Chapter 277: Evil Party

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

The revelation that Shakky had been a pirate and a target of Garp's pursuits hardly raised an eyebrow among the Straw Hat Pirates. Given that the former first mate of the Pirate King resided in the same locale, anything less colorful from Shakky would have been the real shocker. However, the crew did find themselves taken aback by the fact that Shakky was 69 years old—particularly Nami and Robin. Their intrigued expressions caught Bai Ye's attention. Clearly, the secrets to preserving youth and beauty were topics of keen interest to them.

"Luffy," Garp said, turning his gaze to where Luffy was trying to blend into the background. "Seems you've been up to a lot, eh? Time to fess up to your old grandpa!"

Garp stood with his arms crossed, his chest puffed out, looking every bit the indomitable force he was renowned to be. "I threw you off cliffs, left you in jungles overnight, even tied you to balloons. It was all to make you strong!"

The Straw Hat Pirates exchanged glances. Sanji, with a light in his eye, remarked, "No wonder Luffy can take a beating like no other."

Garp barreled on, "All that training was meant to turn you into a formidable Marine!"

Luffy retorted loudly, undeterred, "But I told you a million times, Grandpa—I'm gonna be a pirate!"

Garp's face reddened, veins throbbing on his forehead. "That's because you were led astray by that red-haired scoundrel!"

"Don't you dare badmouth Shanks!" Luffy shot back, eyes blazing. "He's my hero!"

In a blur that belied his age, Garp closed the distance between them, grabbed Luffy by the collar, and raised his fist. "Talking back to your grandpa? Seems I didn't smack you hard enough!"

Despite his formidable reputation and bounties worth millions, Luffy, under Garp's iron grip, reverted to the vulnerable grandson, his pirate bravado momentarily extinguished by the looming threat of his grandfather's Fist of Love.

And then— "Hrrr…Zzzz… Hrrr…Zzzz…"

Unexpectedly, they both fell asleep, snoring loudly with matching bubbles escaping from their nostrils.

Straw Hat Pirates: …???

Coby, witnessing this scene, remarked in disbelief, "So Mr. Luffy wasn't exaggerating."

Bai Ye, observing the bizarre spectacle, shook his head and mused aloud, "When I first met Dragon, he seemed pretty composed… I guess not all members of the D. family are this eccentric."

This prompted Bai Ye to ponder: "Is this quirky sleepiness a unique Monkey family trait, or is it a peculiar inheritance passed down through generations?"

As everyone watched in stunned silence, Garp was the first to rouse from his unexpected nap. He immediately noticed Luffy still snoozing in his grip, which reignited his temper. "How dare you sleep while I'm lecturing you?!!!" he bellowed, bringing his Fist of Love down hard.

After the commotion settled, the two finally calmed down and sat back.

"Luffy, you've heard the news," Garp started again, his tone serious.

"Yeah," Luffy replied, his face solemn. "Even if it's you, Grandpa, I won't let you stop me!"

Garp initially snorted at his grandson's stubbornness but quickly saw the resolve in Luffy's eyes. One grandson was on the brink of execution, and the other was hellbent on saving him. Despite being a Marine Hero, Garp couldn't shake off the overwhelming feeling of helplessness that came over him.

Garp lamented, his voice heavy with regret, "If only you two had joined the Marines with me..."

Bai Ye observed Garp's expression, seeing a trace of sorrow that made the old Marine seem almost pitiful. "As long as you had become Marines, I could have..." Garp's voice trailed off, filled with unspoken promises.

Before Garp could continue, Bai Ye interrupted, his tone respectful yet firm, "Mr. Garp, could you really protect them?" He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, undaunted by the imposing figure Garp cut.

"Ace is the son of the Pirate King. Your other grandson, he's the son of the leader of the Revolutionary Army—the very man who aims to topple the World Government," Bai Ye pointed out, his voice steady.

He gently tugged on Luffy's rubbery cheeks, emphasizing his point, "Does the Navy truly possess the power to protect them? Or, as part of the World Government, do you even hold that authority?"

Bai Ye's words were direct, perhaps too harsh, and Garp winced slightly. But Bai Ye continued, not to challenge but to ease the burden of guilt from the shoulders of the old Marine.

"Bai Ye, huh..." Garp's eyes lingered on him, and a grin slowly spread across his face. "You've certainly been stirring up trouble with Luffy."

However, the smile quickly faded, replaced by a stern expression. Suddenly, a formidable pressure enveloped the room, targeting Bai Ye with chilling precision. This wasn't the overpowering force of Conqueror's Haki; it was something more raw and intense—the fierce fighting spirit of Garp the Fist.

"Don't think you're off the hook just because you're Luffy's first mate," Garp warned, his voice deep and imposing. "You've still got a long way to go!!!"

The ground beneath Bai Ye began to crack as Garp's aura intensified, the atmosphere charged with tension.

"Bai Ye!!!" The Straw Hat Pirates tensed, ready to spring into action.

Even Luffy, who typically feared his grandfather's wrath, geared up into Second Gear, his body steaming.

"Hold on!" Bai Ye raised his hand to halt them. "If Garp really wanted to harm me, I'd be flattened like Luffy was."

Despite the pressure bearing down on him, Bai Ye's voice retained its calm. He understood Garp's intention wasn't truly hostile; this was merely a test, a display of raw power without a trace of real intent to kill.

Bai Ye chuckled lightly under his breath, recognizing the challenge for what it was—a test of mettle, not a declaration of war. After all, he knew well that in an actual fight, standing against Garp wouldn't just be daunting—it'd be near impossible.

Bai Ye faced Garp with a defiant grin. "It's not in my nature to not respond when challenged!"

With that, he gathered all his strength and activated his unique Pure Yang Limitless Technique for the first time. Energy surged around him, brimming with formidable power.

[Tai Chi Force—Release!]

The Qi within Bai Ye flowed fiercely, his internal energy manifesting like a sharp blade slicing through Garp's intense aura.

At the weakest point in Garp's spiritual pressure, Bai Ye released all his accumulated Tai Chi energy.

Boom!

An explosive wave of air swept through the bar. Had Bai Ye not carefully controlled it, the whole place might have needed relocating.

Garp, whose spirit was disrupted but not defeated, roared with laughter. "Hahahahaha, Bai Ye, you're quite the character!"

Bai Ye wasn't done. "Mr. Garp, you misunderstand. My courage doesn't come from being Luffy's vice-captain."

He smiled slightly, adding a twist. "The reason I'm not afraid is simple—we're on the same side!"

Garp's laughter boomed even louder, nearly shaking the rafters. "Just because the people call you 'The Good Pirates', do you think you're as righteous as the Navy?"

He shook his head at Bai Ye. "You don't understand what Navy justice is!"

Coby, still busy with the wall, chimed in. "While I respect the good that the Straw Hat Pirates have done, becoming pirates..."

"I never claimed we were righteous," Bai Ye cut him off, his voice firm. "We're the actual bad guys here!"

Coby looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Mr. Bai Ye?"

Bai Ye's smile widened, hinting at a deeper meaning. "I've always thought pirates and the Navy were similar."

"They're both thorough evil!"

Garp and Shakky exchanged intrigued glances, clearly caught off guard by Bai Ye's audacious perspective.