Starting as a pirate, he rose to become the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society.

Chapter 172 Sakazuki will win!

The Naval Headquarters is not far from Impel Down. After passing through the majestic Gate of Justice, one can ride the current of justice and arrive in Impel Down at an extremely fast speed.

On the deck of the warship, watching the imposing Gate of Justice slowly close behind, the warship, carried by the ocean currents, began to gradually increase its speed.

Bane then looked away and said to Karp beside him, "I thought you were going to find a chance to beat me up. Looks like you've calmed down?"

"Thinking about it carefully, I'm also a remnant of the old era, there's no need for me to get involved in these things anymore," Garp muttered, then rubbed his temples and said, "You're a smart kid, hurry up and think of a way to get my two unruly grandsons to behave."

"Go ahead and fight. As long as you don't kill him, beat him to death," Bane said without hesitation.

Karp paused for a moment, then pursed his lips and said, "I've been using this method for many years, but it hasn't been very effective."

Especially Luffy, who's still locked up in Marineford. Garp beats him up twice every three days. Luffy has barely gotten out of bed in all this time. It's absolutely inhumane.

But that kid was incredibly stubborn. Garp almost beat him to death, but he still kept yelling that he wanted to be the Pirate King.

"Ace's situation is rather complicated. I estimate there's not much hope left. We can only let time resolve it. Let's keep him locked up in Impelton for now; at least that way he can still live," Bane said after thinking for a moment.

Garp sighed and said, "Yes, I thought things would turn around after we wiped out the Whitebeard Pirates, but I don't have any other options now. I can only come to see him occasionally."

But as I said before, Ace is already very lucky to be alive, so Garp isn't in a hurry.

"As for your other grandson, I heard from Smoker that he greatly admires Redhead?" Bane raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that bastard Shanks must have bewitched Luffy back then, making him keep saying he wanted to be a pirate since he was a kid. It really infuriates me!" Garp said through gritted teeth.

Then, Karp explained the situation to Bane, who listened attentively. It was basically the same as what he remembered.

"So ultimately, he wants to be a pirate for two reasons: first, he wants to become the Pirate King; and second, he has a promise with Shanks to meet at the top of the sea, right?" Bane stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then asked.

"Yeah, I used to hug that straw hat all the time," Garp said, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes.

He knew, of course, whose straw hat it was—the hat of his former nemesis, Roger.

Unexpectedly, after all these twists and turns, it ended up in the hands of his own grandson, who treated it like a treasure!

But precisely because it was Roger's keepsake, it held some significance for Garp, which is why he didn't destroy the straw hat during that time.

Given his personality, he really wouldn't do such a thing.

"Let's put aside the Pirate King thing for now." Bane chuckled and looked at Garp, saying, "If you take down Shanks, Luffy won't be able to keep his promise. Maybe things will take a turn for the better? Your own grandfather, as a Marine, defeating the pirate you admire—do you think that's possible? It could change something?"

Karp fell silent upon hearing this. He pinched his chin with one hand, pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up and he said, "What you said makes some sense, Bane. I knew you were smart!"

However, Garp soon said with some helplessness, "Although I am confident in my own strength, the Red-Haired Pirates are not simple characters. Otherwise, they wouldn't be sitting in the position of one of the Four Emperors. On the sea, they are known as the 'Iron Wall,' and their difficulty in dealing with them is even greater than that of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin."

After a slight pause, Garp said with an even more serious expression, "Furthermore, although our Navy will definitely focus on the New World afterward, going to war with a Yonko-level pirate crew is still no small matter. Even I cannot act too recklessly without permission."

"Where are the Four Emperors anymore? Whitebeard has been dead for so long, and those bastards in the New World haven't elected any more 'Emperors,' have they? If Sakazuki becomes Marshal, his style will definitely be even tougher, so I think there's still a chance," Bane said.

Previously, in the New World, there were rumors of two candidates for the Four Emperors: Shiki and Wang Zhi.

Before the two of them could even start vying for the "position," Bane killed Shiki, shocking many ambitious individuals in the New World.

What's even funnier after that is that Wang Zhi, who was originally itching to make a move, immediately quieted down and retreated back into Beehive Island, not daring to do anything funny.

It seems that Shiki's sudden death at the hands of the Navy had a huge impact on him, to the point that he even began to wonder if the Navy was determined not to allow another so-called pirate emperor to appear.

If he jumps around too much under these circumstances, he might become the first target the Navy uses to establish its authority after returning to the New World!

Wang Zhi, who has been navigating the new world for so many years, still manages to maintain his place, all thanks to his unwavering commitment to stability!

"Are you so confident that Sakazuki can become the new Marshal? I think Kuzan is just as good. The final outcome is still uncertain," Garp retorted.

"Sakazuki will win," Bane said with a very serious expression.

"Why?" Karp looked at Bane and asked in a deep voice.

He had actually wanted to ask Bane this question for a long time, and this was the perfect opportunity.

Bane was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Because Sakazuki is more ruthless and resolute than Kuzan. Kuzan only stood up to prevent Sakazuki from becoming marshal, while Sakazuki is more pure. No matter who stands up, he wants to be the marshal. There are no extra factors. You should understand that the purer a person is, the more unwavering they are in such matters."

Hearing Bane's words, Karp's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what to say. After a long while, he shook his head and stopped arguing with Bane.

In fact, Garp also knew that Kuzan was not as ruthless or as unwavering as Sakazuki.

At the same time, it was after this incident that Sakazuki taught Kuzan a lesson through his actions. He not only broke Kuzan's leg, but also woke up Kuzan's confused mind.

Perhaps long ago, Kuzan had already planted the seed of leaving the Navy in his heart, but he had never had the courage to face this matter or the boldness to confront his own thoughts.

Until this battle for the marshalship, until Sakazuki broke his leg.

So sometimes Bane wonders if, after this struggle, Kuzan might not hate or deepen his dislike for Sakazuki.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

It's hard to guess what Kuzan's attitude towards Sakazuki was after that.

Then, Kuzan, who began to steadfastly uphold his beliefs and wanted to forge his own path, brutally defeated Garp in this series of interconnected events. It's actually quite interesting to think about.

"Actually, I also submitted my resignation after the meeting today," Karp suddenly said.

Bane paused for a moment, but upon closer reflection, it seemed like there was such a thing.

"After that, I will retain my military rank and serve as the chief instructor of new recruits at the Marine Headquarters," Garp said, changing the subject.

Upon hearing this, Bane laughed heartily and said, "Is the unfinished work of Professor Zephyr about to be given new life in your hands?"

"That guy doesn't care about any of that anymore," Karp said, pouting slightly in dissatisfaction, then looked at Bane meaningfully, "His mind is all on you now."

"Hahahaha." Bane shrugged. "What can I do? I'm his beloved apprentice and godson."

"You will definitely become a Marine Admiral in the future. I trust my judgment. And Zephyr is not young anymore, so Bane..." Garp said, taking a deep breath and looking at Bane with a somewhat complicated expression.

Bane was also looking at Karp at this moment, his gaze unwavering, his eyes seemingly revealing a hint of determination.

After a moment, Garp shook his head, grinned, and said, "You just said you're an old man, and now you want to lecture me. Oh well, whatever."

"Hahahaha. Mr. Karp, I don't know about others, but I'm sure that if anything changes in the future, you will choose to support me," Bane laughed and said with great confidence.

Karp looked at Bane with some surprise and asked, "Why are you so sure?"

"Just as you trust your own judgment, so do I," Bane said casually without explaining anything.

Karp pondered for a moment, not quite understanding, but didn't press for details.

On the distant horizon, a magnificent and imposing building came into view.

That place is none other than Impel Down, the impregnable deep-sea prison known as Impel Down!

(End of this chapter)