That night, the sky was as dark as ink, and Gern stood at the bow of the ship.
black blade eight desolations was slanted at his waist, and the gray-white bandages fluttered lightly in the wind, while his gaze was cast towards the dark sea in the distance.
Suddenly, steady footsteps came from behind him, and Garp walked out of the cabin to Gern's side, holding a bag of senbei in his left hand, and shook it.
“Want some?”
Hearing the sound, Gern turned his head and glanced, reached out and took a piece, and bit into it.
“Vice Admiral Garp, speak,” Gern swallowed the senbei, his tone calm, “Actually, you came to pick me up because of what happened between Kuzan and me, right?”
“Mm.” Garp nodded, uncharacteristically not laughing loudly, but rather leaning against the railing with a rare seriousness.
“I was on vacation in East Blue a while ago and didn’t turn on my Den Den Mushi; I only found out recently.”
After speaking, he looked at Gern’s profile, his brows slightly furrowed: “Gern, are you and Kuzan really… going to fight?”
Gern did not answer immediately, merely chewing the senbei lightly, his gaze still fixed on the distance.
Garp, who was unaware of the true situation, now knew only one thing:
His direct disciple and another disciple were about to fight to the death for an Admiral position!
Thinking of this, Garp’s fists tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white.
He had been through too many battles and seen too many comrades become adversaries due to differing stances.
But this time, it was his two most valued juniors…
“Can you not fight?” Garp asked in a low voice, a rare hint of pleading in his tone.
Gern was silent for a moment, ultimately not planning to tell Garp the truth, so he laughed self-deprecatingly.
“Can we not fight? Isn’t the World Government just waiting to see this happen?
Fleet Admiral Kong has retired, Admiral Sengoku has taken office, and shouldn’t an opponent like me be suppressed?”
“Gern.” Garp’s brows were tightly furrowed: “You can be like me! How comfortable is it to be a Vice Admiral? An Admiral also…”
“Vice Admiral Garp.” Gern interrupted him, his voice deep, “We are not the same.”
Garp was stunned.
“Vice Admiral Garp.” Gern turned his head and looked directly into Garp’s eyes: “You can be willful; besides your strength and not causing trouble, what’s more important is…
In your era, you had Admiral Sengoku and others (the doves) standing behind you. You were all pillars of the Marine in that era.
At that time, there was Rocks and Roger on the sea; the World Government dared not touch you, nor did they need to.”
Garp was silent; he admitted that although he disliked politics, he was also a beneficiary of politics.
“But I am different!” Gern’s voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.
“Not only did I humiliate Gringo Saint in front of all the Marines, but now I’ve also arrested Roger; I am a Marine legend, and my prestige has reached its peak.
If I don’t get promoted to Admiral, what will the outside world think? What will the Marine internally think?”
“Gern…”
“What the World Government fears has never been my rank, but my influence.”
“They can tolerate a disobedient Marine Hero Vice Admiral Garp, because they know you will never truly shake their rule.”
“But they will not tolerate a disobedient ‘Marine Legend’ Gern Reginald Sigma.”
“Because…”
“I understand what true ‘justice’ is better than they do.”
Gern’s voice was exceptionally clear in the sea breeze, as if even the waves had fallen silent for it.
Garp gazed at the young man who he and Zephyr had personally trained,
In a trance, he had now grown into an existence that even the World Government had to be wary of.
“So you never joined any faction…” Garp murmured, “Are you afraid of betrayal? Is that why you’re preparing to form your own faction?
From the very beginning with Libo and Tesoro, to now Snake Princess and Eneru, whose potential is no less than Borsalino’s.”
There was a hint of realization in Garp’s voice, as if he had finally seen through Gern’s long-term planning.
“Gern, did you realize this a long time ago?”
“That’s right.” Gern nodded, his gaze firm, “From the moment I gained this power…”
He raised his left hand, palm up, and pale white vibrating particles slowly condensed, the surrounding air distorting with them, even space trembling slightly under his control.
“I decided… I would never be limited by anyone!”
“Because ‘Heavenly Calamity’… no one can stop it!”
“Boom!!” The moment his words fell, Gern’s palm clenched suddenly, and the vibrating particles erupted!
The entire sea seemed to be torn apart by an invisible force, the surface violently churning.
The waves around the warship were instantly vibrated into fine mist, reflecting silvery light under the Moonlight.
Garp’s pupils suddenly contracted.
At this moment, he finally realized:
He really seemed to be getting old.
The West Blue rookie who once made him and Zephyr wait at the Marine port had now grown to a point where even he had to take him seriously.
His sharpness, his ideals… or rather, his ambition, had been fully displayed!
“Hahaha!” Garp suddenly laughed loudly, though his laughter carried a hint of imperceptible emotion, “Brat, you’re indeed much wilder than this old man imagined!”
Gern withdrew his hand, the vibrating particles slowly dissipated, and the sea returned to calm.
He looked at Garp, a slight smile on his lips: “Vice Admiral Garp, times have changed.”
“Yes, times have changed…” Garp looked up at the starry sky, his tone uncharacteristically tinged with a hint of vicissitude.
“Roger is dead, Rocks is long since history, and even this old man… it’s time for me to step back.”
He paused, then suddenly turned, staring at Gern with piercing eyes: “But Gern, you must remember…”
“No matter how great your ambition is, no matter what your ‘justice’ is…”
“Marine is Marine after all.”
Gern was silent for a moment, then finally nodded slowly: “I know.”
“Of course I know you know!” Garp’s fists slowly loosened, he looked deeply at Gern, and finally sighed.
“Because you, brat, think further than this old man.”
Gern smiled, not answering.
Garp was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and heavily patted Gern’s shoulder: “In that case, then fight!”
“Huh?” Gern was startled.
Garp grinned, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit: “Since the World Government wants to see you fight, then let them watch to their heart’s content!
But…” He leaned closer to Gern, lowering his voice: “Don’t really cripple that kid Kuzan, or else this old man will come settle the score with you.”
Gern laughed: “Vice Admiral Garp, are you here to mediate, or to egg us on?”
“Hahaha!” Garp laughed loudly, putting an arm around Gern’s neck.
“Well… of course, I’m here to watch the show!”
Gern shook his head helplessly, but the corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards.
Wavering Justice has been wavering all along, Vice Admiral Garp.