Chapter 162: The Justice of the Navy Is Nothing More Than Representing the Governnt’s Interests
"Perururu"
"Yo, Gion girl. Why’re you calling this late?"
Garp’s lazy voice ca through the Den Den Mushi, accompanied by the unmistakable crunch of senbei.
"Old man, seriously? You’re either eating or sleeping all the damn ti."
"Aren’t you supposed to be a ’naval hero’ or sothing?"
Ryuunosuke’s voice chid in with a faint smirk.
Hearing that voice, Garp suddenly perked up, senbei forgotten.
"Ryuunosuke? You brat... How the hell did Gion end up with you?"
His tone shifted sharply—no longer casual. Though Garp had known what kind of troublemaker Ryuunosuke was in his youth, this current situation was another matter entirely.
Even Garp couldn’t be sure if Ryuunosuke had hard Gion.
"I want my crew back, old man," Ryuunosuke said calmly. "I didn’t kill anyone on that Navy warship, and Vice Admiral Gion? Not a scratch on her."
"So let’s make a deal. You give her to , and we’ll call it even."
Originally, Ryuunosuke was planning to go straight to Garp to talk, but that would’ve put him at a disadvantage. Now, with Gion as leverage, the power dynamic had shifted.
After all, she was a Vice Admiral of Navy HQ, and he was supposedly just a pirate crew’s handyman division captain.
In a straightforward comparison, anyone could see which side held more weight.
Of course, Garp wasn’t just anyone.
"...Co to Santan Island."
That was all Garp said before cutting the call.
---
"Santan Island, huh? If we set sail now, we’ll be there in thirty minutes," Najenda said, scanning the sea chart. "Captain, are we going?"
"Of course."
Ryuunosuke stood and hopped onto the bow. "If the old man’s laid out the welco mat, I’m not one to refuse."
This would be his second encounter with Garp since going out to sea.
The first ti didn’t even count as a conversation—it had started with a punch to the gut, courtesy of Garp.
This ti, hopefully, they’d actually talk.
Thirty minutes later, the Evil Battleship arrived at Santan Island. Garp’s iconic dog-headed warship was already docked.
"Captain!"
Seeing Ryuunosuke, Urzi burst into tears—snot and all.
He hadn’t cried through imprisonnt or injury, but the second he saw Ryuunosuke, it all ca crashing down.
He completely lost it.
"Alright, alright, quit bawling already."
Ryuunosuke lowered the ladder. "Get over here."
Then he turned to his crew. "You guys stay put. I’m going to see the old man."
Without waiting for a reply, he vanished from the bow.
As for Gion, she was allowed to return to Garp’s ship unimpeded.
Garp was sitting on the beach, munching senbei and staring at the sea.
"Yo, old man. Long ti no see," Ryuunosuke called out casually as he approached. "Next ti you steal one of my crew, at least say hello."
He plopped down beside Garp and grabbed a senbei for himself.
Still tasted like cardboard, in his opinion. Lots of energy, sure, but zero flavor.
"Ryuunosuke, what exactly are you after?" Garp asked, putting down the senbei.
"I’m not ’after’ anything," Ryuunosuke replied with a shrug. "Wasn’t it the Navy that made the first move?"
"My crew’s back now, and I’ve got no plans to retaliate. That’s all."
He raised his hands as if to say, See? I’m innocent.
Garp didn’t respond imdiately.
Because, honestly, Ryuunosuke wasn’t wrong.
The whole operation was a setup, a trap designed with Blackbeard to take down both Whitebeard’s crew and the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Now, Garp was standing here like he had the moral high ground—which he didn’t.
"Old man, you and Sengoku have been busting your asses for decades."
"What do you even have to show for it?"
"Did the number of pirates go down?"
"Are the people happier?"
"Did you stop the wars?"
Each question hit like a wave.
"We..."
Garp couldn’t even finish his sentence.
What had they really accomplished?
After Roger’s death, Garp had taken a backseat. He focused on family, tried to raise Luffy and Ace, and even Ryuunosuke in a way. Though Ryuunosuke hadn’t been raised by him directly, he still felt like part of the family.
And Sabo... well, Garp didn’t even know he’d joined the Revolutionary Army.
Sure, the East Blue was quieter now—but that was because all the strong pirates had moved on. The ones left were bottom-feeders.
And even worse, so Navy branches had started colluding with pirates, making life even worse for civilians.
As for stopping wars?
The World Governnt couldn’t control the non-affiliated nations, and barely kept the others in check.
So again... what the hell had they accomplished?
"I’ve been carrying the banner of justice for decades," Garp muttered.
"No matter what people say, I stand for justice."
The fallback excuse. The one he always used.
"Justice, huh?"
Ryuunosuke raised an eyebrow.
"You really think you’re upholding justice by taking orders from those Celestial Dragon trash?"
"Co on, old man. Don’t kid yourself."
"You don’t stand for justice. You represent the interests of the World Governnt."
That hit hard.
Interests.
The word echoed in Garp’s head, stirring doubts that had long been buried.
He had seen what the World Governnt had done.
How they treated civilians.
How they silenced dissent.
And he had done nothing.
Because he couldn’t.
Because Sengoku needed him.
Because the Navy needed him.
Because if even he, the so-called "Hero of the Navy," abandoned justice... then what was left?
---
"I get it, old man," Ryuunosuke said, voice softer now.
"I know you’re stuck between duty and conscience."
"So I’m not asking you to change your beliefs."
"But I am asking you not to stand in the way of mine."
Dreams.
Justice.
Two things that would never coexist on the sea.
The World Governnt thrived on control, power, and fear.
And things like freedom or dreams?
To them, those were cris.
---
"If you don’t go after the Navy Governnt, I won’t either," Garp said after a long silence.
"But if I see you in Marineford..."
"I’ll give it everything I’ve got to capture you. Just like before."
He didn’t bother with more speeches.
Because Ryuunosuke wasn’t like Luffy.
Ryuunosuke had his own path. His own dream. His own version of justice.
And Garp knew—he couldn’t change that.
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