Chapter 42

"Yes, that's what he said to me," Smoker affirmed, nodding.

As Smoker and Garp conversed, a wave of astonishment swept through the Marines standing behind Garp.

"How is this possible?"

"Hey, hey, is he serious about what he said?"

"The entire crew of a Marine warship couldn't even last one round against that guy named Carnes?"

"Are you kidding me? How could a warship with hundreds of Marines not hold up for even one round?"

"Smoker is quite renowned at Marine Headquarters, and rumors say he's incredibly powerful. Yet, he couldn't last one round against that guy named Carnes?"

"That Carnes guy must have had allies, right? If he's a pirate, then he must have had comrades with him. He defeated Smoker and the Marines on his warship, didn't he?"

"Yeah, that must be it. Otherwise, how could one person stand up against an entire Marine warship? It's too exaggerated for hundreds of Marines to not last one round."

....

Sounds of disbelief, questioning, and discussion spread among the Marines.

However, Smoker and Garp paid no attention to the discussions around them.

For Garp, he firmly believed in Smoker's words.

For a strong individual, taking down a warship in an instant was not a difficult task at all.

Moreover, if the person Smoker mentioned was indeed Carnes, then achieving such a feat would be as simple and effortless as eating and drinking.

Garp's gaze fell on the bounty poster in his hand, and as he looked at the youthful portrait, his thoughts resurfaced once again.

'Is it really you... Carnes!'

'You... not only are you not dead, but you're also still as young as before, showing no signs of aging?!'

"Vice Admiral Garp, is there something wrong?" Suddenly, Smoker's voice pulled Garp back from his thoughts.

Garp looked up and glanced at Smoker.

"There's nothing wrong. I don't know him, so there's no need for him to greet me."

"Alright then, I'll take my leave. I still have to go to Headquarters. I'll keep an eye out for this person you mentioned."

With that, Garp turned around and walked back to his warship, while also greeting the nearby Marines.

"Let's go!"

As they saw Garp voluntarily deciding to return to Headquarters, the surrounding Marines exchanged puzzled glances.

After all, regardless of the circumstances, Garp was never in a hurry to return to headquarters. He would often delay it as much as possible.

Even in this case, despite the request from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, he remained unhurried.

But now, after only a short time at the branch base, why did he suddenly decide to leave?

Although they had many doubts in their minds, the Marines refrained from asking Garp and obediently returned to the warship as ordered.

Shortly afterward, the dog-shaped warship departed from the harbor of the branch base.

Inside Garp's office, which belonged solely to him within the warship.

Unlike his usual infrequent visits, this time he stayed in the office for a long time.

He didn't do anything in particular; he simply sat there, supporting his forehead while looking at the bounty poster in his hand.

As he looked at the familiar face and the familiar name, Garp's brows furrowed.

Even he, who was usually carefree, showed a hint of worry on his face.

"Sigh~" Letting out a long sigh, Garp tightly grasped the bounty poster in his hand and slowly spoke, "Is this sea... going to be chaotic again?"

.....

...

.....

In an unknown sea area, a fleet consisting of four pirate ships, with a total of over a thousand crew members, was sailing.

Leading the fleet at the forefront was a medium-sized silver pirate ship.

And it was none other than the "Gale Emperor Pirates'" ship, the "Eternal Gale."

To the left of the Eternal Gale was the Noruko Pirates, to the right was the Bonney Pirates, and at the rear was the Vibbs Pirates!

At this moment, on the deck of the Bonney Pirates' ship.

Bonney was eating pizza, her eyes filled with resentment as she glared at the Eternal Gale in front.

The injuries caused by Carnes some time ago still hadn't healed, and she was still wrapped in bandages.

"Seriously, what do those guys want?!" Bonney complained in a displeased tone and forcefully stuffed a piece of pizza into her mouth.

In the rear, several crew members of the Bonney Pirates exchanged puzzled glances in response to her words.

"Even if you ask us, we don't know."

Bonney's gaze towards the Eternal Gale became increasingly resentful.

"These guys inexplicably attacked us and made us their subordinate pirate group. Now they don't tell us where they're going or discuss what they're planning with us!"

"They're making us run around like headless flies."

"They're a bunch of extremely lousy bastards!"

"Let's have another piece of pizza!" Bonney finished the pizza in her hand and asked the crew members.

Soon, a crew member rushed to bring her a new pizza.

It was in this moment of brief leisure that she suddenly caught sight of something not far ahead on the fleet's course.

There was a small wooden boat slowly moving forward.

The shape of this wooden boat was peculiar, resembling a coffin, and the main mast of the sail was in the shape of a cross.

Seated on the boat was a man wearing a burgundy patterned shirt, a black top hat with white fur, and a pair of sharp golden eyes like an eagle's!

"Who is that? In a place like this, riding on a small wooden boat..." Bonney's words were cut off as her gaze suddenly caught sight of the large sword carried on the man's back.

That sword, almost as tall as a person, had a cross-like hilt and a jet-black blade emitting a sharp chill!

Bonney froze. She knew that sword!

"That is... Yoru, the Black Blade?! He is Hawk-Eye?!"

As she spoke, Bonney rubbed her eyes vigorously and looked again.

Those sharp golden eyes resembling an eagle's and that unparalleled great sword, weren't they the defining features of his identity?!

Beside her, upon hearing the words Hawk-Eye from their captain, the crew members also paused, asking with some confusion.

"Hawk-Eye? Who's that?"

Bonney gritted her teeth and turned her head to scold her own crew members.

"You fools! He is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the world's strongest swordsman Hawk-Eye, Dracule Mihawk!"

Upon hearing Hawk-Eye, the crew members failed to react.

But when it came to the world's strongest swordsman, Mihawk, they immediately remembered.

Almost simultaneously, everyone took a sharp breath.

"Gasp~"

"The world's strongest swordsman?! Dracule Mihawk?!"

"Why is he here?!"

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