Tracking Garp

"You guys do whatever you want, but I'm not helping you catch anyone."

If it weren't for Sengoku's sake, Garp might've already blown up on the spot.

After saying that, he slammed the door and stormed out in anger.

Sengoku watched Garp leave and sighed. He understood what his old comrade meant, but in his position, sometimes he had no choice.

The two CP0 agents in suits, however, showed no reaction. Garp's reputation might be huge, but they served the Celestial Dragons. They weren't afraid of Garp in the slightest.

Only Jon knew the truth — Garp's rage wasn't just at the actions of the Marines and the World Government; it also came from guilt.

Why was the Marine and World Government being so cruel?

At the core, it was to eliminate the bloodline of the Pirate King, Roger. If they could pinpoint Roger's heir, there'd be no need to hurt so many innocent people.

And Garp had saved Roger's wife and child. So, in Garp's eyes, he too bore part of the blame for this tragedy.

He had made a promise to Roger, had found his wife and child — now, there was no turning back.

So Garp was not only furious but also burdened with guilt, unable to get past his own conscience.

After Garp left, Jon suddenly spoke up and offered his opinion.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I think... we don't need to arrest every pregnant woman."

Sengoku thought Jon was just like Garp, pleading for leniency, so his tone turned cold. "What do you mean?"

Jon explained, "Roger has been dead for over three months. If he left a child behind, the fetus should be at least four months along. That means, pregnant women less than four months in are unlikely to be related to him — there's no need to arrest and interrogate them."

"So naive."

Before Sengoku could reply, the CP0 agent who had earlier opposed Garp sneered with disdain.

"You make a valid point. But how will you confirm how long a woman's been pregnant? Ask a doctor? And how do you ensure the doctor's judgment is accurate? If you make a mistake and let Roger's heir slip away, will you take responsibility?"

Jon, though aware the man was CP0, didn't intend to back down.

"Sure, it may be hard to precisely determine three or four months. But pregnancies of just one or two months can definitely be ruled out. And even if they can't be confirmed exactly, there are other methods — inducing miscarriages, for instance — that don't require mass executions."

Although the Marines hadn't publicly stated what would happen to the arrested pregnant women, it was obvious to any discerning person that they were unlikely to survive.

"Hmph."

The CP0 agent snorted again. "Anyone with ties to Roger — woman, child — must die. That's the only way to guarantee his bloodline doesn't survive. Mercy will only ruin the plan.

Sengoku, how does the Navy have so many naïve fools?"

Sengoku scowled at the CP0 agent and grunted, "You're in no position to comment on the Marines."

Then, turning to Jon, he said, "Jon, you're dismissed. Focus on your assigned task. You don't need to worry about the rest."

Jon understood what Sengoku meant — clearly, Sengoku had no intention of adopting his idea.

Makes sense — if Jon had thought of it, surely Sengoku had too.

But despite that, he had still issued the command. Clearly, this was a pre-approved plan — it wasn't something a few words could change.

"Yes, sir."

Feeling disappointed, Jon left the room. Outside, he found Garp still around, brooding nearby.

Jon didn't disturb him and headed straight back.

At his residence, Jon lay back on the bed with his hands behind his head. Unbidden, images of the arrested pregnant women and their despairing families flashed through his mind.

He wasn't unfamiliar with killing — he'd taken many lives himself.

But this… this kind of act — targeting innocent pregnant women and defenseless civilians — he had never done before.

Honestly, he was starting to regret it. Maybe he shouldn't have come to the South Blue at all. Now, he was forced to witness this horrific tragedy firsthand.

The door opened, and Pemberton walked in. Seeing Jon lying there, he asked in surprise, "What's wrong?"

Jon didn't move. "Nothing. Was patrol normal today?"

"All good. No issues. But… Jon, don't tell me you're still thinking about saving those people?"

Pemberton knew Jon well. He knew Jon had been trying to find a way to save the pregnant women — but without success.

"Jon, I get it. But you have to understand — we're just following orders. Save your good intentions for when you actually have power. Right now, just do your job. Don't risk yourself and end up saving no one."

"Alright, I get it," Jon said, rolling over. He knew Pemberton meant well — but the knot in his chest remained.

"Ah…"

Seeing Jon's expression, Pemberton knew he hadn't listened. He sighed helplessly.

For the next two days, Jon continued doing his daily patrols — but in secret, he started following Garp.

Finally, on the second afternoon, he saw Garp sneak out alone — and followed him.

Garp left town and headed into a remote area. Jon masked his presence and trailed him.

After a long walk, Garp suddenly stopped.

"You brat, how long are you planning to follow me?"

Seeing Garp staring at his hiding spot, Jon sheepishly stepped out and grinned. "Heh… what a coincidence, Vice Admiral Garp. I thought it was some suspicious figure sneaking around."

"Don't play dumb with me! You've been tailing me this whole time. What are you really after?"

Garp's eyes flashed sharply. His Observation Haki wasn't as refined as Jon's, but with years of experience, he'd still picked up on Jon's presence.

Jon still tried to deny it. "Just a coincidence."

Garp raised his fist. "You wanna taste my Iron Fist, huh?"

Jon sighed and confessed, "Alright, fine. I was following you."

"You wouldn't follow me for no reason — and this definitely isn't an order from Sengoku. You don't just take orders from anyone. That means… you did this on your own. So, what are you up to?"

Being followed was annoying, sure — but Garp wasn't really mad. He just didn't understand Jon's reasoning.

Jon hesitated for a moment — then decided to tell the truth.

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