Chapter 80: Join the Navy with Me (Third Update)

Seeing Luffy in this state, Garp couldn’t help but sigh, deciding not to say anything more. What needed to be said had already been voiced by Roland on his behalf; the road ahead would be up to Luffy to choose for himself.

"Hey, isn’t this the brat who used to be on Roger’s ship with Shanks? What was his name again… Kiba, right?" Garp turned his gaze to Buggy, pondering aloud.

"It’s Buggy! Don’t go calling strange names like that, or you’ll get censored..." Buggy, as always, showed no fear when it came to his name and title—even if Garp got it wrong, he would jump up to correct him.

"Right, right, it’s Buggy," Garp replied with a goofy smile.

"Hey, Red-Nose, you and Shanks were both once crew members of the Pirate King?" Luffy caught the key words and looked at Buggy with excitement.

"Last warning—my name is Buggy, Buggy, Buggy, not Red-Nose!" Buggy continued to protest, stomping his feet.

"Then Buggy, could you tell me what kind of person the Pirate King Roger was?" Luffy asked, for once, with rare seriousness.

"Captain Roger? He was a..." As Buggy began talking to Luffy, Garp walked over to Roland, looking at him with satisfaction.

He had first learned about Roland through Smoker’s reports, and had thought then that Roland was quite an unusual fellow. After overhearing his advice to Luffy today, Garp was even more pleased—a man who could see through the true nature of this era was indeed rare.

Yet he also believed that Roger had not led everyone to the seas, to Laugh Tale, simply to plunge the world into chaos; there had to be deeper meaning behind it.

"You are far more outstanding than I imagined," Garp praised.

"Vice Admiral Garp, you flatter me. I’m only doing what I ought to do," Roland replied with a gentle smile.

"Not arrogant or boastful—very good. I hope to see you at Marine Headquarters next time," Garp said, clapping Roland on the shoulder.

"What do you think of Luffy, my grandson?" Though a hero of the Navy, Garp was, first and foremost, a man—a father, and a grandfather who cared for his grandson.

"I don’t know him well, but from what I’ve seen, his nature isn’t bad, just that he’s too deeply attached to his beliefs," Roland considered before answering.

"Yes, too deeply attached..." Garp sighed. If he hadn’t spent most of his years stationed at Navy bases, with no time to raise his grandson himself, would Luffy have turned out this way? If not for that rascal Shanks, perhaps Luffy would already be a proud Marine like Roland.

"By the way, what are you planning to do with Buggy?" Garp suddenly asked.

"For now, I intend to arrest him. After all, he was terrified out of his wits before the fight even began and didn’t dare to battle," Roland replied helplessly. "And as a Marine, I can’t sully the Navy’s reputation by executing a captive."

"Then leave him to me," Garp said, suddenly grinning mischievously. "Since Shanks tricked my grandson into becoming a pirate, I’ll make his old friend a Marine. If the two of them meet on the battlefield one day, won’t that be interesting?"

"Ah..." Roland couldn’t help but admire Garp’s way of thinking. Was this the same straight-lined logic passed down to Luffy? But why did it feel like he’d seen this somewhere before? Where was it?

"It’s settled, then. When you pass through Loguetown, Smoker has already told me your purpose here. I’ll take Buggy with me, so you’ll have no worries and can focus on dealing with that Kuro fellow," Garp said, thumping Roland’s shoulder heartily, ignoring his grimace of pain.

"As long as you’re happy," Roland replied through gritted teeth.

"Come, Buggy, I have good news for you," Garp said as he approached Buggy, his hands like iron tongs clamping down on Buggy’s shoulders. "I’ve decided—you’ll join me as a Marine."

"No, please don’t—" Buggy first cried out weakly, like a forlorn widow. But after a moment, he suddenly realized what Garp had said and stared at him in disbelief, stammering, "You… what did you say?"

"Join me as a Marine," Garp repeated calmly, completely ignoring the headache he was causing the other Marines present.

"No way, I refuse! I won’t agree!" Buggy, finding some unknown courage, broke free from Garp’s iron grip and snapped angrily, "I was Captain Roger’s crewmate! Even though the pirate crew has disbanded, I will never betray Captain Roger and join the Navy!"

If anyone else had asked, Buggy might have agreed out of timidity, though not with sincerity. But since it was Garp—Roger’s old nemesis—even in death, he would never say yes.

"Is that so?" Garp stroked his graying beard, feigning difficulty. "Then there’s nothing I can do. After all, as a member of the Pirate King’s crew, you’re no small fry. According to regulations, once captured, you’re to be publicly executed as a warning to the arrogant pirates."

Buggy’s face made plain his disbelief. This was obviously just a scare tactic—first trying to recruit him, now threatening him with execution. Wasn’t this the old routine of carrot and stick? How cliché!

Seeing Buggy unmoved, Garp glanced at the pirates lying on the ground. "Enough, it’s decided. Clown Buggy will be taken to headquarters for public execution. As for these small fry, bringing them onto the ship is a waste of rations—just execute them on the spot. If I say so, Sengoku won’t object."

"Bogard, be quick about it—make sure not to leave any traces here, so the townsfolk can sleep in peace."

"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp." The man in the suit and bowler hat behind Garp stepped forward, ready to carry out the task.

"Wait, wait..." Seeing the suited man’s deadly seriousness, Buggy panicked. He might have committed many misdeeds, but among the big-name pirates, he was an oddity; the others didn’t care about the lower-ranked pirates, but Buggy treated each of them like brothers.

Now, watching his brothers about to be executed before his eyes, how could he accept it?

"What is it, Buggy? Changed your mind?" Garp smiled, looking at him.

"I..." Buggy looked at his fallen crewmates, then at Garp. Whether it was refusal or agreement, he couldn’t bring himself to say either word.

"Enough, Bogard. Take these fellows to the warship, put them in Navy uniforms, and drill them hard. Help them become Marines as soon as possible—understand?"

"Grandpa, how could you? You’re always forcing people to change their minds! This guy just wants to be a pirate like me, but you’re making him a Marine, just like you did to me," Luffy protested.

"Luffy, if you hadn’t spoken up, I would’ve forgotten you. Bogard, the one in the straw hat is my grandson—a Devil Fruit user. Take him too, and keep him under strict supervision, understand?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp." Bogard carried out the order without hesitation, stepping quickly to Luffy and cuffing him with Seastone handcuffs before Luffy could resist.

"What’s going on..." Weakened instantly by the Seastone, Luffy collapsed to the ground, powerless.

Seeing the Seastone do its work, Garp ignored Luffy and turned back to Buggy, putting on a cruel face. "So, what my grandson Luffy said just now—is it true?"

Confronted by Garp, Buggy, finding courage from who knows where, loudly retorted:

"Of course not! I’m joining the Navy with all my heart..."