A few days later at Marineford, Naval Headquarters...
"Marshal, Vice Admiral Garp's warship has returned," Stucky, Sengoku's adjutant, reported as he entered the office.
"This old guy! He's finally back. I need to have a word with him," Sengoku grumbled, putting down the documents he was reviewing with an irritated look on his face.
The mysterious young swordsman's investigation had yielded no results, and the capture of Crocodile by Garp had only added to Sengoku's frustrations. With the Marine camp already stretched thin, losing a Shichibukai like Crocodile only made the situation worse, giving the pirates in the New World more freedom to wreak havoc.
Crocodile's crimes had been confirmed by Cobra, king of Alabasta, and Garp had caught him without delay. But Sengoku had preferred to handle the matter differently—perhaps giving Crocodile a discreet warning to rein in his actions, which would have allowed the Marine forces to maintain his Shichibukai status and solve the drought problem in Alabasta.
Instead, Garp sent Crocodile straight to Enies Lobby, leaving no room for Sengoku to salvage the situation. That would likely mean Crocodile's transfer to Impel Down, the deep-sea prison, forever removing him from Marine use.
Frustrated, Sengoku slammed the documents on his desk and stood up. He recalled something else. "By the way, a few days ago Spandam reported an attack at Enies Lobby. Have there been any leads? Could Garp have had anything to do with it?"
Stucky, ever efficient, replied, "Based on our intelligence, during the time Spandam was attacked, Vice Admiral Garp was leading a trial. He didn't have the opportunity to carry out the assault."
Sengoku frowned. "Could someone under Garp have done it? His adjutant, Bogart, is certainly capable."
Stucky shook his head. "Bogart was with Garp the entire time. Moreover, even if Garp had rushed straight to the Judiciary Tower upon landing, he wouldn't have made it in time. According to informants, the attacker was likely already in the Judiciary Tower or someone within Enies Lobby itself."
Sengoku pondered for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, let it be. We don't need to clean up their mess."
He then remembered something else. "By the way, Garp mentioned he was bringing his grandson to Headquarters. Has he arrived?"
"Only Master Finn has come," Stucky responded, with a slightly puzzled expression. "And according to our intelligence, it seems Master Finn has a Devil Fruit ability."
Sengoku raised an eyebrow. "Is it a rare Logia type?"
"Well…" Stucky hesitated, clearly struggling to explain. "Marshal, Master Finn's Devil Fruit ability allows him to summon… a warship."
"A warship?" Sengoku asked, surprised. "A Paramecia fruit that turns him into a warship?"
"Not quite. He can summon a massive warship out of thin air, far larger than any of our standard ships."
Sengoku's eyes widened in surprise. "Summon? A Devil Fruit that can summon warships?"
"Yes, and it's gigantic—at least ten times larger than any ordinary warship."
Sengoku was intrigued. "Let's go take a look."
Before long, Sengoku and Stucky reached the port. From a distance, Sengoku spotted the enormous warship, his eyes widening further as he took in the sight. The sheer scale and firepower of the vessel were unlike anything he'd ever seen.
"This is no ordinary warship," Sengoku thought aloud, studying the steel plating and the heavy artillery. "If we had a ship like this led by an admiral and fully crewed, its combat power would be extraordinary. If Finn agrees to contribute this warship, it could significantly advance our plans to enter the New World."
The Marines around the port were just as amazed, gathering to gawk at the super battleship.
Finn had instructed Nami and the others to stay aboard the ship while he disembarked with Garp. As the pair stepped off Garp's warship, they were greeted by a chorus of excited voices.
"Vice Admiral Garp is back!"
"Welcome back, old man!"
"Marine Hero!"
Garp's reputation and friendly demeanor made him beloved among the Marines. But amidst the cheers, the crowd hushed as Sengoku and Stucky made their way toward the pair.
Sengoku approached Garp with a broad smile, wrapping him in a bear hug. "Garp! You're finally back! It's been chaos lately, and I could really use your help."
The two old friends, bonded by years of battle, shared a deep camaraderie. Sengoku patted Garp on the back, laughing. "I heard you brought your grandson with you. Where is he?"
Though Sengoku had already spotted Finn, he held back, maintaining his marshal composure. A little decorum was necessary, after all.
Garp grinned and yanked Finn forward. "This is him! Finn, why don't you greet your Grandpa Sengoku!"
Finn, taken aback by the sudden introduction, offered a quick salute. "Good day, Grandpa Sengoku~"
Sengoku laughed heartily and threw his arm around Finn's shoulders. "Finn, your grandfather and I are as close as brothers—like we're cut from the same cloth!"
Finn's eyes widened in mock horror. He glanced between Garp and Sengoku before blurting out, "Wait a minute! You guys… are you two old gays?!"
His voice rang out across the entire port, the words hanging in the air.
For a moment, the entire dock fell silent. All eyes turned to Sengoku and Garp, wide with confusion and shock, as a tense, awkward stillness settled over the scene.