"Rayleigh, have we finished coating the ship's anchor?"
"How could it be done so quickly? If it weren't for you, Roger, dragging me to that auction, we'd probably be done by now!"
"Come on, why bother doing it yourself? Can't we just leave it to the workers?"
"Idiot, this is a life-or-death matter! How could I trust those guys with something so important?"
"Now we're in trouble... those people really are causing chaos!"
"Before we left, I definitely sensed something disappear. It wouldn't surprise me if a Celestial Dragon has already been killed!"
"Tsk tsk, I heard that even just offending a Celestial Dragon brings out the Marine Admirals. If one actually dies, the Marines will go crazy!"
"Enough talking, let's leave the New World for later... Getting off Sabaody Archipelago is our top priority!"
"Exactly, I don't want to get dragged into this mess for no reason. The Marines alone are troublesome enough... and if the CPO shows up, we're finished!"
At a quiet coating dock on Island 53, a pirate ship with nearly completed coating work hoisted its sails, ready to leave the island. The black pirate flag, emblazoned with a skull and two curled mustaches on either side, waved prominently in the wind. It was unmistakably the ship of the Roger Pirates.
Roger and his crew had returned to the ship from Island 1, fully aware that the attack on the Celestial Dragons would soon stir up a massive storm across the island. They were urgently gathering all their crew members to set sail.
"Roger—!"
A tall figure charged forward, cutting through the air with incredible speed, racing toward the pirate ship that was about to depart. "I knew you'd be here! You're not getting away!!!"
Clang!
A flash of steel followed by the loud clash of metal echoed. Roger reacted swiftly, leaping to the shore and drawing his sword to block the incoming blow. His blade collided with a Haki-coated fist that struck with the force of iron.
"Hmph…"
The collision between the two sent shockwaves across the area, causing the sea to churn and the sails of the pirate ship to shake violently.
"Heh, Garp…"
Roger's eyes narrowed as he locked onto the muscular, scarred, black-haired young man before him. "Can't you stop causing trouble? This isn't the time for a reunion!"
"This guy…"
"Isn't that Rear Admiral Monkey D. Garp from Marine Headquarters?"
"Why do we keep running into this guy no matter where we go?"
"He's relentless, like a bloodhound with a keen nose!"
The Roger Pirates exchanged serious glances, mixed with a bit of exasperation. They were all too familiar with Garp, having clashed with him multiple times. He was an exceptionally skilled and troublesome opponent.
"Garp, if you think you can stop us on your own, I'm afraid you're outmatched…"
Rayleigh, smiling, stepped forward with his sword drawn, its sharp edge glinting in the light as he pointed it directly at Garp, who was facing off against Roger.
Though pirates might pride themselves on fair fights, this wasn't the time to uphold such ideals. If they delayed any longer, a Marine Admiral would soon arrive.
"Heh, Garp…"
"Why did you rush ahead?" Two more figures appeared, catching up to Garp. One was a beautiful, imposing woman with a ponytail, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. The other was a brawny, square-jawed man with an afro, around the same age as Garp.
The three were none other than the famous Marine trio: Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru, who had risen through the ranks together and were now regarded as the brightest stars of the Navy's new generation.
"Huh?"
Sengoku's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the crew before him. "Roger Pirates?"
"You guys are really here?" Tsuru, hands on her hips, raised an eyebrow. "I thought Garp had just run off on some wild chase again!"
"The Buddha Sengoku and Strategist Tsuru…"
"These are some serious opponents!" Rayleigh and Gaban, the third-in-command, exchanged glances and stepped forward to confront Sengoku and Tsuru.
"Heh, Roger's here. I can smell him a mile away…"
Garp grinned, his fists clenched tight, crackling with black Haki. His fiery gaze was locked onto Roger. "Roger, you're not getting away this time! Surrender, and I won't let you escape again!"
"That's not happening, Garp…"
Roger's grin never faltered as he lifted his sword, fearless. "My dream is to sail around the world on the greatest adventure of all! I won't stop here!"
"That's impossible…" Tsuru folded her arms, her voice firm. "Your crew has already tried, hasn't it? All the Log Poses stop working once you reach Lodestar Island in the second half of the New World. There's no other way forward."
"For hundreds of years, no one has completed a full circumnavigation of the world... It's just a myth," Sengoku added, his sharp gaze fixed on Rayleigh.
"It's only a challenge if it's something nobody else can achieve!" Roger laughed. "But you Marines have bigger issues to worry about right now, don't you? Shouldn't you be more concerned with saving your precious Celestial Dragons?"
Roger Pirates' third-in-command, Scopper Gaban, chimed in seriously. "Garp, Sengoku, Tsuru... Instead of trying to stop us, you might want to focus on rescuing the Celestial Dragons. Otherwise, your Fleet Admiral William will have a hard time explaining things."
"What do those vile Celestial Dragons being attacked have to do with us?" Garp scoffed, puffing out his chest defiantly. "I'm on vacation. I didn't hear anything, and I didn't see anything... If someone else wants to deal with it, they can! Besides, I'm busy capturing you, Roger!"
Garp had no love for the Celestial Dragons, having witnessed their arrogant, oppressive behavior. The thought of helping them disgusted him. If it weren't for his sense of justice and desire to take down pirates, he would have quit the Marines long ago.
Sengoku remained silent, feeling the weight of the situation. He had come to drag Garp back, ready to deal with the situation at hand. While Garp had no ambition, Sengoku had dreams of becoming Fleet Admiral one day and changing the system from within.
Brrr~ Brrr~
Just then, Tsuru's Den Den Mushi rang. She pulled it out and answered, "Moshi moshi, this is Tsuru."
"Rear Admiral Tsuru, are you with Rear Admiral Sengoku and Rear Admiral Garp?"
"Yes, we've found the Roger Pirates and are in pursuit," she replied, eyeing the pirates before her.
Sengoku's eyes twitched, and Garp raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss.
"You should have received the news by now. The Celestial Dragons were attacked, and Fleet Admiral William has ordered that your leave is canceled. You're to head to Island 1 immediately and rescue the Celestial Dragons at all costs. The criminals must not escape."
The voice of a young ensign came through the Den Den Mushi, relaying the orders. "Until Admiral Hark arrives with the fleet, Rear Admiral Sengoku is in charge of the Marines on Sabaody Archipelago."
"As for the Roger Pirates, ignore them for now. Your priority is the Celestial Dragons! That is all!"
Click.
"Hahaha!!"
The Roger Pirates burst into laughter, clearly amused by the situation.
They grinned at Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru.
"You wanted to capture us, didn't you? Go ahead, disobey your orders and try it!"
Garp: "..."
Sengoku: "..."
~~~
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