“Bogard, you’ve chosen Garp?”
“Even as Garp’s adjutant, what about your will as a Marine?”
Sengoku was furious.
Garp leaving was already a loss so great that it could hardly be measured.
To put it bluntly, it would leave an enormous hole in the Marines.
If news of this spread, the Marines’ prestige would be cut in half—or perhaps even more.
And now, Bogard,one of the Marines’ strongest swordsmen, was also planning to leave alongside Garp.
The loss was simply too heavy.
Far too heavy.
“As Mr.
Garp’s adjutant, it is only natural for me to follow him to the very end.”
“And following Mr.
Garp has always been my greatest wish.”
“Mr.
Sengoku, my apologies.”
“Just like Mr.
Garp, Bogard hereby resigns from the Marines starting today.”
With a flick of his blade, he shook the magma from the sword’s edge and stared coldly at Sengoku, Akainu, and the others.
Back then, he had joined the Marines because of Garp.
Now that his idol had made his choice, Bogard would follow him without hesitation.
And more importantly—
He believed Garp was not a bad person.
If that was the case, then he was willing to use his life to defend Garp’s honor.
“Then both of you can die!”
“The punishment for betraying the Marines and betraying justice is death!”
“Great Eruption!”
Akainu glared furiously.
Without hesitation, he activated his Mag-Mag Fruit once again.
He intended to kill both Garp and Bogard right here.
Countless streams of magma bubbled and churned from his right arm.
In an instant, they formed a gigantic arm of molten lava.
Akainu moved.
His attack came roaring forward with overwhelming force.
But at that exact moment—
Sengoku spoke.
“Let them go.”
Reluctance.
Fury.
In the end, reason prevailed.
If a battle broke out here, with Garp’s combat power, at least half the people in this room would die.
Perhaps even more.
And even if the Marines somehow won, Sengoku, Akainu, Aokiji, and the others would suffer tremendous injuries.
The war against the Whitebeard Pirates was approaching rapidly.
Damaging the Marines’ foundation at a time like this was completely irrational.
If it were only Garp, there might still be room to maneuver.
But with Bogard standing beside him as well…
Things became infinitely more complicated.
Still, Akainu refused to stop.
He continued forward.
“Sakazuki.”
“I said let them go.”
Sengoku repeated himself.
His tone had become far harsher.
As Fleet Admiral, his orders were absolute.
Hearing Sengoku’s command a second time, Akainu finally stopped.
His eyes burned with hatred as he stared at Garp and Bogard.
“You two are lucky to have escaped with your lives.”
“If you’re planning to save Fire Fist Ace, then you’ll definitely appear in the coming war.”
“Garp.”
“During that war, I will personally kill you.”
“And show everyone what happens to those who insult justice.”
Akainu remained completely confident in his own strength.
He didn’t believe Garp could defeat him.
After all, in his eyes, Garp was already an old relic of a bygone era.
“Hah!”
“Sakazuki, you should be grateful you escaped with your life.”
Garp laughed disdainfully.
“Sengoku, I gave you face today.”
“That’s why I won’t kill him.”
“But your face won’t protect him forever.”
“This is the last time.”
He glanced at Sengoku before turning away.
There was not the slightest hesitation in his departing figure.
That resolute back alone placed tremendous pressure on everyone present.
An enemy.
The Marine Hero.
The idol worshipped by countless Marines.
Had now become their enemy.
It felt like a heavy hammer striking everyone’s heart.
Even compared to the Pirate King Roger or the world’s strongest man, Whitebeard—
The person they feared most at this moment was the seemingly harmless Hero Garp.
This felt like a farewell.
And a complete break.
The moment Ace’s execution had been decided, the two sides had become irreconcilable enemies.
Only after Garp left did Bogard lower his sword.
He gave everyone a respectful bow.
Then, without hesitation, he followed after Garp.
This also represented the stance of the Marines’ greatest swordsman.
From this day onward—
The two sides would stand against one another.
…
“You relic of the old era!”
“How dare you humiliate me!”
Akainu glared toward the direction Garp had departed.
The frustration in his heart was almost unbearable.
Turning around, he looked coldly at Sengoku.
“Fleet Admiral.”
“I need an explanation.”
“Do you understand what letting that old man go means?”
“The upcoming war will gain a terrifying new enemy.”
“And he took Bogard with him.”
Among everyone present, only Akainu dared speak to Sengoku in such a manner.
His devotion to Absolute Justice had long since surpassed concern for his own life.
Anyone who obstructed justice deserved to be punished by justice.
“Kid.”
“Don’t think that eating a Devil Fruit gives you the right to act arrogant.”
A cold voice interrupted him.
It was Tsuru.
“You’ve never witnessed Garp’s true terror.”
“As for the coming war, we’ll discuss it when the time comes.”
“Right now, letting him leave was the best possible choice.”
The usually silent Tsuru showed no mercy as she lectured Akainu.
As a strategist, her thinking aligned perfectly with Sengoku’s.
If a fight erupted here, how many Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals would survive?
How many would be crippled?
And after that, who would fight Whitebeard?
After being rebuked by Tsuru, Akainu’s anger surged.
But he didn’t explode.
Instead, he clenched his teeth and returned to his seat in silence.
At the front of the room, Sengoku’s emotions remained far from calm.
He understood exactly what Garp’s departure meant.
The Yonko lurking across the seas.
The Revolutionary Army waiting for an opportunity.
The countless enemies hidden in the shadows.
All of them would begin drawing their swords.
The balance of the world was about to be shattered.
“Today’s events are not to leave this room.”
“Anyone who leaks this information will be treated as a traitor.”
Sengoku knew those words were largely meaningless.
But he still had to say them.
There were hundreds of people present.
Spies from other factions were undoubtedly among them.
The news would inevitably spread.
The Marines and the World Government would suffer a devastating blow to their reputation.
Even knowing that, he could only cling to a sliver of hope.
“Understood!”
Everyone answered in unison.
Yet many eyes had already begun drifting elsewhere.
Their thoughts were far away.
…
Marineford Harbor.
A giant dog-headed warship stood majestically upon the sea.
The enormous dog figurehead at the bow looked both fierce and oddly adorable.
“Lower the ladder!”
“Vice Admiral Garp has returned!”
A Marine stationed in the lookout tower shouted excitedly.
In an instant, cheers erupted throughout the ship.
Their most respected commander had returned.
Soon, a boarding ladder was lowered from the side of the vessel.
As Garp looked at the excited Marines before him, his expression remained unchanged.
Cold.
Indifferent.
“Bogard.”
“Have you thought it through?”
“Once you step aboard this ship, there’ll be no turning back.”
“The enemy you face may very well be the entire world.”
“You still have time to leave.”
Garp glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
The road ahead would be filled with hardships.
Anyone who wished to follow him needed sufficient resolve.
Even the Marines’ greatest swordsman was no exception.
Without the determination to face every storm and hardship head-on, he wasn’t qualified to walk this path.
Because everything ahead would be completely different.
Their identities would change.
Their status would change.
Everything would change.
“Mr.
Garp.”
“The moment I joined the Marines, I already decided to follow you until death.”
“You were the one who saved my hometown.”
“When I was still a child, I admired you more than anyone.”
“So please…”
“Allow me to continue following in your footsteps.”
“I beg you.”
Bogard bowed deeply at a full ninety degrees.
Tears glistened at the corners of his eyes.
He had never spoken of these things before.
But now he had only one desire.
To follow Garp until the very end.
“Then what are you hesitating for?”
“Stay close and keep up.”
Garp glanced at him before calmly stepping onto the boarding ladder.
The moment he set foot on the deck, his voice echoed throughout the ship.
“I have already left the Marines.”
“Anyone who doesn’t wish to stay may leave immediately.”
“The road ahead will be difficult.”
“You may die at any time.”
Garp had no intention of hiding the truth.
There was no need.
Even if everyone abandoned the ship, it wouldn’t matter.
And what he said was the truth.
The battles ahead would be unimaginably dangerous.
None of the enemies waiting for them would be easy opponents.
Anyone wavering now should leave while they still could.
Yet what surprised Garp was what happened next.
Not a single person hesitated.
“We’ll follow Mr.
Garp until death!”
“Starting today, I, Good, am no longer a Marine!”
“Me too!
I, Colord, am no longer a Marine!”
“Me too!”
“Same here!”
“Count me in!”
…
Dozens of Marines tore the insignias from their uniforms.
Without hesitation, they severed their ties to the Marines.
Not one person chose to leave.
Not one.
Every gaze directed toward Garp burned with fanatic devotion.
As though he were their faith itself.
“Good.”
“In that case—set sail.”
“Our destination is the Sabaody Archipelago.”
Standing at the bow, Garp faced the sea breeze.
For the first time, his expression softened slightly.
It was time to take the second step.
And the impact of this step…
Would likely be even greater than the first.
…
[End of Chapter]