Late December, Year 1498 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
Onboard the warship, Garp held a red megaphone and shouted loudly. His voice, carried by the sea breeze, echoed across the island.
As the dog-headed warship docked, Garp leapt from the prow, clad in a crisp white suit and draped in the Navy's iconic "Justice" cloak, landing squarely on the island's shore.
The moment he set foot on land, he took a deep breath, swept his gaze across the island, and shouted again through the megaphone.
At the same time, Garp's Observation Haki rapidly spread outward. In the blink of an eye, his Haki had blanketed the entire island.
"Hmm?!"
"I can't sense that kid Yoriichi's presence... So, he's not on the island?"
"Or maybe"
Failing to detect any trace of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Garp furrowed his brows in slight surprise. But after a brief moment, a knowing smile spread across his face.
"As I thought… an Observation Killer!"
Garp muttered to himself. Just as he was about to shout again, a sudden flurry of birds and beasts erupted from the dense forest in the distance. The previously quiet island suddenly came alive.
"Hmm?"
Garp narrowed his eyes and peered into the forest. Just then, a red-haired youth with a sword at his side stepped out slowly from the woodland path—it was Yoriichi Tsugikuni, drawn by the sound of Garp's voice.
In just over a year, Yoriichi had grown from 170cm to an imposing 190cm. Though still young, much of the youthful innocence had faded from his face. Judging by appearance alone, one would never guess he was still just a teenager.
Emerging from the forest with a calm stride, Yoriichi's right hand rested lightly on the hilt of his blade. Bare-chested, his once-slim frame had filled out with toned muscle—his fair skin glistening faintly in the sun.
As he caught sight of Garp not far off, a soft smile broke through his usually reserved expression. But the very next instant, BOOM! a surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body. A violent whirlwind whipped up from thin air, surging straight toward the shoreline where Garp stood.
"Oh?!"
"You've already reached this level?!"
Garp scanned the youth up and down, feeling the overwhelming aura radiating from Yoriichi.
His Conqueror's Haki, almost tangible, was fierce and explosive.
With a smile, Garp let out a quiet sigh. But in the next moment, his expression turned serious as he released his own Conqueror's Haki, crashing it headlong into Yoriichi's.
The two clashing auras met in the air with a strange, resonant hum. The once-calm sea surface churned with waves under the force of their Haki.
Moments later, Garp's Haki overwhelmed Yoriichi's, pushing back with terrifying pressure. Behind the young man, the ancient trees and towering trunks began to rustle ominously, as though groaning under the force.
Some of the shallower-rooted plants were even torn from the ground, flung deeper into the island by the unleashed power.
Yoriichi's brilliant red hair danced wildly in the wind.
Yet under Garp's immense pressure, Yoriichi remained unfazed. Seeing his own Haki shattered, he simply shook his head and murmured, "Still a long way to go."
From afar, Garp clearly heard the words and grinned brightly.
"Hmph! Good, that's the right mindset, kid."
"But still… you've come a long way over this past year."
"Not bad at all. You didn't let me down. If Zephyr saw you now, he'd be proud."
Walking up to Yoriichi, Garp looked up slightly, the boy now stood nearly chest-high to him and chuckled.
"Time really flies, doesn't it?"
Garp studied Yoriichi's face—sharp, handsome, and undeniably striking, even by One Piece standards. The faint markings across his face didn't detract from his looks—instead, they lent him an air of mystery.
Combined with his serene expression, Yoriichi exuded a depth and maturity far beyond his years.
Garp gazed at the now more mature-looking youth, and something in his expression dimmed, as if recalling a distant thought. With a sigh, he said:
"Young people don't just grow in height. As they age… their thoughts grow heavier too, don't they?"
Hearing that, Yoriichi looked at Garp, puzzled. In his impression, Garp had always been a carefree optimist. This sentimental tone felt completely out of character for the legendary Navy hero.
"Yoriichi," Garp suddenly said, his tone shifting back to practical. "I've got some business in the East Blue. You're coming with me."
"Once it's done, I'll bring you back to Marine Headquarters."
"The Navy is currently planning a full-scale assault on the Roger Pirates. We're preparing for a head-on clash with one of the most formidable pirate crews out there."
"This will be an unprecedented war. Every Marine with combat capability is being summoned to HQ."
"That means your training will have to be put on hold for now."
Garp explained, his tone unusually serious. There was a lot packed into those few words. But what caught Yoriichi's attention most was the Navy's intent to wipe out the Roger Pirates.
Ordinarily, the Marines wouldn't dare launch a full-scale war against a crew of that magnitude. In fact, Garp was probably the only one in the entire Navy crazy enough to regularly pick fights with Roger—sailing out on his own just to trade blows with his old rival.
But those skirmishes, while intense, had little bearing on the Navy's grand strategy.
Now, though, things were different. The fact that the Navy was mustering all its power to take Roger head-on… meant they were dead serious this time.
And that could only mean one thing, Roger must have touched a nerve. He must've struck at the very heart of the World Government.
"Has he gathered all the Poneglyphs…?"
"And now, both the World Government and the Navy have their eyes on him."
Yoriichi had already reached his conclusion. He gave Garp a nod and said calmly:
"Vice Admiral Garp, I'll go pack a few things. I'll leave with you right away."
As the words left his lips, Yoriichi vanished in a blur.
Garp's pupils contracted at the sight, then he chuckled to himself.
"You've gotten a hell of a lot stronger…"
"Kid."
Yoriichi didn't have much to pack. Besides his sword, nothing else was really necessary. The main reason he returned to his shelter was simply to change clothes—after all, going shirtless wasn't exactly dignified.
Though it was technically winter, the climate on Boin Archipelago felt like spring. But once they left its waters, the temperature would drop sharply. So, in addition to donning a long-sleeved shirt and trousers, Yoriichi packed some winter gear as well.
After securing his belongings, he sealed the entrance of the cave with a large boulder and rejoined Garp to board the warship.
The Marines aboard were all familiar faces—after all, Yoriichi had spent several months traveling with them before. They recognized him instantly.
He had changed quite a bit over the past year or so, but the striking red hair and the markings on his face remained unmistakable.
After greeting the crew with a few simple words, Yoriichi placed his things in the cabin Garp had arranged for him and made his way back up to the deck.
The warship had already hoisted its sails and was slowly pulling away from the shore.
From the bow, Garp stood silently, gazing out at the sea, lost in deep thought.
Yoriichi was just about to approach him for a chat when a voice stopped him.
"Yoriichi," Bogard said quietly beside him, "now's not the best time to disturb the Vice Admiral."
"He needs a moment alone."
Yoriichi turned his head, puzzled. Bogard noticed his confusion and didn't hold back his explanation.
"You're familiar with Vice Admiral Garp's son, right? Vice Admiral Monkey D. Dragon?"
"Dragon… well, he's run away from home."
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