In another part of the world, a large old man was holding a newspaper in his hand and let out a loud laugh. "The younger generation just do not know when to quit. Challenging an old man like me.."
It was Monkey D. Garp who had been busy training new new recruits and any potential students of his own.
Koby and Helmeppo were among them who had previously recieved a beating further away as they has been covered in bumps and bruises.
It was obvious that Garp had not gone easy on them during their training and had pushed them to their limits once again.
Ever since Koby had awakened Haki, he had been directly taught by Garp even more than before so his life was not easy.
Helmeppo suffered the same fate due to him being by the side of Koby all the time.
Both of them were growing quickly under Garp and they were no longer the young Marines that were weak and helpless.
Koby turned over his body that was laying on the ground exhausted. "Master? What does it say for you to be like this? Hah.."
Garp tossed the newspaper over onto the ground by Koby and said. "Just another challenge. Nothing new."
Garp had the title that made him a hero of the Marines and even if he did not wish to be promoted to Admiral status, even if he retired then he would still be stuck where he was.
Even if he wanted his freedom, he would still be tied to the Marines through his students and his friends that he had made throughout his whole life.
Those that knew too much and were considered as a potential threat due to them being far too strong had to be watched over or kept around by the World Government.
People like Sengoku and Garp could not just quit and go live somewhere secluded to live out the rest of their life, they were much too valuable and posed a large threat to the World Government to let them wander around as they pleased.
They could spill secrets that should not be told or could suddenly switch to another side to cause problems for the World Government so they were given honorary positions.
While it was in place to keep them around and monitor them, it could also be a way for them to live out their lives within the protective walls of the Marine strongholds.
They could live their lives like that and would have to find their own way to give back to the Marines in the process so they often became strategists, consultants or trainers.
They would receive a certain level of protection and ability to do things in the world so long as they did not do anything that conflicted with the goals of the Marines and the World Government.
They would be able to act in such ways but depending on their position and affiliation, they would receive different kinds of treatment and ability to act as they wanted.
Most retired Marines would still be held accountable for their actions and would receive a certain level of protection but another group existed within the Marines that could work outside of the usual rules.
SWORD was an organisation within the Marines that had many skilled people within it and they each had their own way of dealing with things in the world but they would not have access to the protection of the Marines and if they were captured, there would be nobody to negotiate for their release.
Anything that they did would not fall back onto the Marines or the World Government since it was their own decision to do so and they did not have to listen to the orders of others but they were not given the right amount of recognition and protection that others would receive.
Some SWORD members would be working undercover in another location around the world and they would not even be known to be affiliated with the Marines.
If they infiltrated a criminal organisation or a pirate group then had got caught sending back information to their partners then there would be nobody to come save them unless their fellow members of SWORD were willing to risk their own lives to get them back.
Koby frowned as his grip tightened around the newspaper. "Master, are you going to accept?"
Garp had received many challenges before and after he had received his title as a hero so he had to deal with all kinds of battles that came from those seeking to knock him down so they could make a name for themselves.
He may have grown older and that age may have weakened his body but it did not weaken his spirit, he looked over in a spirited manner and displayed a wide grin. "I am not dead yet. If Alyssia Lucine wishes to challenge me then I will accept it. I was beginning to get quite bored anyways."
While Garp was laughing to himself and stuffed some stolen food in his mouth that he took from the Marine base food warehouse, Koby had thought to himself. 'I know he is able to handle himself but.. why do I have a bad feeling about this?'
Just as Koby was thinking things over by himself, he had missed that Garp had fallen asleep standing up with a large snot bubble forming on one side of his nose.