The moment Roy and Garp returned to Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru were already waiting for them.
"You really lost?"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's gaze locked tightly onto Garp's face.
Garp's lips curled into a helpless yet relieved smile.
"Ahahaha, this old man really did lose."
This straightforward admission made both Sengoku and Tsuru raise their eyebrows.
As his longtime comrades, they knew all too well just how terrifying the strength of this "Iron Fist" Garp truly was.
Within the Marines, there might not even be anyone who could secure a certain victory over Garp.
Even Whitebeard Edward Newgate would find no easy task in defeating Garp.
Yet here Garp was, admitting defeat with an unprecedented frankness. The implications behind this undoubtedly stirred up a storm in Fleet Admiral Sengoku's heart.
Garp's concession meant Roy's strength exceeded imagination and hinted at an insurmountable gap between their abilities.
Such a realization made Sengoku feel it was simply unbelievable.
Roy had become this strong? This same Roy, known as the biggest slacker in the Marines?
Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes also showed a hint of gravity. She knew Garp's character well; if he hadn't truly felt unprecedented pressure, he wouldn't easily admit defeat.
But at the same time, Fleet Admiral Sengoku couldn't help feeling a surge of joy.
The stronger Roy became, the more leverage the Marines would have.
Not long ago, the world's most heinous criminal, Hashirama Senju, had appeared out of nowhere and actually fought the world-famous Whitebeard Edward Newgate to a standstill.
That outcome instantly shocked the entire world and made everyone deeply aware of just how terrifying Hashirama Senju's strength was.
For a time, many pirates had begun privately calling him the Fifth Emperor of the Sea, which further fueled the pirates' arrogance and added immense pressure on the Marines.
Now, however, Roy had shown impressive strength, decisively defeating the Marine legend Garp.
This undoubtedly gave Fleet Admiral Sengoku a new glimmer of hope.
Roy's combat prowess clearly wouldn't be weaker than Hashirama Senju, who had shaken the world, and in some aspects, might even surpass him.
Watching Sengoku's expression, the competitive fire in Garp's heart flared up again.
"Hey, hey, hey, Sengoku, you don't really think I ended up like this because I've lost that much of my edge, do you?"
Garp said this as he strode forward and without further ado began scuffling with Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
His movements were quick and forceful, showing no signs of age.
"Garp, mind your manners!" Sengoku roared in anger, scolding Garp while vigorously wrestling back.
The two old rascals, both past fifty, tussled without any dignity in front of everyone, making for a comical scene.
Vice Admiral Tsuru turned away helplessly, unwilling to watch the two of them carry on so childishly.
Her gaze shifted to Roy, her eyes glinting with a peculiar light.
She seemed to have more important matters to attend to.
"The Marines have obtained solid intelligence," Tsuru said suddenly, her voice calm. She looked at Roy and continued, "Hashirama Senju, the Fifth Emperor of the Sea, is currently heading to the Four Seas. According to our analysis, his target is most likely the Alabasta Kingdom."
Tsuru's words made Roy's expression turn serious.
Roy felt a mixture of helplessness and wry amusement. Hashirama Senju, revived through the Impure World Reincarnation technique, was now technically one of his subordinates.
He had intended for this powerful figure to travel the vast seas, broaden his horizons, and experience a different life. He never expected Hashirama's luck to be so uniquely bad—not only running into the Four Emperor Whitebeard but also heading to Alabasta.
As Roy was thinking, Sengoku, who had been locked in a fierce scuffle with Garp, suddenly stopped.
Sengoku turned to Roy with a grave expression, his voice carrying a hint of seriousness. "Roy, the World Government has just issued a new order. They want us to dispatch an Admiral to Alabasta to handle an urgent situation."
"Originally, I was considering sending Aokiji, but given the current circumstances—including Hashirama Senju being there—perhaps this mission is better suited for you."
Sengoku's eyes held a deeper meaning, as if weighing something. "Besides, it's well known that you have a good relationship with the Alabasta royal family, which will undoubtedly be a great help in dealing with this incident."
Roy frowned slightly upon hearing this.
Hashirama Senju, though technically his "half-subordinate," was a connection that absolutely could not be exposed to the world.
The secret of Impure World Reincarnation was far too shocking. If revealed, it would not only cause an uproar across the world but also bring trouble to Roy's plans.
Thus, when Sengoku proposed sending him to Alabasta to handle the emergency, Roy found it troublesome but understood it was the best choice.
"Well, I'll just put on a show with Hashirama Senju," Roy thought to himself.
He went along with the decision and accepted the mission, preparing to depart for Alabasta.
"We're counting on you, Roy."
Sengoku showed a sly smile. It seemed the princess of Alabasta was the only one who could make a slacker like Roy anxious.
Sengoku knew Roy's strength well and believed he would handle the mission properly.
After giving the necessary instructions, Sengoku left, leaving Roy and Garp in the courtyard.
Their courtyards were adjacent, and they frequently visited each other.
Seeing Sengoku leave, Garp couldn't wait to come over to Roy, his face full of curiosity and excitement.
"Roy, was what you said true?" Garp rubbed his hands together eagerly.
He was deeply interested in the "going to another world" Roy had mentioned.
Roy looked at Garp's curious eyes and smiled faintly.
Though Garp seemed carefree, he was genuinely curious about unknown worlds.
So Roy slowly nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Garp, I do plan to go to a brand-new world."
Garp's eyes lit up at this, and he pressed further, "What kind of world is it? How is it different from ours?"
Roy paused thoughtfully, then said, "It's a completely different world. In that world, there are demons."
"Demons?" Garp blinked, clearly unfamiliar with the concept.
Roy smiled mysteriously. He was naturally referring to Tanjiro's world.
Of course, going to that world would have to wait until he returned from Alabasta.
In that world, there were certain things Tanjiro still needed to handle before they could make their entrance.