Chapter 160: Garp's Plan

"By the way, are you still accepting new recruits here?" Garp inquired, a thought striking him. "I have another grandson who's obsessed with becoming a pirate king."

Despite his influential position within the Marines, the prospect of Ace and Luffy becoming pirates gnawed at Garp. The thought of his grandsons actively opposing him was unbearable. He couldn't stomach the possibility of one day being forced to fight his own flesh and blood. The only solution, as he saw it, was to nip their pirate dreams in the bud.

However, Garp had never been much for child-rearing, delegating that responsibility to others. By the time he recognized his mistake, it was too late. Luo Ning's solution, however, effectively severed that path, alleviating Garp's constant worry.

"A grandson, is it? For your sake, of course." Luo Ning chuckled. Initially, Luffy's pirate aspirations had rankled him. With such a powerful Marine grandfather, why the pirate life?

Pirates, after all, were universally ostracized. It was a thankless profession, a thief's life even for good men.

"That's fantastic! I'll bring the boy here myself," Garp declared, a wave of relief washing over him. Luffy had been a constant source of anxiety, and now that burden was lifted.

With that settled, Garp requested to see Ace.

Ace, at that moment, wasn't exactly living a life of freedom, but he wasn't in any immediate danger either.

"Gramps? What brings you here?" Ace's surprise upon seeing Garp was genuine. After all, Garp doted on both him and Luffy.

"You rotten kid!" Garp roared. "Here you are, complaining about boredom, itching to become a pirate and sail the seas! Fine, I pull some strings, manage to snag you a Shichibukai position, and you just throw it away?!"

Ace recoiled after Garp landed a solid punch on his head, leaving a few sizable bumps. Smarting from the blow, Ace could only glare at Garp with a pained expression.

"It's none of your business what I do!" Ace shot back angrily.

This time, Garp held back. However, Luo Ning stepped forward and delivered a sharp rap on Ace's head.

"What was that for?!" Ace yelped, bewildered. Garp hitting him made sense, but why Luo Ning?

"That's for not appreciating your grandfather's efforts," Luo Ning explained. "Don't you get it? With your true identity, the Marines would be dead-set on capturing you. What would Garp do then?"

"From the very beginning, Garp's only concern has been keeping you safe. And what do you do? Run off and goof around."

"Can't you see how difficult this is for him?" Luo Ning rolled his eyes. Honestly, Garp's been stuck in a tough spot. He's dedicated his entire life to the Marines, given his all to the organization. How can he just abandon them?

Many criticize Garp for his inability to abandon the Marines. It's his life's work, his dedication for countless years. Can he simply discard it all? Why must the burden fall solely on an old man? Why must the young be coddled at the expense of the elderly? Is there some unspoken rule dictating that the old must always provide for the young? Such a notion is absurd.

That's why Luo Ning felt justified in giving Ace a well-deserved rap on the head.

"Alright, enough chatter for now," Luo Ning said, his voice firm. "Ace, forget any ideas of escaping from here. Ever."

Leaving a final, stern warning, Luo Ning departed. He knew that within a few years, Ace would likely be entrusted with a leadership role within Impel Down. With the vast majority of pirates eradicated, even if Ace were to leave, there would be no pirate life for him to pursue.

This time, Ace offered no resistance. He understood that his actions had caused his grandfather immense pain and regret. Unfortunately, this tendency of youthful self-absorption was prevalent in the One Piece world, a worldview that Luo Ning found deeply flawed.

After a lengthy conversation with Ace, Garp took his leave, not returning to Marine Headquarters but setting a direct course for East Blue. His mission: to capture Luffy and deliver him to Impel Down.

Let Luffy experience firsthand the consequences of a pirate's life.

While Ace's freedom was restricted, his treatment within Impel Down was far from harsh. Delicious meals, drinks, and various forms of entertainment were provided – all thanks to Luo Ning's reforms. It wasn't a bad existence, to be honest. In fact, witnessing the punishments inflicted upon captured pirates had instilled a healthy dose of fear in Ace.

After all, his pirate career was short-lived. He barely entered the New World before Luo Ning apprehended him.

One could say Ace hadn't experienced much hardship. Now, looking at the various "packages" offered by Impel Down, he genuinely found them repulsive. With the exception of Level 6, the other floors were horrific. Even Level 6, though lacking physical punishment, was a mental torment for these notorious pirates – the complete absence of movement was their worst penalty. They might even find some solace in physical punishment compared to this soul-crushing imprisonment.

After Garp's departure, Luo Ning sought out Robin directly.

"You mean," Robin said, a mix of emotions swirling within her, "we're going to Enies Lobby?"

Enies Lobby evoked complex feelings in Robin. It was the headquarters of her enemy, the World Government, and Spandam, the son of her true foe, had tormented her for years. Most of the agents stationed there were likely dispatched by him.

Enies Lobby had previously filled Robin with dread. Entering it signified an impending sentence – either immediate execution or eternal imprisonment.

Now, Luo Ning proposed a trip to Enies Lobby to address this trauma. In his opinion, the institution itself was unnecessary, a disgusting monument to the World Government's tyranny. Spandam, the utterly incompetent leader, only amplified this disgust.