That night, darkness spread like ink across the sky.
Gern Reginald Sigmar stood at the bow of the ship.The black blade Bahuang hung at his waist, its sheath slanted against his hip, while pale-gray bandages fluttered softly in the night wind. His gaze was fixed on the pitch-black sea stretching endlessly ahead.
Suddenly, steady footsteps sounded behind him.
Garp stepped out from the cabin and stopped beside Gern. In his left hand was a bag of senbei, which he gave a light shake.
"Want some?"
Hearing his voice, Gern turned his head slightly, reached out, took a cracker, and bit into it.
"Vice Admiral Garp," Gern said calmly after swallowing, "just say it. You came to pick me up… it's because of Kuzan and me, isn't it?"
"…Yeah."Garp nodded. For once, he didn't laugh. He leaned against the railing, uncharacteristically serious.
"I was on leave in the East Blue not long ago. Didn't even turn on my Den Den Mushi. I only found out recently."
As he spoke, his eyes shifted to Gern's profile, his brows knitting together.
"Gern… are you and Kuzan really going to fight?"
Gern didn't answer right away. He chewed the senbei slowly, his eyes never leaving the distant horizon.
There was only one thing Garp knew for certain.
His personal disciple—and another of his students—were about to fight to the death for the position of Admiral.
The thought made Garp's fist tighten slightly, his knuckles whitening.
He had lived through countless battles, seen far too many comrades turn their blades on one another because of differing stances.
But this time…
These were the two successors he valued most.
"Can't you… not fight?"Garp asked quietly, his voice carrying a rare trace of pleading.
Gern fell silent for a moment. In the end, he chose not to reveal the full truth. Instead, he let out a self-mocking smile.
"Not fight? Isn't this exactly what the World Government wants to see?Fleet Admiral Kong stepping down, Admiral Sengoku taking office—someone like me, a dissenter, isn't I precisely the kind who should be suppressed?"
"Gern."Garp frowned deeply."You could do what I do! Being a vice admiral is comfortable. Even becoming an admiral—"
"Vice Admiral Garp."Gern cut him off, his voice low."We're not the same."
Garp froze.
"Vice Admiral Garp."Gern turned fully and met Garp's eyes head-on."You can afford to be willful. Aside from your strength and the fact that you don't stir up trouble, the real reason is—"
"In your era, you had Admiral Sengoku and others behind you. The 'dove faction.' You were the pillars of the Navy in that age.Back then, the seas had Rocks. They had Roger. The World Government didn't dare touch you—and didn't need to."
Garp fell silent.
He hated politics—but he had also benefited from it.
"But I'm different."Gern's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.
"I humiliated Saint Figarland in front of the entire Navy.And now, I've captured Roger. I'm a living Marine legend. My prestige has already reached its peak."
"If I don't advance to Admiral, what will the outside world think?What will the Navy itself think?"
"Gern…"
"The World Government has never been afraid of my rank.""They're afraid of my influence."
"They can tolerate an unruly Marine Hero like you, Vice Admiral Garp, because they know you'll never truly shake their rule."
"But they will never tolerate an unruly 'Marine Legend'—Gern Reginald Sigmar."
"Because…"
"I understand better than anyone what true 'justice' really is."
Gern's voice cut cleanly through the sea wind, so clear it was as if even the waves had fallen silent to listen.
Garp stared at the young man before him—the one he and Zephyr had personally trained.
In a daze, he realized that the youth before him had grown into an existence the World Government itself could no longer ignore.
"So that's why you never joined any faction…"Garp murmured."You were afraid of betrayal? And that's why you've been preparing to build your own?"
"From the very beginning—Lip, Tesoro… and now Snake Princess, and that Enel kid whose potential rivals Borsalino's."
A note of sudden clarity crept into Garp's voice, as though he were finally seeing through all of Gern's arrangements over the years.
"Gern… you realized this long ago, didn't you?"
"Yes."Gern nodded, his eyes unwavering."From the moment I obtained this power…"
He raised his left hand, palm facing upward.
Pale, trembling vibration particles slowly gathered in his palm. The surrounding air warped, space itself quivering faintly under his control.
"…I decided I would never be bound by anyone again."
"Because when 'natural disasters' descend—"
"No one can stop them."
BOOM!
The instant his words fell, Gern clenched his hand.
The vibration particles detonated.
The entire sea seemed to be torn apart by an invisible force. The surface roared and churned violently, and the waves surrounding the warship were instantly shattered into fine mist. Under the moonlight, the spray refracted into a dazzling silver haze.
Garp's pupils shrank sharply.
At that moment, he finally understood—
He might truly be old now.
That rising star from the West Blue who once made him and Zephyr wait at a Marine harbor had grown into someone even he could no longer overlook.
That edge.That ideal.Or perhaps… that ambition.
It had fully revealed itself.
"Hahahaha!"Garp suddenly burst into laughter, though a trace of indescribable emotion hid within it."You brat… you're even crazier than I thought!"
Gern lowered his hand. The vibration particles faded, and the sea slowly returned to calm.
He looked at Garp, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly."Vice Admiral Garp. The era has changed."
"…Yeah."Garp lifted his head to the star-filled sky, a rare hint of weariness in his voice."The era has changed."
"Roger is dead. Rocks has long since become history. And even this old man…""…it's about time I stepped back."
After a pause, Garp suddenly turned, his gaze blazing as it locked onto Gern.
"But Gern—remember this."
"No matter how great your ambition is… no matter what your 'justice' may be…"
"The Marines… will always be the Marines."
Gern was silent for a moment. Then he nodded slowly.
"I know."
"Of course you do."Garp's clenched fist gradually loosened. He looked at Gern deeply, then let out a long sigh.
"Because you've thought further ahead than I ever did."
Gern smiled, but didn't respond.
After another moment of silence, Garp suddenly reached out and slapped Gern hard on the shoulder.
"In that case—fight!"
"…Huh?"Gern blinked.
Garp grinned, his eyes blazing with battle spirit."If the World Government wants to see you fight, then give them a show they'll never forget!"
"But…" He leaned closer, lowering his voice."Don't cripple Kuzan for real. If you do, I'll come after you myself."
Gern couldn't help but laugh."Vice Admiral Garp… did you come to stop the fight, or to fan the flames?"
"Hahahaha!"Garp roared with laughter, throwing an arm around Gern's neck.
"Obviously—I came to watch the fun!"
Gern shook his head helplessly, though a faint smile lingered on his lips.
Wavering justice… was always wavering, Vice Admiral Garp.