"You're absolutely right!"
Garp straightened his back with a righteous air. His look of heroic sacrifice made Tsuru beside him stare blankly.
"Don't even talk about stripping me of my Vice Admiral rank… even if they put me on the wanted list, I wouldn't even blink!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself!"
Tsuru interrupted Garp, rolling her eyes, "You scoundrel just want a freer life, don't think we don't know that!"
His act collapsed in a second.
Garp rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, "Now, now, Tsuru-chan~ Don't be so blunt. I am, after all, a Headquarters's Vice Admiral. I have my pride."
Tsuru ignored the clowning Garp and turned to the Den Den Mushi.
"What are you planning to do? Perhaps I can phrase it differently: what is your plan?"
"...Attend the grand festival. If Headquarters plans to take action in the West Blue, I suggest you use the World Economic News Paper's newspaper as the signal for action."
The smile on the Den Den Mushi's face gradually faded, replaced by a sharp glint.
"Although I don't know when that grand festival will start, Marlon said that if we Beasts Pirates participate, he will too."
"In other words, if you see news of Marlon's death in the newspaper, act immediately."
"Take advantage of the chaos in the West Blue to enter like a wildfire, taking over all affairs in the name of justice."
"Even if you can't return justice to that sea in the short term, at least eradicate all the true instigators of chaos!"
"Vice Admiral Garp, is Dragon still in the Marines?"
The corner of Kong's mouth twitched, and he turned around, pretending not to hear.
The only one who dared to speak frankly in front of them aside from Garp, was only Bazel.
"Nonsense! If his old man is here, where can the kid run off to?!"
Garp said this loudly, but for some reason, his eyes kept drifting toward the ceiling.
"Let him handle this matter. Consider it him exerting his last bit of usefulness. Dragon, having seen the actions of the Celestial Dragons, will absolutely not stay in the Marines."
"The justice he seeks cannot be found within the Marines."
'Leave the Marines?' Garp snatched the Den Den Mushi and placed it in front of himself. He sighed, sat down, leaned forward, and vigorously rubbed his face with both hands.
"You and Dragon are both kids I watched grow up. Now you're undercover as a pirate, and that kid Dragon is about to leave too."
"Sengoku, check if the hair on both sides of my head has turned white?"
"Get lost."
With a slap, Sengoku sent Garp flying and retook control of the Den Den Mushi.
"You want Dragon to take the fall?"
"It's not exactly taking the fall. If Dragon really does leave the Marines in the future, I want the West Blue to become his territory."
Bazel on the other end of the Den Den Mushi didn't hide his thoughts.
"There's one thing Vice Admiral Garp said that's very true: his father is in the Marines. Even if he runs to the ends of the earth, his soul will be filled with justice."
"The West Blue is a sea of chaos. Headquarters shouldn't focus too much attention on that sea."
"After we get through next year's crisis, handing it over to Dragon to manage would be most appropriate."
"As the son of the Marine's Hero, the new Marines stationed in the West Blue will all give Vice Admiral Garp face."
"No matter what Dragon does in that sea, as long as it's not too excessive, they will turn a blind eye."
"And Vice Admiral Garp can also justifiably skip work occasionally to visit the West Blue and check on the situation there."
"For us Marines, it's a win-win situation with nothing but benefits and no harm."
The three didn't agree immediately, all turning to look at the Fleet Admiral.
Kong pondered briefly, then nodded in agreement.
"For now, we'll proceed as Twilight says. Garp, you inform Dragon."
"This mission can be big or small. The most critical point isn't the West Blue, but the issue of Dragon's conviction."
Looking at Garp, Kong pointed meaningfully at his own temple.
"Garp, what should be done and what shouldn't… don't play dumb with me about this."
"I've heard some things about Dragon. His ideology is dangerous. You need to try to intervene, like last time."
"For the World Government, the Marines are just their subordinate armed organization. They won't consider our feelings."
"They won't understand what cutting 30% of the military budget means. They only know they need to teach us a lesson."
"If Dragon truly becomes a dangerous figure in the future, what position will you take then?"
"I know."
Garp's expression gradually became neutral.
"I'll have a good talk with that brat."
"Mm, it's best if you do."
Kong said no more.
"Twilight, Headquarters will cooperate with your actions. Whether this plan succeeds or fails, I will record a merit in your file."
"On the day you return after accomplishing great deeds, I will personally prepare fine wine to welcome you back and wash away the dust!"
"Then I'll trouble you, Fleet Admiral. I have matters to attend to here, so I'll hang up now."
Kacha…
The Den Den Mushi fell into a dormant state.
Garp slowly stood up.
"I'll go find that kid Dragon. You three can discuss the remaining matters."
…
Zephyr's Outdoor Classroom.
Dragon walked out from behind the crowd, looking utterly baffled at his father.
"Dad, what are you up to now? I'm in the middle of learning how to instruct subordinates."
Garp didn't say a word, just pulled Dragon towards a more secluded, deserted corner.
"Dragon, Bazel just called…"
Garp proceeded to tell Dragon everything that happened during the meeting of the four.
This included Bazel recommending him to manage the West Blue.
"Recommended me?"
Dragon was first stunned, then fell into deep thought.
He still hadn't opened the book Bazel gave him.
It wasn't due to laziness or forgetfulness, but because he hadn't reached that kind of desperate situation yet.
"Why would he recommend me? Even if he wanted to recommend someone suitable to rule the West Blue's underworld, Instructor Zephyr has plenty of candidates."
"Whether it's Onigumo or Sakazuki, with their fierce looks, wouldn't they be more suitable?"
Sitting in the shade and gazing at the sky, Garp let out a long sigh.
"You kid want to go independent, right? Bazel has already guessed the path you plan to take in the future."
"He said our Headquarters shouldn't focus too much attention on the small West Blue. Sending you, my son, is the most suitable candidate."
"He said that chaotic sea would be a good place for you to practice."
'Practice?'
Dragon was surprised. He did want to go independent, that was true, but he had no idea what to do after becoming independent.
'Become a pirate?'
'Forget it. If I dared to become a pirate, the old man would catch me the very next day.'
He couldn't beat his damn father who had fought that overlord Rocks head-on!
As for the deeper meaning behind Bazel's 'practice'...
'It seems the path I must take in the future lies there. Truly, it's so like Bazel. His train of thought has been unique since he was little.'
Understanding this, Dragon couldn't help but smile wryly.
In a way, he was also a witness who watched Bazel grow up from age six.
The other party's peculiarities began showing from childhood.
While he was still struggling with Garp's wild survival training, the other guy was taking him to build shelters, make smoked jerky, and raise not-too-dangerous wild beasts as reserve food.
In his free time, he'd go to the beach to dig for clams and catch crabs. His life was unbelievably comfortable…
Before Bazel came along, Dragon lived a hard life, never sure if he'd eat his fill or go hungry.
But after Bazel joined, Dragon even began to doubt if he was an idiot or mentally challenged.
Why couldn't he think of that?
Why couldn't he go catch crabs?
Why did he have to fight tigers and black bears?
Not to mention the training of swimming with sharks in the sea… remembering how Bazel would gently push a shark's nose, feed it a few small dried fish, give it a few rubs, and then tame it into a shark-brand surfboard, Dragon couldn't help but feel a sense of inferiority.
'That Bazel has been clever since he was little!'
"But Dad, I've always been curious: what is Bazel's justice?"
"I asked Borsalino before, but he absolutely refused to say."
"That flashy monkey didn't tell you?"
Garp was surprised, then picked his nose and spoke with an indifferent attitude.
"That kid Bazel's justice is very special. It's different from Sengoku's 'Top of the World' Justice."
"His justice is the conviction to carry out true justice, even if it means bearing all the scorn of the seas."
"It is the justice of a hero."