Lloyd seemed dissatisfied with the escort team's speed. He raised his hand and pulled, dragging the five bound personal guards forward and tossing them before Kong and the assembled officers.
The five Marines lay on the ground gravely wounded, barely clinging to life. Kong frowned deeply and asked with confusion,
"Lloyd, what happened to them?"
Lloyd answered without emotion,
"They forgot they were Marines, and became the private guards of the Monkey family."
The high‑ranking Naval officials exchanged uneasy glances. Vice Admiral Tsuru, however, stepped forward, meeting Lloyd's gaze directly and asking,
"Lloyd, tell us where Garp went?"
Lloyd immediately summoned the dark bible device and released Garp from within.
Seeing the white‑haired Vice Admiral tied up and crumpled like a fallen sack, everyone's expressions shifted drastically. Tsuru and Sengoku rushed forward to support Garp.
Lloyd stepped forward, blocking their path.
Sengoku's eyes blazed with streaks of golden Haki as he said forcefully, word by word,
"Lloyd, move out of my way!"
Lloyd remained still, shadows of darkness surging around him and overpowering Sengoku's radiant Buddha‑like presence.
Lucia and Ginny took up positions beside Lloyd, weapons drawn and aimed at Sengoku.
Even usually composed Tsuru looked tense, crossing her arms into a combat posture.
In moments, Marineford's port was drenched in a suffocating tension, like a battle ready to erupt.
Kong finally reacted, his face flushed with anger, shouting,
"What are you doing!? This is Marineford! All of you, stand down!"
But Sengoku and Tsuru ignored him. Seeing Garp in such a miserable state, neither could bring themselves to calm down.
A vein throbbed on Kong's forehead as he clenched his fist and prepared to step forward, when Garp, lying on the ground, suddenly spoke in a weak voice,
"Sengoku, Tsuru, don't be hasty..."
His voice was barely audible, yet both Tsuru and Sengoku felt a pang of sorrow hear it. Kong stepped between them and stood before Lloyd, voice lowered but firm,
"Lloyd, explain exactly what happened here."
Lloyd glanced at Garp on the ground and said,
"During the mission, former Navy Rear Admiral Dragon attempted to steal the tribute. When I discovered this, I acted to arrest him. Garp not only refused to assist in the arrest but actively interfered, even helping Dragon escape."
"What!?"
The officers and Marines at the port gasped in shock at the accusation, turning in disbelief toward Garp.
Kong took several deep breaths to steady himself. Then he looked at Garp and asked,
"Garp, is what Lloyd says true?"
Garp did not answer. He closed his eyes and turned his face slightly toward the deck.
His silence was taken as tacit acknowledgment of Lloyd's claim. The momentum of Tsuru and Sengoku stalled, leaving both frozen in place.
After a moment of quiet, Kong spoke slowly and gravely,
"Garp, do you understand that Dragon's actions have brought shame upon the entire Navy?"
Garp's body trembled slightly. He nodded faintly.
Kong continued, his voice firm but pained,
"I know Dragon is your son, and you could not bear to harm him. But do not forget, you are not just a Father, you are a Marine! How many Marines look up to you as a symbol of strength and justice? Are you worthy of them by acting like this?"
As Kong spoke, his emotions steadily rose. By the end, he crouched down and grasped Garp roughly by the front of his coat, lifting him up to face him.
Garp coughed violently a few times. Tsuru's face tightened with sorrow, and she raised her hand as if to help, but Sengoku gently held her back.
Unlike Garp, Sengoku always placed the Navy above everything; regardless of the pain inside him, he had to admit that Garp had erred greatly in this instance. He could not, in good conscience, defend his friend.
Garp opened his cloudy eyes and spoke in a low, strained voice,
"But if I hadn't helped Dragon then, he would have been killed by Lloyd…"
Kong looked to Lloyd as he said this, but Lloyd's expression remained neutral. He spoke coolly,
"Dragon's crime was already punishable by death, and he resisted arrest. As the commander in charge, I have the authority to carry out that judgment immediately."
Garp's voice was stubborn but weak,
"You are also a Marine. How can you be so ruthless toward a comrade?"
Lloyd responded with cold clarity,
"When Dragon stole the tribute, he was no longer worthy to call himself a Marine."
The words struck Garp like a physical blow, and he began coughing violently once more.
Tsuru quickly turned to Fleet Admiral Kong,
"Fleet Admiral Kong, Garp's condition is too fragile, let him rest first!"
Kong, despite everything, was not heartless toward Garp. He instructed someone to take Garp to medical care at the Marine Hospital. Lloyd watched silently, saying nothing further, as the situation no longer required his involvement.
Once Kong returned to his office, his moment of rest was interrupted almost immediately by the den den mushi vibrating aggressively. The World Government was calling, and from the urgent tone, it was most likely about Garp and his son.
Kong answered with a heavy heart. An authoritative voice echoed through the device,
"Kong, transfer Garp immediately to Impel Down."
Kong's eyes closed in pain upon hearing those words. He replied slowly and solemnly,
"I understand."
The den den mushi clicked off abruptly.
Kong stared at the idle den den mushi for a long while before letting out a heavy sigh, his gaze turning upward to the ceiling.
"Garp, you were foolish."
He regretted letting Garp participate in the mission in the first place; if he hadn't, none of this would have happened.
Though regret weighed on him, he also found himself resenting Dragon deeply. In his view, Dragon had acted without loyalty or filial respect.
Moreover, Dragon's reputation with Kong had always been poor. From everything Kong had seen, Dragon provoked Marines and acted unruly even during his time in service.
If Dragon were to appear before Kong now, Kong thought grimly, he would beat Dragon into a half‑broken state before even speaking with him.
As for Lloyd, Kong had no desire to blame him at all. From any perspective, Lloyd's actions were completely justified and methodical.
And Lloyd was undeniably a remarkable talent. In just one year as Admiral, he had defeated mighty foes like Golden Lion and Red Count, and now he had upheld the Marines' authority once again.
Just as Kong was lost in thought, a sudden realization struck him: Lloyd had actually defeated Garp.
___
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