The two enormous, sharp horns extending from the bow of the Black Serpent moved! Dark, ominous cannon muzzles revealed themselves upon the horns, tilting upwards. With a deafening BANG!, two long, cylindrical shells launched from the muzzles, leaving trails of white smoke! The projectiles screamed through the air, trailing long tails of fire!
Garp, still descending from the sky after his last attack, suddenly felt a prickling sense of danger. He spotted the two strange shells streaking towards him! They were incredibly fast, at least four times faster than standard cannonballs!
His eyes snapped wide. With a powerful stomp against the air, Garp instantly propelled himself upwards, narrowly dodging the shells as they zipped past beneath him.
BANG! Two more shells immediately fired from the horn cannons! Having just evaded the first pair, Garp couldn't help but frown as he faced this new barrage. Instantly coating both fists in black Armament Haki, he punched outwards! BOOM! The two shells detonated prematurely in mid-air, erupting in a bloom of thick black smoke laced with fire!
Wilder retracted his gaze, not bothering to look back at the explosion. His calm voice carried clearly across the deck of the Black Serpent: "Full speed! Return voyage!"
The black smoke in the sky dissipated, revealing Garp hovering calmly mid-air via Moon Walk. He watched the massive black-and-red warship rapidly receding into the distance, his expression growing more serious. With another kick against the air, he returned to the deck of his own warship, unusually subdued, none of his typical boisterous laughter present.
"Vice Admiral Garp… Are you alright, sir?" his aide approached, voice tinged with concern.
The Marines had been incredibly tense during the encounter with the Warlord Wilder, especially given Garp's characteristically provocative actions. Honestly, when Garp had fired that initial cannonball, the crew, mostly fresh recruits, had nearly panicked! Facing such a dangerous, high-profile figure right at the start of their journey was terrifying enough; witnessing their own Vice Admiral actively provoking him was almost too much. The brief exchange of blows that followed had kept everyone on edge, their hearts pounding. Seeing Wilder fight Garp seemingly evenly had been particularly sweat-inducing.
Fortunately, everything had ended without escalating further or causing collateral damage – a major relief for everyone involved.
"Hahaha!" Garp suddenly burst into laughter again. "Hurt me? That brat needs another ten years before he could even dream of it!" He clapped his aide heartily on the shoulder, causing the poor officer's face to contort in pain, nearly turning purple.
Aboard the Black Serpent, the warship sailed steadily onwards. Wilder stood at the bow, gazing back towards the receding spot on the horizon where Garp's ship remained. His expression was calm, but his mind was replaying the brief battle.
He hadn't expected to run into Garp's warship, let alone engage in a fight. Of course, neither of them had truly used their full power in that exchange – both Wilder and Garp knew that well.
"Heh… Worthy of the name 'Hero of the Marines,' Garp," Wilder murmured after a long silence, looking up at the vast blue sky dotted with white clouds, a barely perceptible smile touching his lips. His fist clenched tightly, unconsciously, remembering his bold declaration about becoming the master of the East Blue – a direct response to Garp's provocations. Just you wait… He stared intently at the sea for another moment before finally unclenching his fist and turning to face his crew.
The fifty-odd crew members who had accompanied him were still reeling from witnessing the clash between Wilder and Garp, staring blankly at their captain.
After a long pause… someone finally broke the silence.
"BOSS IS MIGHTY!" The shout seemed determined to pierce the heavens, filled with raw excitement and fervent admiration!
The twelve newly recruited members aboard also wore unsettled expressions, a mixture of shock and lingering doubt evident on their faces. Perhaps none of them had anticipated encountering the legendary Garp here, nor expected him to clash with the man commanding this ship. What likely shocked them most was witnessing firsthand just how strong this man, Wilder, truly was – capable of fighting evenly, however briefly, with the Marine Hero famed for chasing the Pirate King himself across the world. In that moment, complex thoughts swirled within the minds of the twelve recruits, but one thing was certain: any lingering rebellious notions or reservations were firmly suppressed by the undeniable display of power they had just witnessed.
The return voyage of the Black Serpent proceeded without further incident. Two days later, the massive black-and-red warship slowly docked at the port in Chenoat.
"Boss!"
"Boss!"
Claire and Franpetar were already waiting at the docks, having received word of his impending arrival. Currently, both were tasked not only with overseeing their respective assigned islands but also with managing operations at the Black Serpent Merchant Guild headquarters.
"Summon the other senior executives," Wilder ordered immediately upon disembarking.
"Yes, Boss."
Back at the headquarters, Wilder's first order of business was a long, hot bath. Life at sea was often monotonous and numbing; relaxation was essential after such a journey. Wilder never believed in denying himself necessary comforts or suppressing his reactions unduly – much like how he countered Garp's provocation. When possessing a certain degree of confidence and backing, he wasn't one to simply swallow insults.
Of course, truthfully, Wilder had no desire to truly antagonize someone like Garp. If the Vice Admiral hadn't initiated the hostility, Wilder might have feigned weakness, perhaps even altered course to let the Marine ship pass without incident. Flaunting power was typically a privilege reserved for the strong dealing with the weak. If one lacked sufficient strength, the wise course was often to lie low, even if it meant acting like a patient turtle. Wilder, however, was neither a turtle nor weak. Therefore, there was no need for excessive tolerance towards an opponent who, ultimately, didn't pose an immediate lethal threat.
The Warlord title, until the day the Marines decided to abolish the system, remained a useful shield. Both he and Garp understood the political implications. Thus, their "fight" was less a serious battle and more a spontaneous test of strength and will, perhaps driven by mutual curiosity or combat instinct. To onlookers, the result appeared to be either a draw or perhaps Wilder coming off slightly weaker.
A day later, the senior executives who had been overseeing the various islands returned one by one to the Black Serpent Merchant Guild headquarters.
In the elegantly decorated conference hall, Wilder sat at the head of the long table, with Vice, Claire, and the other executives seated along the sides. The meeting commenced. Vice and the others reported on the current situation of their respective islands, followed by Claire summarizing the Guild's overall revenue and financial status.
After listening to the reports, Wilder announced his decision: the senior executives were to be relieved of their island garrison duties. The twelve newly recruited officers would temporarily take over responsibility for overseeing the islands.
Vice and the others soon met the twelve new recruits Wilder had brought back. A lively welcome party was held to integrate them. Over the next two days, each senior executive took one of the new officers under their wing, familiarizing them with their assigned island's situation and formally handing over responsibilities. With this transition complete, the senior executives were finally free from their garrison duties.
In Wilder's luxurious private office, he sat on the sofa, cigar in mouth, his back turned to Claire who stood nearby. "Tell Ashin," he instructed, "to implement short-term surveillance on the twelve new officers. Have him assess the situation and determine the appropriate duration. He can withdraw the surveillance when he deems it feasible."
"Yes, Boss," Claire acknowledged, then turned and exited the office.
Wilder wasn't foolish enough to place blind trust in the newcomers immediately. Regardless of the likelihood of betrayal, caution was always prudent.
After sorting through all pressing matters, another day had passed. It was now noon. A knock sounded on Wilder's office door. Ashin, face concealed by his usual mask and sun hat, entered.
Wilder's eyes shifted slightly. He knew Ashin must have the results of the task he'd been assigned.