Chapter 23

the Grand Line,

Marine Headquarters at Marineford.

The lights still shone brightly here, the night captivating.

Within a radius of hundreds of miles, Sea Kings prowled and darted through the dim deep sea.

Inside the office.

Bloop bloop~

The clear, pleasant sound of the Den Den Mushi startled Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who was still busy with official duties.

"Hm?"

"In the middle of the night..."

"Who would be calling me?"

Sengoku raised an eyebrow, his pen hovering in mid-air.

He set the pen down,

rubbed his temples, and picked up the Den Den Mushi with a puzzled expression, holding it to his ear.

"Hello, this is Sengoku."

Sengoku spoke.

"It's me, Garp."

A voice utterly familiar to Sengoku came from the Den Den Mushi.

"Garp? What are you doing calling me in the middle of the night?"

Sengoku looked puzzled.

He remembered,

Garp should be back home in the East Blue at this time?

Why would he suddenly come looking for him out of the blue?

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

Garp spoke.

"?"

Sengoku was completely baffled.

What the heck?

Calling me in the middle of the night...

just to say that?

Before Sengoku could speak,

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

Before he could finish, Sengoku interrupted with a look of astonishment: "You old rascal, when did you get a grandson? How come I didn't know?"

"Wait until I finish!"

Garp was irritable.

"Fine, fine, fine."

Sengoku suddenly felt a bit of interest.

This was the first time he had heard

Garp willingly mention his own family.

"Have you ever seen an example of a three-year-old awakening Conqueror's Haki?"

Garp spoke.

"Hm?!"

"You, you said what?!"

Sengoku froze, then was greatly shocked.

He couldn't help but ask: "Awakening Conqueror's Haki at three? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

A three-year-old's body...

Could it really bear the heavy burden brought by Conqueror's Haki?

Next,

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

Is that true or false?

Awakening Conqueror's Haki at three is not a common occurrence.

Speaking of which,

it even overturns common understanding!

Even Sengoku, who had seen so much, was greatly frightened by Garp's words.

"Didn't expect that, did you?"

"My grandson is a genius! A true genius!"

Garp's voice could not hide that sense of pride.

"So it's true!"

Hearing Garp's words, Sengoku's heart trembled violently.

He did not believe

that his old friend Garp was exaggerating.

For such an important matter, given Sengoku's understanding of Garp, the other party would absolutely not deliberately exaggerate just to show off to him.

He paused for a moment,

and Garp continued, "Awakening Conqueror's Haki at three years old—have you ever seen that, Sengoku? In my opinion, it's merely passable; forgive me for making you laugh."

"Having my bloodline flowing in his veins makes all the difference..."

"This talent is deeply inherited from me!"

Listening to Garp's nonstop boasting,

Sengoku's forehead veins bulged.

So that's how it is!

He came here just to show off!

Your grandson is such a monster...

What does that have to do with you, you old rascal!

Stop trying to gild your own lily!

"Enough. I admit your grandson Lu En is gifted and an extraordinary genius."

"Is that enough for you?"

Sengoku was helpless.

"How rare!"

"You, Sengoku, actually admitting my grandson is a genius."

Garp clicked his tongue in amazement.

"No need for unnecessary words."

Sengoku's eyes narrowed, his tone carrying a degree of seriousness. "You should know better than I: if it is truly as you just said, what kind of astonishing monster is a genius who awakened Conqueror's Haki at three years old?"

"This great sea..."

"will become increasingly chaotic in the time to come."

"The order originally established will be crazily shattered by these pirates on the sea."

"If your grandson truly possesses such astonishing talent, my personal advice is to take him to Marine Headquarters as soon as possible. Do not let those people outside distort your grandson's worldview and principles."

"Most importantly..."

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

"I can guarantee he will not let your grandson join the Marines; instead, he will try every means possible to pull the other party over to the Revolutionary Army."

An example of someone awakening Conqueror's Haki at three years old made Sengoku show an unprecedented desire.

Such a genius monster...

must join the Marines!