"I'll look for ve- Dark Mantle, you go and escort Fisher Tiger back to Sabaody".
Mihawk and Shanks were free-falling down the red line, on their way down they saw a heavily injured Kizaru, Aokiji and Momonga... but they weren't with Veyron and that was starting to worry her to death.
"Don't force yourself" Shanks stated, unlike his, her fight had been serious. He never saw Mihawk having these many bruises and wounds all over her body, some of them may be permanent. But she didn't care about that, she gripped Yoru and kept falling down until the sea was within sight. They both saw something that produced a mixture of reactions.
It was an old man they both recognised, carrying a boy on his shoulders like a sack of potatoes and waiting.
!!!
'Veyron!'.
She felt her heart was about to stop, the man was Monkey D. Garp, an opponent she admittedly knew she couldn't defeat!
**
**
"Ugh, what a stubborn brat" Garp rubbed his painful lower back and carried the fainted boy, waiting for a marine warship to arrive and pick him up.
"You won't lose this, you won't lose that, Shut up for a second, will you? You will become the youngest marine admiral in history, and when you turn an adult you will most likely marry a beautiful noble lady right away since you're good-looking. You will have a bunch of kids and settle, I promise you that. The pirate life is not for you".
He sighed, his son had strayed the wrong path, his grandson seemed to be going down the same path and then there was his adoptive grandson who much to his distress was following his father's path as well. It seemed like no one ever wanted to listen to him but then, he'd be the one to have to bear the consequences of all their actions.
Seeing this young boy whose potential was perhaps the greatest he had ever seen, he just couldn't pass on the opportunity to give the marine a powerhouse. He was still young and with a bit of convincing and 'love' would surely get back on the good path.
*BOOOMMM!*
But the mother of that child was unwilling.
Mihawk and Shanks landed on an iceberg remaining on the sea after the conflict with Aokiji, they could tell a ridiculous battle had happened here if not for the haywire weather and the colossal destruction caused by the redline.
"What is he doing here?!" Shanks was confused, that was obviously Mihawk's adoptive son who they had left in Rusukaina.
"He's Dark Mantle" Mihawk rolled her eyes and confessed, the cat was out of the bag now, and even Garp knew his identity, things couldn't be worse. He's clearly trying to kidnap the boy right now!
!!!
'Is that boy even human?!' Shanks tried to process the fact that a seven-year-old boy had carried them all the way to the red line with ridiculous power, faced Vice Admiral Kizaru, and left him severely injured state and that too while fighting Aokiji.
To top it off he had faced the one man who was at the same level as his ex-captain and Pirate King, the Hero Monkey D. Garp. Veyron had obviously lost this fight but he could tell the battle wasn't a two-second one, the boy gave Garp a run for his money for a while, even leaving several marks on his tux.
A part of him felt relieved that the boy lost, if the outcome had been any different, he'd perhaps spit blood and forfeit his own life since nothing would have made sense anymore.
"Release that boy, Garp".
Mihawk's body was marred with bruises and she was clearly exhausted but Yoru was still covered in Haki and blood. If she had to face off this man right here to recover her son, she would.
"You can't defeat me the way you're now" Garp spoke openly, unconcerned for the two rookies whom he was acquainted with. One was a member of Roger's crew, the other was the daughter of an ex-knight of god whom he had fought alongside in God Valley.
"My son seemed to have given you quite the fight".
Garp groaned, Indeed, the boy had been so stubborn and tough, he couldn't believe he had to use that much strength to take him down.
"You have no idea what sort of monster you're raising. Once he becomes an adult he will be unstoppable".
"I know exactly what his potential is… he will be the strongest man alive".
She used the sword intent and Garp gasped, two people who had the 4th Haki in a single day and they were both related, mother and son.
"That's why you have to release him right now, Garp... I won't let the world government put their hands on him".
"..."
"You know that's exactly what's going to happen, please think this through" Mihawk knew she couldn't defeat him, not in her current state and even with Shanks here. Monkey D. Garp was on another level.
"You too… as expected of a Dracule, I'm officially envious. But what makes you think you are a good influence on him? Aren't you also associated with the world nobles? Roger told me some things before he died, kiddo... I'm not completely ignorant. There is a reason why I haven't personally gotten in Dragon's way".
!!!
"You're certainly not an average man. I haven't imposed a path on him. I didn't tell him to become a pirate a marine or a revolutionary. I know he's clever enough to choose his own path, just like your son did, Garp".
"…"
Releasing a deep exhalation, Garp let the kid down and Mihawk picked him up right away, feeling relieved that he was finally in her arms.
"Give this to him and tell him it is mine".
Mihawk and Shanks both gasped, it was Garp's vibrecard.
She looked at him questioningly.
"The boy's future can either be extremely bright or deathly bleak. Be it as it may, with that much power he will never be a normal person. I want to talk to him again, this time without fists".
The hero stepped on air and flickered away upwards towards Marie Geoise, if these two were here then whatever happened up there had already finished, although he wasn't interested, it was still his job as a marine.