That evening, the Marine warship had been resupplied and was ready to leave port.
Finn hurried back with Kalifa and Tashigi in tow.
On the deck, Garp stood waiting for his eldest grandson. When he spotted Finn approaching, his eyes narrowed. "Finn, who's this?"
Tashigi introduced herself quickly. "Vice Admiral, this is the secretary Master Finn hired."
"Secretary?!" Garp's expression froze in disbelief.
Nearby, Bogart shot Finn an odd look, clearly intrigued.
It seemed unbelievable—Finn, barely a Marine, had a secretary already? Along the way, he'd swept up a girl here, roped in a female soldier there, and now he was hiring a beautiful secretary? This kid was something else!
Garp stared suspiciously at his grandson. "Boy, I'm a Vice Admiral and even I don't have a secretary! You haven't even become a Marine yet. What do you need a secretary for?"
Garp's concern was genuine; he feared Finn might be going down the wrong path. If he got too distracted by the luxuries of life, how could he focus on becoming strong enough to deal with pirates?
Finn, however, was unfazed by his grandfather's tone. "Of course a Vice Admiral doesn't need a secretary," he scoffed. "But I, your grandson, am aiming to become the King of the Marines! A secretary is the least I should have. Once I find more suitable candidates, I'll hire a few more."
"Brat!" Garp growled, his face reddening with anger. "Who are you calling a 'petty official'?"
"Easy, Grandpa! Don't get worked up." Finn moved closer, gently patting Garp's back. "You don't want to hurt yourself, right?"
Garp felt his frustration ebb slightly but suddenly grew suspicious. Since when was Finn so… considerate?
Something was off.
He narrowed his eyes at his grandson. "You're up to something, aren't you? If you say anything to annoy me, I'll feed you my iron fist today!"
Finn grinned sheepishly. "Come on, Grandpa. I just want you to stay calm and take care of yourself. You know, stay happy."
Garp eyed him warily. "This doesn't sound like you. What are you really up to, brat?"
Finn laughed awkwardly. "Well, since we're heading to Naval Headquarters soon, I was thinking I might need to rely on you. If anyone gives me trouble, I'll need my grandpa to step in and handle it."
Garp's eyes widened, his frustration replaced by determination. "Of course! If anyone dares to bully you, I'll be the first to take them down!"
After all, Garp had finally managed to convince a grandson to join the Marines. If anything drove Finn away, someone would pay dearly for it.
Secretly, Finn felt a wave of relief. This was the exact reaction he'd hoped for. With Garp on his side, he could navigate the unpredictable waters of Naval Headquarters more easily.
"Alright," Garp said, feeling better after Finn's attention, "get on the warship and let's leave before the sea fog rolls in."
Finn, however, shook his head. "Grandpa, I'm not going with you on your ship."
"Huh?" Garp's face darkened, his temper flaring again. "What did you just say? If you mention being a pirate one more time, I'll break your legs!"
Finn raised his hands defensively. "Relax, Grandpa! I didn't say I wouldn't go to Naval Headquarters. I'm just not going on your warship."
Garp frowned. "Then how are you going to get there without it?"
Finn smirked. "Because, Grandpa, I have my own warship!"
Garp blinked in disbelief. Finn had been with him the entire time—where could he possibly have gotten a warship?
"Stop spouting nonsense! Where would you even get a warship? Only the Marines and the World Government have warships!"
Finn grinned mischievously. "Well, Grandpa, last year I ate a Devil Fruit. Its unique ability lets me summon a luxurious warship at will."
"A Devil Fruit… that summons warships?" Garp's expression shifted from anger to confusion. "You better not be messing with me, boy."
The Devil Fruit's powers were notorious for their oddities, so it wasn't entirely implausible.
"Seeing is believing, Grandpa!" Finn said, leaping into the air with the Moonwalk technique.
With a thought, he summoned the supreme version of the Marine warship from his system space. In an instant, an enormous warship appeared on the open sea, dwarfing the other vessels in the port. It was at least ten times the size of a regular warship, bristling with artillery and defensive cannons.
The port's atmosphere shifted. All eyes were on the ship that seemed like a phoenix among pigeons, its grandeur unmatched.