A month later, at Marine G-33 Base on Sabaody Archipelago.
The afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows of two warships on the harbor.
One was Gern’s black warship, and the other was Garp’s iconic Dog Head Warship.
The sea breeze carried the scent of bubble trees, but it couldn't disperse the heavy atmosphere within the base.
Inside the ward of the battlefield hospital, unique to the Sabaody Archipelago base, the smell of disinfectant was pungent.
Garp stood by the window, his back to the bed, his Justice cloak swaying slightly.
His originally jet-black short hair now had noticeable streaks of silver in the lower part, as if he had aged ten years in a month.
Outside the window, Sabaody’s mangroves cast mottled shadows in the twilight, and bubbles slowly rose into the sky, then burst.
On the bed, Gern slowly sat up, his movements very slow, every inch of muscle movement bringing a tearing pain.
Bandages wrapped his entire body, with faint traces of blood seeping through in some places.
After Gern turned over, he kept his head down, his elbows resting on his knees, and his bangs fell, covering his eyes.
The silence lasted for a long time.
“How is it?” Gern finally spoke, his voice incredibly hoarse.
Garp didn’t turn around, only staring out the window, and snorted coldly: “Roger has already re-entered the New World.”
He clenched his fist, his knuckles white, “By the time I rushed over, I didn’t even see the stern of that bastard’s ship!”
The window pane reflected Garp’s grim face.
Gern looked up, his pale face devoid of expression: “Vice Admiral Garp, I’m sorry, I seem to have lost…”
“Bang!” A heavy punch landed squarely on Gern’s face, knocking him directly back onto the bed!
In an instant, the bed and the cabinet were smashed to pieces.
“You bastard!!
Do you know you could have died?!” Garp roared, and the slight Haki emanating from his voice made the ward’s glass hum.
“Do you know what Zephyr and I looked like when we received news of your confrontation with Roger?
Do you know what Zephyr looked like when he pulled you out of the sea?!!!”
Garp reprimanded him one after another, his eyes burning with anger and lingering fear, “If Roger hadn’t held back, you’d be fish food by now!”
Gern lay on the bed, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
He didn’t wipe it, just stared at the ceiling.
Seeing Gern not respond, Garp stepped forward and grabbed his collar, lifting him up.
“Do you think defeating Kozuki Oden makes you invincible?” Garp’s voice was very low, but more terrifying than a roar.
“I’m telling you, even that samurai Oden couldn’t last a single strike against Roger!”
Outside the ward, a passing nurse was so startled she dropped her tray.
“Where’s Teacher Zephyr? And Libo doesn’t know, right?” Gern’s pupils contracted slightly.
“Zephyr went back. As for your furry subordinate…” Garp let go, and Gern fell heavily back to the ground.
“We didn’t tell her about your news. She’s still at the Headquarters training camp.”
“So many people care about you, yet you…”
Garp turned and walked to the window, his back as heavy as a mountain: “Displaced internal organs, over 40% of muscle fibers torn throughout the body, and a permanent scar on your chest.”
He paused, “And all of this, Roger did with just one strike.”
The twilight deepened.
Gern slowly sat up. This time, Garp didn't stop him.
“Is the gap that big?” Gern looked at his bandaged hands and asked softly.
Garp didn't answer.
Outside the window, the last ray of sunlight disappeared below the horizon.
The ward fell into darkness, with only the regular “drip-drip” sound of medical equipment.
“During your recovery period.” Garp suddenly said, turning around, his eyes sharp as knives.
“I hope you think carefully and truly understand what ‘King-level’ means before you are allowed to leave Sabaody.”
Gern looked up, meeting Garp’s gaze.
Garp’s eyes held anger, disappointment, but deeper down… there was a hint of almost imperceptible expectation.
“Zephyr said that after he becomes an Admiral, he hopes you’ll take over, but now it seems to me… you are far from as mature as Kuzan and the other two.” Garp finished speaking and strode towards the door.
Just before closing the door, he paused: “Oh, and about your golden brat…”
“What happened to Tesoro?” Gern immediately asked.
“He was taken back to Marineford by Zephyr.” Garp said blandly, frowning slightly.
“He’s pretty good, very talented in developing his Devil Fruit. You…”
Garp didn't elaborate on the rest of his words, turning and leaving completely.
He wasn't a complete fool; he could tell that Gern, after being promoted to Vice Admiral, was already cultivating his own direct subordinates.
.........
After Garp left, the ward fell into a brief silence.
Gern leaned against the wall, slowly exhaling a turbid breath, the pain in his chest making him frown slightly.
Just then, a leisurely footsteps sounded from the doorway.
“Looks like a certain patient won’t have a bed to sleep on tonight.”
Gern looked up and saw Kuzan leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets.
He wore his characteristic lazy smile, but his eyes were a bit more serious than usual.
“Kuzan.” Gern twitched the corner of his mouth, clutching his chest as he struggled to stand up, “When did you get here?”
“Since Vice Admiral Garp started scolding you.” Kuzan shrugged, walked into the room, casually steadied a wobbly chair, and sat across from Gern.
“However, I didn’t want to be lectured by him too. So I waited until he left to come in.”
Gern snorted lightly, not responding.
Kuzan’s gaze swept over Gern, finally resting on the seeping bandages, his brows slightly furrowed: “Honestly, you were too impulsive this time.”
“Even you’re going to lecture me?” Gern glanced at him.
“Not just me.” Kuzan sighed, “After Sakazuki received news of your attack on the Roger Pirates,
He uncharacteristically lost his temper at G-2 Base, even smashing half a table.”
Gern was stunned for a moment, then let out a scoff: “That stubborn guy actually cares about me?”
“Don’t misunderstand, it’s just that even he, with his extreme views, felt you were too extreme this time.” Kuzan spread his hands.
“After all, the Roger Pirates are not just anyone you can provoke.”
Gern was silent for a moment, looking down at his hands, the wounds beneath the bandages throbbing faintly.
“Is the gap… really that big?” he asked softly, questioning himself again.
Kuzan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled an apple from his pocket and casually tossed it to Gern: “Eat it, replenish some energy.”
Gern caught the apple but didn’t move, just held it in his hand.
“The gap certainly exists.” Kuzan finally spoke, his tone uncharacteristically serious, “But it’s not insurmountable.”
“Oh?” Gern looked up at him.
“Roger is a man standing at the pinnacle of this era; his strength is beyond doubt.” Kuzan slowly said.
“You lost to him not because you lack ability, but because you didn’t have enough time.”
“Time, huh?” Gern sighed.
Kuzan stood up and walked to the window, looking at the gradually darkening sky outside: “Vice Admiral Garp is right, you need time to think.
However…” He looked back at Gern, a faint smile on his lips, “I believe you’ll catch up eventually.”
Gern stared at Kuzan’s back, then, after a moment, suddenly laughed: “I didn’t expect you to say something like that.”
“Occasionally.” Kuzan stretched lazily, “After all, you’re the only one among us who’s fought Roger.”
Gern tightened his grip on the apple, his eyes gradually firming: “But this time, I was taken down with one strike…”
“But…” Kuzan looked back at him, his smile deepening: “Isn’t that how it should be? It would be a problem if you could cut down Roger, wouldn’t it?”
Outside the ward, night had fully fallen.
Sabaody’s bubbles slowly rose into the Moonlight, burst, and were reborn.