Garp's face flushed.
"Nima, my grandson! Why are you so blunt?" he thought, trying to smooth over the situation. "Ahem, Finn, don't say such things. You can take whatever soldiers your grandpa Sengoku offers you."
Finn crossed his arms defiantly. "No way! I only want female soldiers. I don't want to turn into an old geezer like you two!"
Garp's face darkened at the jab. I should've kept my mouth shut, he thought, realizing he'd been roped into Finn's blunt commentary. Sengoku's eye twitched, but he smirked. This kid's brutally honest, but that can be useful. Honest people are easier to handle, he mused.
With a satisfied smile, Sengoku patted Garp on the shoulder. "Don't stress, Garp. Do I seem like the kind of guy who cares about grandchildren?" He laughed, pulling Garp along. "Come on, let's go grab a drink. I've had headaches lately, and it's perfect timing that you brought me some fresh recruits."
As they walked away, Garp called over his subordinate, Bogart. "Make sure Finn gets settled. Take him to my residence."
Bogart, always respectful, nodded. "Master Finn, shall we head to Mr. Garp's quarters?"
Finn waved dismissively. "No thanks. My grandpa's an old geezer. I'd rather stay on my own ship."
Bogart blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting that response. This is a mess, he thought, though he kept his expression neutral.
"Well, Master Finn," Bogart continued carefully, "if there's anything else I can assist you with?"
"Don't worry about me, Uncle Bogart. You've just returned from a long journey. Go be with your family. I'll get to know the place myself," Finn said, genuinely not wanting to burden him.
Grateful, Bogart nodded, showing Finn respect. "Thank you, Master Finn. If anything comes up, just mention Garp's name. It'll open doors."
As Bogart left, Finn pondered the weight of his grandpa's name. Is my grandpa really that influential here?
He wandered around the massive Naval Headquarters, taking in the size and structure of the place. After a couple of hours, he noticed a crowd gathering ahead, people jostling to get a better view of something.
Curious, Finn tried to push through, but it was packed. Remembering Bogart's advice, he smirked. "Make way! Garp is my grandfather!"
One Marine turned, barely giving Finn a glance, muttering sarcastically, "Yeah, and my grandpa's Sengoku."
Wori… Finn's confidence crumbled for a moment. Grandpa, you're not as intimidating as I thought...
Desperate for an opening, Finn shouted, "Look, that female soldier isn't wearing pants!"
Instantly, the crowd surged, people scrambling to verify his outrageous claim. Finn slipped through, now in the front row. He stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before him.
In the square, a Marine general was kneeling on one knee in front of a female soldier, holding a bouquet of flowers. Soldiers around them recorded the scene with their video transponders. Finn's jaw dropped. No way! Is that... Tea Dolphin and Momousagi?
Tea Dolphin, eyes burning with passion, held the flowers out. "Yuyuan, please, I'm sincere! I've waited for decades for someone like you. We're meant to be together!"
Momousagi, clearly irritated, shot him a withering look. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not interested."
Finn watched as Tea Dolphin remained undeterred. "I've been rejected so many times, but I won't give up! I won't marry anyone but you!"
Momousagi's disgust only grew. "Stop calling me Yuyuan! It's Momousagi to you. Have some self-respect!"
Her sharp words cut through the air, but Tea Dolphin was unfazed. He was kneeling in front of her for the ninety-third time, his persistence bordering on obsession.
Momousagi sighed in exasperation. "You're an Admiral candidate. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for the Marines? Stop making a spectacle of yourself. This is never going to happen."
She turned on her heel, ready to walk away, but Tea Dolphin called after her, still kneeling. "I won't give up! I swear I'll wait for you as long as it takes!"
Finn, standing in the middle of the spectacle, heard a voice in his mind.
"Ding! Please choose:
Shout encouragement for Tea Dolphin and help him win over Momousagi! Reward: Double Mission Card.Snatch the flowers and pursue Momousagi yourself! Reward: Tenfold Mission Card.Deliver a Thousand Years of Death to Tea Dolphin, end his obsession, and stop this farce. Reward: Hundredfold Mission Card."
Choices, choices... Finn thought, his smirk growing. What kind of trouble should I get into today?