrived later, Gustave believed Luffy wouldn't be swayed.
"Besides, Grandpa, that dog head on your ship's bow is so ugly! My ship will definitely be much cooler than yours!" Before Garp could respond, Luffy delivered another verbal blow.
Hearing this, Garp flew into a rage. Not only had Luffy refused to join the Marine, but he'd dared to mock his ship's appearance! Garp immediately delivered a firm punch to Luffy's head, causing such pain that the boy nearly cried.
Because Luffy had drawn Garp's attention, Ace didn't have to answer the question directly—which was fortunate for him.
In the past, after learning that Roger was his father, Ace had harbored intense hatred toward him. He resented Roger for abandoning his responsibilities. If not for Roger, his mother wouldn't have died.
After discovering Roger was his father, Ace would occasionally venture down the mountain to ask ordinary residents their opinions about the Pirate King. Unsurprisingly, most comments about Roger were negative, which only intensified Ace's hatred.
But it was precisely this hatred that had sparked Ace's interest in the pirate profession—he wanted to see for himself why this way of life had so captivated Roger.
However, the later conversation between Garp and Gustave had made Ace realize how heartbroken his grandfather would be if he secretly became a pirate. Could he really bear to hurt Garp that way?
Additionally, over the past six months, Gustave had always invited Ace to listen whenever he told Luffy stories. While Ace didn't dream of becoming a hero like Luffy, he'd gradually become confused about his future path.
Ace now stood at a crossroads in his life.
Just as Garp was chasing Luffy with his fist, Gustave, Po, and Tom boarded the ship.
When Garp saw the trio, he immediately introduced them to his sailors, especially Po, whom Garp specifically identified as his apprentice.
But right after the introduction, Garp launched a surprise attack on Po.
Garp threw a punch at Po. Although startled, Po reacted quickly, dropped what he was holding, and began sparring with Garp.
For several minutes, the two fought back and forth in an exciting display that shocked everyone present.
Gustave had initially thought Po's strength had reached Admiral level, but after careful observation, he realized that when Garp and Po fought, they were simply using physical techniques—other skills like the Marine's Six Powers and Haki weren't employed.
Even so, Po gradually fell into a disadvantage and soon couldn't hold on any longer.
Garp landed a punch to Po's left eye socket, and Po immediately raised his hands in surrender. Seeing Po's panda eye had grown even larger and darker, Garp laughed mercilessly.
"Well done, Po! You've only been my apprentice for over six months, yet you've reached this level. You truly deserve to be my student."
"Of course, this is also thanks to my excellent teaching! Bwahahaha!" Garp wasn't stingy with praise for Po, but in the second half of his comment, he suddenly praised himself, surprising everyone. How should one put it? He was truly worthy of being Garp.
The speaker might not have meant much by it, but the listeners took it seriously. The sailors aboard were somewhat amazed to hear that Po had reached this level after only studying for six months. Po's growth rate was incredibly fast!
After this brief interlude, Gustave and the others continued with their work, heading to the warship's kitchen to begin preparations.
Gustave led the way to the warship's kitchen. The space was narrow, dimly lit, and worn from years of sea duty—a far cry from the spotless, well-equipped kitchens he was used to. Still, he gave the room a quick once-over, eyes sharp and calculating.
Po and Tom followed close behind. As Gustave's trusted sous chefs, they knew their roles without needing to be told. The moment Gustave rolled up his sleeves, they did the same, each slipping into place as smoothly as gears in a well-oiled machine.
"Po," Gustave said, "handle the broths and prep the vegetables. And keep the knife work clean."
"On it," Po replied, already reaching for the chopping block and a bundle of daikon and bok choy. His focus was absolute—his movements swift, practiced, almost meditative.
"Tom," Gustave continued, "grill station. Watch the heat and rotate the meat evenly."
Tom gave a crisp nod and saluted—with a bit too much flair. Within seconds, he was sliding across the galley on a rolling prep cart, grabbing a spatula mid-spin, and landing perfectly in front of the grill. He worked without a word, tail twitching in concentration, flipping mackerel fillets and basting beef cuts with remarkable finesse—though occasionally flinging a stray shrimp across the kitchen by accident.
As the others got to work, Gustave began orchestrating the meal like a conductor leading a symphony. He moved across the kitchen with fluid precision—measuring ingredients by instinct, adjusting flame heights with a flick of the wrist, tasting sauces with practiced focus. Despite the limitations of the space, he made it his own.
He marinated thick cuts of beef in a dark soy-balsamic reduction, searing them over open flame until the crust formed just right. On another burner, he worked a deep, savory stew using dried scallops, fish bones, and rice wine, infusing it with warmth and umami. He corrected seasoning mid-cook, trusting his senses over measurement, adjusting each pot until it matched the exact flavor he envisioned.
Po, across the room, pounded shrimp and fish into paste, shaping them into delicate dumplings for soup. Tom, beside the grill, basted the seafood with garlic butter, flame-searing them to a golden char.
Even with the tight quarters and old equipment, their coordination was effortless. Gustave gave quiet cues, and the others responded instinctively. No shouting, no fumbling. Just focus, rhythm, and the scent of world-class cooking slowly overtaking the ship.
By the time the sky had darkened and lamps flickered in the mess hall, the trio had completed their task. Around seven-thirty in the evening, Gustave stepped back, nodded once, and began plating.
Large trays were carried out one by one: braised short ribs glazed in wine reduction, grilled mackerel with charred citrus, shrimp dumpling soup with scallion oil, garlic butter crab legs, and rice steamed with ginger and kelp. The aroma alone pulled marines from their bunks like a siren's call.
When the food was served, everyone aboard was immediately captivated. Suddenly, Garp—who never followed proper etiquette—grabbed a piece of meat and began eating, praising it as he chewed:
"Excellent, excellent! This is exactly the taste I remember. Gustave, your cooking skills haven't deteriorated at all!"
This kicked off the carnival atmosphere aboard the entire warship. After tasting Gustave's cooking, the sailors finally understood why Garp was so obsessed with it. This craftsmanship, these flavors—they were once-in-a-lifetime experiences!
After eating and drinking their fill, it was time for the beloved entertainment segment. The warship's sailors began their performances. Tom couldn't contain himself and started playing a violin he'd procured from somewhere.
When the sailors heard Tom's performance, they burst into song, and the entire ship became immersed in a sea of joy.
"What's wrong, Ace? Aren't you going to party with Luffy and everyone else?" Gustave found Ace standing alone at the bow, watching Luffy celebrate with Tom in the middle of the deck. He walked over and asked.
"I'm not as childish as Luffy!" Ace responded proudly.
"Then our little Ace really is mature," Gustave smiled, patting Ace's head.
"Uncle Gustave, I thought the Marine's system was very strict and wouldn't have such a..."
"Relaxed atmosphere, right?" Gustave completed Ace's unfinished thought.
Ace nodded upon hearing this.
"The Marine's system is indeed very strict, and daily life can be quite boring. But after all, they're emotional people just like us. Especially since this warship's commander is old man Garp—under your grandfather's influence, the atmosphere aboard is naturally more relaxed." Gustave leaned against the bow railing, speaking while enjoying the sea breeze.
"Uncle Gustave, what do you think of the Pirate King?" Ace suddenly asked.
"The Pirate King?" After hearing this question, Gustave pondered for a moment before responding:
"I'm just stating my personal opinion: Pirate King Roger, in my view, was essentially an adventurer who happened to carry the pirate title—an adventurer who did many things that angered the World Government."
"But this adventurer made a grave mistake in his final moments. His words gave countless ambitious people a reason to set sail."
"These ambitious people became pirates who burned, killed, and pillaged everywhere, causing tremendous suffering to civilians worldwide."
Ace hadn't expected Gustave to describe Roger as an adventurer—this was completely different from all the evaluations he'd heard before.
But thinking carefully, based on what he knew, Roger was indeed more suited to the word "adventurer" than "pirate."
However, Gustave's subsequent criticism also made perfect sense. Roger's final words before death had plunged the entire world into madness, ushering in the so-called Great Pirate Era and dragging countless innocent people into suffering.
"Uncle Gustave, what do you think about me following Grandfather's wishes and becoming a Marine?" Ace asked again.
"The Marine?"
"The Marine is indeed an honorable career, but it's difficult to remain a righteous sailor who stays true to his original ideals."
"The Marine isn't as glorious as it's advertised to be. There are bad people and corrupt deeds among them. Being in the Marine means dealing with those disgusting nobles—it's hard to persevere."
"But for those terrorized by pirates, the Marine truly represents salvation."
Gustave continued his honest assessment.
"Well, why does a child need to think so deeply about such things? Wouldn't it be better to eat and sleep happily every day like Luffy?" Gustave ruffled Ace's hair again, then walked toward the crowd to join the festivities.
Since he still had a mission to complete, Garp had to leave the next day after satisfying his cravings. This time, Gustave and the other four came to the dock together to see Garp off.
After briefly saying goodbye to everyone, Garp boarded his warship and prepared to depart. Unexpectedly, at that moment, Ace suddenly shouted to Garp:
"Grandfather, I've made up my mind! I'm going to be a Marine when I grow up!"
Garp was stunned upon hearing Ace's declaration. Although he'd been saying he wanted Ace to join the Marine, he'd actually known it would be difficult to achieve. He hadn't expected Ace's decision to be so sudden—it caught him completely off guard.
"Ace, are you certain? Becoming a qualified Marine is extremely challenging!" Garp asked with serious solemnity, unlike his usual carefree attitude.
"Grandfather, I've decided. I will become a Marine!" Ace replied with equal seriousness.
"Since you've made up your mind, when you turn seventeen, I'll take you to Marine Headquarters for training. This is a man's promise between you and me!" After saying this, Garp turned and departed with a smile. If you looked closely, you could see two tears of emotion on his face.
After the warship sailed far away, Luffy finally realized what had happened and looked at Ace questioningly:
"Ace, aren't you going to be a hero with me?"
Hearing this, Ace kicked Luffy and retorted:
"Idiot! When did I ever say I wanted to be a hero with you!"
The two brothers returned to their previous state of fighting and bickering.