The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

"Garp, Roger's fate rests on your shoulders! You're the only one in the Navy with a chance of finding him! And..."

"No way." Garp's gaze was deep, as if piercing through the night: "That guy may be a pirate, but he shouldn't be an ambitious person."

Sengoku's brow furrowed even more: "Garp, what exactly do you know?"

“I don’t know anything.” Garp shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “It was just my intuition when it came to Roger.”

A brief silence fell over the office.

The wind outside the window gradually picked up, making the curtains flutter loudly.

“Garp,” Sengoku finally broke the silence, “it’s up to you.”

Moreover, I suspect that guy Gern is still in the first half of the Grand Line or the Four Seas.

"That guy's actions are always too risky," Sengoku said in a deep voice, "If we find him on the road, we'll discover..."

"What did you find?"

"If you find out that he is trying to secretly consort with the Snake Princess of Nine Snake Island, you should throw him into the sea immediately!"

Let this bastard wake up!!!

"Hahaha! Sengoku, you still prefer reading the gossip in the newspapers!"

Garp grinned and clapped his hands: "Alright, I haven't stretched my muscles in a long time anyway."

However…” he pointed to the senbei on the table, “you have to finish these, don’t waste them.”

"You're already this busy now, I can't even imagine how busy you'll be when you become a marshal."

"Okay, okay!" Sengoku sighed helplessly, finally reaching out to pick up a senbei: "Let's hurry up and set off, time waits for no one."

"Then I'll go prepare!" Garp laughed heartily, turned around and walked towards the door.

Chapter 197 Perception and Thunderclap

Marineford Port

Garp stood there, the sea breeze ruffling his half-gray hair.

At this moment, he glanced at the dog-headed warship undergoing emergency repairs in the distance, clicked his tongue, and turned to his adjutant, Bolt, shouting...

"Hey, Bolt! Get a fully fueled warship first thing tomorrow morning. My ship rushed back from the New World and it's practically scrap metal now!"

"Yes, Lieutenant General Karp." Bolt saluted and said in a deep voice, "I've made all the arrangements. We'll depart promptly at six o'clock tomorrow morning!"

Garp nodded in satisfaction and was about to turn and leave when suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind him.

"Vice Admiral Garp! Please wait a moment!"

"Hmm?" Garp turned around and saw that it was Tesoro, one of Gern's subordinates.

This green-haired golden boy was usually the only one among the three, the one who remained "calm."

At this moment, however, his expression was tense, and his eyes revealed a rare anxiety.

"Yo!" Garp raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Isn't this the golden brat of the Gern family? What, you want to see this old man?"

"Lieutenant General Garp." Tesoro took a deep breath, looked directly into Garp's eyes, and said firmly, "Please allow Ribo and me to accompany you!"

"Huh?" Garp was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, patting Tesoro's shoulder forcefully.

"What are you going to do? I'm going to hunt down Roger! That guy is no small fry, you might get killed!"

“I know.” Tesoro did not back down; instead, he clenched his fist, his voice low and resolute.

"Because...I...I suspect that Lieutenant General Gern may also be hunting Roger!"

"Gern is hunting Roger." Garp's smile faltered slightly, and his eyes sharpened instantly.

He stared at Tesoro and slowly said, "What do you mean by that?"

Tesoro gritted his teeth, seemingly making up his mind.

"Lieutenant General Gern was supposed to return to headquarters as ordered by Sengoku, but he instructed us to announce that he was still on the warship and was acting alone..."

I suspect he may have already found Roger!

"Doubt? ...But if it's him..." Garp paused for a moment, then narrowed his eyes: "That kid is certainly bold..."

“So, Lieutenant General Garp,” Tesoro’s voice trembled with urgency, “I know this violates the rules and might even be punished by Lieutenant General Gern.”

But the thought of him possibly facing the 'Pirate King' alone makes me restless!

Even if Vice Admiral Gern is incredibly strong, he couldn't possibly defeat Roger single-handedly! Roger was the "Pirate King"!

Garp stared at Tesoro for a few seconds, then suddenly grinned: "That kid Gorn, he's got a pretty good subordinate!"

Tesoro was taken aback, not expecting Garp to react this way.

"Alright!" Garp patted him on the shoulder and said cheerfully, "You two come along first thing tomorrow morning!"

A hint of joy flashed in Tesoro's eyes, and he nodded solemnly: "Yes!"

As he watched Tesoro's departing figure, Garp's smile gradually faded, and his eyes darkened.

"That kid Gern... found Roger?" he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed.

"Impossible... I've been chasing that guy for half my life, and Gern has only fought him once."

How could they possibly pinpoint Roger's location earlier than the World Government and everyone in the Navy?

Roger wasn't anything..." Garp stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, as if struck by something.

A scene from several months ago flashed through my mind.

It was in the corridor before the high command meeting of the Navy, he was walking side by side with Gern, and Gern casually made a joke.

Was Roger heartbroken and that's why he went to the South China Sea to find that girl? How wicked!

At that moment, Gern paused almost imperceptibly, though his expression remained calm. But now, looking back, Karp keenly sensed that the unusual moment.

“South China Sea…” Garp’s pupils contracted slightly as he suddenly realized.

"I see... That kid wasn't just agreeing with me at the time; he let it slip himself!"

Thinking about this, Garp connected all the dots and clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles making a slight cracking sound.

"Roger... he had no ambition at all."

Garp knew Roger too well.

That man conquered the sea, fulfilled his dream, and disbanding the pirate crew was not a conspiracy, but a genuine letting go.

"All he wants is to rest..."

The South China Sea was Roger's last temporary refuge.

"Then... he will return to his hometown."

Garp's breath hitched slightly as the image of Roger's relieved smile from their last encounter flashed through his mind.

[I'll turn myself in after all this is over! So, Garp! Don't stop me anymore.]

At the time, Garp thought it was just Roger's arrogant boast, but now that he thinks about it...

"That guy... is serious!"

Roger had no intention of escaping or causing any trouble.

He simply wanted to return to the East China Sea, to the place where it all began, at the end of his life.

And Gern probably saw through this long ago.

“You brat…” Garp’s lips curled up slightly, but a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

"What exactly do you want to do?!"

……

On the third day after Garp left headquarters, the atmosphere in the Marshal's office was heavy.

Sengoku, Kong, and Zephyr sat around a huge strategic sand table, their brows furrowed as they analyzed the so-called "Roger's ambitions."

Sengoku tapped his fingers lightly on the table and said in a deep voice.

Roger's disbanding of the pirate crew was definitely not just a simple matter of retirement.

That reason can be ruled out immediately; he must be…

"Hmm." Kong Kong rested his hands on his chin, his gaze sharp. "World Government intelligence indicates that his last known location was in the South China Sea, but the exact location..."

Zephyr snorted coldly, "No matter what he's plotting, once he dares to show his face, he can't hide it anymore! The same goes for Rocks."

"Can……"

Just then, "Brubrubrub!!!"

The Den Den Mushi on the table suddenly rang urgently, and almost at the same moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the corridor.

From afar, the sound grew louder until it culminated in a loud "bang!" as the office door was violently pushed open!

Kong's eyes sharpened, and he answered the Den Den Mushi first. The urgent shouts of the communications soldier immediately came through the receiver.

"Air Marshal! Air Marshal! The Scala Sea area in the South China Sea..."

Before he could finish speaking, the messenger staggered in.

His face was deathly pale, his chest heaved violently, and his pupils constricted in shock, as if he had witnessed something that would overturn the world.

"Hey!" Sengoku suddenly stood up: "What's going on?!"

Zefa pressed down on the edge of the table, and fine cracks appeared on the wooden surface under his palm.

The intelligence officer opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, and finally burst out a thunderous shout.

"Vice Admiral Gern and Pirate King Roger clashed on Bias Island in the Skara Sea of ​​the South Blue!"

Both sides are fighting to the death!

The world is shocked!

The air suddenly solidified.

At that moment, the voice on the other end of the Den Den Mushi continued: "Sea space distortion!"

The aftershocks of the battle triggered a massive tsunami! Three nearby islands have sunk, and the ocean stretches for thousands of miles, appearing hollowed out!

Steel Bone crushed the microphone in his empty hand with a "crack," Sengoku's pupils behind his glasses contracted violently, and Zephyr broke out in a cold sweat.

“That madman…” Sengoku squeezed out the words through gritted teeth, “He actually dared to challenge Roger alone?!”

"Does he think he's Garp?! You bastard!"

Steelbone slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Immediately mobilize all headquarters forces! Blockade the South China Sea! We cannot let Roger..."

"Wait!" Zephyr, who was the most tense at the moment, suddenly raised his hand to interrupt, his voice low and terrifying: "No... the focus right now is not Roger!"

“Zepha…” Sengoku stepped forward, seeing Zepha lost in thought due to worry, but Zepha stared directly at the intelligence officer and questioned him.

"When...when was this intelligence released!"

"Two..." The intelligence officer swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice, "Two days ago."

Warring States: "!!!"

Steel Bone Sky: "!!!"

"Two days ago?!" Steel Bone Sky slammed his fist on the table, the solid wood desk shattering beneath his hand. "Why are we only receiving this news now?!"

The intelligence officer was so intimidated by Kong's domineering aura that he took a half step back, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"Communications in the Skalar Sea were completely cut off. It was only after a nearby patrol ship observed unusual celestial phenomena that it risked approaching..."

"I just realized..." his voice trailed off, "that area of ​​the sea...is completely different now..."

Sengoku grabbed the crushed Den Den Mushi, and intermittent static crackled from the remaining communicator.

"...Spatial rift...10,000-meter seismic zone...Seawater cannot flow back...Unapproachable..."

Suddenly, Zephyr turned and walked to the window, his fist, wreathed in Armament Haki, blasting open the entire wall.

The salty sea breeze, carrying torrential rain, swept in, while in the distance, the sirens of Marineford wailed through the sky.

“Now is not the time to pursue this.” Zephyr’s cloak fluttered in the wind. “If that brat Gern can really force Roger to use his full strength…”