After pushing through the packed, bustling plaza—where Marines of all ranks scrambled out of the way as if parting before an unstoppable force—Garp led Luffy and Kuina into the heart of Marine Headquarters.
The very air inside the grand fortress seemed heavier. The walls gleamed with a pristine shine, adorned with towering banners displaying the Marine insignia.
Each step of Garp's heavy boots echoed through the polished hallways.
Luffy walked with an effortless swagger, his sharp, knowing eyes drinking in every detail—the towering columns.
Beside him, Kuina moved with a composed grace, her disciplined footfalls a stark contrast to Luffy's casual stride. Where his energy felt untamed and magnetic, hers was honed and lethal.
Though she said nothing, she was watching, her calculating gaze absorbing everything—every exit, every potential weakness, every flicker of doubt in the eyes of the Marines who stole glances at her.
When they finally arrived at the Fleet Admiral's office, Garp didn't bother knocking.
The thunderous BOOM of wood slamming against stone nearly rattled the entire building, sending a shockwave of alarm through the officers stationed nearby.
The sight of Garp the Hero striding in unannounced was already enough to send hearts racing—but the real spectacle was the two young warriors flanking him, their presence undeniable.
The Fleet Admiral's office was spacious, with its grand desk covered in neatly arranged stacks of reports. Behind his ornate desk, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, mid-sip of tea, nearly choked.
"What the—GARP!" He barked, slamming his cup down, golden liquid sloshing over the rim. "How many times have I told you to STOP DOING THAT?!"
Garp just laughed, completely ignoring the vein twitching dangerously on Sengoku's forehead. "Hah! Thought I'd save ya the trouble of openin' it yourself!"
He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the two standing behind him. "Brought ya somethin' good this time! My grandson, Monkey D. Luffy—"
Luffy flashed an easy grin, completely unfazed by the highest-ranking Marine in the world staring him down.
"—and Kuina."
Kuina merely gave a respectful nod, standing with perfect posture, her expression calm yet unreadable.
Sengoku's sharp eyes flickered between them, assessing, calculating. And yet, Luffy simply folded his arms behind his head and whistled.
"Nice place. Kinda fancy for a bunch of Marines, though."
Sengoku's eye twitched.
On the side, Vice Admiral Tsuru sat on a plush sofa, her keen gaze locked onto the two children. Her normally impassive expression shifted slightly—just the barest widening of her eyes, but for someone like her, it might as well have been a shout of surprise.
A presence. An awareness far beyond their years.
Her sharp eyes studied Luffy, taking in the way his small frame carried itself—steady, assured, completely unintimidated by the weight of Marine Headquarters itself.
There was no bravado in his stance, no desperate need to prove himself.
And Kuina?
She was different, but no less remarkable. Her posture was so refined it would have made seasoned officers self-conscious. She had already mapped the room, sized up everyone within it, and come to a silent conclusion.
These were not children.
Not in the way they should have been.
"I didn't even know you had a grandson," Tsuru murmured, studying the boy's features with open curiosity. Then, with a sharper glance toward Garp, she added, "Are you sure this is… wise?"
Garp only let out another booming laugh. "Of course! The kid's got spirit! He's here to be a Marine, and who better to train him than the best?"
Luffy turned his gaze to Sengoku and Tsuru, his eyes twinkling with something far more mature than his age might suggest. He bowed his head slightly, a small but disarming smile on his face..
He bowed his head slightly, his smile easy yet deliberate. "It's nice to meet you both, Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru."
His voice carried something unnatural for his age.
"I didn't even know you had a grandson," She murmured, studying the boy's features with open curiosity. "Are you sure this is… wise, Garp?"
"It's nice to meet you both, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and Vice Admiral Tsuru," He said, his voice carrying a surprising air of confidence.
Sengoku recovered from his shock and managed a curt nod. "I… didn't expect Garp to bring a child, much less his own grandson."
His tone held both disbelief and skepticism, but something in Luffy's unwavering gaze left him slightly unsettled.
There was a hint of cunning, even sharpness, in those young eyes.
That was not the gaze of a boy who had come here on a whim.
And Kuina, standing beside him, radiated an aura of razor-edged patience.
Sengoku narrowed his eyes.
Just what the hell had Garp dragged into Marineford?
"Tell me, Luffy," Tsuru asked calmly, her sharp eyes studying him. "Do you know what it means to become a Marine?"
Luffy's grin widened, an untamed spark dancing in his eyes.
"Of course, ma'am!" He declared, voice brimming with enthusiasm. "It means chasing down scumbags, punching the real villains so hard they see their ancestors, and making sure the strong don't trample the weak!"
Beside him, Kuina crossed her arms, smirking.
"And making sure the so-called 'justice' doesn't get twisted to serve the powerful," She added, her gaze flicking toward Sengoku with a challenge. "True justice is about protecting people, not just following orders."
For a moment, silence stretched across the room.
Tsuru's lips twitched ever so slightly, while Sengoku's mustache bristled.
"Well," Tsuru finally murmured, intrigued. "That is… quite the interpretation."
Before anyone could say more, the door creaked open again, a slow, drawn-out groan followed by a light, lazy, yet undeniably overwhelming presence stepping into the space.
Borsalino or more popularly knows as Admiral Kizaru strolled inside at an infuriatingly unhurried pace, his entire being radiating that signature air of detached amusement. His ever-present smirk stretched just a fraction wider.
"Yaaaanaii…" His voice rolled out in that sluggish drawl, as if he had all the time in the world. "What do we have here? Two little troublemakers and a living legend? My, my… what a scary combination…"
"Whoa! You're shiny!" Luffy said with the bluntness of a child, tilting his head. "Do you glow in the dark?"
Beside him, Kuina crossed her arms, her expression a mix of curiosity and challenge.
"More like a slowpoke pretending to be fast," She quipped, raising an eyebrow. "You're supposed to be light-speed, right? But you took forever to walk in."
Kizaru let out an exaggerated gasp, placing a hand over his heart as if wounded. "Ohhh, how terrifying! Even the kids these days have noooo respect for their elders…"
He peered down at them through his shades. "But I wonder… if you're so confident, little swordswoman… could you even touch me before I disappear?"
Kuina's grip on her sword Wado Ichimonji tightened. "Try me."
Luffy jumped in with a grin. "Me too! Me too! Let's see who's faster!"
Garp let out a booming laugh, slapping his knee. "Hah! Look at 'em, already pickin' fights with an Admiral! You sure you wanna poke that bear, Kizaru?"
Kizaru gave a languid shrug, the light around his fingers flickering playfully. "Mmmm… I dunnoooo… sounds exhausting. But… maybe just a little test?"
With that, he vanished in a flash—only to reappear behind Luffy and Kuina before they could react, resting his hands lazily on their heads.
"Too slooow," He teased.
Luffy spun around, pouting. "No fair!"
Kuina, however, was already recalculating, her eyes sharp. "Then next time… I won't blink."
Kizaru chuckled, ruffling both their heads. "Oohhh, scary. I guess I should watch my back in a few years, hm?"
Garp roared with laughter, crossing his arms. "Few years? Bah! These brats'll be making your life hell before you know it!"
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