Chapter 14 - 14: Setting Sail

There was no denying it—when it came to standing out in the Navy, Garp was truly one of a kind. Thanks to his unmatched achievements and that infamous "Fist of Love," the Vice Admiral enjoyed privileges no other of his rank could hope to claim. Not even the higher-ups dared rein him in. Just a few days ago, while having dinner at Zephyr's place, he'd casually mentioned taking Yoriichi out to sea. Now, not even a week later, that day had arrived. It was early morning. Yoriichi Tsugikuni was quietly reading at home when Garp barged straight into Zephyr's house—completely uninvited, as if he lived there. Storming through the doorway like it was his own home, Garp quickly spotted Yoriichi and barked: "Hey! Kid! I'm heading out to sea. You're coming with me. Let's go!" Behind a small mountain of books, Yoriichi looked up at the sudden intrusion. The corners of his eyes twitched at the sight of Garp's urgency. "Is… is this really appropriate?" "At the very least, shouldn't I check in with Teacher Zephyr first?" Though hesitant, Yoriichi couldn't deny the flicker of excitement in his heart at the prospect of setting sail. He'd been at Navy HQ for nearly a month now. While he'd grown close to Zephyr—who treated him like family—his training had frustratingly stalled. Yoriichi suspected Zephyr was deliberately holding back from teaching him combat. Maybe it was due to orders from above. That thought first struck him when Zephyr brought over those books. Garp's sudden return only confirmed his suspicions. There was no way his physical strength was the reason he hadn't started learning Haki—the mysterious power unique to this world. Though he acted like a novice fresh out of boot camp, Yoriichi had a good grasp of how this world's power system worked. Zephyr had dismissed his 5,000-plus Doriki as weak, but Yoriichi knew better. That level was already enough to start learning the Six Powers—or even Haki. Take Rob Lucci, for example. That so-called "genius" had only 4,000 Doriki. Yoriichi did want to go to sea—but he didn't want to come off as someone who could be easily manipulated. While he had no issues with Zephyr or Garp, he knew it wasn't them who were holding him back. "I've already talked to Zephyr," Garp waved off the concern. "He has no objections." "And seriously, why are you worrying about stuff like that?" "Kid, do you really want to stay cooped up here reading books all day? Don't you want to get out there, set sail?!" "You'll never get where you want to be with books alone!" Garp hadn't spent much time with Yoriichi, but after years in the field, he had a good eye for reading people. "…" "I do want to set sail, but—" Yoriichi finally nodded after a long pause, about to explain himself, when Garp suddenly cut him off. His gaze landed on the black katana resting by Yoriichi's side. Grinning, Garp strode forward, grabbed the boy around the waist with one hand and his sword with the other—and just like that, slung both over his shoulder as he strode out the door. "Uh…" "Vice Admiral Garp, I can walk on my own, you know." Garp carried him like a chicken under his arm, striding boldly through the streets toward the naval port. Along the way, every Marine they passed saluted him respectfully—but couldn't help sneaking curious glances at the boy he was lugging along. Being stared at like a circus act was not pleasant. After enduring the embarrassment for a while, Yoriichi finally muttered: "…This is kind of humiliating." "Hahahaha!" "So what?!" Garp laughed uproariously. "You said you wanted to go to sea, right? Then off we go!" "We Marines are free spirits too, you know! Hahahaha!" As Garp bellowed with laughter, completely unfazed by the looks he was getting, Yoriichi sighed inwardly. Sure, the Navy's free—but it feels like only you are truly free. He gave up resisting and let Garp carry him along. Before long, Garp's personal flagship—the iconic Dog-Head Warship—came into view. It was clear Garp had made preparations ahead of time. The ship was fully crewed and ready to depart, awaiting only the arrival of their eccentric commander. But just as Garp was about to board with Yoriichi in tow, a group of Marines stepped forward to block their path. At their head stood none other than the Fleet Admiral of the Navy—Kong the Steel Bone! Flanking him were Zephyr and Sengoku, standing silent and grim. Behind the three of them was a squad of armed soldiers. The moment Garp approached, Kong's voice thundered like a cannon: "Hey! Garp! Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Steel-boned Kong's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. Garp blinked in mild surprise. He hadn't expected this—he was merely taking Yoriichi Tsugikuni out to sea, yet it had somehow stirred the attention of the Fleet Admiral himself? Does Kong have nothing better to do than meddle in trivial matters like this? The flash of surprise vanished from Garp's face as quickly as it came. With casual ease, he lowered Yoriichi to the ground, tossed the boy his longsword, then picked at his nose with his pinky finger as he answered coolly: "Isn't it obvious?" "I got word about Roger's whereabouts. I'm heading out." Steel-boned Kong didn't even blink at Garp's uncouth behavior—it was nothing new to him. He ignored Garp entirely, turning instead to the youth at his side. His eyes locked on Yoriichi as he said sternly: "If you want to go after Roger, then go." "But you're not taking this boy with you." "He's Zephyr's disciple. He's one of the Navy's key prospects. We can't risk sending him to sea so lightly." At those words, Garp stepped beside Yoriichi and pressed a hand against the boy's back. With a broad grin, he replied: "I know. That's exactly why he should go." "A real Marine only becomes stronger on the ocean." "That's how I did it—I speak from experience." His gaze was unwavering, not the slightest hint of hesitation in his expression. Though just a Vice Admiral, Garp stood before the Fleet Admiral with the same reckless defiance as always. "..." "Must you really do this, Garp?" To everyone's astonishment, Kong's voice softened. The shift caught the Navy officers behind him completely off guard. Steel-boned Kong—who'd clawed his way to the top with an iron grip—had never once been seen to yield to anyone. Yet now… "Hahahahaha!" "I'll bring him back in one piece. Now out of the way." Garp burst into laughter, clapped Yoriichi on the shoulder, and began boarding the ship. This time, Kong didn't stop him. As Garp passed by, Kong muttered in a low voice: "Garp… You'd better take responsibility for this. Don't let me down." Garp grinned at him, said nothing, and led Yoriichi up the gangplank. "Set sail!" A thunderous order rang out across the deck. The anchor creaked as it lifted, and the dog-headed battleship slowly pulled away from the dock under the watchful eyes of Kong and the others. Moments later, it slipped out of view, swallowed by the horizon. Zephyr watched the ship disappear with a faint smile on his lips—but as Kong turned around, the smile vanished instantly. Sengoku, noticing the grim look on Kong's face, stepped in to smooth things over. "Fleet Admiral, it's just Garp—you know how he is. Don't take it to heart." "Besides, it's just a kid. So what if he went out to sea? No big deal, hahahaha! No big deal!" But Sengoku's words only added fuel to the fire. Kong's barely suppressed anger finally erupted. "You idiot!" "That boy has Conqueror's Haki! Do you realize what that means, Sengoku?!" "A talent like his comes once in a million! If we nurture him right, he could become the very pillar of the Navy's future." "We can train as many officers as we want, but someone like him—just one—is enough to bring peace to an entire region of the sea!" "Can't you understand how important this is?!" "Garp… It's because it's Garp taking him that I'm worried!" "What does he know about training a Navy man? He doesn't know a damn thing!" "Experience, he says! If everyone turned out like him, I'd have died from high blood pressure years ago!" "Hmph!" It was plain to see—Kong was furious. But beneath the fury was something else: frustration. Because when it came to Garp, even the Fleet Admiral had no leverage. Out at sea, the vast ocean stretched endlessly in every direction, its rolling waves sparkling under the sun. The battleship sliced through the water, leaving a gleaming white wake behind it. Yoriichi stood at the railing, both hands gripping the iron bars. The cool sea breeze washed over him, clearing the mind and lifting the spirit. His crimson hair fluttered in the wind, revealing the red birthmark on his forehead. Gazing at the endless horizon, he felt a profound sense of calm and clarity. "So many people are drawn to the sea… and it's not without reason." "No matter how many times you feel it, this sense of freedom… it's always refreshing." He narrowed his eyes slightly, savoring the sensation. "You love the sea too, don't you?" Footsteps approached from behind. A tall figure came to stand beside Yoriichi, looking out at the ocean with him. Smiling gently, they asked the question in a voice as calm as the waves. (To be continued.)