"Hahaha! Drink, brat!"
Garp tilted a bottle back like it was water. "Hahaha—that was satisfying!"
The spar ended. No blood feud. Just a brutal greeting between monsters.
White Ghost invited Garp and his people onto the ship, and the Dragon Emperor's crew threw a full-blown banquet.
The moment Luffy stepped on deck and saw food, he became a black hole. He began stuffing himself so fast it was hard to tell where the plates ended and he began.
Ace didn't eat much. He kept studying the man who could trade blows with "that old bastard" for so long.
"Uta… is it really you?" Makino stared, shocked. "You've changed so much…"
"Hehe, it's me, Makino!" Uta dashed over and hugged her.
"It really is you!" Makino laughed warmly. "You've grown up… and you're even prettier now."
Uta was fifteen now, tall and poised—nearly Makino's height.
"Uta—mmf, mmf—" Luffy tried to talk while shoving food into his mouth with both hands.
Uta grimaced. "Idiot Luffy… you haven't changed at all."
"You eat first," she added, waving him off.
"Okay!" Luffy doubled down, devouring everything in sight.
White Ghost burped loudly and turned to Garp. "So why's Sengoku suddenly generous enough to give you a whole month off?"
Garp gnawed on roasted meat. "Because the World Government clowns are making trouble. Sengoku's got a headache, so he tossed me a vacation."
White Ghost narrowed his eyes. "What'd you do that made him agree so fast?"
Bogard looked like he wanted to stop Garp from answering.
Too late.
"Oh, nothing big," Garp said casually. "I called a Celestial Dragon 'trash.' The idiot Charlos happened to hear it. Hahahaha!"
Everyone at the table—aside from the kids who didn't fully get it—went silent with complicated expressions.
Saying that to their face? Garp really was built different.
Bogard buried his face in his hand. Hopeless…
"Grandpa," Luffy asked with sparkling eyes, "who'd you insult? Someone super strong?"
"Hahaha!" Garp puffed up. "You're still too young to worry about that. Eat your food."
White Ghost nodded. "Now I get why Sengoku let you go."
"Hahaha! Forget that—drink!" Garp shoved another bottle toward him.
After several rounds, Garp looked over the crew, eyes sharp beneath the laughter.
"Oi, brat. Got any more Mythical Zoans? Give me one—I'll feed it to my grandkid."
White Ghost side-eyed Ace and snorted. "Nope. Only had two. My crew got them."
"You're lying," Garp said flatly, rolling his eyes.
Then he got serious.
"Even your Paramecia users aren't normal. That Enel brat—train him right, add Haki and body work, and he's absolutely top-tier material."
He pointed around at Jango, Kuro, and the others.
"And those Ancient Zoans… the two sword girls with Mythicals… you've got no idea how many people will start targeting you once today spreads."
He stared at White Ghost. "And after you've shown this many treasures, nobody will believe you're out."
White Ghost sighed. "It's for them."
Garp blinked. "Explain."
"I'm going to the New World sooner or later," White Ghost said, voice calmer now. "If my crew only trains in safe waters, their growth caps out. Strength without real battle experience is useless."
"If they enter the New World like that, they'll get crushed fast—and I can't be the solution to everything."
"Better they learn what real monsters look like now… than learn it when it's too late."
Garp grunted. He didn't fully buy it—but he didn't press further either.
This was White Ghost's ship, his choice, his risk.
While they talked, Ace walked over with a cup of juice. He bowed—polite and controlled.
"Hello. My name is Ace. Can I ask you a few questions? If you don't want to answer, that's fine."
Garp clapped him on the shoulder proudly. "Hahaha! This is my eldest grandson, Ace. That one stuffing his face is Luffy."
"Ask," White Ghost said, gesturing.
Ace glanced at the banner on the mast. Even at night, the deck lights made it easy to see.
"Why aren't you flying a pirate flag?"
Before White Ghost could answer, Luffy—now round as a barrel—raised his hand like he was in class.
"I know!" he shouted. "Because pirates are the freest people in the world! Shishishi!"
White Ghost's mouth twitched. Garp's face went dark.
"Luffy—!" Garp roared and bonked him hard.
"OW!" Luffy cried, clutching his head as tears welled up.
Ace didn't defend him this time. He was thinking.
White Ghost looked at Ace instead of answering directly.
"Why would I fly a pirate flag?"
Ace lifted his chin. "Isn't everyone chasing the great treasure because Pirate King Roger started the era? Isn't that why people raise pirate flags?"
White Ghost took a sip. "That's what people with ambition do. I don't have that kind of ambition."
Ace's lips curved faintly. "With a crew like this, I don't believe you have no ambition."
Garp ran over and hugged Ace like he'd just won a medal, eyes watery. "Hahaha! Ace finally learned to use his brain!"
"Old man!" Ace struggled, face red. "What do you mean 'finally'?!"
The deck erupted in laughter.
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