...
At this moment, Garp seemed to have calmly accepted the "harsh" reality that his grandson had become a pirate.
But through the light screen, he had also come to understand the child Luffy on a much deeper level.
Yes, Luffy was a pirate, but he was completely different from those pirates who purely delighted in plunder, slaughter, and oppression.
He saw Luffy swing his fists at the Arlong Pirates for the sake of his friend Nami, challenge the Seven Warlords of the Sea Crocodile for his friend Vivi, and even liberate an entire nation.
For his friend Robin, he went so far as to make an enemy of the entire World Government, burn their flag, and storm Enies Lobby!
He also saw, on Thriller Bark, how Zoro and Sanji were willing to offer their own lives and endure all the pain to save Luffy.
Luffy was a man who valued his "crew" more than his own life, someone with extreme loyalty and righteousness.
His crewmates were utterly devoted to him, and the trust and bonds between them were so profound they moved the heart.
Moreover, Garp could tell that people like Zoro, Sanji, and Nami—though each had their own flaws—were not fundamentally vicious criminals at heart. They each had their own bottom lines and convictions.
"Hey, Garp…"
At that moment, Sengoku had been quietly listening to Garp boast for a while before suddenly speaking up. His voice was low and serious as he turned his head and fixed a sharp gaze on his old friend…
"You… you're not seriously considering quitting the Marines, are you?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zephyr and Tsuru immediately stopped their casual chat and turned their eyes toward Garp in unison, filled with concern.
They had seen clearly the scene just now when Saint Saturn ordered the God's Knights to act against Dragon.
That had gone far beyond mere official duty—it had touched the most fundamental bottom line of Garp as a father.
If Roger hadn't acted first, all three of them had no doubt that Garp would have exploded on the spot, clashing head-on with the God's Knights and even the Five Elders!
In that kind of situation, Garp's stance would have undergone an earth-shattering change.
Facing the serious and concerned gazes of his three closest friends, the smile on Garp's face gradually faded.
He lifted his head and looked toward the distant Celestial Dragons, who remained either numbly indifferent or arrogantly haughty, then glanced at Luffy's vibrant figure on the light screen…
Finally, his gaze swept over the young Marine soldiers around him, their eyes still shining with aspirations toward "justice."
He took a deep, slow breath and exhaled heavily.
"What nonsense are you talking about, Sengoku…"
Garp's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a rock-solid firmness: "This old man… under this Marine flag, behind these word 'justice,' still has a whole bunch of… things that I must protect!"
Garp had given his answer.
He would not resign from the Marines.
His battles had never been about pleasing the Celestial Dragons or upholding the rotten rule of the World Government.
They were for the unarmed civilians bullied by pirates,
for the young soldiers who held ideals and yearned for true justice,
and for the innocent, weak lives across this sea that deserved protection!
In the end, in this world, the brutal, tyrannical pirates who terrorized entire regions still made up the vast majority.
Hearing these heartfelt words from Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru all breathed a collective sigh of relief in unison, their tense nerves easing slightly.
They knew Garp well—they knew that if he said it, he would do it.
As long as Garp remained in the Marines, the backbone of the Marines could still stand tall.
If he left, the blow to Marine morale and strength would be incalculable.
Between old friends, no more words were needed.
They once again turned their gazes toward the light screen, each pondering the future in their own way and how to handle the coming changes in this bizarre God Valley.
The Straw Hat kid Luffy was about to set sail once more, and it seemed the waves of the new era were about to rise again.
...