"Grandpa, I knew you wouldn't be stingy with me, right?"
"You really believe that being a captain is easy, do you? and how do you go about assembling your crew?"
Luffy and Garp are overheard chattering on the ground level of the primary marine building as they take in the pleasant morning atmosphere. In the background, the occasional screams of the Marines engaging in training on the other side of the building can be heard very loudly.
At first, all they did was talk about regular things—the kinds of things that grandson and grandfather usually talked about—but when Luffy started collecting on his grandfather's promises, Garp became irritated.
"Don't you want me to be a great marine? The first step in doing that is becoming a captain, right?
"Listen, Luffy, if it weren't for me, you would have started out as a chore boy before you go around trying to get the captain's position," Luffy felt that his grandfather was going to hit him, so he prepared to cover his head with Haki.
*smack
"Augkkk... why is your fist still hurt!... you don't know how to hold back at all with your grandson... you barbarian old man..."
"What are you saying! You think that just because I'm a vice admiral, I can get you the position of captain as I please, huh!"
The passage was occasionally used by marines, and when they saw the commotion between the grandson and the grandfather, they immediately fled, and there was even a Rear Admiral among them.
*cough
Instantly their bickering stopped, and a smile immediately appeared on Luffy's face as he saw the arrival of an afro-haired middle-aged man. To his chest, he was hugging a cute white goat.
"Uncle Sengoku, what a coincidence that you are here-" Luffy seemed to hesitate for a moment as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to say it, but then he continued:
"Help me, my grandpa was being stubborn as usual. he wanted me to become a great marine, but now he's intercepting me instead."
Garp became even more enraged because he was being slandered. However, before he could teach that brat a lesson, Sengoku intervened and stopped him before laughing out loud at his friend's unusual behavior.
"Garp, I know you are stubborn, but you can't be too hard on our little hero... tell me, Luffy, what did you ask your grandfather about? Who knows, I might be able to grant it."
Sengoku intended to reward Captain Hina, Luffy, and Uta for their hard work on the Arlong pirates. Therefore he initially thought that Luffy only wanted something trivial. Even more ambitiously, he intends to promote Luffy to Lieutenant Commander rank, the eighth highest position in the Marine Corps.
"How about you take the position of Lieutenant Commander-"
"I want you to give me the Captain position."
"What!..." Sengoku's shock caused him to react in a natural and unrestrained tone, and when he saw Garp's wry smile, he understood that Luffy was being serious about his request.
"Luffy, being captain, that's a little bit..." Sengoku was at a loss for words because Luffy's achievements with the Arlong pirates and the talent he displayed at his young age were insufficient for him to be promoted to captain.
"Why? I am more powerful than the majority of the captains you have, moreover, I am quite unique thanks to my devil fruit… Have you forgotten about Captain Nezumi? That damned traitor is the one who has no right to hold the position of captain and shouldn't."
Sengoku and Garp were rendered speechless because they were well aware that within an organization, there would undoubtedly be people who were incompetent, let alone a traitor. As a result, after Sengoku had pondered the situation for a while, he finally spoke up and said:
"Alright, you win, but... someone has to watch over you, and I'll ask that person's judgement before deciding whether or not you pass."
"How about Captain Hina, she can be my supervisor because the two of us have done a mission together, I also want to choose my own crew to board my ship."
Garp can only remain silent now because he knows what Sengoku is contemplating, but deep down, he is pleased with what Luffy is accomplishing right now. This is because, compared to a few years ago, Luffy is now gradually maturing into the kind of marine that Garp is proud of.
"I'll think about it."
After that, Luffy walked away with a huge smile on his face because he had finally been able to accomplish one of his goals to have his own ship with the crew that he chose himself.
"Heck, I don't care if I sail these seas as a marine as long as I reach my destination," muttered Luffy excitedly as if he knew a bright future was on its way to him soon.
When it was just the two of them, the two elderly men let out a sigh before looking at each other. They didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "I could tell he looked exactly like you when you had just joined the marines."
"I dunno. After seeing the reports about what he did on Conomi Island, I'm getting worried about something. I don't know why."
Sengoku understood what Garp meant because he had also read the report, and when he saw the number of casualties sustained on both sides, he was shocked. Because the majority of people, even though there is occasionally bloodshed in every problem that marines face, will choose a path that is as peaceful as possible.
A few days later, while Luffy was still awaiting word from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, he filled his time by indulging in full debauchery activities. He would have nonstop sex with Makino, Uta, Gion, and Nojiko. Quite often, he will also visit the prison beneath the Marine Headquarters.
There, he had several encounters with Johnny and Yosaku, during which he made them an offer that would grant them freedom, wealth, and glory if they accepted it. While this is happening, Luffy's other captive, Sanji, is still daydreaming about the day when he will prepare delicious meals for attractive marine girls in the future. Sanji is unaware that Luffy has other plans in store for him.