Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

Sett asked suspiciously as he drank, "Aren't you that so-called naval hero? There are so many great pirates in the New World, surely you've fought one yet?"

"Yes, but no."

Upon hearing this, Garp's smile faded, and he said with a hint of emotion, "The Marine Headquarters has changed... no, it's more accurate to say that the World Government and the entire ocean have changed!"

"Those great pirates have become powerful warlords! Especially after Roger died, once the Great Pirate Era began, the World Government basically gave up on the stability and advancement of the New World."

"why?"

"Because they need to stabilize the four seas and reduce the number of people going to sea to become pirates." Garp downed the large barrel of beer in his hand in one gulp, and then said, "Although there are many strong people in the Grand Line and the New World, if you really want to count them, the four seas are the foundation of the World Government's existence. If everyone in the four seas went to become pirates, the pressure on both the World Government and the Navy would increase dramatically."

Although it seems unreliable, Garp has served in the Navy for decades. Although he is too lazy to get involved in some things, he has a high vantage point and can guess most things just by thinking about them.

As Garp casually remarked, "Anyway, the World Government has strictly prohibited the Navy from entering the New World. You haven't been there, so you don't know. Because of the Navy's voluntary withdrawal, the great pirates in the New World are now fighting like mad for territory. Whitebeard's fleet has increased by half, Charlotte Linlin is even more impressive, directly establishing Whole Cake Island. Kaido is the same, directly occupying Wano Country. And the other great pirates are also fighting each other, constantly expanding their power."

"Is the World Government just playing the field?" Sett said, somewhat bewildered. "If things continue like this, I reckon it will be impossible for the World Government to re-enter the New World."

"They know about this, and they know it better than anyone else."

Nodding, Garp said, "But there's no other way. The four seas must be stable, even if it's only relatively stable, it will greatly reduce the pressure on other regions. Otherwise, if all the kids in the four seas run off to become pirates, wouldn't the World Government become a mere shell of its former self?"

"That's why, even though I wanted to challenge Whitebeard and the others, Sengoku just wouldn't let me!"

As he said this, a hint of dissatisfaction and annoyance crept into Garp's voice—though not hatred, of course. He knew, too, that these things couldn't be forced.

"All they do is talk about how this could delay important matters, how they could send the wrong signals to other great pirates, and how they could form a united front against the Navy... Everyone knows all that stuff, honestly, it's so annoying!"

As he spoke, Garp tapped his wine glass on the table with a hint of dissatisfaction. Clearly, even Garp maintained a great deal of enthusiasm for battle. But being able to only clear out the small fry in the first half of the Grand Line, as was the case now, was truly mentally taxing.

It's important to understand that spending too much time in lower ranks can lead to a sense of stagnation. More importantly, while initially stomping weaker players might feel satisfying, over time it becomes like playing a game with cheat codes, drastically reducing your playability. The fun of combat gradually becomes tedious—because the thrill of strategic gameplay is completely lost!

When you're within a system, you're bound to encounter obstacles and constraints. Like right now, the World Government needs stability in the four seas and the first half of the Grand Line—even though the Navy can't subdue the great pirates of the New World, that doesn't matter. If I can't control the New World, can't I control you?

“We’re getting old,” Garp said. “I’ve never been promoted to Admiral. Before, the Five Elders would often send people to persuade me to take the position, saying that my merits and qualifications were sufficient. But in the last few months, no one has come to persuade me.”

"Zeff is the same. When his wife and children had an accident, he applied to step down, but the Five Elders wouldn't allow it. Now he's retired to the second line and no longer goes to sea but only trains new recruits for the navy. Sengoku is a careerist, though. He'll take on dirty work like Ohara. I guess when the Air Admiral steps down, the next Navy Admiral will be Sengoku."

As he said this, Garp said with a touch of emotion, "If I hadn't turned Roger into prison back then, then judging by merit, that guy Tsuru would actually be very suitable to be a Marine Admiral—at least he'd be much more reliable than me."

“Indeed, you old men should step down.” Hearing Garp's words, Sett nodded. Too lazy to pour himself a drink, he simply picked up the bottle and chugged it. While drinking, he pointed and nodded in agreement.

"I reckon it's time to start making way for the next admiral. I was reading the newspaper recently. What were they called again... Right, Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru. Those nicknames are really strange."

Shaking his head, Sett continued, "I've noticed they've been chasing pirates lately, catching those wanted criminals and stuff. I reckon they'll be the next Marine Admirals to take over after you step down, right?"

It should have been a secret, something that shouldn't have been revealed. But Garp wasn't wary of Sett—after all, this secret had become something everyone could roughly guess. After all, there were only a handful of truly powerful figures on the sea, and a brief exchange of blows was enough to determine the other's strength and magnanimity.

Although the navy often promotes the idea that not everything can be solved by force, everyone knows that the most important thing on the high seas is strength.

With strength and a proven track record, everything else is negotiable. Take Garp, for example. Even if he goes against the Five Elders, even if his son joins the Revolutionary Army, the Five Elders won't say a word. There's no way around it; capturing the Pirate King alive has given Garp an absurdly high reputation among the public and the Navy. Forcing a confrontation would not only lose a top-tier combatant but also cause internal divisions within the Navy and the World Government.

Furthermore, there are some reclusive powerhouses on the high seas who operate outside the World Government, the Navy, and the pirates. If such actions provoke their resentment, it will only worsen the already dire situation, making life even more difficult for the World Government.

"Speaking of which, you really don't plan to join the Navy? Actually, the Navy is quite nice~" Garp waved the bottle in his hand, extending the invitation again.

Sett curled his lip in response, then said:

"The World Government is disgusting... How about this, you can invite me after all those guys called the Five Elders and Celestial Dragons are dead? Otherwise, just thinking about working for them makes me feel like I'm going to die."

"Good heavens!" Garp exclaimed, "If word gets out that, you'll be the first one dead! Your bounty will start at fifty million!"

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I finished writing it late last night, and I was a bit tired and in a hurry to go to sleep so I didn't pay attention. But when I woke up this morning, holy crap? Why didn't I upload it?

I've corrected the typos now. Today's text is the same as usual, continuing with 8k words (staying up all night to type is really tough).

147 Windmill Town

The warships anchored and settled down, and the people ate and drank their fill before going to sleep.

I woke up the next day and stretched. The first thing I saw was the blinding sunlight. Looking around, I saw the entire warship covered in leftovers from top to bottom. It was fortunate there were no pirates around; if they had seen this, they would have made a fortune—a fortune from the Navy, no less.

This scene would have been unimaginable in his previous life, since not all countries considered vodka a necessity during wartime like Russia. In Sett's memory, drinking was a recipe for disaster, especially in the military. It was one thing at other times, but drinking in a military camp or on a warship was absolutely out of the question.

And only in this world would a warship be on patrol and for a vice admiral on board to be drinking like this.

Of course, not everyone got drunk. Hawkeye, for example, only had a few glasses of red wine and ate about 80% full before returning to the impact boat to rest. This might sound unbelievable, but Hawkeye is actually very disciplined; he usually only eats until he's about 70% full. This time, eating until he was 80% full was already a sign of how delicious the food was.

Some soldiers on duty also did not participate in the banquet, which can be considered as preserving some insignificant dignity for the navy of this world.

Last night, Sett and Garp had a great chat, from the New World to the Grand Line and the Four Seas. At first, the surrounding Marines were genuinely shocked by Sett's crude remarks, such as saying that the Five Elders were all idiots and that the Celestial Dragons had all fed their brains to dogs.

But as they talked, they realized that Sett was just like that, and more importantly, sometimes they thought the same way. While the Marines only silently agreed, Garp was the happiest when he heard Sett's words. He not only openly nodded in agreement but also helped to elaborate on just how annoying and stupid the Celestial Dragons were. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought these two were pirates and revolutionaries, only knowing that this was a bounty hunter and a Marine hero.

It can only be said that Long's return to the revolutionary army was related to his upbringing.

Sett had no idea how much he had drunk. All he knew was that by the end, even Garp's speech was slurred and incoherent, making it impossible to understand what he was saying.

On the contrary, Sett, who drank the most, was completely unharmed. He emptied at least five oak barrels used to store alcohol by himself.

There was beer, as well as other spirits like baijiu and red wine. For an ordinary person, that much alcohol would probably have made them drunk and passed out, or even from alcohol poisoning. But for Sett, the alcohol had no effect whatsoever. Seriously, it was just alcohol. Sett's body didn't even need to actively detoxify it with his liver; most of it was already digested in his stomach.

Unless Sett truly wants to get drunk and deliberately lets his organs stop detoxifying, allowing alcohol to invade his nervous system, he could drink a thousand cups of industrial alcohol without getting drunk.

"Ah," Sett stretched and relaxed, his face full of laziness as he asked, "Where are you guys planning to go?"

My bones were cracking and popping from lying on the table all night; it was a truly awful feeling. Sleeping doesn't necessarily mean sleeping in a bed, but at the very least, you have to lie down. Otherwise, you wake up with your spine feeling like you've just done some heavy physical labor.

Hearing the sound of Ser's reminder, Garp woke up with a long "Ah!" Stretching his limbs and rubbing his sleepy eyes, he said, "I was just about to head back to my hometown, to the Goa Kingdom. And, well, I'll also visit my grandson in Windmill Village! Hehe, even though my son went and joined the Revolutionary Army, it's okay, I'll definitely train my grandson to be the greatest Marine soldier!"

As he spoke, Garp grinned proudly, his front teeth and raised thumb gleaming in the sunlight, drawing everyone's attention.

Sett touched his chin with a hint of interest: "Your grandson? I'd like to see him. Didn't that guy Dragon worry about leaving his son in your care?"

After yesterday's drinking session, Sett now knows Garp's personality all too well. It's no exaggeration to say that this kind of personality is completely unsuitable for raising children.

Garp's voice was nonchalant: "What's the use of his worrying? That little bastard actually quit his good job as a Marine behind my back to start some damn Revolutionary Army, which is why Sengoku is constantly coming to bother me. It's so annoying, I can't even get a break! From now on, I'll beat him every time I see him! He wants my grandson? Humph!"

“Alright then.” Sett yawned and said, “I don’t know where that damn redhead has run off to, so let’s go to the Goa Kingdom together and see what that dragon’s son looks like.”

As he said this, Sett's eyes showed a hint of curiosity. This family was no ordinary family. The grandfather was a naval hero who captured the Pirate King and joined forces with the next naval admiral to arrest the pirate commander, Golden Lion.

And his son? He's a member of the Revolutionary Army, abandoning a perfectly good Marine to fight against the World Government. Sett was curious about what kind of guy the youngest in the family was. Given the precedents of the Marines and the Revolutionary Army, it would be hilarious if he became a pirate in the future.

With the mindset of enjoying the spectacle, Sett's assault boat was tied to the stern of the warship and followed it towards the Kingdom of Goa.

The Kingdom of Goa is spotless. It is known as the most beautiful country and city in the East Blue. Of course, although it sounds wonderful, the reason it can achieve this is entirely due to its internal social structure, which perfectly isolates society, keeping all unnecessary things, including the poor and the homeless, out.

The poor, and their possessions, were thrown outside the city. What remained were simply beautiful things. Such behavior would have been condemned as a crime in the past. But in this world, it's different. The most popular thing here is to compete in rottenness. Compared to this, the social system of the Goa Kingdom at least has its own unique kind of rottenness.

"arrive!"

After sailing for about two weeks, Sett and the others heard Garp's voice and finally went ashore.

"The Goa Kingdom is just over Mount Gorbel. It shouldn't take long if you want to go see it." Back home, Garp wore a relaxed smile. He casually tossed aside his Navy Justice Coat and loosened the slightly tight buttons on his uniform, saying, "I was indeed looking for my grandson! Haha, it's been over half a year since I've been back. I wonder what that brat looks like now! Hmm, he can't be too skinny; I'll have to give him a good workout!"

Upon hearing Garp's words, Sett remained noncommittal, simply nodding and saying, "Let's go take a look together then. I'm also quite curious about what kind of child that dragon guy can have!"

To be honest, not being able to fight Dragon before was a regret for Sett. As the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon's fighting power, if not the top-tier on the sea, was at least among the best.

After all, he was the son of a naval hero. If Ryu hadn't chosen to leave the navy and join the Revolutionary Army, he would at least be a candidate for admiral by now. Unfortunately, Ryu always appeared wounded at the time, and he also had a bit of a falling out with Koushirou, so their communication was limited to words and didn't involve any physical fights.

Thinking about it now, although I didn't realize it at the time, it's really disappointing, especially after the fistfight with Garp. As a result, Sett is now becoming more and more curious about the dragon's strength.

But what's done is done, and it's unrealistic to go back and fight him now. So, I'll just take it one step at a time.

Windmill Village wasn't big, and the first thing Garp did upon returning wasn't to catch up with old friends or chat with his grandson about his studies. Instead, he went straight to the tavern.

"Hey, Makino, you've gotten even prettier since I last saw you, hahaha!"

The Makino that Garp mentioned was a graceful woman with a headscarf and long green hair. Sitting behind the bar, she appeared to be in her early twenties. Upon seeing Garp, her eyes lit up with surprise, and she exclaimed, "Uncle Garp? Why are you back? The village chief and the others didn't even tell me!"

As she said this, a hint of complaint crept into the girl's voice. Garp, however, didn't seem to care, simply chuckling, "Who knows where that old man ran off to? Anyway, I came straight here as soon as I got back. How about it, do you have any of Windmill Village's special drinks? Nowhere else has as good a drink as yours!"

"Of course!"

Hearing Garp's praise, the girl's face showed a hint of pride. She turned around and prepared to mix drinks to welcome Garp. Garp may be a famous naval hero outside the sea, but in the village, he is more like a kind and friendly old neighbor.

"Speaking of which, who is this gentleman?"

Makino noticed Sett's short haircut and a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Sett simply shrugged at this, then sat down next to Garp: "My name is Sett. I just happened to be passing by to see what that dragon guy's son looks like."

"The son of the dragon, you mean Luffy? They should be playing on the mountain right now!"

As she said this, Makino pushed the drinks towards Garp and said with a friendly smile, "The drinks are ready. Since it's Uncle Garp, the first drink is free."

"Hehe, then I won't be polite!"

Hearing this, Sett glanced at Garp and asked with some curiosity, "It seems this old man has a good reputation among you."

"Of course," the girl replied, not surprised to hear Sett call Garp "old man." After all, in their minds, Garp had always been the kind of person who was easygoing and approachable. Despite his age, he would join in whenever he saw the younger generation playing around.

"Uncle Garp has always been like this. Although he is a naval hero, he is also a member of Windmill Village!"

"Indeed, this place is more affluent than other places."

As he said this, Sett also ordered a drink. Sett was different from before. Because he had been hit in the face by a cannonball and his hair was scorched by the flames, Sett had cut his hair shorter, making him look more sharp and his strong features more prominent.

And just as Sett said, throughout his journey, he could clearly sense that the residents of Windmill Village had a different spirit than people from other places. There seemed to be little pressure, and even the elderly often wore smiles. Even in the most peaceful East Sea, this tranquility and ease were rare and precious. It evoked the feeling described in Tao Yuanming's Peach Blossom Spring: "The land was flat and spacious, the houses were neatly arranged, there were fertile fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees and bamboo groves. The paths crisscrossed, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard. People went about their farming, and the men and women dressed just like outsiders. The elderly and children alike were all content and happy."

Sensing Sett's confusion, Makino explained, "It's also because of Vice Admiral Garp."

"Is this also related to him?"

Sett raised an eyebrow in surprise. Makino then explained with a smile, "Because Vice Admiral Garp captured the Pirate King, and when the World Government rewarded him, he didn't ask for any reward. So now Windmill Village is like what you see, it doesn't need to pay taxes to the Goa Kingdom, and it even receives some poverty relief every month."

After hearing Makino's explanation, Sett finally understood the reason behind all of this.

This is probably what people often refer to as "when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

Curious, Sett ordered several drinks. While drinking, he inquired about Windmill Village. Meanwhile, Garp was stopped by the village chief and others who had rushed over upon hearing the news. A thin, hunched old man, holding a cane, pointed at Garp and talked about dragons, blaming him for not disciplining them properly. Sett didn't bother to interrupt; Garp seemed to be enjoying himself.

Just then, the door suddenly slammed shut. Immediately afterwards, a tall man with a cross-shaped scar on his forehead and a small braid walked in.

Despite it being the height of summer, he was still wearing a coat: "We are bandits, but we're not here to rob anyone today."

The leader of the group said, "How about it? Sell us ten barrels of bar! We just made some money, my men and I need to celebrate!"

"It's Sig." Seeing the bandits arrive, Makino's face showed a hint of helplessness.

"What, are you that good?"

Seti asked with some curiosity.