"By the way, Vice Admiral."
"Hm?"
"Are you planning to leave that Rengoku kid at Dadan's place, like Luffy?"
"No. Why would I put a child who should grow up to be a proper Marine in a bandit den, a breeding ground for future pirates?"
Garp was already regretting his past decisions.
Of all things, he had let his own grandson get tangled up with a pirate, and it ruined the kid.
Luffy! And of all people, he ended up being influenced by Roger's apprentice, that red-haired guy.
That useless pirate filled Luffy's head with all kinds of nonsense, and now a boy who should have become a Marine was shouting about becoming the Pirate King.
"He's still young, but I'll personally train him. From Rokushiki to Haki, I'll teach him the essence of being a Marine. I'll turn him into a fine, formidable, and invincible Marine."
Messing up raising kids with his own son and grandson was enough.
Ace was an exception due to his unique circumstances, but this time would be different.
...
Rengoku's biological father disembarked at one of the Marine Headquarters' factories.
"Well then... I leave him in your capable hands!"
"Of course, don't worry. I'll raise him well."
Rengoku's father also bid farewell to him.
"This is where we part ways. I hope you grow up well."
"Understood, Father."
Considering his father's physical condition, Rengoku saw him off as stoically as possible.
Though he didn't feel much emotion in the first place, he understood well that forcing himself to cry or act sentimental might do more harm than good for both of them.
After parting ways with his father, Kyojuro headed straight to the library on the ship.
Accepting that this world was entirely different from Earth, he resolved to calmly adapt to any irrational events or phenomena by broadening his knowledge.
One fortunate discovery was that when he resumed practicing his Breathing Technique recently, it worked just as effectively.
No, perhaps due to the higher power level of this world, Rengoku's Total Concentration Breathing was progressing even faster than expected.
Within just ten days of acquiring his new body, he had already mastered the Total Concentration Breathing technique, leaving only the task of maintaining it constantly—what was known as Total Concentration Breathing: Constant.
Rengoku's lung capacity, though technically that of a child, showed no signs of strain even under extreme exertion. In fact, he felt himself growing stronger.
"This body may still be human, but it's far superior to a human body from Earth! The potential of humans in this world is truly limitless!"
The Pirate King Roger and his crew.
The Four Emperors who rule the seas.
The Fleet Admiral of the Marines and the three Admirals, the pinnacle of naval power.
All of them were pure humans.
This world also contained various non-human races—smallfolk, giants, fishmen, merfolk, and others, such as the long-armed Tribesmen, the long-necked Snakenecks, the long-legged Tribesmen, and the Three-Eyed Tribe.
Yet, at the summit of strength, standing above all others, were humans.
With Garp being a Vice Admiral, there were still individuals at Admiral level, Four Emperor level, and beyond them, the Fleet Admiral and the Pirate King himself.
This was a world where humanity had long since shattered its limits.
"Oh, Rengoku, heading to the library again?"
"Yes, Sir Bogard."
"Haha, such a studious kid. Keep it up."
"Yes, sir!"
Rengoku nodded energetically and continued on his way.
...
After about a month of sailing, Garp's warship finally arrived safely at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The sight of a colossal structure resembling a towering pagoda greeted them, with the large kanji for "Navy" (海軍) boldly displayed on its exterior, alongside a seagull emblem.
It was unmistakably the stronghold of the Marines, exuding an air of authority and discipline.
Rengoku stepped off the ship, holding Garp's hand as they disembarked at Marineford.
Along the way, countless Marine officers and soldiers enthusiastically saluted Garp, and Garp, ever the personable leader, returned each greeting without fail.
Following Garp, Rengoku eventually found himself at the very top floor of Marineford's main building.
The entrance bore a large sign that read Fleet Admiral's Office.
The Fleet Admiral was two ranks above Garp, a Vice Admiral, but Garp didn't seem to care about such formalities. Without hesitation, he flung the door open and strode in confidently.
"Garp! Is it you again, you damn rascal?!"
From inside the Fleet Admiral's office came the booming voice of a middle-aged man, filled with reprimand.
"Oh, Sengoku, it's been a while!"
"Tch... When will you finally act like a proper Vice Admiral?! For heaven's sake, show some respect when entering the Fleet Admiral's office!"
The middle-aged man had a round head, a long braided beard resembling a pretzel, and wore round glasses. Unlike Garp's macho demeanor, he gave off the impression of a strategist.
"Respect as a Vice Admiral? Isn't the weight of my fists enough? Hahaha!"
Garp laughed heartily, swinging his fists in exaggerated motions.
"Sigh... Forget it. What about the report for this voyage?"
"Don't have one."
"What?"
"Ah, don't get so worked up. Bogard probably has it. Go ask him for it."
"Garp... Garp..."
Sengoku's voice was dripping with exasperation, almost vengeful in tone.
"Anyway… huh? Who's this kid?"
The middle-aged man, Sengoku, finally noticed Rengoku's presence.
"Oh, this kid? I picked him up during this voyage. His name is Rengoku. Come to think of it, his name is quite similar to yours."
"Picked him up? Garp, don't tell me you just randomly grabbed or kidnapped him from somewhere?"
"Hey, do I look like someone who'd do that?"
"Your voyages are never peaceful, not even once!"
Garp waved off the accusation with a laugh, then calmed the flustered Sengoku and explained the situation regarding Rengoku in detail.
After hearing the explanation, Sengoku seemed to relax a bit and returned to his seat.
"Alright, I understand the circumstances. First, we need to handle the proper procedures."
Sengoku opened a drawer, pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, and then called Rengoku over.
"Rengoku, come here, boy."
Obeying his words without hesitation, Rengoku approached Sengoku.
The document in Sengoku's hand was labeled Volunteer Enlistment Agreement.
"Do you know how to write?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then write your name here, along with your age, date of birth, place of origin... and..."
Sengoku patiently guided Rengoku through the form, explaining each step and assisting him where needed.
Following Sengoku's instructions, Rengoku filled out the document. After reviewing it carefully to ensure there were no mistakes, he handed it back to Sengoku.
"Alright... from this moment on, you are a proud Marine recruit. Your fellow recruits will gather here next week, so it might be good for you to start basic training in the meantime."
"What nonsense are you spouting, Sengoku? That boy is going to be trained by me personally!"
"Are you out of your mind, Garp? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!"
"But regular Marine training won't be enough to make him stronger! I'll train him myself!"
If ever there was an example of two people who clashed like cats and dogs, it was Garp and Sengoku.
The two glared and bickered like mortal enemies, but despite their fierce tones, their relationship didn't seem hostile.
Rengoku watched the two argue for a moment before bowing respectfully to Sengoku and speaking up.
"My apologies, Fleet Admiral. I've decided to train under Vice Admiral Garp. It was the original agreement, and I trust that Vice Admiral Garp will not cause me harm."
Sengoku, seeing Rengoku's resolute gaze and firm demeanor, realized further argument was futile. With a sigh of resignation, he relented.
"Fine. You've signed this document, so you're officially a Marine recruit. Garp can oversee your training, but remember—if you wish to rise through the ranks, you'll need to report to Headquarters."
"Understood, sir," Rengoku replied with a nod.