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"Nefertari?!"
The sudden revelation of his lineage struck Arashi like a thunderbolt, leaving him momentarily stunned. His eyes widened in disbelief.
Two years ago, he had gone to Ohara himself and asked Professor Clover about his origins, eventually learning that his homeland was not Ohara but somehow connected to Alabasta.
At the time, Arashi hadn't thought much of it, assuming his parents were probably ordinary citizens of Alabasta.
But now, two years later, Garp had brought news that shook him to his core.
"That's right!" Garp said.
"Not long ago, Alabasta's new king, Nefertari Cobra, sent a letter to the World Government."
He paused for a sip of tea before continuing.
"The letter detailed the story of his cousin, who went missing about 15 years ago at the Port of Nanohana, leaving no trace."
"It wasn't until two years ago when you stepped into the public eye and made that bold declaration to the world, that Cobra finally realized who you were."
Garp slurped his tea, then said, "Even after more than a decade, your appearance was still recognizable to him."
"Following that, Cobra personally traveled to various places, gathering evidence and verifying his suspicions before confirming your true lineage."
"Two months ago, he officially reported it to the World Government to have your identity recognized."
A grin spread across Garp's face. "Who would've thought, kid? You have such a background. It's enough to make anyone's jaw drop!"
Arashi furrowed his brow, falling silent as he mulled over the revelation.
This story was indeed strange—his lineage spanned from Ohara to Alabasta, with a connection to the Nefertari family.
Previously, he hadn't cared much about his origins since they seemed irrelevant to him.
But now, this matter involved the Celestial Dragons, which changed everything.
Moreover, Arashi was acutely aware of the Nefertari family's deeper story. "The D…" he murmured, lifting the tea in front of him and taking a sip.
"What D?" Garp asked curiously.
"Nothing," Arashi replied with a faint smile.
Changing the subject, he asked, "What about the aftermath of the Ohara incident and the battle there? Any follow-up decisions about me?"
At that, Garp burst into laughter.
"Of course! But since it involves the Celestial Dragons, those five old geezers aren't going to dig deeper into it."
His expression darkened slightly as he continued, "The main reason is your incredible strength—it has them on edge."
Garp's gaze grew sharp, and his tone turned grave.
"The World Government has decided to downplay the severe consequences of that battle and strictly control its negative effects."
"They're pretending it didn't happen, but they've made a few demands of you."
Arashi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What demands?"
"First, they want you to move to Mariejois and inherit a seat among the Celestial Dragons." Garp's tone was serious.
Arashi scoffed but said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
"Second, they want you to join the Holy Knights," Garp said.
"Third, they forbid the reappearance of any Ohara survivors in the world. Fourth, you must not disclose any information about that battle to anyone."
Having finished, Garp's serious expression softened into a smile. "They've compromised. For you, that's not necessarily bad news."
Arashi's face grew thoughtful, but he didn't respond immediately.
From these demands, he could see the World Government's intentions: to control and weaken him.
Moving him to Mariejois would place him firmly under their watch; joining the Holy Knights would make him a pawn in their games.
The ban on Ohara survivors and the gag order on the battle were purely to preserve the government's authority. What a cunning plan, he thought.
"What's your decision, Arashi?" Garp asked.
His role was merely as a messenger—the Marines and World Government had specifically chosen him, hoping his close relationship with Arashi would make this task smoother.
"Move to Mariejois?" Arashi set down his teacup and spoke calmly. "Join the Holy Knights? Well that's really a good offer"
"I refuse" He snorted disdainfully.
"I have no interest in the Celestial Dragons, that pathetic excuse for a 'noble' race."
"As for the third and fourth conditions," Arashi continued after a pause, "I can agree to those." He then lifted his head, meeting Garp's gaze.
"Teacher, please tell them this: I only wish to live quietly as a Marine, protecting the justice I believe in."
Garp froze at Arashi's words.
Arashi sighed softly. "Having witnessed the evils of this world, I only want to hold onto the good in my heart."
Sitting across from him, Garp visibly trembled, his eyes flashing with emotion. After a moment, he nodded. "I'll let them know."
With a sigh, Garp, the Marine hero still in his prime, smiled warmly. "Arashi, you're a good kid. Taking you on as my student is the best decision I've ever made!"
Arashi grinned. "Thank you, teacher, for the compliment."
"Ahahaha!" Garp's hearty laughter echoed through the manor.
Outside, Crocodile and Barrett stood quietly.
"It seems the two of them had a lively conversation," Crocodile remarked. "The atmosphere is quite good."
Barrett nodded. "Vice Admiral Garp is here. He must be representing Marine Headquarters."
The towering Saul added in his deep voice, "He's probably here as an envoy."
A short while later, Garp and Arashi emerged side by side from the manor. Garp was smiling broadly.
"Kid, I'll probably be staying with you for a while. This time, I'm acting as a liaison officer."
"Stay as long as you like," Arashi said with a smile.
Later that day, Garp met with the civilians and scholars from Ohara. He said nothing to them, merely giving Arashi a pat on the shoulder.
However, when his eyes landed on Vegapunk, his expression instantly darkened, becoming profoundly serious.
"You kidnapped him?!"
"If the World Government finds out, this will be even more severe than the current incident!" Garp's tone was sharp, but Arashi only smiled slightly.
"They won't find out," Arashi said calmly.
"I'll keep this secret for you," Garp replied in a low voice.
As he spoke, he couldn't help but feel both astonishment and unease at his student's boldness.
At the same time, he began to suspect Arashi's true ambitions.
Arashi's intentions were soon relayed back to Marine Headquarters and eventually reached the World Government.
"A Marine?" one voice sneered. "Hmph. What he aims for is far beyond just being a Marine."
"At least, for now, this incident is behind us," another voice stated. "Until we're fully confident we can neutralize him, we must not act rashly."
"Maintaining the façade of peace is more important for the current state of the world."
The cold and measured voices reached a consensus. Within days, their decision was passed on to Arashi by Garp.
"They've agreed," Garp said. "You remain a Marine."
Hearing this, Arashi's lips curled into a smile, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly.
The Ohara incident was temporarily settled, but he knew that the challenges ahead would be far more complicated.
"How are Ace and the others?" Arashi asked, shifting the topic.
"They're doing fine. I've left them in Dadan's care," Garp replied with a chuckle.
"Though Ace keeps shouting about wanting to see you. He wants you to teach him how to become stronger."
He's even bragging that his fists are as hard as steel."
The thought of the freckled two-year-old boy brought a fond smile to Garp's face.
"When I get the chance, I'll visit him," Arashi said with a soft laugh. "But for now, I have plenty to deal with here."
"Then I won't disturb you!" Garp stood up decisively. He was never one to linger unnecessarily. Moments later, he boarded his ship and quickly disappeared over the horizon.
Watching his teacher leave, Arashi's gaze turned sharp.
"Eveyaa!" he called, turning to his adjutant. The young woman, her ponytail swaying and her face fresh and earnest, immediately responded.
"Vice Admiral!"
Arashi nodded. "Relay my orders."
"Effective immediately, select the most outstanding officers from G-18 Base and promote them to higher ranks."
"Assign them as commanding officers across various stations in the West Blue."
"As for the existing officers in those branches…" He paused briefly before continuing, "Have them report to G-18 Fortress for further training."
Ivia froze for a moment. "This…?"
"What's the problem?" Arashi asked.
"Such high-level orders would usually require authorization from Headquarters," she said cautiously. "And the branch officers might not fully cooperate."
Arashi's sharp eyes locked onto hers. "That's why I want you to carefully select officers. Whether they can assume command will depend entirely on their ability."
Ivia's heart skipped a beat as she fully understood.
Arashi intended to swiftly extend his influence across the West Blue, consolidating complete control over the region.
The officers he appointed would undoubtedly be capable, bold, and loyal to his command.
"I'll take care of it immediately!" Eveya saluted and hurried off.
As she left, Arashi summoned Crocodile and Barrett.
"You two will be busy for a while," he said, his tone firm. "Assist them in securing control over the West Blue."
The two exchanged glances and grinned. This kind of task was right up their alley.
"Also, keep an eye on Capone Bege's movements," Arashi added.
"The mafia families under his influence might contribute some valuable resources to our cause."
Over the next month, G-18 Fortress became a hub of Marine activity. The West Blue Marine branches were thrown into upheaval.
Large numbers of officers were reassigned: those who obeyed orders came to the fortress for retraining, while those who resisted disappeared without a trace the following day.
Arashi's methods were swift and decisive, his actions unfolding at an astonishing pace.
By the end of the month, Eveya returned with an update that brought a cold smile to Arashi's face.
"Headquarters has cut off our funding."
Arashi sighed lightly, gazing at the fortress before him.
"Then we'll just have to grow on our own from now on," he said, his voice resolute.
At the same time, deep within Impel Down, a pair of blood-red eyes suddenly opened. A low, beast-like growl echoed faintly.
"A single prison…"
"Do they think they can hold me with this?"
<End Chapter>
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