“Fleet Admiral Sengoku, with that frown on your face all the time, you’ll age faster than I will,” Garp teased with his characteristic hearty laugh.
Sengoku, rarely quick to respond as usual, gazed solemnly through his glasses, his hands folded thoughtfully on the table, deep in thought.
Garp, familiar with his friend’s mood, eventually stopped his jovial laughter, observing his old friend in the admiral’s chair. The playful demeanor faded, replaced by a rare seriousness that hadn’t been seen since Roger’s death. He spoke gravely, “In the end, that kid, no matter how talented, is still a newcomer. His strength isn’t at a level we can’t handle. After all, we’re not retired yet; our bones aren’t frail and decayed. Besides, the new generation of Navy talent is endless. You can rest easy; he won’t stir up too much trouble.”
“Sengoku…” Garp’s serious tone made Sengoku finally speak up. His eyes were intense behind his glasses, and after a moment’s thought, he shook his head, his braided hair swaying. “Evan showed promise during the Ohara incident. Even back then, at around eleven years old, he injured then-Major Sakazuki and drew the attention of Admiral Aokiji. Because of this, I made the rare decision to imprison him in Level 6 of Impel Down out of caution, as you know.”
“Yeah, given that he was just over ten years old, his combat abilities were already remarkable. Just last week, the news reported that he broke out with prisoners; I was quite incredulous…” Garp mused.
“Hmph, I regret now that I didn’t keep him imprisoned. I never expected that he would break out of Impel Down, known as the ‘Devil’s Fortress,’ with the moniker of ‘Devil.’ Moreover, he disregarded the World Government’s order, releasing thousands of Celestial Dragon slaves and slaughtering hundreds of Celestial Dragon nobles!” Sengoku’s voice trembled with rage as he continued, “Evan is a significant threat to the World Government. With his Devil Fruit power and the swordsmanship inherited from the Dark King, if we don’t eliminate him promptly, he will only bring endless trouble! Furthermore, the Celestial Dragons demand a clear resolution. This large-scale massacre has caused panic among the world’s nobility. The deaths of so many Celestial Dragons are unprecedented in centuries. The Celestial Dragons are openly and covertly blaming us, the Navy, for our incompetence!”
“So, I’ve decided to put New World matters on hold. Those pirates are all unruly; they’ll fight among themselves. We can deal with them or suppress them later.”
“You mean… you want to deal with Evan’s group first,” Garp realized, putting a piece of candy into his mouth.
“Of course. Otherwise, why would I have called you back in such a rush? It’s all about him,” Sengoku sighed, his voice somber. “Evan’s power is not to be underestimated. I suspect he even has the strength of an Admiral.”
“Are you sure?” Garp asked seriously, squinting slightly. “It’s quite surprising for a kid barely in his teens…”
“We were too complacent before, which is why we let him escape multiple times! We cannot afford to make the same mistake again!” Sengoku tilted his head, and his glasses glinted with a reflective light.
“Oh? It seems like you already know where the kid is?” Garp inquired.
“Indeed. Previously, I received a secret message stating that Evan is hiding on Fish-Man Island.”
“Secret message? How reliable is it?”
“It’s accurate. Our spies have confirmed it.”
“Good. I’ll go to Fish-Man Island tomorrow and capture him,” Garp said, smiling confidently as he finished his candy.
“Sengoku, with you going, I naturally feel reassured. However, this time, the criminal is cunning and has unusual abilities. I’ll send a few people with you; don’t refuse,” Sengoku said sternly.
“Who?” Garp asked, his gaze instinctively shifting towards the door as footsteps approached.
Three men dressed in Navy coats entered slowly, each with a different demeanor—one serious, one lazy, and one casual—but all radiated an aura of formidable strength that no one dared to doubt.
“Oh, oh, didn’t expect even Admiral Aokiji, who’s been on leave for half a year, to be here. Seems like something big is about to happen,” Admiral Borsalino remarked, his eyes glancing with a hint of curiosity.
“Did you call us here because of the location of the ‘Devil’ Evan?” Admiral Sakazuki’s deep voice asked.
Admiral Aokiji remained silent, observing Garp with a familiar look. After a moment of mutual acknowledgment, they nodded slightly in greeting.
“Admirals Sakazuki, Aokiji, and Borsalino, you’ve all faced the Devil Evan before. This time, cooperate fully with Admiral Garp. Tomorrow, you’ll take the warship to Fish-Man Island. Remember, you must capture the ‘Devil’ Evan, no matter what… whether he lives or dies,” Sengoku ordered coldly, his eyes scanning them.
“Yes!” everyone responded, nodding.
“Wait, I have something to say,” Sakazuki suddenly spoke, his tone steady as a bell. “I suggest we set off for Fish-Man Island immediately.”
“Admiral Sakazuki, is it really necessary to leave so soon?” Aokiji frowned.
“Hmph, Evan isn’t that simple. We finally got his location, and if he escapes again, who will be responsible?” Sakazuki snorted. “Besides, there’s no need to prepare the warship; I can go ahead as the vanguard while you all follow.”
“You’re going alone first? Admiral Sakazuki, that’s a bit presumptuous, don’t you think?” Aokiji shrugged.
“It’s a bit rushed, but I’m fine,” Borsalino waved off.
“If Admiral Aokiji is scared, he can opt out,” Sakazuki said, raising his head and looking at Aokiji with a hint of mockery.
Seeing the rising tension, Sengoku slammed his hand on the table, his voice booming, “Enough! Do you not see me, your Fleet Admiral, here?”
He thought for a moment, then turned to Garp, “Garp, can we set off in the afternoon?”
“Sure, no problem,” Garp nodded.
“Then it’s decided. We leave for Fish-Man Island in the afternoon to capture Evan!”
“Understood!”
Once Sakazuki, Aokiji, and Borsalino had left, Garp expressed his surprise, “I didn’t expect you to send them with me. Aside from the newly promoted Admiral Sakazuki, the other two are well-known and powerful Admirals on the seas. They’ll likely be promoted to Admirals soon.”
“Indeed, it’s up to them in the future. By the way, who asked you not to aim for an Admiral position?”
“Forget it. Being an Admiral is too troublesome. Besides, I’m quite optimistic about Aokiji. They can handle it for now.”
“Do as you wish. But… Garp, please, make sure to capture Evan this time.”
Sengoku leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.
“Don’t worry. If even we fail, I don’t know who else can capture him.”
Garp smiled, draping his Navy coat over his shoulders, and stepped out of the Fleet Admiral’s office.
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