My name is Kurozumi Tama, though everyone calls me Tama.
I'm six years old and live in Amigasa Village in Kuri.
These past few weeks have been the happiest time of my entire life.
I heard Wano had a new Shogun who distributed food and money to everyone.
Even our remote little village received more food than we had seen in years. At long last, everyone could eat properly again.
With full stomachs, the villagers had the strength to weave more hats and earn more money. Even the other children could run around and play to their hearts' content every day.
Just like before, whenever I finished delivering food to the masked beggar living among the ruins of Oden Castle, I would come to this beach and look for anything useful that might have washed ashore.
Anything I found could help the village.
There was another reason I kept coming here.
A promise.
This was the beach where Ace had first washed ashore in Wano.
He promised that once I grew into a strong, enchanting kunoichi capable of standing on my own, he would return to Wano, take me out to sea, and show me the vast world beyond our country.
As Tama thought about that promise, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention.
She immediately called to the enormous yellow dog beneath her.
"Komachiyo, look! Did something wash up in the waves over there? Let's go see!"
Komachiyo nodded and raced toward the shoreline.
The moment he reached the shallows, he stopped abruptly.
A soaking-wet old man was lying among the waves, letting the surf wash over his body again and again.
The next second, the old man suddenly sat upright.
Without the slightest concern for where he was, he picked his nose, flicked what he found into the sea, and looked around until his gaze settled on Tama.
"Hey, little girl! Where am I?"
"This is the beach in Kuri," Tama answered.
Garp scratched his head.
"Kuri? Is that somewhere in Wano? Do you know where the Flower Capital is?"
Tama found that strange.
He knew about the Flower Capital but had never heard of Kuri.
His clothing looked nothing like anything worn in Wano, and his broad smile seemed friendly enough
. He did not look like a bad person.
"Grandpa, did you come from outside Wano? I can guide you to the Flower Capital."
"Ah! You're right, I'm not from around here!"
Garp laughed and climbed to his feet.
"But there's no hurry. I want to look around first."
He removed his soaked coat and shook the water from it.
Part of him was still thinking about Yamato's situation, but since the grain had already arrived safely, he did not need to rush over.
He had gone to all the trouble of sneaking out here. Sengoku might already know, but until an official order arrived demanding his return, why shouldn't he enjoy a little sightseeing?
Besides…
He did not even have his Den Den Mushi anymore. He had tossed it to Yasopp earlier.
Sengoku had no way to contact him.
That was a perfectly legitimate excuse.
Wano had suffered beneath pirate rule for many years while remaining isolated from the rest of the world. The Marines had never been able to intervene.
In other words, the people here hated pirates but knew nothing about true justice.
Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to guide them and spread the faith—
No, to promote justice?
If he could abduct—no, persuade a few talented samurai to enlist in the Marines, Sengoku would surely…
"Bwahahaha!"
"Grandpa? Grandpa?"
Tama had already climbed down from Komachiyo's back. She walked over and waved one small hand in front of Garp's face.
Only then did he snap out of his private fantasy.
He quickly stopped laughing and began searching through his pockets.
"Sorry about that. I got distracted."
"I'll treat you to a donut! Huh? Where did my donuts go?!"
The waves had probably carried them away, Garp thought.
And after his earlier journey through Kaido's digestive system, even if he managed to find them, they probably would not be safe to eat.
His face immediately fell in disappointment.
Seeing how dejected he looked, Tama smiled and offered to perform a little trick for him.
She gently pinched her soft cheek.
A round dumpling popped free and landed neatly in her palm.
"Here, Grandpa. Tama will give you a dumpling."
Garp blinked at the strange sight.
However, seeing the bright sparkle in the little girl's eyes, he did not ask questions.
He thanked her, tossed the dumpling into his mouth, and chewed before proudly thumping his chest.
"So your name is Tama! I'm Monkey D. Garp. You can call me Garp, or Grandpa Garp!"
"Mm! This tastes great! Much better than Katakuri's mochi!"
Garp remembered trying to bite through Katakuri back in Totto Land.
Tama's dumpling was definitely tastier.
"Tama! Get away from that man!"
The sudden shout interrupted them.
Tama turned and saw her master, Tenguyama Hitetsu, rushing toward them on his tall wooden geta.
Decorative wings hung from his back, while his familiar red tengu mask covered his face.
He looked strange, but his movements were frantic.
"Master!"
"You child! Why do you always trust strangers so easily?"
Hitetsu reached them in only a few strides and pulled Tama firmly behind him.
"Remember, not everyone is as kind as they appear!"
"Hey, you can't just say things like that!"
Garp hurriedly waved his hands.
"I'm not some evil criminal!"
He instinctively reached toward his shoulder, only to remember that he had not brought his Marine coat of justice with him.
Now he had nothing that could prove his identity.
For once, he could not think of an easy way to defend himself.
Tama did not understand her master's concern.
To her, this old man had been smiling warmly the entire time. His face looked gentle and friendly. Nothing about him seemed dangerous.
But Hitetsu had weathered countless dangers in his life.
Beneath Garp's easygoing demeanor, he sensed the terrifying presence of a warrior who had survived more battlefields than most people could imagine.
This was the Marine Hero who had chased Pirate King Roger across the world.
Even without the slightest hostility, the power carved into Garp's very bones was enough to intimidate countless men.
Hitetsu was not unreasonable.
Since Garp showed no intention of attacking, he gradually lowered his confrontational posture.
Even so, his hand remained protectively in front of Tama, and he did not relax his vigilance.
Garp saw that staying would only make the man more nervous, so he decided to explore the surrounding area alone.
After casually asking Hitetsu for the general direction of the Flower Capital, he waved one large hand toward Tama.
"Tama, Grandpa's heading off now!"
Caught between her master and the old man she had just met, Tama looked conflicted.
Still, she stood on her toes, waved vigorously, and called out,
"Goodbye, Grandpa Garp!"
Tama watched Garp walk away, then lowered her head and tugged at Hitetsu's sleeve.
"Master, how did you know I was here?"
"You've been coming home later every day after delivering food to that man at Oden Castle. It didn't take much thought to realize you were coming here."
Hitetsu sighed.
"You're still waiting for that boy, aren't you?"
"But Ace promised me!"
Tama immediately raised her head, puffed out her cheeks, and shouted with absolute conviction,
"I believe he'll keep his promise!"
The moment those words left her mouth, Garp's steps suddenly stopped.
"You still don't need to come here every single—"
Hitetsu never finished.
A heavy hand abruptly landed on his shoulder.
His entire body tensed.
Even with his Observation Haki, he had not sensed when the man turned around and appeared directly behind him.
Hitetsu slowly looked over.
The gentle old face Garp had worn earlier now carried a strange, obviously forced smile.
To Hitetsu, the invisible pressure radiating from him had become painfully clear.
Garp ignored the man's tension and deliberately softened his voice.
"Don't misunderstand. I only want to ask something."
"The Ace you were talking about…"
"Was that Portgas D. Ace?"
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