Chapter 172: Sengoku: You've Disgraced the Navy!

Marineford, Marine Headquarters conference room.

Sengoku was so angry that his meticulously groomed beard bristled; he slammed the table repeatedly and cursed, "You idiot Garp, you've made your own family affairs known to everyone. Do you want the whole world to mock the Navy for being incompetent?"

With that stupid bird Morgans around, the identities of the Revolutionary Army Leader and the Pirate Luffy simply cannot be kept hidden.

Even the image of the Marine Hero, Garp, which was built up with such difficulty, might be hard to maintain from here on out.

"I'm going to throw away all his donuts when I get back; eating sweets really has rotted his brain!"

Sengoku said coldly.

He and Garp enlisted in the Navy in the same batch; although they have been comrades-in-arms fighting side-by-side for many years, they have very large differences regarding the implementation of justice.

He is able to complete the World Government's orders perfectly, rising all the way to Fleet Admiral with a flawless service record.

Garp, however, frequently makes blunders; despite having combat strength no weaker than his own, he often lets weak pirates go or messes up certain orders from the World Government.

He even refused promotion to Marine Admiral, always hunting in the Si Hai as a Vice Admiral.

This time,

even Sengoku cannot fathom whether Garp's words were truly unintentional or if he was pretending to be so.

Seeing that even the Vice Admirals attending the meeting were stunned, the public opinion impact of this news is likely impossible to control.

Garp.

You, who have guarded Marineford for decades, must not do anything foolish.

The bond between Sengoku and Garp has transcended that of ordinary partners; they are close friends who can entrust their lives to one another. He does not want to watch Garp destroy his own reputation and future.

You are already near retirement age; is there nothing you cannot endure?

Just then,

a Navy soldier received intelligence and said, "Report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the intelligence department that has been monitoring the Red Hair Pirates has sent word: the Red Hair Pirates are not following their usual activity trajectory, but show signs of heading toward the East Blue."

"Red Hair?"

Sengoku's expression turned ugly. The East Blue is already a mess; why are the Red Hair Pirates going there to add to the chaos?

"Kizaru, you are to head to the East Blue at top speed, catch up with Sakazuki and Tsuru, and treat the capture of Monkey D. Dragon as the highest priority order!"

Sengoku closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then issued this order.

Since face cannot be saved, at least the Revolutionary Army must be stopped. If both are lost, the Si Hai and the Grand Line, which were suppressed with such difficulty, will see those ambitious people stir again to test and look down upon the Navy's strength.

"How scary."

Kizaru scratched his messy hair and asked, "Can I not go? The power Dragon obtained from that super terrifying game merchant is truly too scary!"

Although he often speaks in this strange, drawn-out tone when hunting pirates.

But this time,

he truly felt a hint of danger.

Others might not be clear on it, but the two Admirals present saw it clearly. They have developed their Logia fruits to the extreme and can easily distinguish that Smoker's elemental form was broken by the opponent in a manner bordering on crushing.

It was not like ordinary Armament Haki or elemental restraint.

It was not a simple elemental suppression like rubber countering lightning or magma countering fire, but an absolute dominance akin to steel crushing an eggshell.

The Feng Yuansu Moha that Dragon released was too full of Weirdness.

He had just received his military pay at the start of the month; he didn't want to bring trouble upon himself at this time.

Sengoku accurately grasped Kizaru's psychological state and said coldly, "This is an order. Do you want your pay docked?"

"Apologies, I spoke out of turn just now."

Kizaru stood up helplessly and walked slowly toward the window.

He also knew that only he could be sent for this kind of long-distance pursuit and battle; he was just asking out of habit—it would be best if he didn't have to go, but if he had to, there was no helping it.

This is his 【Ambiguous Justice】.

After a moment of hesitation, Sengoku said, "If possible, communicate with Morgans and have him stop publicizing internal Navy matters."

Although he knew the difficulty of getting a news fanatic like Morgans to cancel a story was immense, it had to be attempted.

Even if refused, the World Government would find no fault with the Navy.

At the same time, he ordered Vice Admiral Onigumo to lead two Navy squads and head to Morgans' base immediately.

"Understood."

Kizaru nodded slightly, signaling he understood the mission content, then reached out to push open the window and said, "Fellow colleagues, I shall return shortly."

Whoosh.

He leaped high,

and at the moment his jump stalled in mid-air before falling, his entire body transformed into a beam of golden light and vanished into the horizon.

"Come back with me."

"No, I'm going to be the Pirate King!"

"Pirate King, huh? What a remarkable ambition."

"Dragon, get out of here!"

Although Luffy and Dragon were meeting for the first time, they were unexpectedly in sync, pincer-attacking and making the Marine Hero Garp tremble with rage.

Right in front of him, Dragon praised Luffy's dream of becoming the Pirate King.

"What about your dream?"

Luffy stared curiously at the man before him whose features didn't look much like his own.

He had never seen this father before, so he had no impression of him; now that they had met, he felt a very special sensation that made him very happy inside.

Just like every time he met his grandfather.

Although he would be beaten by the Iron Fist of love, the fear was mixed with the excitement and joy of meeting a relative.

"Me?"

Dragon pointed at himself, seemingly not expecting Luffy to actually ask this question.

Instead of what he had anticipated: questioning why he had been missing for over a decade, leaving him in the East Blue without a word.

"Dragon, don't corrupt my precious grandson!"

Garp's face flushed red with anger, and he immediately took action.

Even for a wanted Pirate, there is room for redemption, but if he were truly seduced by Dragon to join the Revolutionary Army...

Rising Dragon Fist!

Physical control cultivated to the extreme stirred up swirling hurricanes, as a pair of pitch-black Iron Fists swung in fury.

The spot where Garp stood was like the eye of a hurricane, sweeping across the ground of the Ghost City and plowing up a deep layer of the floor.

"Old man, don't get excited. Luffy isn't suited to become a Revolutionary Army member, and I have no intention of having him follow me."

Dragon twisted his body, still manifesting wind dragon wings to dodge.

But he did not expect Garp to suddenly change direction, charging straight at him like a bolt of Inazuma, throwing a powerful straight punch.

Wind Dragon's Dragon Horn!

Dragon's expression shifted slightly as a green Magic Circle spread out, and a pair of Dragon Horns condensed from gale-force winds appeared.

Boom.

The shockwave generated by the two colliding sent everyone watching the battle along the entire street flying.

"Are Luffy's grandfather and father really this strong?"

"That is a Marine Vice Admiral!"

Zoro planted his scabbard into the ground, standing firmly, a surge of intense emotion erupting in his eyes.

A world-class Sword Master is a presence that far transcends a Marine Vice Admiral.

He once had no accurate understanding of Mihawk's strength, but now, seeing the battle between Garp and Dragon, he could vaguely touch upon a shred of the truth.

"Did he finish him off?"

At Marineford, Sengoku was also monitoring the standoff between the Navy and the Revolutionary Army.

The massive dust cloud slowly dissipated.

It could be seen that the Revolutionary Army Leader had been smashed into a deep pit, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading across the earth behind him.

A fist print was imprinted on his chest, and blood was continuously flowing from his mouth.

Even Sengoku was somewhat startled.

It was merely a skill purchased within the Trial Tower, without any training, let alone the accumulation of time.

Could Garp's fist actually be this strong?

"Old man, you really are devious. You must also be wearing an armor set, yet you pretended to be unfamiliar with the equipment?"

Dragon struggled to climb up, clutching his chest, his chin stained red with blood.

(End of chapter)