"Hahahaha! Well, isn't this something! I hadn't even set foot on the island for long before I became an unwanted guest," Garp's hearty laughter echoed as a shadow loomed over the group.
His sudden appearance startled everyone. When they turned to see who it was, they were even more shocked.
Standing before them was the towering figure they had seen earlier in town—a man with a muscular build, wearing a dog-shaped hat that gave him a somewhat comical appearance. His cape, emblazoned with the word "Justice," made it clear he was the high-ranking Marine they had noticed.
The moment Steia saw Garp, she instinctively pulled Ain close, shielding her daughter behind her. The village elder and another older villager immediately grabbed onto Garp's legs, hoping to delay him.
Seeing the elder's actions, the other villagers who had come to warn Steia quickly followed suit, clutching at Garp's arms and legs. In no time, the once formidable Marine found himself covered in clinging villagers.
Their goal was clear: to buy Steia and Ain enough time to escape. What the villagers hadn't realized was that Garp had followed them deliberately, having easily tracked them without their knowledge.
Facing a powerful Marine from headquarters, they knew they were no match for him, so they resorted to desperate measures to hold him back.
"Please, sir, Steia and Ain are just ordinary, law-abiding citizens of Maple Leaf Island. Even though Wood has become a notorious pirate, his crimes shouldn't fall on his family. Besides, Steia isn't even Wood's real mother, and Ain isn't his blood sister. Steia just took him in and raised him."
The village elder's plea was quickly echoed by the others. Maple Leaf Island wasn't a large place, and everyone had watched Wood and Ain grow up. They weren't about to let Garp take Ain away.
"What do you mean 'not real family'? I am Wood's sister, Ain! Years ago, that Marine Admiral Zephyr promised to turn Wood into the best Marine. Now that my brother has become a pirate, I want answers from you!"
While the others feared Garp and his authoritative presence, Ain showed no such hesitation. Instead of running away, she fixed Garp with a look of intense resentment, her eyes blazing with anger.
"So, you must be the sister Wood mentioned in the reports," Garp said, smiling appreciatively. "Impressive, impressive. You're a girl, but you've got more courage and spirit than many boys I've met. When your brother first met me, he was so scared he nearly couldn't stand."
Steia, the village elder, and the others were terrified when Ain dared to confront Garp. They feared that the powerful Marine might retaliate and harm her. But to their surprise, Garp didn't get angry. Instead, he looked at Ain with even more admiration.
"Vice Admiral, does this mean you're not here to arrest Steia and Ain?" the village elder asked cautiously. Garp's demeanor suggested he wasn't hostile, but the elder wanted to be sure.
"When did I ever say I came to Maple Leaf Island to arrest this girl?" Garp replied. "And you all can let go of me now. I don't hold grudges, but it's a hot day, and if you break these old bones of mine, can you handle the charge of attacking a Marine?"
Hearing this, the villagers quickly released their grip. Now that they knew Garp wasn't an enemy, no one wanted to keep clinging to the old man.
"I came to Maple Leaf Island to learn more about Wood," Garp explained. "But now that you've brought it up, why don't you two come back to Marineford with me?"
The moment Garp suggested this, the villagers prepared to leap at him again, intending to stop him from taking Ain and her mother away. But this time, Garp wasn't in the mood to be mobbed again. With a swift "Soru," he vanished from their sight, leaving the villagers to fall flat on the ground.
When he reappeared, Garp was standing right in front of Steia and Ain.
"See? All Marines are liars! You're just like the ones who tricked my brother into leaving with them!" Ain's voice was filled with fury as she glared at Garp.
The villagers, seeing Garp standing before Ain and Steia, were equally furious. He had said he wasn't there to arrest them, yet now he was talking about taking them to Marineford. It felt like they were being played.
"I think you've misunderstood me," Garp said calmly. "I'm not taking them to Marineford to arrest them. If that were the case, I'd just throw them into Impel Down or take them to Enies Lobby—well, what's left of it, anyway.
"No, I want them to come to Marineford for their own safety. As Wood continues down his path, he's bound to make enemies. It's only a matter of time before someone targets you to get to him."
Garp's explanation seemed to calm the villagers slightly, but Ain still felt something was off. Why would a high-ranking Marine like Garp want to protect her and her mother, especially when her brother was now a notorious pirate? It didn't add up.
Seeing the doubt in Ain's eyes, Garp's expression softened with understanding.
"As expected of Wood's sister, you're just as sharp as he is. To be honest, I'm here because someone asked me to come. You've heard of Black Arm Zephyr, right? He's the one who brought your brother into the Navy.
"Wood was his student, and even though he's fallen into piracy, Zephyr doesn't want his family to suffer because of it. He asked me to see if you'd be willing to move to Marineford, where you'd be safer."
Zephyr's family had been killed by pirates seeking revenge, and now that Wood was in a similar situation, Zephyr didn't want history to repeat itself. He had asked Garp more than once to help protect Wood's family.
It was only when the village elder and the others had rushed to protect Steia and Ain that Garp realized just how valid Zephyr's concerns were. And so, he made the offer.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a