"A once-in-a-century prodigy?"
Aokiji's expression turned strange as he listened to Garp's words. His lazy eyes flicked toward Kai, curiosity gleaming within them as he studied the boy.
"Alright, that's enough."
"Old man's not gonna waste breath arguing with a brat like you."
"Where are you headed? I'll have someone send you there."
Garp waved a hand dismissively, looking impatient.
"Then I'll thank you in advance, Vice Admiral Garp," Aokiji replied with a grin.
"Please have your men drop me off at Whirlpool Island. You're headed back to Marineford, right? Your route passes right by my destination, so it won't delay your voyage at all."
Whirlpool Island—
located in the latter half of the first half of the Grand Line.
To the right lay the Calm Belt, beside Amazon Lily.
Ahead, the route led toward Enies Lobby.
To the left, Long Ring Long Land.
In short—
A warship sailing from their current position back to Marineford would indeed pass by Whirlpool Island.
Just as Aokiji said, it would not delay their journey in the slightest.
"Whirlpool Island, huh? You got a mission there?"
Garp's gaze sharpened slightly. "Of course, if it's classified, the old man won't pry."
At that, Aokiji didn't bother to hide it.
He spoke honestly, tone calm and matter-of-fact.
"I received a report from the Marine branch stationed on Whirlpool Island."
"They claim that recently, a powerful pirate crew appeared there, preparing to establish the island as their base of operations, pillaging and burning across the surrounding seas."
"So far, two Marine warships have already gone missing while attempting to subdue them."
"No survivors. No signals. Completely vanished."
"And that's not all…"
"In recent days, the number of merchant ships attacked and sunk by this pirate group has grown countless. Thousands of innocent civilians have been slaughtered by their hands."
"That's why I intend to head there myself—to wipe this pirate crew off the map."
Aokiji's tone grew colder.
Two Marine ships disappearing without a trace—
it was a serious matter that had drawn the attention of the Marine's top brass.
As a result, Fleet Admiral Steelbone Kong personally issued the order—
sending Vice Vice Admiral Aokiji to eradicate the pirates completely.
With Aokiji's strength, handling a pirate crew in the first half of the Grand Line was more than feasible.
"There's still such a brazen pirate crew out there?"
Garp's eyes flashed coldly.
For pirates who committed atrocities without restraint—
Garp had only ever held one opinion: crush them without mercy.
If he ran into such scum himself, he'd sink their ship without hesitation.
"Yeah," Aokiji sighed, "I found it strange too when I got the assignment."
"Ever since Gol D. Roger uttered those infamous words, the number of pirates across the seas has been exploding."
"Especially the worst of them—ruthless, bloodthirsty, beyond redemption."
"Do you know which crew it is?" Garp asked.
"The Demon Pirates."
"Demon Pirates?" Garp's brows rose. His expression darkened.
"So it's them…" He snorted coldly. "A pack of vicious beasts. If the old man had the chance, I'd sink them all to the bottom of the sea."
"You've heard of them, Vice Admiral Garp?" Aokiji asked, a bit surprised.
"Half a year ago, when I took down another pirate crew, I ran into them. They slipped away before I could finish the job."
He shook his head, face grim.
"Didn't think they'd grow this bold, this lawless."
"If I'd known, I'd have crushed them back then."
Beside him, Kai listened quietly.
He didn't dare interrupt—
this was a conversation between titans.
"If my memory serves," Garp continued,
"their captain, Demon Oren, ate a Zoan-type Devil Fruit. He's strong—his bounty was already sixty million Berries half a year ago."
"In the Grand Line, that's considered a top-class pirate."
"His crew had over a thousand members—a large-scale pirate organization."
"And that was six months ago."
"Given their recent activity, I'd wager their numbers have at least tripled by now."
Aokiji nodded grimly.
"Exactly. Three months ago, the Demon Pirates started expanding aggressively. Their actions became more extreme—so much so that they've even attacked Marine warships openly."
"Their violent style has drawn countless criminals to their banner. Every scum of the sea is joining them."
"At this rate, the Demon Pirates are growing at an alarming speed."
"By now, there are few pirate groups on the Grand Line that can even compete with them head-on."
"According to the latest intel I received…"
"The Demon Pirates now number over three thousand men."
Aokiji's eyes grew sharp with killing intent.
"If we don't stop them soon, they could become the largest pirate organization in the entire Grand Line."
"And by then…"
"Even with several warships, taking them down would be a nightmare."
The Marine couldn't—and wouldn't— tolerate such a threat.
The Demon Pirates were ambitious, violent, and rapidly uniting the worst criminals in the sea.
The Marine s had only one policy toward such groups—
Zero tolerance.
There was no world in which they'd allow the Demon Pirates to grow into a ten-thousand-man superpower.
That was why Aokiji had been sent.
Though he wasn't yet an Admiral, only a Vice Admiral,
he was already one of the Marine's top combat powers.
If even he couldn't destroy them…
then the Demon Pirates would be a threat beyond imagination.
"In short," Aokiji said, his tone low,
"the Demon Pirates have gathered half the villains of the Grand Line into one place."
"A nest of devils, banded together."
His eyes hardened with killing intent.
Normally, Aokiji was mild, laid-back, even lazy—
but in the face of monsters like these,
his blood ran cold with fury.
He wasn't as extreme as Sakazuki (Akainu),
who embodied "Absolute Justice,"
but when it came to scum like the Demon Pirates,
he could show no mercy either.
"Right," Garp said suddenly, his tone shifting.
"Since your target this time is the Demon Pirates…"
"There's something the old man wants to ask of you."
"Please, speak freely, Vice Admiral Garp. If it's within my power, I'll do my best."
It was a request from his idol, after all—
how could Aokiji refuse?
"Hahaha! I knew I could count on you, Aokiji-brat!"
Garp laughed heartily, then turned to gesture toward Kai, who stood beside him.
"I want you to take this kid with you," he said bluntly.
"Let him see the world a bit."
"The Demon Pirates are no small fry—they're one of the most dangerous pirate groups in the seas! A coalition of the most vicious criminals alive!"
"And their captain, Demon Oren, is a true monster! His bounty was sixty million Berries half a year ago!"
"So since you're going after them anyway…"
"I want my grandson, Kai, to see for himself what real monsters look like on this sea—how powerful, how terrifying they truly are."
"Consider it… part of his education."
The words hit like a cannonball.
Kai blinked, utterly stunned.
He hadn't seen this coming at all.
Aokiji, meanwhile, froze completely.
He turned to Garp, then to the tiny four-year-old boy beside him—
and his expression went slack with disbelief.
"Vice Admiral Garp… you're sure this is a good idea?"
"That's a pack of bloodthirsty murderers we're talking about!"
"You're not even a little worried that your grandson might end up as their next victim?"
For the first time in his life—
Aokiji saw someone voluntarily push their own grandson into a lion's den.
Vice Admiral Garp… just how annoyed with your grandson are you, sending him along on a mission against a crew like the Demon Pirates?!
Was this not insanity?
It sounded less like "gaining experience"—
and more like sending the kid to his death!
Aokiji was completely dumbfounded.
He simply couldn't comprehend Garp's logic.
"Relax, Kuzan! My grandson's tougher than he looks. Besides—what better way to grow than by fighting for your life?"
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