At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, inside Kong's office, Garp was currently enduring one of his lectures.

  "The intelligence has been firmed: The Golden Lion Shiki ambushed the Roger Pirates he waters of Edd War. Giveimelihey're probably already fighting as we speak. This isn't the time to sit around talking. We o head to the New World immediately. That's all."

  Garp, who ig at his ear, responded unfortably.

  "The Roger Pirates and Shiki's Flying Pirates don't get along. The two groups are bound to wear each other down. While it's uhe Marines intervene in the middle of their battle, we still o make our way to the New World. We don't know how this fight will end. Shiki may be powerful, but Roger is no pushover. If Shiki loses, we might be able to swoop in and deal with the aftermath, just like we did with the st major pirates Ochoku and John."

  Kong uood the rationale and didn't argue further oopistead, he switched gears and said, "Sengoku has already been dispatched to deal with Shiki and Rarp, we o talk about you."

  Garp immediately began to zo.

  "Zephyr has stepped down as Marine Admiral, leaving Sengoku as the sole Admiral. This has left a signifit gap in our top and structure. You o step up, Garp. The Marines he full power of all three Admirals. When will you take responsibility and accept the promotion to Admiral?"

  Before Kong could finish his sentence, Garp stood up, waved dismissively, and walked out of the office, grinning carelessly. "I didn't make Zephyr step down, so why are you telling me all this? I'm not going to be an Admiral."

  "Hey! Garp! You bastard, get back here! I haven't fialking!" Kong shouted angrily, but Garp just ughed as he shut the door behind him.

  "Hahaha! Even though you didn't finish, I already heard enough!" Garp yelled back with a big smile.

  "That damn bastard…" Kong cursed under his breath befhing helplessly. There was nothing he could do about Garp. The man was just too stubborn. Hitting him wouldn't work—he was to. And scolding him? Garp's skin was thicker than the walls of Marineford.

  After leaving the office, Garp began preparing to head for the New World to see what would happen at Edd War. Kuzan and the others, who had been waiting outside, followed him. Kuzan, smiling, said, "Hey, Mr. Garp, that retty cool of you to reject Fleet Admiral Kong's promotion order like that."

  "Hahaha! Being an Admiral would just tie me down. I don't want to lose my freedom. Besides, we don't have time for that nonsense right now. If we don't hurry, Sengoku will have already taken care of everything!" Garp ughed.

  At the same time, Vice Admiral Saul, a giant of Marine Headquarters, yawned. "'t this sea take a break? I just got back from a mission."

  Kuzan looked over at Saul, asking curiously, "By the way, I heard you've been w with CP-9 tely. Is that true?"

  Saul nodded. "Yeah, I caught a group of schors. Those guys had nothier to do than study aexts. Don't they realize that's a crime punishable by death? It's hard to uand why they'd risk their lives over something like that."

  At this point in time, Saul had not yet met Robin's mother, Nico Olvia, so he hadn't begun to question the justice of the Wover. He simply followed orders, believing in their righteousness. After all, the Wover had repeatedly emphasized the prohibition of studying aexts. From a legal standpoint, these schors were criminals, and it was Marine's duty to arrest criminals. Saul didn't think twice about it.

  As they chatted, Garp and the others arrived at the port. There, they saw Sengoku already on board a warship with Borsalino and the rest of his unit, ready to set sail.

  Leaning against the railing on the deck, Sengoku noticed Garp and his creroag. His casual expression shifted into a frown. "Garp, wasn't Kong talking to you? Shiki's already my responsibility. Don't meddle."

  Garp waved dismissively. "Ah, don't worry. I'm just here to join the fun. I'll leave the credit to you."

  "Damn it, Garp, you know that's not what I meant!" Sengoku grumbled.

  The two of them often bantered like this. If Vice Admiral Tsuru were present, Garp would have probably hitched a ride on her ship, but since she wasn't around, he boarded his own ship with Kuzan and the others, setting off to join Sengoku's fleet in the New World.

  Meanwhile, iers of Edd War, the Oro Ja, fgship of the Roger Pirates, found itself surrounded by Shiki's fleet of flying ships.

  "This is really bad. Shiki isn't someone who be reasoned with, and now we're blocked right whe a lead on the Poneglyphs," Rayleigh said with a sigh, standing on the deck as he looked up at the massive flying ships overhead.

  Over ten years ager's crew had discovered the pseudo-final isnd, Lodestar Isnd, where they learhat another isnd Raftel was the true final destination. To reach Raftel, they needed four Road Poneglyphs. Ever since, Roger's crew had been sc the world for the Road Poneglyphs, but most of what they found were only historical Poneglyphs, which, while valuable, didn't help in their quest.

  This time, they had learhat Charlotte Linlin Big Mom possessed one of the Road Poneglyphs, and Roger nning to steal it. Yes, steal it, not fight for it. It wasn't that Roger was afraid of Big Mom; he just didn't see the point in wasting time. Time, fer, was incredibly precious. His pn was to sneak in, steal the Poneglyph, a out.

  But before they could eve sail for Totto Land, Shiki had shown up with his fleet. The timing couldn't have been worse. If they couldn't avoid this fight, they might not survive to tiheir quest for Raftel.

  Shiki's reasons for fronting Roger were simple. Sihe Battle of God Valley, Shiki had admired Roger, believing him to be someone capable of achieving great things. For years, Shiki had persistently tried to persuade Roger to join forces with him. Despite Shiki's pride, he was willing to lower himself, not to ask fer's surrender, but to propose an equal partnership.

  But Roger was as elusive as ever. The Marines couldn't catch him, aher could Shiki. This time, however, Shiki had Roger ered, and he wasn't pnning to leave without an answer. If Roger refused to cooperate, Shiki inteo eliminate him ond for all.

  Shiki had also retly learned something crucial: the Roger Pirates had uncovered the whereabouts of an A on. This information wasn't false. Over the years, the Roger Pirates had gathered tless historical texts, even visiting Sky Isnd. They had e aany hiddes from the Void tury, including information about the A ons.

  Roger, however, had no i in using the A ons. His only goal was to explore the world and find Raftel before his time ran out. But Shiki wasn't so passive. He was a queror with grand ambitions. If he khe location of an A on, he'd seize it and use it to domihe world.

  Shiki wrongly assumed that Roger's scattered, small crew meant they were after the A ons. He believed Roger was quietly gathering power. So wheopped Roger's ship this time, he had two pns in mind.

  Pn A: Roger would agree to cooperate. With Roger's knowledge of the A ons and Shiki's military might, they would quer the world together. Shiki was even willing to share power equally with Roger no tricks, ion. He admired Roger that much.

  Pn B: If Roger refused, Shiki would bury the Roger Pirates at Edd War, eliminating the one man who could stand in his way.

  As Shiki looked at the Roger Pirates, surrounded by his fleet, he let out a hearty ugh. "Jihahahaha! Roger, it's been a while. Finally, I've caught up with you!"

  Roger, unfazed, ughed back. "Ahahahaha! Shiki! Good to see you. What happeo your face? Don't tell me you let a Celestial Dragon take you down."

  Shiki's expression darke the mention of his old wound. The i had been a stain on his pride, and he didn't appreciate Roger bringing it up.

  With a snort, Shiki responded, "Enough with the jokes, Roger. You know why I'm here."

  "Yeah, it's about your ridiculous ambitions, isn't it?" Roger said bluntly.

  "That's right," Shiki firmed. "I know you have the knowledge of the A ons. So, I'm going to ask you o time: Will you join forces with me? With your brains and my military power, the world will be ours in no time. I swear on my name, Golden Lion, that I'll share the world equally with you!"

  Shiki's offer was made with absolute siy.

  But befer could respond, Shiki's tone shifted, being cold and threatening. "Of course, if you refuse… then Edd War will bee the graveyard of the Roger Pirates. What do you say, Roger?"