Chapter 76: "Red-Haired" Shanks
"This hat, I'll leave it in your care."
"It's the most important hat to me, so take good care of it!"
"Make sure to return it to me someday, once you've become a great pirate."
...
"Old Sengoku, I've finished investigating the Germa matter, requesting to return to the fleet." After pointing out a few flaws in the Lightforged Beacon design that need improvement, Wright left his phone number with Judge, instructing him to return to the North Blue soon. He then prepared to return to the headquarters with the design plans and the Germa intelligence.
Creating the Lightforged Beacon wasn't complicated. Wright planned to craft one for his personal warship as a test, gathering data to send to Germa for refinement. It wouldn't be truly practical until the issues with transmission range and energy consumption were resolved.
"Wright, you're contacting me at the right time." Sengoku's expression turned serious. "Garp returned to the East Blue a while ago. You should meet up with him."
"Huh? Is Garp taking another break?" Garp often returned to his hometown in the East Blue for a vacation, especially after Wright helped keep watch over the G-3 branch… But why did Sengoku look so serious?
"No, it's not vacation time for Garp. He returned because the Navy received intelligence that a large pirate, 'Red-Haired' Shanks, has been spotted in the East Blue!"
"!" Wright's eyes widened. "Red-Haired Pirates? Shanks?! In the East Blue?!"
"Exactly!" The phone bug (Transponder Snail/ Den Den Mushi) mimicked Sengoku's nod. "And based on the direction, it seems he left from Garp's hometown, Dawn Island... That's why Garp rushed back, worried something might have happened. We agree with him on this.
"Shanks' crew is incredibly well-balanced in strength, and their rapid rise and power are almost unparalleled... And his identity is quite unique.
"A man like this, who's been missing from the New World for the past year, appears in the East Blue... and we only found out now!" Sengoku gritted his teeth. "That bastard doesn't take the Navy seriously at all!"
"Yeah… With Shanks' strength and experience, it's understandable that the East Blue base wouldn't catch him." Wright nodded. "The East Blue's branch has certainly improved since my time there, but someone of Shanks' level can still come and go freely."
"It's even possible the Navy only detected him because he intentionally left traces."
"Exactly." Sengoku agreed. "But even so, Garp has to go check personally to reassure me."
No use. Shanks has probably already done what he needed. If Garp returns and doesn't blow his top, that'll be a miracle… But if you find that fool missing an arm when he gets back to the New World, I wonder if his jaw will drop.
"Alright, I'll contact Garp and meet up with him." Wright hung up and dialed Garp's phone bug.
"Yo! Garp? I heard from Sengoku that you're back in the East Blue for vacation?" Wright chuckled.
"Bastard Wright! I'm not on vacation! How's the Germa situation?!" Garp's loud voice boomed through the phone.
"Shush—!" Wright grimaced. "Can you not shout so loud? Can't you talk about this without making a scene?"
"Uh... Alright, looks like Sengoku has already told you." Garp cleared his throat and changed the subject. "I'm almost at Dawn Island, just come straight to meet me!"
"Already? Guess Shanks gave you quite a bit of pressure, huh?"
"Bastard Wright! Am I scared of that kid? When I fought with Roger, that guy was still an intern!"
"Hahaha, alright, alright, you're amazing, you're invincible, I'm coming now. See you soon!"
"Ka-ka!"
Afraid Garp might shout something he shouldn't, Wright quickly hung up and left Germa, heading for Dawn Island.
...
"Beckman, remember the days we used to drink with that kid Wright?" On the Red Fist ship, Shanks looked at Orange Town and smiled at Ben Beckman. "I met him here in Orange Town when he was just setting sail for the first time!"
"Haha! And then you tried to recruit him and got rejected!" Ben Beckman ruthlessly exposed his captain's old failure.
"Heh! That kid's now something. He's been promoted to rear admiral under Garp, and rumor has it his strength is even greater—East Blue's his hometown, too. I haven't seen him return all year; it's a bit of a shame!" Shanks grinned.
"I've got a question, Captain…" Yassop leaned in, being the first to reject Shanks. Though he saw Wright only much later, he had heard countless stories about that kid who occasionally came to compare swords and drink with the captain.
"If Wright were here, with that miraculous healing ability of his, maybe your hand would still be alright, Captain. Wouldn't you want to contact him?"
"Haha… Wright explained his ability to me. If it's a severed limb, it has to be reattached for him to heal it properly. Now, my hand's probably been digested by that bastard long ago…" Shanks smiled bitterly.
"It's alright, Captain. You've still got one hand that can use a sword, right? Hahaha!"
"Hahaha, you're so optimistic, Captain!"
"Even with one hand missing, there aren't many who could beat you, Captain!"
"Captain, when you go back to the New World, are you going to challenge Mihawk to another sword duel? Hahaha..."
Laughter filled the pirate ship.
...
In the distance, the outline of Dawn Island appeared.
Wright slowed down and carefully searched for Garp's ship along the coast, based on the location Garp had given him.
"Definitely near Windmill Village… That old man always goes to see his grandson first." Wright checked the map, heading toward the village.
"There it is!" He found Garp's ship and descended in a beautiful golden arc onto the deck. The sailors on board had already been briefed on his arrival and were used to the flashy entrance of the Rear Admiral by now.
"Still… no matter how many times I see it, it's still so cool…" Wright grinned, retracting his Holy Light Wings and giving a nod to the sailors.
"Rear Admiral Wright!" A sailor came to report. "Vice Admiral Garp is waiting for you at the tavern in the town. He asked for you to come straight there when you arrive!"
"Got it, I'll head over now." Wright nodded and disembarked from the ship. This was his first time visiting this legendary East Blue town—Windmill Village.
Outside of Garp, Dragon, and Luffy, this small village was even more intimidating than Roger's hometown, Rogue Town!
"The tavern... it should be this way." Wright walked toward the tavern and, from a distance, could already hear Garp's loud voice.
"Bastard Luffy! How many times have I told you?! You need to become a great marine, not some pirate!"
"...What's going on here?!"
Wright pushed open the door and, as expected, saw Garp, frozen in shock. He was holding a little boy's arm, trying to lift him, but the boy's other hand was grabbing the table, stretching his arm longer than Garp expected…
"Hey!" Wright said dryly. "Garp, how's it going?"
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