174 Post War, Famous In The Sea

"What are you doing? Get up," Lynch said, helping Shikamaru and Yakushi Kabuto to their feet. He walked to the table, picked up a glass, and poured some red wine.

"Let's drink together and celebrate this victory," Lynch said, raising his glass.

"Cheers!" everyone echoed, raising their glasses and drinking in unison.

In that moment, smiles filled everyone's faces. It was a mix of hope for the future, dreams of what's to come, pride in defeating the World Government, and admiration for Lynch.

After the banquet, Lynch returned to the room, where Ino was already waiting.

"Sir...Sir, it's getting late. Let's take a rest." Ino turned off the lights in the room nervously. …

...

The next day.

Marines Headquarters.

Smoker and Momonga exchanged shocked looks after reading Lynch's secret report.

"Lynch... doesn't know that Mr. Zephyr has betrayed the Marines?" Momonga frowned.

"I don't think he knows. Let's ask Mr. Garp"

Early in the morning, before the dew had disappeared, Smoker and Momonga found Garp eating snow cakes in the back mountains, with Sengoku beside him.

"Vice Admiral Garp!" 

"Fleet Admiral!" The two quickly saluted.

Sengoku and Garp knew these two were spies sent by Lynch, but they both accepted it silently. 

When they arrived at the door, Garp, realizing they must have come with a message from Lynch, grumbled, "If you have something to say, say it quickly. Don't interrupt my snow cake time."

Garp couldn't understand it. First, his son, then his grandson, had been talking about becoming pirates, and now Lynch had also left the Marines, along with Zephyr. What was going on? Marine life was starting to feel unhappy.

Garp was clearly unhappy.

"Um..." Smoker and Momonga hesitated, noticing Sengoku standing nearby.

"Tell me," Sengoku said, trying to sound serious, "What does Lynch want you to do? Or do you need me to leave so you can speak freely?"

"No, no, no, we wouldn't dare," Smoker and Momonga quickly said after hearing Sengoku's words. They had no choice but to repeat Lynch's message.

"Mr. Garp, Lynch said that if you're having a hard time in the Marines, you can come to him anytime. Not only will you get full benefits, but your salary will be doubled." 

"He also said he can help you beat up Luffy for free once a week, and he guarantees Luffy will become the Marine King."

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku" they continued, "Lynch said you're welcome to join him after you retire. He can even open a zoo for you."

Before they could say anything else, Garp and Sengoku kicked them out.

Garp fumed, "This kid actually wants me to go to West Blue? Does he realize the trouble he's caused this time?" 

"And that old man Zephyr, he should know better at his age!" 

Sengoku, even more frustrated, added, "This brat dares to meddle with even the Fleet Admiral. Is there anything he won't do?" 

There was one more thing Sengoku kept to himself, though: if he could, he'd want Lynch to return and become the next Marine Fleet Admiral.

"I knew it would be like this," Momonga muttered, rubbing his nose in embarrassment as he walked away with Smoker, feeling defeated. 

Lynch's original target had been Zephyr, and these two were just incidental. 

Who would have thought Zephyr would leave the Marines? 

Nothing stays the same. 

Through Smoker, Lynch also learned about Zephyr's departure from the Marines.

"Teacher Zephyr, please don't let your imagination run wild," Lynch thought, worried that Zephyr might go down the same path as before. 

He quickly sent the SWORD department to track down Zephyr's whereabouts. 

Since leaving the Marines with Lynch, the SWORD department had transformed into a spy organization focused on intelligence and assassination. 

Meanwhile, news of the World Government's defeat was being spread worldwide by news birds.

[World Government Sends Four Admirals to Attack West Blue, but Fails!]

[Former Marine Admiral, Hurricane Fast, Dies Fighting in West Blue!]

[The Rise of the Second Largest Power in the World? Lynch, the Emperor of West Blue, Lives Up to His Reputation.]

[Defeated World Government, Rising West Blue!]

Newspapers with bold headlines spread across the world. 

The World Government's reputation took a serious blow, while the morale of revolutionaries and pirates reached sky high. 

On this day, the world remembered Lynch, the Emperor of West Blue, the man who stood against the World Government and Survive!

.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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