Chapter 348: Arrival at Marineford (2/20)
After Sengoku directly exposed Ace's identity, Garp not only showed no panic but instead burst into laughter, saying, "Old friend, as expected, nothing gets past you!"
"Why?" Sengoku asked Garp with some pain in his voice. "Why did you adopt Ace? Don't you know he's Roger's son? If this gets out to the world, do you realize how much damage it will do to your reputation?"
Sengoku and Garp had been close friends for many years. However, it was precisely because of his frustration with Garp's actions that he felt compelled to bring this up openly today.
In fact, it was only after the great battle on Salamis Island that the Marines learned Ace's true name: Portgas D. Ace. When this name was reported to Sengoku, it piqued his intense interest.
Another member of the D clan? After seeing the name, Sengoku ordered the Cipher Pol to investigate Ace's background thoroughly.
In the pirate world, due to inconvenient transportation, investigating someone's identity took considerable time. During this period, Sengoku quietly kept an eye on Fire Fist Ace, watching him gradually make a name for himself in the New World, watching him ascend to the position of Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and watching his bounty rise steadily, soaring past five hundred million. Even Sengoku had to admit that Ace was an extremely talented and powerful pirate.
Not long ago, precisely when Teach defected from the Whitebeard Pirates, the Cipher Pol's investigation report was finally compiled and placed on Sengoku's desk.
It was only upon seeing the investigation's contents that Sengoku realized Pirate King Roger truly had left behind bloodline, and that it had now grown to such heights...
While fuming that the old man Whitebeard was actually fostering Roger's son, Sengoku began considering how to capture Ace.
However, none of this shocked him as much as his old friend Garp. It wasn't until he received the investigation report that Sengoku learned his old friend had not only secretly adopted Roger's son but also had a real grandson—the bloodline of his revolutionary son, Dragon!
Do you even know what you're doing!? Over this period, whenever Sengoku thought about Garp's actions, he couldn't help but get angry. So today, he finally decided to be completely honest with Garp.
Hearing Sengoku's question, Garp stopped laughing. His usual playful expression vanished. Holding his teacup, he sighed and said dejectedly, "Reputation and such mean nothing to me. I'm just an old man now. All I know is that they are my grandsons, and I am their grandfather... Sengoku, my old friend, do you really think the grudges of the previous generation need to be passed down to the next?"
"I don't know!" Sengoku refused to answer Garp's question, shaking his head. "I'm telling you this today to prepare you mentally. I am, after all, the Fleet Admiral, representing the entire Marines. I cannot simply ignore the sinful bloodline of the Pirate King. I will soon find a way to apprehend Fire Fist Ace."
"Whatever you say!" Garp said with a smile. "I am also a member of the Marines. I understand you!"
Sengoku sighed and patted Garp on the shoulder. "If you want to blame someone, blame Ace for choosing the path of a pirate..."
These words subtly stirred Garp's anger, making him suddenly think of that rascal Ian. Back in the East Blue, Ian had promised to help capture Ace and make him a Marine, but instead, that brat had colluded with Ace, becoming good friends, and then Ian himself went off to become a pirate!
Next time he saw him, he'd give him a good beating. Ace had been led astray by him!
Perhaps due to their long-standing bond, just as Garp thought of Ian, Sengoku inexplicably thought of him too. Stroking his beard, Sengoku suddenly spoke up, "Garp, Ace and Ian are good friends, right? So, do you think Ace's mysterious disappearance lately might mean he followed Ian to the Grand Line?"
"Impossible, right?" Garp was startled. "Wasn't Ian said to be alone?"
"According to reports from Alabasta, he was indeed alone!" Sengoku said. "For some reason, he went and fought Crocodile, another Warlord. But based on intelligence, he later left Alabasta with Crocodile..."
In the first half of the Grand Line, the Marines and World Government had decent intelligence capabilities. Whether Ian appeared on Drum Island or Alabasta, his tracks were discovered. However, they still couldn't figure out Ian's purpose.
As for what happened on Ian's territory, Travira Island, in the New World, the Marines were unaware. Travira's location was in an area where Marine power was weakest, and their reach couldn't extend there. So far, the Marines not only didn't know Ace had gone to Travira Island but also had no idea about the events currently unfolding there.
"Ace is supposed to be chasing Blackbeard Teach, isn't he?" Garp said. "How could he go looking for that kid Ian?"
"Who knows? Since they're friends, maybe Ace went to seek Ian's help," Sengoku speculated. "With Ian, a Warlord, assisting him, capturing Teach might be easier..."
"Come to think of it, didn't Ian originally fall out with the Whitebeard Pirates because he assassinated Teach?" Garp suddenly recalled. "Now that Teach has defected, doesn't that mean Ian might reconcile with the Whitebeard Pirates?"
"Exactly, that's what worries me most!" Sengoku sighed. "If possible, I'd like to talk to Ian face to face... I just can't see through that young man. I don't know whether appointing him as a Warlord is good or bad for the Marines..."
Just as Sengoku was saying this, the office door was suddenly knocked on urgently. A voice outside said anxiously, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Are you there?"
Sengoku frowned. "Come in!"
A Marine Rear Admiral pushed open the door, looking flustered. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, it's... it's bad!"
"What is it?" Sengoku frowned. "Speak properly!"
The Rear Admiral realized his loss of composure, immediately stood at attention, calmed himself, and said, "A Warlord member has arrived uninvited and barged into Marineford!"
"A Warlord? Who is it?" Sengoku said displeasedly. "Is it Doflamingo?"
In Sengoku's mind, the only one capable of such behavior was probably Doflamingo. Sengoku had even privately referred to Doflamingo as scum, showing how much he disliked him.
"N-no!" the Rear Admiral said. "It's the newly appointed Warlord, Black Dragon Ian!"
"Who did you say?" Sengoku and Garp were both stunned. "Ian?"
"Yes, it's him!" the Rear Admiral confirmed.
Sengoku and Garp exchanged glances. Speak of the devil. Turning around, Sengoku said, "So he's here. What's there to make a fuss about?"
"Because... because he came with Crocodile!" the Rear Admiral said. "Yes, they're together!"
Hearing this, Sengoku immediately became serious. Two Warlords, without being summoned, appearing together at Marine Headquarters was indeed unusual.
"Let's go see!" Sengoku decided and walked out of the office with Garp, stepping onto the castle balcony.
Looking out, even Sengoku was stunned. In the not-too-distant sky, a young man with enormous black flame wings spread behind him hovered in midair. Needless to say, this was Ian. Behind him, Sand Crocodile Crocodile, transformed into sand and flying as well, accompanied him. The two of them appeared boldly above Marineford Plaza, causing the Marine soldiers below to tense up. Soldiers had already mobilized, flooding the plaza and raising their guns to aim at the two in the air, on high alert.
Although they knew the two were Warlords, such an uninvited arrival made it impossible to predict their intentions...