Makino's soft footsteps entered the workshop just as Tina and Jin broke apart.
"Oh my," she said gently, eyes curving with quiet amusement. "You two really don't bother closing the door? What if someone interrupts at the wrong time?"
Tina nearly jumped out of her skin. Her arms flew back like she'd been caught stealing, and her cheeks flared crimson. "M-Makino, don't misunderstand! It—it wasn't like that. We were just… just greeting each other. I only agreed to join them, so it was… it was a friendly hug, nothing more!"
Her voice cracked halfway through, making her sound like a guilty schoolgirl rather than a Marine officer.
Makino didn't answer right away. She only tilted her head, studying Tina's flushed cheeks and darting eyes. Then, like sunlight breaking through clouds, Makino smiled—sweet, soft, but sharp enough to leave Tina squirming.
"I see. Well, I'm glad you finally made your decision." Her lips curved in a teasing arc. "As for that hug… I couldn't care less. Just be careful you don't let the wolf devour you, Tina."
Tina's throat tightened. Something about the way Makino said it—playful but confident, as if she already knew exactly what Jin was—made Tina's stomach twist.
"Come," Makino said, taking Tina's hand before she could stammer another excuse. "Let's leave him to his schemes. We have a welcome feast to prepare. Unless you'd rather stay here and… continue?"
That last word was whispered with such wicked sweetness that Tina jerked to her feet, nearly tripping over herself. "N-no, that's fine! Let's go!"
Makino's laughter was like bells as she led Tina out, though her eyes lingered on Jin one last time, sly and knowing.
Jin watched them leave with a helpless smile. Makino's jabs bounced off him these days—he'd developed iron walls against her teasing. But seeing Tina flustered like that, softening despite herself, was another small victory.
Once they were gone, he reached for the folder Tina had handed him earlier. He flipped through the pages quickly—release papers, retirement confirmation, stamped with the Marine seal. Real, official. With this, Tina was free.
He tossed it onto the couch and leaned back, smirking. "Sengoku, Garp… you bastards think you're clever. Playing me like a piece on your little board. But you've already lost. I know more about your future than you could imagine."
His violet eyes glinted in the dim light. Memories of his previous life stirred—reading the manga, idolizing Sengoku as a symbol of justice. That illusion had been shattered. In truth, Sengoku was nothing more than an executioner with a clean face, a man who ordered massacres in the name of "order." The Ohara incident came to mind—innocents burned alive under Buster Call cannon fire. How many nameless souls had been fed to the altar of "justice"?
And Garp? For all his bluster and laughter, the old man wasn't much better. He had clarity, maybe even kindness deep inside, but he too was shackled by duty. Shackled so tightly he'd watched his own family suffer rather than break free. A tragic figure, a soldier who could never betray the flag that had chained him.
"Pathetic. Sad men with sad excuses. Tragedy after tragedy," Jin muttered. "But me? I'm not your tragedy. I'm not your pawn."
He stood, stretching, and the glint in his eyes sharpened. "Best not to treat me like a chess piece, Sengoku. Or I'll burn the whole board."
Later that night, the bonfire roared in Windmill Village's courtyard. Makino's tavern spilled warmth and food into the night air, filling the yard with the smell of roasted meat and spiced wine. Villagers laughed, children played, and yet at the center of it all sat two figures whose presence bent the air itself—Jin and Monkey D. Garp.
Jin reclined on a sofa, a glass of wine in hand, Kuina at his side, Tina not far away. Kuma hunched on a stone seat nearby, munching steadily. Across from them, Garp sprawled like a mountain, a grin plastered on his scarred face.
Jin twirled his glass lazily. "Tell me, Garp. If I killed a Celestial Dragon tomorrow, what would my bounty be?"
The fire popped. A hush fell across the yard. Even Tina nearly dropped her drink.
Garp blinked. Then his grin split wider, and his laugh thundered across the courtyard. "Bwahaha! You little devil! Five hundred million, at least. Maybe more. The Government would choke on its own spit."
"Not bad," Jin said softly. He tilted his head back, staring at the stars. Then his voice dropped, quieter but sharper. "Do you think I could be free, old man? Truly free. Sailing where I want, living as I please. Or will your masters drag me back in chains?"
This time, Garp didn't laugh. His grin faded, his massive arms folding as he studied the boy before him. For a moment, he wasn't a clownish grandfather—he was the Marine Hero, the man who'd fought on countless battlefields.
"Freedom isn't given," Garp said. His tone was heavy as stone. "It's taken. And only the strongest take it. You want freedom? You'll need the strength to spit in the face of Marines, World Government, pirates, and gods alike. Otherwise, you're just another brat with a dream."
The fire cracked. Kuina's hand tightened around her sword. Tina's breath caught.
Jin stood slowly, the flames painting shadows across his face. His violet eyes gleamed, cold and mocking. "Then remember this, Garp. Tell Sengoku—don't you dare make me his chess piece. I'll flip the board, scatter the pawns, and grind the king to dust. If he tries to play me, he'll break before I do."
The words cut like a blade.
And then, to Tina's astonishment, Garp threw his head back and roared with laughter again. But it wasn't mockery this time. It was approval.
"Good! That's the spirit I wanted to see!" he barked, standing to his full, terrifying height. His eyes glinted with something fierce. "I'll tell him, boy. Word for word. And I'll look forward to the day we meet again—on the seas where only monsters walk."
He grabbed Luffy by the collar—who yelped in protest—and turned toward the road. At the doorway, Garp looked back, grin wide and eyes blazing.
"Thanks for the food, brat. Next time, the drinks are on me."
Then he was gone, disappearing into the night with his grandson slung under one arm, laughter fading into the distance.
The courtyard was silent. Only the fire crackled, only the wine sloshed in Tina's trembling hand.
Makino sighed softly, setting down her glass. Her eyes lingered on Jin, filled with both worry and warmth. "You'll drive me gray before my time, you know."
Kuina only stabbed another shrimp with her chopsticks, eyes cold, sharp, unreadable.
Tina, though… Tina stared at Jin, her chest tight, her thoughts tangled. Fear. Hope. Desire. She couldn't separate them anymore.
Jin lowered himself back into his seat, finally sipping from his glass. The violet gleam in his eyes hadn't faded.
"Freedom," he murmured. "Let's see who's left standing when the pieces fall."
And with that, the Gambler King smiled into the fire, already plotting the next move in a game no one else could see.
This story is inspired from various fanfics i have read from around the world so if you find any similarities please dont mind . Thank you
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T/N :
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