"Rayleigh, have we finished coating the ship's anchor?"

  "How could it be done so quickly? If it weren't for yer, draggio that au, we'd probably be done by now!"

  "e on, why bother doing it yourself? 't we just leave it to the workers?"

  "Idiot, this is a life-or-death matter! How could I trust those guys with something so important?"

  "Now we're in trouble... those people really are causing chaos!"

  "Before we left, I definitely sensed something disappear. It wouldn't surprise me if a Celestial Dragon has already been killed!"

  "Tsk tsk, I heard that even just offending a Celestial Drags out the Marine Admirals. If oually dies, the Marines will go crazy!"

  "Enough talking, let's leave the New World for ter... Getting off Sabaody Archipego is our top priority!"

  "Exactly, I don't want to get dragged into this mess for no reason. The Marines alone are troublesome enough... and if the CPO shows up, we're finished!"

  At a quiet coating do Isnd 53, a pirate ship with nearly pleted coating work hoisted its sails, ready to leave the isnd. The bck pirate fg, embzoned with a skull and two curled mustaches oher side, waved promily in the wind. It was unmistakably the ship of the Roger Pirates.

  Roger and his crew had returo the ship from Isnd 1, fully aware that the atta the Celestial Dragons would soon stir up a massive storm across the isnd. They were urgently gathering all their crew members to set sail.

  "Roger—!"

  A tall figure charged forward, cutting through the air with incredible speed, rag toward the pirate ship that was about to depart. "I knew you'd be here! You're not getting away!!!"

  g!

  A fsh of steel followed by the loud etal echoed. Roger reacted swiftly, leaping to the shore and drawing his sword to block the ining blow. His bde collided with a Haki-coated fist that struck with the force of iron.

  "Hmph…"

  The collisioweewo sent shockwaves across the area, causing the sea to and the sails of the pirate ship to shake violently.

  "Heh, Garp…"

  Roger's eyes narrowed as he locked onto the muscur, scarred, bck-haired young man before him. "'t you stop causing trouble? This isn't the time for a reunion!"

  "This guy…"

  "Isn't that Rear Admiral Monkey D. Garp from Marine Headquarters?"

  "Why do we keep running into this guy no matter where we go?"

  "He's relentless, like a bloodhound with a keen nose!"

  The Roger Pirates exged serious gnces, mixed with a bit of exasperation. They were all too familiar with Garp, having cshed with him multiple times. He was an exceptionally skilled and troublesome oppo.

  "Garp, if you think you stop us on your own, I'm afraid you're outmatched…"

  Rayleigh, smiling, stepped forward with his sword drawn, its sharp edge glinting in the light as he poi directly at Garp, who was fag off against Roger.

  Though pirates might pride themselves on fair fights, this wasn't the time to uphold such ideals. If they deyed any longer, a Marine Admiral would soon arrive.

  "Heh, Garp…"

  "Why did you rush ahead?" Two more figures appeared, catg up to Garp. One was a beautiful, imposing woman with a ponytail, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. The other was a brawny, square-jawed man with an afro, around the same age as Garp.

  The three were her than the famous Maririo: Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru, who had risen through the ranks together and were narded as the brightest stars of the Navy's new geion.

  "Huh?"

  Sengoku's eyes widened in surprise as he reized the crew before him. "Roger Pirates?"

  "You guys are really here?" Tsuru, hands on her hips, raised an eyebrow. "I thought Garp had just run off on some wild chase again!"

  "The Buddha Sengoku and Strategist Tsuru…"

  "These are some serious oppos!" Rayleigh and Gaban, the third-in-and, exged gnces and stepped forward to front Sengoku and Tsuru.

  "Heh, Roger's here. I smell him a mile away…"

  Garp grinned, his fists ched tight, crag with bck Haki. His fiery gaze was locked onter. "Roger, you're not getting away this time! Surrender, and I won't let you escape again!"

  "That's not happening, Garp…"

  Rrin never faltered as he lifted his sword, fearless. "My dream is to sail around the world on the greatest adventure of all! I won't stop here!"

  "That's impossible…" Tsuru folded her arms, her voice firm. "Your crew has already tried, hasn't it? All the Log Poses stop w once you reach Lodestar Isnd in the sed half of the New World. There's no other way forward."

  "For hundreds of years, no one has pleted a full ciravigation of the world... It's just a myth," Sengoku added, his sharp gaze fixed on Rayleigh.

  "It's only a challenge if it's something nobody else achieve!" Rhed. "But you Marines have bigger issues to worry abht now, don't you? Shouldn't you be more ed with saving your precious Celestial Dragons?"

  Roger Pirates' third-in-and, Scaban, chimed in seriously. "Garp, Sengoku, Tsuru... Instead to stop us, you might want to focus on resg the Celestial Dragons. Otherwise, your Fleet Admiral William will have a hard time expining things."

  "What do those vile Celestial Dragons being attacked have to do with us?" Garp scoffed, puffing out his chest defiantly. "I'm on vacation. I didn't hear anything, and I didn't see anything... If someone else wants to deal with it, they ! Besides, I'm busy capturing yer!"

  Garp had no love for the Celestial Dragons, having witheir arrogant, oppressive behavior. The thought of helping them disgusted him. If it weren't for his sense of justid desire to take down pirates, he would have quit the Marines long ago.

  Sengoku remained silent, feeling the weight of the situation. He had e tarp back, ready to deal with the situation at hand. While Garp had no ambition, Sengoku had dreams of being Fleet Admiral one day and ging the system from within.

  Brrr~ Brrr~

  Just then, Tsuru's Den Den Mushi rang. She pulled it out and answered, "Moshi moshi, this is Tsuru."

  "Rear Admiral Tsuru, are you with Rear Admiral Sengoku and Rear Admiral Garp?"

  "Yes, we've found the Roger Pirates and are in pursuit," she replied, eyeing the pirates before her.

  Sengoku's eyes twitched, and Garp raised an eyebrow, sensing something amiss.

  "You should have received the news by now. The Celestial Dragons were attacked, and Fleet Admiral William has ordered that your leave is celed. You're to head to Isnd 1 immediately and rescue the Celestial Dragons at all costs. The criminals must not escape."

  The voice of a young ensign came through the Den Den Mushi, reying the orders. "Until Admiral Hark arrives with the fleet, Rear Admiral Sengoku is in charge of the Marines on Sabaody Archipego."

  "As for the Roger Pirates, ighem for now. Your priority is the Celestial Dragons! That is all!"

  Click.

  "Hahaha!!"

  The Roger Pirates burst into ughter, clearly amused by the situation.

  They gri Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru.

  "You wao capture us, didn't you? Go ahead, disobey your orders and try it!"

  Garp: "..."

  Sengoku: "..."

  Bleam