One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Garp – We’re All Men Here

Bat Island wasn't large, just a modest piece of land with a single port, a small town, and a scattering of mountains further inland. It was sparsely populated, with most of the interior overrun by wilderness. There were rumors of ancient ruins hidden in the mountains, and that's where Patrick Redfield had gone searching.

As soon as they docked, Garp exchanged a few words with Kong, then took up his position at the port. Meanwhile, Kong turned to Claudius, who simply smiled and said, "I'll head in to meet up with my cousin. No need to worry about me, Fleet Admiral."

"Alright. I'm off to deal with Redfield," Kong replied without fuss. He gave Claudius a quick nod, then set off toward the heart of the island, ready for the confrontation.

Once Kong had disappeared into the dense forest, Claudius turned to Garp with a smirk. "You look like you've been holding something in this whole trip."

"Humph!" Garp grunted, looking annoyed, before quickly asking, "How's Ace?"

"With the kind of life I live, do you think he could be anything but fine? He's well-fed, sleeps soundly, and he's got enough energy to tire out anyone. Only downside is, he's ruined my reputation." Claudius sighed, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Ahahahaha! I heard about that! Word around Mariejois is that you've got yourself an illegitimate child," Garp laughed, clearly amused. "Honestly, it's not such a bad thing. That rumor covers up the truth pretty well. Now nobody will be poking their noses into Ace's business."

As strange as it sounded, Garp was right. If people believed Ace was Claudius's illegitimate son, then any curiosity would be dismissed as a private matter of the Celestial Dragons. No one, not even the agents of the CP organizations, would dare investigate too closely, given that they were under the Celestial Dragons' authority. As long as Claudius and Garp kept quiet, Ace's existence was secure.

Claudius sighed, shaking his head again. "There goes my perfect image. My spotless reputation, dragged through the mud because of this kid."

"Oh, please! No one cares about a Celestial Dragon's private life anyway. But seriously... you're telling me you don't have any women on the side?" Garp asked, looking at Claudius with disbelief.

Claudius shot Garp a disgusted look. "You think I'm as shameless as you?"

Garp just shrugged, clearly unbothered by the insult. Claudius didn't know much about Garp's personal life, but he had his suspicions. He didn't know who Dragon's mother was, but it wouldn't have surprised him if Garp had a fling somewhere along the line. And considering how Ace's father was Roger, yet Garp had decided to treat Ace as family... well, the old man certainly didn't follow a conventional life path.

"Come on, we're all men here, hahaha!" Garp laughed heartily, slinging an arm around Claudius's shoulders like they were old drinking buddies.

Before Claudius could pull away, Garp added, "Oh, by the way, last time we talked, I didn't get the chance to ask you. I heard that Zephyr got himself a pass that lets him into the Celestial Dragon's mansion areas. Mind getting me one too?"

Claudius frowned. "What do you need that for? You don't even like coming to Mariejois, and you've never had much respect for the other Celestial Dragons. Don't go stirring up trouble there and dragging me down with you."

"It's different now," Garp replied, shrugging casually. "Ace is there with you, isn't he? I'm just a Vice Admiral; I've got plenty of free time. Mariejois and Marineford aren't that far apart. I figured I could drop by and see him now and then."

Claudius smirked, amused. For someone who openly mocked the nobility, Garp sure was willing to swallow his pride for Ace's sake. The old man was even shamelessly asking for a pass to the Celestial Dragon estates, all just so he could visit the boy.

"Fine, but let's get one thing clear," Claudius said, exasperated but smiling. "When it comes to raising Ace, keep out of it. I'll handle his upbringing myself, understood?"

Garp frowned, clearly displeased. "What? I'm his grandfather! Can't I help shape him into a fine Marine?"

"Oh, please. With your record? Just look at how Dragon turned out," Claudius shot back without mercy.

Garp didn't look the least bit ashamed. He just waved his hand dismissively. "Well, that's exactly why I'm more experienced now. I know what mistakes not to make!"

Seeing that Claudius wasn't buying it, Garp finally relented with a sigh. "Alright, alright. I promise not to interfere with Ace's training. Satisfied?"

Claudius gave him a nod. "That's more like it. Once I'm back, I'll have someone deliver a pass to you."

With that settled, the two men shared a few more words before Claudius bid Garp goodbye and headed off into the port town.

Doflamingo had already reserved every tavern in the small town. His men, Trebol and the others, were stationed at the entrance. Spotting Claudius, they quickly ushered him inside.

Claudius walked in to find Doflamingo sitting at a table, a wine glass in hand. At his feet lay a man unconscious or dead, it was hard to tell with blood pooling around his head. Doflamingo looked up, smirking as he poured Claudius a drink.

"What's with the mess?" Claudius asked, taking a seat across from him.

Doflamingo handed him the glass. "Oh, nothing. Just a little stress relief. This idiot tried to pick a fight with me, so I gave him what he asked for. I feel a lot better now," he replied, his grin widening.

"You're really getting into the pirate lifestyle, huh?" Claudius remarked with a laugh.

Doflamingo chuckled. "Fufufufu... cousin, I am a pirate."

"Fair enough," Claudius acknowledged with a smile. "How's everything going?"

"Not bad. We're making progress. But the New World... the water's deep here," Doflamingo replied, his gaze sharpening.

"It is. Be careful, Doffy. If things ever get too heavy, remember you've got me to back you up. You're my brother, after all. If I don't look out for you, who will?" Claudius said with genuine warmth.

Doflamingo's usually guarded expression softened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself, grinning. "I know, cousin. But enough of that. What's the plan for today?"

"Simple," Claudius said, waving a hand. "The World Government wants to save face after the fiasco with Roger. They're hoping capturing Redfield will restore some of their reputation."

"So, when's the action?" Doflamingo asked, raising an eyebrow. "We're not just going to sit here and drink all day, are we?"

Just as he finished speaking, an intense surge of Conqueror's Haki flooded the island. The sheer pressure was overwhelming, sending a ripple of force through the town. The innkeeper behind the bar collapsed instantly, eyes rolling back as he hit the floor.

Claudius and Doflamingo were unaffected. With a calm smile, Claudius picked up the bottle, poured them both another drink, and said, "No need to worry. It's already begun."

*****

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