When Monkey D. Garp, Luffy's grandfather, learned from Windmill Village chief Slap that Grimm had captured his grandson, he didn't waste a single word — he stormed straight out of Marine Headquarters and raced toward the East Blue.
He still could not wrap his head around why Grimm would target the boy.
Shortly after Garp set off, the news reached Fleet Admiral Sora and the rest of the high command.
Two days later, CP intelligence monitoring the Beasts Pirates reported: Kaido's crew had reclaimed the island the Red‑Hair Pirates had seized — but Kaido himself had flown straight for Artemis, one of Grimm's core territories.
Further investigation revealed the Red‑Hair Pirates had vanished entirely from the island without a trace — they had sailed to attack Grimm's home base instead.
That made Kaido's movements clear: he was almost certainly heading to settle the score for the humiliation he had suffered earlier.
At the emergency meeting, Kuzan was wide awake — a rare sight. After hearing the tangled account, he raised a hand:
"Hold on — this is a mess. Can we walk through it step by step? I'm completely lost; too many things are piling up all at once!"
His frustration was shared by almost everyone in the room.
"Let's start two weeks ago," Tsuru said calmly, laying out the timeline.
"Grimm left Artemis with over a thousand men, bound for the East Blue. Garp has confirmed his true target: one of his grandsons."
"Garp has a grandson? That's news to me!"
"Fool! Ever since what happened to Zephyr's family, all relatives of high‑ranking officers are classified top secret. It's no wonder you didn't know."
After Zephyr's wife and child were murdered, such records had been sealed to keep high‑profile targets safe.
Garp had deliberately kept his own family hidden — in a strange twist, he owed that protection to Zephyr's tragedy.
"We can discuss Garp's grandson later," Tsuru continued.
"We first assumed Grimm was investigating Celestial Dragon activities — we were wrong. We still don't know if he has caught the boy… I hope he is safe. Meanwhile, after Shanks took one of Kaido's islands, he launched an attack on Artemis three days ago — right as Grimm arrived in the East Blue."
"That's suspicious," Sengoku put in.
"Shanks is no fool. Choosing this exact moment to strike the Holy Light Pirates is out of character."
"Maybe he saw Grimm was gone and took the chance to expand his territory?" Kuzan suggested.
"I told you — he is not that reckless," Sengoku insisted. "There is something more behind this."
"On the third day of the battle between the Red‑Hair and Holy Light crews," Tsuru went on, "the Beasts Pirates retook their island and then set course for Artemis — seemingly to confront Shanks." She narrowed her eyes.
"Is that clear now?"
"What a tangled web," Issho said, adjusting his pale yellow robe and Marine cape. "How should we respond?"
Sora stroked his chin — this would likely be his final major order before stepping down.
"We now have a full picture of the three‑way clash in the New World. Shanks is caught between two Emperors. We send a small strike force to finish what they started — and take down this so‑called 'Fifth Emperor.'"
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
Most nodded at once. Shanks had become too great a threat to leave unchecked.
As for the Holy Light and Beasts Pirates, they were far too strong to tackle head‑on for now.
"Who will lead this force?" Kuzan asked.
"You," Sora said, glancing at him, then turning to Issho.
"And you. Take Momonga and Dalmatian. Position yourselves in the second half of the New World — wait until the three sides have exhausted each other, then intercept the Red‑Hair Pirates. Bring Shanks to Impel Down."
"Ah‑la‑la, that's a lot of pressure — can't you cut me some slack?" Kuzan grumbled, scratching his head.
"What of Garp's grandson?" Issho asked. "I would hate to see another tragedy like Zephyr's befall our hero."
"Grimm has no reason to kill him," Sengoku reasoned.
"He bears no grudge against Garp. If he wanted the boy dead, he would have done it already — this is about leverage, not murder. We leave the matter to Garp. Still, I will order all Marines across the Grand Line to stand ready."
Sora stood up. "This hides a darkness too deep to measure — and we are the ones who must cut it out. All hands, prepare to sail!"
Every officer rose sharply. "Sir, yes sir!"
---
"Three loud little brats, huh, Captain Planck?" Mattheus watched Luffy, Sabo, and Ace shouting and thrashing on the deck as the ship sailed across the East Blue.
Planck folded his arms. The three boys were still bruised and swollen from their beating.
They had left Goa's waters long ago — yet Grimm had still not said why he needed them.
"Damn you… all of you!" Ace roared, one eye swollen shut like a panda's.
He lunged forward — only to be kicked hard into the mainmast.
Cough! Ace doubled over, spitting blood as the blow wracked his insides.
"Ace!" Luffy and Sabo cried out.
"We only wanted the rubber boy," a crewman yawned, stepping forward.
"You two tagged along when we told you to leave. Honestly, you're hopeless. Neither of you even has a Devil Fruit — so swim back if you want. We don't care."
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