"Uh... That has nothing to do with me."
Kuzan wiped his face helplessly as Sengoku vented his rage at him. "Want me to call those two old guys for you? You can scold them over the Den Den Mushi."
"No need! You think I'm that idle?! If they don't want to come back, then don't come back!"
Sengoku folded his arms and sat down with a cold snort. "Let's see if those two would return begging when they run out of money. And when that time comes, don't blame me for being heartless!"
"Alright then."
Kuzan yawned again. "If there's nothing else, I'll be heading out."
"Then get out!"
After Kuzan left, Sengoku finally calmed down a bit. Then, as if remembering something, he picked up the file on his desk again.
His eyes flickered slightly as he muttered: "Egoistic justice..."
Refusing to return to Marine Headquarters, creating a mafia group, defeating a Warlord, dragging Zephyr and Garp into filming commercials, and now even getting involved in Zephyr's situation…
"What exactly is that kid planning?"
…
The next day, after waking naturally, Ian walked into the bar's main hall.
Despite having a banquet last night, the place was already lively again early in the morning; this group of people was back drinking as if nothing had happened.
Garp sat there carefreely as well, gulping down wine.
When he saw Ian, he immediately waved exaggeratedly and made a goofy face. "You're up? I thought you would sleep in longer! You woke up earlier than back on the Sibia River Archipelago!"
Ian ignored the hidden meaning in Garp's words and sat directly at the bar. "Give me a glass of water, please!"
He said to Makino, the bar owner.
"Okay, Mr. Ian, please wait a moment."
"What water? Have a drink with me instead!"
Garp slung an arm over his shoulder with a wide grin. "Makino, give him a glass of booze!"
But when Makino placed the water in front of Ian, Garp complained: "Didn't I say booze?!"
"Mr. Garp, Mr. Ian just woke up."
Makino replied helplessly. "What he needs now is a glass of water and breakfast."
Ian ignored Garp's grumbling, downed the water in one go, then glanced at the liquor shelf behind the bar, surprised. "You still have leftover wine from last night?"
"Hahaha! Those guys can't hold their liquor. There's still some left, so I let Makino sell it."
Garp didn't dwell on the drink anymore. Instead, his expression turned oddly serious. "Kid, want me to take you around the Kingdom of Goa?"
"No thanks!"
Ian rejected him without hesitation.
Like he didn't know what Garp was up to… clearly, he wanted to take him to the Grey Terminal and then use that as an excuse to recruit workers there!
But Garp didn't give up so easily. He kept his arm around Ian and spoke cheerfully: "Come on! We're close, aren't we? Since you're here, how could I not show you around?"
"If Martin heard I didn't host you properly, he would scold me! After all, the Kingdom of Goa is praised as the most beautiful kingdom in the East Blue."
The most beautiful kingdom in the East Blue...?
Do you yourself even believe that?
It's only because the nobles kiss up to the Celestial Dragons that they were praised once, and everyone knows that.
Even the countries imitating the Kingdom of Goa aren't doing so because of its beauty, but just because they want praise from the Celestial Dragons.
"Alright, alright!"
Seeing Ian giving him a sideways look, Garp didn't mind at all and continued grinning: "What a sly kid. I still don't know how you manage to know so much."
"I'm planning to leave soon, but I won't be returning to the West Blue yet."
After finishing his glass of water, Ian casually added, "The Sibia River Archipelago needs a lot of people. If it's on your way, please help me send some people over there."
"Hahaha, that's a deal then!"
Hearing Ian's request, Garp couldn't hold back his laughter. "No wonder I admire you! Don't worry, I'll definitely bring them safely to the Sibia River Archipelago! By the way, are you really sure you don't need my help?"
"There is one small thing."
"What is it?"
"Help me restock some supplies!"
"You really don't plan on staying a few more days?"
Watching Ian actually board the ship, Garp still tried to keep him while laughing: "Leaving after only one night? Don't say I didn't treat you well!"
"I still have things to do. I only came here on the way."
Ian casually replied, then looked around with curiosity. "Where are your two grandsons?"
He originally thought that once his name was mentioned, Garp's grandsons would come to challenge him.
But he was already leaving, and Luffy and Ace still hadn't appeared.
Thinking about it, he wasn't really famous, not in the East Blue, and not even in the West Blue.
"Luffy and Ace? What would those two brats be doing here?"
A weird glint flashed through Garp's eyes as he laughed dryly: "You only need me to send you off."
"... Whatever."
He was just asking casually. Since they weren't here, so be it.
And Garp's grandsons probably weren't strong enough to safely enter the Grand Line yet.
Especially Ace... He hadn't even eaten a Devil Fruit.
Speaking of which... The Flame-Flame Fruit should be in the East Blue, right?
But where?
Ian thought for a moment, then shook off the pointless thoughts.
"No more talking. It's getting late. I'm heading out."
Without paying attention to the still-smiling Garp, Ian said goodbye to the others and boarded the ship.
As a former Marine lieutenant, he still knew the basics of navigation, just following the wind and the Log Pose.
As for the dangers?
What a joke, with his current strength, he wouldn't have any trouble in the East Blue, even at night, as long as he didn't encounter those who stood at the top of the sea.
If he wasn't worried about not being able to make it during the day, he'd actually just walk across the air.
As Ian boarded the ship and slowly sailed out of the dock, Garp, along with Woop Slap and Makino, who had come to see him off, waved and watched Ian leave.
Although their time together was brief, they could sense he was a good person.
And if he wasn't, why would Garp treat a young man this way?