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Chapter 561: Won't Recover Without Resting for Years
Chapter 561: Won't Recover Without Resting for Years
Five days later.
Shabondy.
Temporary Marine Base.
Area 60 was the World Government and Navy’s designated zone. Kuro’s own Navy base at 66GR had become ruins and hadn’t begun repairs yet.
However, other GR zones were still functional, so they temporarily relocated to one of them.
Inside the office, Sengoku faced the reclining Kuro and said, “Big Brother Kuro, Headquarters wants you to come over. They’re asking for a report regarding Silvers Rayleigh—they want you to brief them in person.”
“Huh?”
Kuro didn’t even lift his head, just lay there. “Report what? How does Headquarters even know? Didn’t I tell you not to say anything?”
“They found out on their own.”
Sengoku shook his head. “It must’ve been Garp.”
“He’s back already?”
“Yes. His flagship picked him up three days ago.”
Garp hadn’t returned aboard his personal warship. Kuro had no idea how he’d arrived on this island.
Perhaps Garp had come to Shabondy early just to see his grandson off from afar.
“Back already, huh.”
Kuro mused for a moment, then waved his hand. “Forget Silvers Rayleigh. He’s either dead or gone. I’m not going to Headquarters. Say I sustained Severe Injuries during my fight with Silvers Rayleigh and need years to recover. I can’t go anywhere.”
“Severe Injuries?”
Sengoku looked at Kuro’s unscathed body, lips tightening.
Where’s the injury?
The injury itself?
“I understand, Big Brother Kuro. I’ll report it that way.”
Sengoku nodded and left.
Leaving Kuro alone to keep lounging.
If he could avoid going, why bother? Did he look like he needed to busy himself with something? Better to just lie here.
Shabondy was now absolutely peaceful.
The troublemakers had left, the island’s threats had withdrawn, and even the annual pirate gatherings were now minor issues.
If possible, he could stay stationed here forever.
Injuries were the perfect excuse.
According to compromise theory, any desired timeframe would inevitably get shortened. If he wanted a year, he might only get months. If he wanted months, maybe just a month.
So Kuro decided to exaggerate—claiming years of recovery time might net him a year or two of peace.
Given the New World’s current situation, a year might clarify everything.
Even if not, staying here comfortably for a year sounded great too.
…
Meanwhile, at the New Marine Headquarters.
The dog-headed warship docked at the port.
Garp disembarked with Koby and Helmeppo following behind.
Koby had come to meet Garp. When he heard Luffy’s crew had escaped Shabondy’s destruction thanks to Kuro, he’d actually felt relieved.
Technically, as a Marine, he shouldn’t feel that way. He felt ashamed.
Yet, inexplicably, he’d relaxed.
“Garp!”
A voice interrupted Koby’s thoughts. He looked ahead to see an elderly man in baggy pants and a Navy hooded cloak, hands in pockets, standing there with a long braid and beard swaying in the breeze.
Sengoku, Fleet Admiral.
No—Sengoku, the Great Inspector.
Since retiring, his usually comical face was rarely serious.
“Sengoku, puhahaha, came to meet me?” Garp laughed.
“Garp, do you even realize what you’ve done?”
Sengoku gritted his teeth. “As a Marine, how could you do something like that? And why report it yourself?”
“Old man, I’m still Luffy’s grandfather!”
Garp roared with laughter. “What’s wrong with a grandfather seeing his grandson off?”
“Do as you like, as long as you’re willing to pay the price!”
Sengoku snorted coldly, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Garp toward Headquarters’ largest building.
His hooded cloak billowed behind him, no longer bearing the 【Justice】 insignia but 【Retirement】.
Atop the building, two figures watched the pair approaching from the port.
Sakazuki clenched his Fist, a flash of crimson appearing, cigar clenched between his teeth. “That old fool actually did it. What’s Justice become now?!”
“Hmm, seems normal to me, old man.”
Lucius Kro sipped tea beside him, smiling as he looked down. “Garp’s always been like this. Not surprising.”
“As long as they’re pirates, we must eradicate them, no matter the cost!”
Sakazuki’s voice darkened. “Guess old age makes even the purest Justice waver.”
Lucius Kro shrugged. “Kuro was blocked by Silvers Rayleigh? That man’s certainly troublesome, but still, compared to the insignificant Luffy’s Crew, this result is satisfying.”
Did the higher-ups care about Luffy? Not entirely, but their focus lay elsewhere.
What truly mattered were the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Four Emperors, and those powerful pirates in the New World who thrived under the Emperors’ pressure—pirates whose strength only grew.
Silvers Rayleigh’s life or death was secondary. According to Sengoku’s report, Rayleigh had lost an arm and a leg—effectively dead to the Navy.
With such a major victory, Luffy’s Crew’s fate was negligible.
But since Garp insisted on reporting it personally, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki naturally had to hear it.
“Let’s see how he explains himself!”
Sakazuki muttered, a smirk tugging his lips. “Compared to that, Kuro’s far less trouble. His New World base hasn’t been decided yet. Any thoughts, Borsalino?”
“Old man, you’re Fleet Admiral now. But if there’s a good starting point, Kuro’s path would be easier.”
Lucius Kro watched Garp below. “Isn’t this the perfect opportunity?”
Garp had originally planned to retire, but Fleet Admiral Kong had stopped him, assigning him to train new recruits while retaining his Vice Admiral rank—and his base.
G-3 Marine Base in the New World was Garp’s stronghold.
Headquarters had delayed Kuro’s command to proceed to the New World due to territorial disputes.
A new Vice Admiral’s appointment either meant inheriting an existing faction’s base or establishing a new one.
With Lucius Kro still active, the faction had produced a new Vice Admiral—Admiral-candidate caliber, no less. Naturally, expansion beyond the faction was necessary.
But everyone guarded their territories fiercely. Where was the opening?
Smaller Navy bases? Kuro wouldn’t accept them, and his faction certainly wouldn’t allow it.
But seizing Lucius Kro’s faction’s base would render Kuro’s Vice Admiral title meaningless.
Sakazuki could ignore these politics as an Admiral, but as Fleet Admiral, he had to consider balance.
Now, though, this solved his problem.
Garp’s G-3 could be handed over.
The key was finding a reason for Garp to relinquish it willingly.
If the old man refused, they’d have no choice.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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