"I'm not a treasure, just a hero pursuing my interests and doing what I can," Saitama replied, waving his hand with vacant eyes.
Garp's laughter echoed fiercely. "Young people like you, with ideas such as yours, are becoming increasingly rare," he said. "With your strength, doing what you can is the greatest contribution to justice!"
Saitama scratched his head.
"I'm not sure if I'm doing anything special," he said, shrugging. "But I guess if I can help, then I'll do it."
After the noise had subsided, Saitama cupped his ear and asked, "So, where are we headed?"
"To the Marine Headquarters!" Garp replied, patting Saitama on the shoulder.
"I could have directly recommended you to the local Marine branch, but I recall you saying that heroes don't accept a superior-subordinate relationship. Therefore, I'll take you to register at the branch and arrange a suitable place for you to stay. Will that work for you?"
Saitama blinked in surprise. "Ah, thank you for your kindness," he said.
As the two conversed, a Marine suddenly burst out of the cabin.
"Vice Admiral Garp!" the soldier saluted in a crisp, standard manner.
"We've just received a distress signal from the nearby Marine branch. Please give orders on how to proceed."
"A distress signal?" Garp was taken aback.
He hurried into the cabin's communication room and barked at the liaison officer, "What's going on? Loguetown is nearby. Why hasn't Smoker gone to help?"
The liaison officer was on the line with the Den Den Mushi.
He jumped to his feet when he saw Garp enter and reported, "Vice-Admiral Garp, it's Commander Smoker who sent the distress signal!"
"What?!" Garp was shocked.
Smoker was the former General -Black Arm Zephyr's- apprentice and a Logia-type Devil Fruit user. He should have been almost invincible in the first half of the Grand Line!
The Marine Headquarters had stationed him in Loguetown for a reason. And now, that stubborn, brave boy had issued a distress signal. Something significant must have happened!
Garp quickly reached for the Den Den Mushi and shouted, "What's going on, Smoker? Who attacked you? Are you okay?"
-Cough-
There was a weak cough from the other end of the Den Den Mushi, only worsening Garp's premonition of the situation.
"I was... attacked by A... Ao... Admiral Aokiji..." Smoker managed to say before the voice on the other end cut off abruptly.
Garp couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kuzan had attacked Smoker? How was that possible? Numerous questions ran through his mind, but he didn't hesitate to act.
"Marines, find the origin of the Den Den Mushi signal immediately!" Garp ordered without delay. "Then turn the ship around and sail as fast as possible! We need to hurry!"
The Marines sprang into action.
Garp's ship was well-equipped for the task at hand, thanks to his position, and the officer in charge of espionage quickly traced the signal's origin using a spy Den Den Mushi. They adjusted their course and set sail again.
With things under control, Saitama finally had the chance to ask, "Excuse me... Can you tell me what exactly happened?"
Garp paced back and forth in his cabin, his face serious.
"I have a bad feeling about this," he said. "It's fortunate that we brought you along, Saitama. Everything is turning out to be strange... The Commander was attacked, and the attacker was identified as an Admiral from the Marine Headquarters. It's unbelievable that something like this could happen."
Saitama thought for a moment before speaking up. "An Admiral? Garp-san, why don't you call the branch and ask for more information?"
"This old man has already contacted them," Garp replied. "They said that Kuzan is still in the Marine Headquarters and hasn't left recently. It seems that we won't have any answers until we arrive at the scene ourselves."
-------------------
Loguetown, the town of beginnings and endings, lay near the Grand Line.
Pirates often stopped here to stock up on supplies or pay their respects to the former Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
The execution platform where Roger met his demise had become a holy site for pirates.
Visiting it had become a ritual before setting off on a journey to the Grand Line.
Despite the presence of Smoker, who apprehended many pirates and sent them to prison, the town remained bustling with activity.
Although the fear of being caught lingered, a large number of pirates still looked forward to visiting Loguetown. It was a place where they could pay homage to their legendary hero and prepare for their own dangerous journey ahead.
-------------------
Half an hour after receiving the distress signal, Garp's warship had docked at the port in Loguetown. But the once-bustling quay was now deserted, like a ghost town.
"What happened here?" Garp frowned as he leaped from the ship and scanned the empty dock. "Why isn't anyone here?"
Suddenly, a window in an adjoining room opened silently, and a pair of furtive eyes peered at Garp. But as soon as the person saw the ship at the wharf and Garp's cloak of justice, which only a Captain or higher-ranked Marine could wear, they quickly closed the window, trying to avoid being detected.
With a sudden burst of speed, Garp lunged toward the window, shattering it into countless shards before grabbing the man by his lapel.
"Hey... Let go of me!" The man squirmed, but Garp's grip was unyielding. "I'm just an ordinary merchant. A Marine can't do this to me without a proper reason..."
"Reason?" Garp locked eyes with the man and sneered.
"I remember you... You have quite the reputation in the East Blue... Rockstar!"
"Damn, you recognized me?"
Rockstar spat with disdain and drew his talon gloves, quickly striking Garp in the stomach with a backhand. "I'm the kind of person an old man with a foot in the coffin can handle..."
- Poof!!! -
But before he could say more, Garp's punch landed squarely on his jaw, shattering his bones. Fear overwhelmed the pirate as he looked at the unassuming old man before him, wondering who he could possibly be.
The corsair was shocked and wondered who this old man could be. "What the heck! Who on earth is he?!"
Garp stood on Rockstar's chest and demanded, "Tell me quickly, what's going on here? Why is nobody at the wharf, and why are you, a foul pirate, hiding here?"
Trembling with fear, the pirate was unable to answer when suddenly the ground froze.
From the corner appeared a middle-aged man wearing round sunglasses.
"Garp-san..."
As Aokiji appeared, he greeted Garp with a cold gaze behind his sunglasses, his hands nonchalantly in his pockets.
"Welcome to Loguetown," he said.
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Thank you!