Chapter 172: Sengoku: You've Completely Ruined the Navy's Reputation!
Marineford, Marine Headquarters Conference Room.
Sengoku was so furious that his meticulously groomed beard puffed out in all directions. He slammed the table again and again, shouting, "You idiot, Garp! Your family drama is now public knowledge! Are we supposed to let the whole world laugh at the Navy's incompetence?!"
With that feather-brained Morgans out there, there was no way to hide the identities of the Revolutionary Army leader and Pirate Luffy.
Even the carefully built image of Garp as the Navy's Hero was now hanging by a thread.
"I swear, I'll throw out every last one of his donuts when this is over—he's eaten sweets until his brain's rotted!"
Sengoku muttered coldly.
He and Garp had joined the Navy in the same batch and had fought side by side for many years, but their ideas of justice had always differed drastically.
Sengoku had faithfully executed the World Government's orders and climbed the ranks with a spotless record to become Fleet Admiral.
But Garp, despite having power equal to Sengoku's, had repeatedly let minor pirates go free, botched critical orders from the World Government, and even refused promotion to Admiral, choosing instead to hunt pirates as a mere Vice Admiral.
Now—
Even Sengoku couldn't tell whether Garp's remarks were careless or calculated.
Looking around, he saw even the Vice Admirals attending the meeting were stunned silent. This kind of PR disaster would be impossible to contain.
Garp.
You've guarded Marineford for decades—don't throw everything away now by doing something foolish.
Sengoku's feelings toward Garp had long surpassed camaraderie. They were comrades who had entrusted each other with their lives. He didn't want to watch as Garp ruined his reputation and future.
You're almost at retirement age. There's nothing left you can't endure, right?
Just then,
A Marine officer burst in with intel. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, our intelligence division tracking the Red-Haired Pirates reports that their recent trajectory is different than usual. It appears they're heading toward the East Blue."
"Red-Haired?!"
Sengoku's face turned grim. The East Blue was already in chaos—and now the Red-Haired Pirates were going to stir things up further?
"Borsalino, head to the East Blue at top speed. Link up with Sakazuki and Tsuru. Priority One is to capture Monkey D. Dragon!"
Sengoku closed his eyes briefly in thought, then issued the order.
If their public image couldn't be salvaged, they could at least capture the Revolutionary Army leader. If they lost both, the suppressed ambitions across the Four Seas and Grand Line would flare back up—challenging the Navy's strength.
"So scary~"
Kizaru scratched his messy hair and lazily asked, "Can I not go? The power Dragon got from that terrifying Game Merchant… it's really frightening, y'know."
He always spoke like this when hunting pirates, in that odd, slow tone.
But this time—
He genuinely felt danger.
Others might not see it, but the two present Admirals had watched closely. With their Logia fruits developed to the limit, they could easily tell: Smoker's elemental form had been crushed in a way that wasn't just elemental disadvantage.
It wasn't simple rubber-beats-lightning or magma-beats-fire kind of logic. No, Dragon's wind-element magic crushed Logia like steel smashing an eggshell.
It was an overwhelming force.
Dragon's magic wasn't normal—it was unnatural, eerie.
Kizaru had just been paid, and he really didn't want to get into trouble right now.
Sengoku understood Kizaru's evasiveness and coldly snapped, "That's an order. Or do you want your salary docked?"
"Apologies, I misspoke."
Kizaru stood reluctantly and walked slowly toward the window.
He knew full well—when it came to high-speed pursuit and long-distance combat, he was the only choice. He just had to try asking. If he didn't go, fine. If he had to, well… he had no choice.
That was his brand of Ambiguous Justice.
After a moment's hesitation, Sengoku added, "If possible, speak to Morgans. Try to get him to stop spreading news about internal Navy matters."
He knew very well how hard it was to make someone like Morgans give up a story—but it had to be attempted.
Even if rejected, at least the World Government couldn't say the Navy hadn't tried.
At the same time, he ordered Vice Admiral Onigumo to lead two Marine squads directly to Morgans' headquarters.
"Understood."
Kizaru nodded slightly to show he understood. Then he opened the window and said, "Everyone, I'll be back shortly."
Whoosh.
He jumped high into the air, and just as his leap stalled midair, his entire body transformed into golden light and vanished across the sky.
—
"Come back with me."
"No! I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
"Pirate King, huh… that's quite the dream."
"Shut it, Dragon!"
Though it was their first meeting, Luffy and Dragon were oddly in sync—tag-teaming their words in a way that left Garp trembling with rage.
Right in front of him, Dragon praised Luffy's dream of becoming Pirate King.
"What's your dream?"
Luffy stared curiously at the man before him who didn't look much like him.
He'd never seen his father before, so he had no memories of him. But now that they'd met, he felt something strange—an unexpected sense of joy.
Just like whenever he saw Grandpa.
Sure, he always got smacked with those fists of love… but mixed in with the fear was the happiness of meeting family.
"Me?"
Dragon pointed to himself, seemingly caught off guard that Luffy would ask such a question.
He had expected to be bombarded with questions—Why did you leave? Why did you abandon me in the East Blue?
"Dragon! Stop corrupting my sweet grandson!"
Garp's face turned red with fury, and he lunged forward.
Even pirates with bounties had a chance at redemption. But if Luffy got lured into the Revolutionary Army…
Rising Dragon Fist!
With peak physical control, Garp stirred up vortex winds, both fists coated in dark Armament Haki.
The space around him turned into a storm's eye, ripping up the ground beneath the ghost town.
"Calm down, old man! Luffy's not cut out to be a Revolutionary. I never planned to bring him along."
Dragon twisted aside and spread his Wind Dragon Wings to dodge.
But Garp suddenly changed direction—darting like lightning and throwing a fierce straight punch.
Wind Dragon's Horns!
Dragon's face changed. A green magic circle bloomed beneath his feet, conjuring a pair of wind-forged dragon horns.
Boom!
Their clash sent out a shockwave that blasted every spectator on the street off their feet.
"Luffy's dad and grandpa are this strong?!"
"That's a Vice Admiral, after all!"
Zoro planted his sword into the ground to steady himself, eyes burning with emotion.
The world's top swordsmen were far beyond even Vice Admirals.
He had never truly understood Hawkeye's level. But seeing Garp and Dragon fight… he finally sensed the faint edge of that distant power.
"Did they get him?"
Back in Marineford, Sengoku was closely monitoring the confrontation between Marines and Revolutionaries.
As the dust cleared—
They saw Dragon embedded in a deep crater, spiderweb cracks radiating outward.
A distinct fist imprint was visible on his chest, blood pouring from his mouth.
Even Sengoku felt a jolt of shock.
These were just purchased skills within the Trial Tower—no real training, no years of mastery.
Yet Garp's fists were already this powerful?
"You're ruthless, old man… You must've equipped armor too, right? Playing dumb about not knowing gear mechanics?"
Dragon coughed, struggling to sit up, clutching his chest. Blood soaked his chin.
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