Chapter 16

The Grand Line,

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The place was still brightly lit, the night enchanting.

Within a hundred li of surrounding sea, Sea Kings prowled and wove through the dim deep waters.

Inside the office.

Purupuru~

The crisp, pleasant ring of the Den Den Mushi startled Fleet Admiral Sengoku of Marine Headquarters, who was still busy with his official duties.

"Hm?"

"So late at night…"

"Who would come looking for me?"

Sengoku's brow arched, the pen in his hand halting mid-air.

He set the pen down,

rubbed his temple, and with a puzzled mood picked up the Den Den Mushi and held it to his ear.

"Hello, this is Sengoku."

Sengoku spoke.

"It's me, Garp."

A voice that Sengoku knew intimately came from the Den Den Mushi.

"Garp? What are you, that guy, coming to find me for in the middle of the night?"

Sengoku's face was full of confusion.

He remembered,

shouldn't Garp be back in his hometown of East Blue right now?

Why on earth would he suddenly come running to find him?

"Sengoku, have you ever seen a true genius?"

Garp spoke.

"?"

Sengoku's face was utterly blank.

What the heck?

Calling me this late at night…

Just to say that?

Before Sengoku could speak,

Garp on the other end spoke again: "My grandson Lu En, three years old this year…"

Before he could finish, he was cut off by a stunned-looking Sengoku: "You old bastard, when did you ever have a grandson? How come I didn't know?"

"Let me finish first!"

Garp was irritable.

"Fine, fine, fine."

Sengoku's interest was somewhat piqued for the moment.

This was the first time he had heard

Garp voluntarily willing to mention his own family.

"Have you ever seen an example of Conqueror's Haki awakening at three years old?"

Garp spoke.

"Huh?!"

"Y-you, what did you say?!"

Sengoku froze, then was greatly shocked in an instant.

He couldn't help but ask: "Awakened Conqueror's Haki at three? Are you sure you didn't get it wrong?"

A three-year-old child's body…

Could it really bear the heavy burden that Conqueror's Haki brings?

Next,

Sengoku hurriedly pressed on: "Your grandson Lu En, at only three years old, awakened Conqueror's Haki?!"

Real or fake?

Awakening Conqueror's Haki at three — this was no common matter.

Speaking of which,

it was even somewhat subversive to common sense!

Even the well-experienced Sengoku was badly startled by Garp's words.

"Didn't expect that, did you?"

"This old man's grandson is a genius! A true genius!"

The pride in Garp's voice was impossible to conceal.

"Looks like it's true!"

Hearing Garp's words, Sengoku's heart was shaken wildly.

He did not think

that his old friend Garp was exaggerating.

Such an important matter — given Sengoku's understanding of Captain Kapu, the man would absolutely never deliberately exaggerate just to show off to him.

After a brief pause,

Captain Kapu continued, "Awakening Conqueror's Haki at three — have you ever seen that, Sengoku? In this old man's view, it's only Ma Mahuhu, I'm afraid you've been amused by Sengoku."

"Having this old man's blood flowing in his veins really is different…"

"This kind of talent — deeply inherited from this old man!"

Listening to Captain Kapu's endless boasting,

Sengoku's forehead bulged with veins.

Feelings!

This guy came here just to show off to me!

Your grandson is such a monster…

What the hell does it have to do with you, old Kapu!

Stop putting gold on your own face!

"Fine, I admit your grandson Lu En is overflowing with talent, an extraordinary genius."

"That should be enough, right?"

Sengoku was helpless.

"How rare!"

"You, Sengoku, actually took the initiative to admit my grandson is a genius."

Captain Kapu tut-tutted in wonder.

"No need to say more unnecessary words."

Sengoku's eyes sharpened, his tone carrying a degree of solemnity. "You should know better than I do — if it's really as you just said. A genius who awakened Conqueror's Haki at three — just what kind of astonishing monster is he!"

"This stretch of sea…"

"In the days to come, will grow more and more chaotic."

"The order that was originally established will also be madly broken by these pirates on the sea."

"If your grandson truly possesses such astonishing talent, my personal suggestion is to take him to Marine Headquarters sooner rather than later. Don't let those people out there warp your grandson's worldview and ideals."

"The most important thing is…"

"Your son, Dragon! That troublemaker is no pushover. Once he discovers your grandson Lu En possesses such astonishing talent,"

"I can be certain he would never let your grandson join the Marines — instead, he'd think of every way, using every method, to pull the boy over to the Revolutionary Army's side."

An example of awakening Conqueror's Haki at three made even Sengoku reveal an unprecedented stirring of interest.

This kind of genius-monster…

Must join the Marines!