Chapter 29: Garen’s Strength

After a short while…

Naval Headquarters, under the resolute leadership of Garp, placed great importance on the situation, launching a fierce offensive against violent criminal activity in the East Blue, and achieved remarkable results. The task force successfully rescued Smoker, a naval officer injured in the line of duty, and apprehended the unidentified armed individual named Galen and his accomplices who violently resisted law enforcement, greatly deterring crime and boosting the morale of the populace.

Victims of violent crimes, such as Buggy the Clown and his crew, expressed their relief at the capture of Galen’s group, and the general sense of public safety was significantly improved.

When questioned, the suspect Galen protested his innocence—

“I’m really not a pirate!” he exclaimed emotionally, a group of marines pressing gun barrels to his head. “It’s that red-nosed guy over there!”

Yet the marines remained silent, their weapons unwavering. They were simply carrying out Vice Admiral Garp’s orders to escort all those arrested back to the deck of the warship.

Behind Galen, similarly herded by a phalanx of swords and rifles, were his so-called ‘criminal accomplices’—Wallace and Nami.

Nami appeared nervous, shuffling along anxiously, clutching her three bound treasure chests as fiercely as a mother hen shelters her chicks.

Wallace, however, remained perfectly composed. Not only did he show no sign of panic, but he even took out his camera and snapped photos of the massive naval warship before him with a relaxed air.

As a reporter from a major, legitimate media outlet, Wallace was not afraid of interacting with officialdom. As long as he presented his credentials, he knew the misunderstanding would be quickly resolved. On the contrary, the rare sight of a Headquarters warship in East Blue was prime news material—exactly the scoop Wallace had been pursuing.

Further behind, Buggy the Clown, Mohji, Cabaji, and Richie the Lion were also being escorted by the marines. The kind-hearted sailors, while fishing Smoker out of the sea, had also taken the trouble to retrieve Buggy’s severed foot from the water.

“Captain Buggy…” Mohji glanced anxiously at the imposing ranks of the navy, then whispered, “What do we do now? We’ve all been captured!”

“So what?” Cabaji shrugged, his tone surprisingly light. “Being caught by the navy is better than being hacked to death by that pirate hunter! Small fry like us from East Blue will just spend a few years locked up and be released soon enough.”

He looked over at Buggy and asked casually, “Isn’t that right, Captain Buggy?”

But Buggy didn’t respond. He kept his head deliberately bowed, as if trying to conceal something. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the old man following closely behind—the well-known naval hero Garp, an old acquaintance of sorts.

Garp, however, paid no attention for the moment to the criminals he had personally apprehended. Instead, he burst out laughing and slapped the dripping-wet Smoker on the back.

“Ha ha ha… To think you lost so badly in your very first battle since arriving in East Blue!”

Soaked to the bone, Smoker’s ever-present cigar had been extinguished by seawater. Though his strength had returned, he still looked terribly bedraggled. Losing his first fight in the so-called weakest sea was a hard blow for the Headquarters Captain, who had always been confident in his abilities.

“It’s true, I lost,” Smoker admitted, his tone tinged with frustration. “That guy’s ability was extremely bizarre—even though his strength was less than mine…”

He instinctively reached into his pocket for a fresh cigar, only to discover that all his reserves had been thoroughly soaked as well. With a curse, he tossed aside a sodden cigar, his irritation mounting.

“His sword wasn’t made of Sea-Prism Stone, so it shouldn’t have been able to touch my elemental body. But when I was struck, my Devil Fruit ability was instantly nullified. I just can’t figure it out…”

Garp simply laughed, slapping Smoker’s back once more. “That young man’s powers are indeed a little strange. But there are plenty of odd things in this world! In the end, you lost because you were careless. Never underestimate any man who sails these seas!”

“Yes, sir!” Smoker replied, bowing his head in genuine acknowledgement. His agitation finally subsided, and his impressions of his exile to East Blue began to shift.

At that moment, the great warship’s deck released its wide, swinging lift platform, which descended to the sea’s surface. The captured suspects and the deployed marines finally reached the spacious deck.

The marines lined Galen and the others up to await interrogation, while Garp casually flopped back into his favorite deck chair, shoveling rice crackers into his mouth with no regard for decorum, casting a lazy but keen eye over the so-called ‘criminal suspects’ before him.

His gaze lingered on Galen for a moment, full of curiosity, before quickly moving on and settling on Buggy, who was desperately trying to bury his head even deeper.

But Garp’s stare only grew more focused, his face softening with a hint of nostalgia.

During this brief silence, Galen took the chance to study the terrifyingly muscular old man who had defeated him so easily. From the overwhelming power displayed and that strangely familiar face, Galen began to suspect the man’s identity—a giant over two meters tall, known as one of the world’s strongest: Garp the Fist, the Navy Hero.

To encounter such a top-tier boss on his first voyage out was almost absurd.

As Galen scrutinized Garp, the surrounding sailors couldn’t help but whisper about him:

“That unknown swordsman from East Blue actually defeated Headquarters Captain Smoker!”

“Isn’t that a Logia user? And a Headquarters Captain, at that?”

Wallace instantly picked up on the shocking news, his journalistic instincts humming at full throttle.

“Galen actually managed to defeat such a formidable naval officer?”

A Headquarters officer’s rank was no trivial matter—their strength and status was three levels above the riffraff of the Four Seas’ branch navies. Smoker’s rank in East Blue was virtually that of a governor. And yet, Galen, a novice knight, had managed to defeat such a powerhouse in just a few exchanges?

Wallace’s long-planned feature on ‘The Knight of Justice, Galen,’ had suddenly gained a wealth of explosive new material.

The marines’ lively discussion continued to provide Wallace with more news fodder.

“If that guy could beat Captain Smoker, he must have the strength of a Headquarters Captain himself!”

One sailor spoke with conviction.

“Heh,” another scoffed, “Captain Smoker was personally trained by Admiral Zephyr! He’s no ordinary Headquarters Captain. I’d say that swordsman has the strength of an elite Commodore at least!”

Wallace’s eyes gleamed, his pen flying even faster, sidling closer to the group of marines.

“You’re all too short-sighted!” a third marine declared, gesturing grandly. “Captain Smoker is a rare Logia-type even in the Grand Line! He has the same elemental powers as the three Admirals! And that knight defeated him in just three moves—only to be subdued by Vice Admiral Garp himself. I’d say he has the strength of at least a Headquarters Rear Admiral!”

Navy Hero Garp?

That old man was actually Garp the Fist?

The legendary Garp, who had to intervene personally to bring down Galen?

Wallace’s breath came faster, his hand trembling with excitement as he scribbled down every detail. He recorded with even greater enthusiasm, snapping extra photographs of the legendary hero.

Meanwhile, Smoker, listening to the raucous commentary of his subordinates, looked as black as thunder.