"Me again?"
Hearing Sengoku's request, Garp looked at the Den Den Mushi and asked with a wide grin.
"Nonsense, who else could it be? You've had contact with him, after all. Also, take this bounty to him."
Sengoku had already found an excuse for Garp.
"What bounty?" Garp was taken aback.
Then, after listening to Sengoku's explanation about the bounty, Garp was dumbfounded.
"Based on where he appeared, if he's following a Log Pose, the next stop should be Jaya Island. If you hurry, you should be able to catch them before their Log Pose finishes recording. Garp, this matter is very important."
Sengoku's tone was very serious.
"Alright, alright, this old man will make another trip."
Hearing Sengoku speak in such a tone, Garp immediately agreed.
"Find out Cyrus's objective, at least for the time being."
"Got it!" Garp said and hung up the Den Den Mushi directly.
"Vice Admiral Garp?"
Bogart, who had been listening on the side the whole time, was also utterly astonished.
Hawkeye had beaten him before.
In his mind, that fellow Hawkeye had always been one to do as he pleased.
It was said that besides Red-Haired Shanks, he had no other friends.
Let alone sailing with someone else.
At any rate, there was no record of it ever happening before.
"What's the deal with this Cyrus?"
"How should I know? Maybe he's just very charismatic," Garp guessed, stroking the beard on his chin.
He then had Bogart give the order to change course for Jaya Island.
'Very charismatic?'
After Bogart left, Garp stroked his beard, recalling his previous encounters with Cyrus.
"I didn't get that impression at all."
...
Jaya Island.
"No, no, what I have to do next is very important. If we were to fight, it would probably take a very long time, and my business would be delayed."
Cyrus shook his head like a rattle drum.
Hawkeye stared intently at Cyrus.
"My business is very important. It concerns many lives," Cyrus explained with a sincere look, seeing Hawkeye's expression.
"Lives?"
Issho interjected at the right moment, looking at Cyrus with confusion.
"Yes, I'm going to stop a catastrophe!"
Cyrus wore an expression of utmost righteousness.
Issho nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.
"In that case, it is indeed very important."
Hawkeye watched Cyrus and Issho speak. "But you didn't seem to be in a hurry while we were sailing before!"
Hawkeye had found the blind spot.
"I was just thinking. I had to figure out how to get to Sky Island."
In response, Cyrus gave this answer.
"Sky Island?"
Hawkeye was taken aback, his voice changing slightly.
The legend of Sky Island had been circulating on the seas for hundreds of years.
It was especially widespread in the first half of the Grand Line.
But no one had ever found Sky Island, so it seemed to be just a legend.
"Sky Island is fake. It's a lie made up by a great liar hundreds of years ago."
A person passing by them overheard Cyrus say the words "Sky Island" and subconsciously chimed in.
But after speaking, he saw Cyrus's group of three and Robin beside them, and a look of terror appeared on his face.
These people did not look like they were to be trifled with.
Cyrus glanced at the speaker before turning back to Issho and Hawkeye.
"I have a way to get to Sky Island, but we have to wait for the Log Pose to finish recording. You'll understand then."
After speaking, Cyrus led Robin toward the inner part of the island.
Hawkeye watched Cyrus's back, then looked at Issho.
"You can, too."
"I cannot!"
Issho immediately shook his head in refusal.
"Cyrus is right. If it truly concerns the lives of many people, then I absolutely cannot stand by and watch!"
After speaking, Issho tapped the ground with his cane sword and walked away, one step at a time.
Hawkeye watched Issho follow Cyrus, his brow furrowed.
Was this guy toying with him?
But Hawkeye was unwilling to give up on fighting these two.
Force a fight?
Hawkeye subconsciously raised his hand to the hilt of his sword, then let it go.
Since he said so, he might as well see what tricks this Cyrus was playing.
Giving up on making a move directly, Hawkeye followed them as well.
And so, Hawkeye was forced to become a swordsmanship teacher, not only answering Cyrus's questions but also instructing the swordsmanship novice, Robin.
Several days later, the magnetic recording was complete.
"So, it's up there!" Hawkeye asked hesitantly, looking at the needle pointing straight up.
"So why is it called Sky Island?"
Cyrus looked at Hawkeye upon hearing this, then said, "A Sky Island is naturally in the sky."
"But an island floating in the sky... could it be related to that Shiki you mentioned?" Issho asked curiously.
The thought had just occurred to him.
"Well, don't ask me. I don't know either. But the legend of Sky Island is hundreds of years old."
After speaking, Cyrus prepared to lead Robin to the docks.
There was still some trouble to deal with there.
...
At the Jaya Island docks, a dog-headed warship was docked.
Garp leaped directly off the warship.
Some of the pirates docked here saw Garp and immediately turned to leave, their pace quickening.
If it were any other time, Garp might have had his men go after these pirates.
But right now...
Garp looked at the four figures of Cyrus's group who had appeared.
His gaze lingered on Hawkeye for a moment before shifting to Issho, who was beside Cyrus.
He especially noticed Issho's white, unseeing eyes.
This must be the person who could create meteorites.
The one appearance in Alabasta wasn't enough to be certain.
But it happened again at sea recently, so the person had to be with Cyrus.
It couldn't be the little girl by his side, so it had to be this man.
"If Vice Admiral Garp is so idle, you could go catch some pirates," Cyrus said as he walked up to Garp.
Hawkeye looked at Garp, then at Cyrus, curious about the relationship between the two.
"Don't you give me that sarcastic talk, you brat. If it weren't for your business, I'd still be at Headquarters drinking tea and eating rice crackers," Garp said with a look of displeasure upon hearing Cyrus's words.
"So, the Marine pays you a salary to drink tea and eat rice crackers?"
"I've been running around the seas for more than half my life. Can't I enjoy myself a little?"
Cyrus waved his hand dismissively at his words.
Seeing this, Robin turned and walked toward the small boat at the side of the docks.
Issho also turned to follow.
Hawkeye glanced at Garp but had no intention of speaking. He, too, went back with Issho.
Watching the three of them leave, Garp looked back at Cyrus.
"Not bad, you. You've only been on the Grand Line for a few days and you've already found such a strong companion. He's the one who brought down that meteorite, right?"
"Yes!" Cyrus nodded.
"The Marines can forget about it. He's my companion for now. If he stops being my companion in the future, your Marine can go and invite him then. If you invite him now, I'll get angry," Cyrus said, looking at Garp.
"How could we!" Garp was stunned for a moment, then shook his head.
He then beckoned with his hand.
A large chest was brought over by Bogart.
"Mr. Cyrus."
Bogart nodded at Cyrus, then handed the chest to him.
"What's this?"
"Bounty money. The bounty for the ones you took out before. You hit the jackpot this time. That guy was this year's Supernova, with a bounty of 280 million. He also had a few subordinates with bounties in the tens of millions."