"I'll stake my hero's name on it. I will make you the King of the World."
Garp stared at Rosen, his eyes wide and disbelieving. "You don't blame this old man?"
Even the usually carefree Vice Admiral understood the gravity of the situation. The Judge Forbidden Zone was the Marine's most critical asset; its preservation was paramount, arguably more important than Marineford itself. It housed the source of all advanced technology developed by Dr. Vegapunk and Vinsmoke Judge. Garp had prepared himself to apologize profusely for the breach, but he never expected Rosen to offer praise instead of reprimand.
"Why should I blame you?" Rosen asked calmly.
"I failed to protect the base!" Garp insisted, unable to accept the leniency.
"And isn't it all right now?" Rosen gestured to the reinforced walls, merely cracked by the aftershocks of Haki clashes. "A bit of damage, nothing more."
"I let Kaido escape," Garp admitted, his voice heavy with regret.
"I'll catch him again later," Rosen replied with a dismissive wave, as if swatting a fly. "It's a trivial matter."
"The Red-Haired Pirates humiliated a hero like me," Garp met his gaze, searching for judgment.
"Then I'll simply destroy them when the time comes," Rosen stated, his tone casual yet carrying absolute certainty.
"You handed this fortress to me," Garp said, his voice cracking slightly. "And I've returned it in chaos. You… you truly don't resent this old man?"
"Chaos?" Rosen extended his hand, and a Zanpakutō materialized from the air, the hilt settling into his grip. He thrust the blade into the ground. "Bankai. Kannon Kai Benihime Kai."
A profound reconstruction wave pulsed through the base. The structural damage caused by the Red-Haired Pirates' invasion and Kaido's presence was instantly erased. Rubble reassembled, metal flowed back into shape, and the facility was restored to pristine condition, leaving only faint, scar-like patches to mark the struggle.
Rosen retracted the blade. "I don't see the chaos you described."
Garp blinked, then let out a hearty, booming laugh that shook his bandaged ribs. "Pfft—Hahahaha! Zephyr! Oh, Zephyr! I never admired you in anything, except for this one time. You've truly trained a king for the Marines."
Garp looked at Rosen with deep respect, his laughter subsiding into a grin. As a Marine of the old era, he and Zephyr were peers. In Haki and physical prowess, Garp had the edge. But in the realm of mentorship, he knew he fell short. Neither the defected Monkey D. Dragon nor the traitorous Kuzan could compare to the man standing before him.
"All along," Garp said, his voice dropping to a rare, serious timbre, "the reason I remained in the Marines was those two words: 'Justice.' They kept me here even after witnessing the darkness of the World Government and the cruelty of the world."
For the first time, the unconstrained Vice Admiral revealed his true feelings to his superior. "Now, besides the justice I bear, I have another reason to remain."
He stared intently at Rosen. "Double Heaven Return Shield."
Facing Garp's gaze, Rosen did not look away. As their eyes met, the power of the Six-Flower Shield manifested. An orange-yellow barrier enveloped the Marine hero, mending the critical injuries he had sustained while protecting the base from Kaido and Shanks.
"Did you know?" Garp ignored the healing barrier, his eyes distant. "In Pangaea Castle at Mary Geoise, there is an empty throne. Long ago, Rocks D. Xebec sought to sit upon it and become King. I stopped him then."
"I refuse," Rosen replied quietly, understanding the implication. With a silent command, the barrier intensified, fully restoring Garp's crippled body.
"Rocks was stopped," Garp continued, his voice firm. "Now, I want to see you ascend that throne. I will stake my hero's name on it. I will make you the King of the World."
Garp clenched his fist, the bandages on his body shattering as he sat bolt upright on the medical cot. His expression was unyielding, his voice carrying the weight of a vow.
"You will see it, Mr. Garp," Rosen nodded, dispersing the barrier.
"I will definitely see it," Garp replied, his seriousness returning in full force. "The Arms-Arms Fruit in your hands is practically divine power. Buildings destroyed are repaired. Wounds are healed." He stretched, his bones cracking audibly. "Damn Shanks. If I find him alone, I'll break every bone in his body."
He admitted Shanks was strong—a reincarnation of Roger in swordsmanship and mastery of all three Haki types. But one-on-one, Garp was confident. The Red-Haired Pirates, however, never fought fair. They had team tactics, and they had Kaido's ambush. Garp was only alive thanks to Rosen's contingency plans.
"If you don't mind, Mr. Garp," Rosen steered the conversation back to the objective, "I'd like to witness the events myself to understand what happened."
"Go ahead," Garp waved a hand. "It's better this way. You'll get a clear picture of their strength."
Rosen nodded, his eyes glowing red. He cast Jigoku no Jōkei (Infernal Stance), linking his mind to Garp's memories. The scene unfolded before him like a movie…
[Memory Sequence Initiated]
Judge Forbidden Zone – The Beach
Garp lay on a beach chair, enjoying the North Blue sunshine, his eyes slightly narrowed. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, a crimson glow flashing in his pupils.
"Pirates?"
A branch Colonel rushed forward. "Report, Vice Admiral Garp! Southeast, five kilometers out. Confirmed sightings of the Red-Haired Pirates."
"That's odd," Garp frowned. "I was told there were Navy patrols within twenty kilometers of the base. Why is there no early warning?"
"We attempted contact with the patrolling units, sir," the Colonel stammered. "All units have lost contact."
Garp stood up, his carefree demeanor vanishing. "Is that so? They're serious."
"Pass the order: Full military preparation. All researchers retreat to the air-raid shelters immediately."
"Yes, sir!" The Colonel saluted, but hesitated. Even Garp was preparing for the worst?
"Too late," Garp murmured, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Five Kilometers Offshore – Red-Haired Pirates' Ship
Red-Haired Shanks stood at the bow, his gaze piercing the distance, locking onto the Marine base.
"Mr. Garp," Shanks muttered. "I thought Kuzan was guarding this place. That's a headache worse than Aokiji. Rosen is fighting the Whitebeard and Big Mom Pirates, yet he still leaves a monster like Garp here."
"It's troublesome, isn't it?" Ben Beckman lit a cigarette.
"Still going?" Beckman asked.
"Of course," Shanks gripped the hilt of his sword. "Even a hero can't stop us. Captain Roger ushered in the Great Pirate Era with his life. I can't let the Marines destroy it."
With that, Shanks drew his blade. Whoosh.
Instantly, streaks of crimson lightning, like thunder dragons, coiled across the sky and swept over the sea. An overwhelming, mountain-like pressure of Haki descended upon the Judge Forbidden Zone.
"High-Level Conqueror's Haki," Garp growled, his eyes flashing crimson.
Garp's own Conqueror's Haki erupted. Black and red lightning collided with Shanks's Haki on the sea surface.
BOOM!
A thunderous roar shook the air. A shockwave of Haki exploded like a missile, spreading outward like a hurricane.
Unlike Rosen, who could suppress even the mightiest Conqueror's Haki to a pinpoint, Garp could not contain the sheer volume of Shanks's power. The surging torrent washed over the Judge Forbidden Zone.
Instantly, 99% of the personnel at the base collapsed. Only elite Vice Admirals and above remained conscious and standing. This was the sheer weight of superior Conqueror's Haki—the prerequisite for becoming the Pirate King.
"They really know how to pick their timing," Garp's face was grim.
Most of the elite Vice Admirals had been deployed to handle the Whitebeard Pirates, leaving the base lightly defended. Garp realized he might have to face the entire Red-Haired Pirates alone.
Whoosh.
Garp reached up, tearing off his Justice Coat. He would build an impregnable wall of justice alone, keeping the Red-Haired Pirates from the base. This was the choice of the Marine Hero.
[Memory Sequence End]
Rosen's eyes returned to normal, the red glow fading. He processed the scene—the loss of contact with patrols, the timing of the attack, the overwhelming pressure of Shanks's Haki, and Garp's desperate stand.
Garp sat on the bed, looking at Rosen. "Well? What's the verdict?"
Rosen's expression remained cold and calculating. "Their coordination was flawless. They neutralized the outer perimeter before we even knew they were there. Shanks has indeed mastered advanced Conqueror's Haki, but it's Kaido's presence that complicates things. He's a wild card that defies logic."
Garp grunted, clenching his fist. "Next time, I'll make them pay."
Rosen turned toward the window, looking out at the sea. "There will be a next time. And when they come, they won't find a base—they'll find a fortress guarded by the strongest force in the world. We're done here, Mr. Garp. Rest up."
As Rosen walked out of the medical bay, his mind was already racing, calculating the next move. The Red-Haired Pirates and Kaido had struck once. But now, they had drawn the attention of the most dangerous man in the Marines.
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