By the time Satoru opened his eyes again, the night had fallen. Sitting beside him was Garp, silent but ever watchful. The returning Marines had begun cleaning up the remnants of the G8 base, their faces grim as they worked to restore what had been lost.
"This time, the exhaustion really hit hard," Satoru muttered, slowly sitting up. His body felt weak, drained from the earlier battle. He hadn't expected to collapse like that.
But he couldn't deny the gains he'd made. He had learned to wield Conqueror's Haki with proper infusions, and his mastery of Armament Haki was improving. These abilities, though taxing, were a testament to his growth.
"You reckless brat," Garp grumbled, tossing a slab of seaking meat to Satoru. "Eat up and recover. You've pushed yourself too far."
Satoru caught the meat and immediately began devouring it. The rich, energizing taste spread through him, replenishing his strength. It was unlike anything he'd eaten before—undoubtedly a delicacy unique to the seas they sailed.
"There wasn't much choice, old man. It was Kaido we were up against. If I hadn't gone all out, you'd have been looking at my corpse by the time you arrived."
At this, Garp's expression darkened, a shadow of anger flashing in his eyes. "If that ever happened, I'd make Kaido regret the day he was born."
The words were laced with a terrifying resolve that only someone of Garp's caliber could possess. Even Satoru could feel the cold rage simmering beneath the surface.
"Well, it didn't come to that," Satoru replied, attempting to lighten the mood. He glanced at the ruined base surrounding them, its once-proud walls reduced to rubble. "But it's a shame about the G8 base. It'll take ages to rebuild."
Garp shook his head. "Forget rebuilding this place. Let's head back to Marineford. You need time to recover."
"No," Satoru replied firmly. "I plan to stay here. I want to turn this base into something greater—the second naval headquarters."
Garp raised an eyebrow, surprised by the bold declaration. "That's ambitious, kid. You realize how dangerous that could be? Those higher up might see it as a threat."
Satoru met Garp's gaze with unwavering determination. "This world is rotten to its core, old man. Someone needs to change it. If no one else will, I'll do it myself."
The words struck a chord with Garp. For a moment, his weathered face softened, though a flicker of unease crossed his features. "You're starting to sound a lot like him," he muttered under his breath.
"Like who?"
"Never mind," Garp replied quickly, shaking his head. "Just know that ambition without strength is meaningless. If you aim to change the world, you'll need power to match that ambition."
"Don't worry," Satoru said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'll get there. I'll be strong enough to reshape this broken world."
Garp let out a gruff laugh. "Hah! You've got guts, kid, I'll give you that. Just don't expect me to hold back if you lose your way. I told my son the same thing, and I'll say it to you, too—if you become a threat to the world or the Marines, I'll be the one to stop you."
Satoru nodded solemnly. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
The two shared a moment of understanding. Though Garp's loyalties lay with the Marines, his love for his family was unwavering. He might not always agree with their choices, but he would protect them fiercely, even from themselves.
"Alright," Garp said, standing up and stretching. "I'll stick around for a few days. Once you're fully healed, I'm heading back to Marineford."
"Thanks, old man," Satoru said sincerely.
"Don't get used to it," Garp replied gruffly, though his eyes betrayed the pride he felt for the young Marine before him.
As the two settled into an uneasy peace, Satoru couldn't help but think of the battles yet to come. If he wanted to change the world, he'd have to face not just pirates like Kaido but the very system that kept the world in balance—a system built on injustice and lies.
And for that, he'd need to become even stronger.