"Vice Admiral Garp, let's make this clear first. No using your so-called 'fist of love' on me, or I'm definitely not going with you!"
Garp and Zephyr had been battle comrades for many years, trusting each other with their lives. Zephyr had complete confidence in Garp, entrusting Hailan to him without worry.
After seeing off the workaholic Zephyr, Hailan followed Garp, keeping a three-meter distance and setting three conditions with him. Though three meters meant nothing to Garp, Hailan maintained the gap to constantly remind him of his promise.
"Alright, alright... I promise not to hit you!" Garp grinned sincerely.
He had already made up his mind: Once this kid is on my ship and out of Marine Headquarters, I can hit him however I like!
Garp was a staunch believer in the "tough love" training method. To him, there was no need for fancy or delicate training methods. If you could take a beating like him, what was there to be afraid of?
"Vice Admiral Garp," Hailan interrupted Garp's daydream of "loving" training.
Over the years, Hailan had come to understand Garp well. Despite his usual carefree and seemingly thoughtless demeanor, Garp was quite tricky.
In one phrase: "Great wisdom often appears foolish," or in this case, "great cunning appears clueless."
"What is it now?" Garp felt a lousy premonition creeping in.
Did this kid see through my plan?
Hailan smiled sincerely, "Vice Admiral Garp, you're an honorable man, right?"
"Of course," Garp said, hands on his hips, without a hint of embarrassment.
"So if Vice Admiral Garp goes back on his word, I'll make an announcement at Marine Headquarters that Marine Hero 'Iron Fist' Garp isn't an honorable man but a lying old fraud..."
"Huh?"
Garp suddenly snapped out of it. How did I get tricked again...
Forget it, forget it. So I can't use the 'fist of love' on him. I'll endure it.
At worst... at worst, I can just hit someone else!
Meanwhile, aboard Vice Admiral Garp's warship with the dog-head figurehead, a swordsman dressed in a brown suit, wearing a gentleman's hat and smoking a pipe like a detective felt a sudden chill.
After Hailan, Garp and the soldiers boarded the warship, Garp didn't give the order to set sail immediately. They waited for over half an hour until a group of female Marine soldiers arrived at the port, and then Garp jumped off the ship.
"Tsuru, you finally made it. I've been waiting for ages!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at Garp disdainfully. "You're a grandfather now, and still so undignified?"
Garp laughed heartily and said a bunch of appeasing words.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru!" Hailan, who had followed Garp down, saluted Tsuru.
The Marine salute in this world was similar to the British military salute on Earth—arm parallel to the shoulder, hand near the forehead. However, while the British salute had the palm facing outward, the salute here had the back of the hand facing outward.
Tsuru greeted Hailan before turning to Garp, "Why did you bring Hailan along? What are you scheming?"
Garp shamelessly laughed, "We're going to the New World for a mission. I thought I'd bring this kid along for some experience."
"You have a mission?"
Tsuru's eyes filled with disdain. She had a genuine mission in the New World, but Garp was likely just using it as an excuse to tag along with her.
"Of course, to catch pirates! There's a 500 million bounty pirate I'm after!"
Garp's answer was ambiguous. This was why he repeatedly refused promotion to Admiral. As the hero who chased the Rocks Pirates across the world and fought Roger and Whitebeard, no one in Marine Headquarters could command Garp, despite his rank as Vice Admiral.
He went where he wanted and took leave when he wanted. Look at Sengoku, who is constantly busy as an admiral, handling many tasks and always on call for the idiotic Celestial Dragons.
Who'd want that job?
"Alright, I won't pry any further," Tsuru said, tired of wasting time with Garp. She knew she couldn't get rid of this old pest anyway. Turning to Hailan, she asked, "Hailan, want to come on my ship?"
"Sure, thank you, Aunt Tsuru," Hailan replied, quickly running to Tsuru's warship amidst envious glances from the male soldiers on Garp's ship. That ship was full of female soldiers, after all.
Though they were envious, Hailan, being sixteen, wouldn't do anything scandalous. His main goal was to avoid Garp.
"Wait, something's off," Garp muttered, confused.
This isn't how the script was supposed to go. How did all my efforts benefit someone else?
Scratching his head, Garp grinned, "Tsuru, let me join you on your ship too."
"You? No way!" Tsuru firmly refused.
"As soon as you get on a ship, it's bound to end in disaster. My ship might be sunk before we even reach the New World. So, I absolutely won't let you on board!"
As a renowned Vice Admiral, Tsuru's warship was quite large. Even so, it couldn't withstand Garp's shenanigans. When Garp got playful, he was worse than a troublemaking kid. He'd punch a hole through a wall just to make a flashy entrance rather than use the door.
Who'd believe the Marine hero was such a man-child?
With a sheepish grin, Garp pleaded, "Come on, Tsuru, make an exception..."
"Go back!"
After several stern reprimands, Garp slunk back to his ship like a scolded child. Only two people in the world could tame Garp—Sengoku and Tsuru. Since their early days as recruits, the three had been close friends. If Garp didn't heed Sengoku or Tsuru's advice, trouble would follow. Over the years, listening to them had become a habit for Garp.
Returning to his ship, the severe and detective-like swordsman aside, the rest of the soldiers snickered at Garp's plight. Easy-going and approachable, Garp allowed the soldiers to joke around with him.
But two swings of his fists silenced the laughter.
"You brats, what're you laughing at? Get this ship moving—destination, the New World!"