27 Meeting Garp
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The New World, a tumultuous sea where the very air seemed to thrum with the promise of adventure and the threat of danger, was a place where only the brave or the foolish dared to tread. It was into this chaotic maelstrom that four individuals were dispatched, each with orders that would shape their destinies in ways they could scarcely imagine.
Among them was Brontes, a young man whose eyes burned with the untested fire of youth. He was joined by the stoic Sakazuki, a man whose very presence seemed to command respect.
Momonga and Comil, both deputy officers, were also sent to the G-3 and G-4 Bases, respectively.
Their mission was clear: to grow quickly under the tutelage of veterans, to bolster their military achievements, and to master the internal operations of the Marine.
The arrangement for Brontes to be stationed alongside Vice-Admiral Garp was a decision that raised many an eyebrow.
Sakazuki, with his unwavering demeanor, was assigned to the G-1 Base, a fortress guarding the entrance to the New World.
After their arrival, Sakazuki parted ways with the group, his silhouette disappearing into the fortress's imposing structure.
Brontes, meanwhile, set his course for the G-2 Base.
The G-2 Marine Base was a formidable presence in the New World, second only to G-1 in its strategic importance. Yet, unlike the fortress-like G-1, G-2's location in the heart of the New World made it a perilous outpost, a nail hammered into the domain of the most fearsome pirates.
Only the strongest among the Vice-Admirals could hold the line here, and for a time, there was no Admiral to lead them.
Iron Fist Garp, the man whose name was whispered with a mixture of fear and respect in the dark corners of taverns where pirates drowned their superstitions in rum.
He was not an Admiral by title, but his combat prowess was legendary, his reputation forged in countless battles. He was the Navy Hero, a title echoing from the era of the formidable Rocks, reserved for those whose deeds had become the stuff of Marine legend.
...
Brontes arrived at the G-2 Base with the sun high and the sea calm, a deceptive peace that belied the dangers lurking beneath the waves.
Garp was there, his presence filling the base with an intangible energy. As Garp's future aide, Brontes's task was twofold: to assist in the management of the base and to keep a watchful eye on the Vice-Admiral, whose impulsive nature was as well-known as his valor.
Garp's recklessness was a source of constant consternation for Fleet-Admiral Kong, who often found himself unable to predict Garp's next move.
Garp's penchant for charging headlong into anything concerning the Roger Pirates was particularly troublesome.
Despite this, or perhaps because of it and the existence of World Nobles, Garp had repeatedly declined the Marine's offer to promote him to Admiral. The third seat remained vacant, a silent testament to Garp's stubbornness.
Months had passed since Garp's relentless pursuit of the Roger Pirates had taken him across the globe.
The seas had whispered tales of his exploits, each more daring than the last. But a summons from Marineford had called him back to the New World.
The day Brontes met Garp, the air was thick with the salt of the sea and the anticipation of change.
The legendary Navy Hero, now a man of fifty years, was a figure of formidable presence. His age placed him just beyond Whitebeard and Roger, yet his spirit was as indomitable as ever. The Summit War had seen him in his late seventies, but here, now, he was in the prime of his life, his hair a striking mix of black and grey.
Garp sat in his office, the very picture of nonchalance with his legs propped up and a report in hand. His fingers, in a moment of absent-mindedness, were digging into his nose—a habit that betrayed the man beneath the myth.
Brontes stood before him, taking in the sight of the man who had become a living legend. Garp's eyes, sharp as a hawk's, scanned the report before looking up at Brontes with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
"Zed's student, huh? Twenty years old, strength of a Vice-Admiral, Logia-Type Rumble-Rumble Fruit user, skilled in Six Powers, and proficient in both Observation and Armament Haki." Garp mused aloud, his voice a deep timbre that seemed to echo off the walls.
"Zed's praise is high. You're a bit too strong for your age, kid. If not for your lack of contributions and achievements, you could be sitting where I am."
Brontes could only smile at the compliment, feeling the weight of Garp's gaze upon him. "Instructor Zed overestimated me." He replied, his voice steady despite the awe he felt.
Garp chuckled, a sound that filled the room with warmth. "Overestimated? I doubt that. Zed doesn't give praise lightly."
The report detailed Brontes's feats: the capture of pirates with bounties soaring over 300 million, a confrontation with Shiki, the Golden Lion. Each word was a testament to his potential, culminating in Zed's final evaluation: "Perfect."
It was a word that carried the promise of greatness, setting Brontes's future ablaze with possibility.
As they spoke, Brontes's eyes drifted to the other figure in the room.
Garp's aide, his son, Marineford Captain Monkey D. Dragon. A man shrouded in mystery, whose future actions would shake the world to its core. The future leader of the Revolutionary Army, the most wanted man by the World Government.
Dragon's presence was enigmatic, his features unreadable. Brontes knew of him from the original One Piece narrative, yet so much about Dragon remained unknown. Rumors had suggested that he might have joined the Elite Camp, but fate, it seemed, had other plans. Under Garp's tutelage, Dragon had become his father's aide, a path that would lead him down a road of revolution and rebellion.
Garp's mischievous smile was a prelude to the avalanche of paperwork that was about to descend upon Brontes. The legendary Vice-Admiral's casual approach to his duties was well-known, but the reality of it was something else entirely.
Brontes, with his exceptional evaluation from Zed, was about to learn firsthand what it meant to be Garp's right hand.
...
The second day of Brontes's official duties dawned with the promise of a headache. His office, once a bastion of order, was now drowning in a sea of paperwork.
Dragon, alongside several soldiers, marched in with stacks of documents that seemed to mock Brontes with their sheer volume.
"These are the documents from the past month." Dragon said, his voice betraying no emotion as the piles were deposited onto Brontes's desk.
Brontes, his eyes scanning the mountain of paper, could only muster a single question: "What has Vice-Admiral Garp been doing for the past month?"
"Fishing, eating, sleeping." came Dragon's succinct reply.
Brontes let out a weary sigh: "Alright, please make sure he's more focused." He said, though his tone suggested he knew it was a battle already lost.
Dragon gave a curt nod before exiting the office, leaving Brontes to face his new adversary: bureaucracy.
"Rear-Admiral, tea!" Brontes's assistant bustled in, offering a small respite in the form of a cup of tea.
"Put more tea leaves in it. This job is much harder than fighting pirates. If you don't put more tea leaves, I'll definitely fall asleep." Brontes lamented, the reality of his administrative duties weighing heavily upon him.
The assistant hurried off to comply, and Brontes set to work. The issues were mundane, the kind of problems that were inevitable in a base as large and as important as G-2.
With tens of thousands of marines under its command, the base was a behemoth, and managing it was a Herculean task.
Days blurred into one another as Brontes toiled away. The third day ended as it began, with Brontes still buried under paperwork. It wasn't until the fourth day that he finally emerged, victorious but exhausted, having processed the last of the documents.
With the paperwork cleared, Brontes could now focus on the running of the base: "Notify all Captains and above to come to the conference room as we have a meeting, and please notify Vice-Admiral Garp and the other four Vice-Admirals to come to the meeting room." He ordered.
His authority to convene such a meeting stemmed not only from his position as Garp's aide but also from his role as the Chief of Staff of the G-2 Base.
Apart from the five Vice-Admirals, Brontes held the highest rank within the base, a fact that granted him considerable power and responsibility.
