Just as Mihawk had said.
As news spread of Mock boarding Whitebeard's ship, all the powers currently at sea had no choice but to believe that Hargon D. Mock was truly the Pirate King's son.
Paradise, Sabaody Archipelago.
The Rip-Off Bar.
"Rayleigh, is this kid really your captain's son?" A slender woman with short dark hair, holding a cigarette in her right hand and wearing a spider-patterned top, glanced at the newspaper spread out on the counter. She looked up at the white-haired old man with glasses and a vertical scar over his right eye, frowning. "Whitebeard actually let him board? The whole sea is saying it's confirmed now!"
"Wahaha, don't ask me, Shakuyaku. I don't know either!" Rayleigh took a swig from his beer bottle, speaking cheerfully. "Maybe he really is!"
"Is that so?" Hearing Rayleigh's ambiguous answer, Shakuyaku took a drag of her cigarette, still frowning at a photo in the newspaper. "I remember your captain had quite a full head of hair! This doesn't look like him at all!"
Saying this, she flicked the ash from her cigarette.
"I've heard Mock has an eccentric personality and an unpredictable way of doing things. He had clearly already set foot in the Grand Line, yet he went back to the East Blue. He likes holding banquets and festivals with East Blue pirates, and he loves showing off in front of people!"
"Hahaha, is that so?" Rayleigh paused for a moment, frowning. "You know, that really does sound like the captain!"
Saying that, he leaned over to glance at the photo in the newspaper and nodded. "Aside from being bald, he really does look a lot like my idiot captain!"
Shakuyaku remained silent. Where was the resemblance? She couldn't tell at all! Still holding her cigarette, she was just about to say something.
"But didn't our contacts say the Captain was last seen alive at Baterilla Island in the South Blue? Yet this kid lived in the East Blue?" Rayleigh frowned again. "Could he have been taken to the East Blue by someone? Or did the captain release that information as a smokescreen?"
"There are rumors..." Hearing Rayleigh's words, Shakuyaku exhaled a puff of smoke, seemingly remembering something. She spoke indifferently, "Whitebeard asked Garp personally, but Garp remained silent."
"Garp? You don't think Garp took him to the East Blue?" A look of surprise crossed Rayleigh's face, followed by a frown. "You know, that actually might be possible!"
A moment later, his frown smoothed out, and he continued drinking his beer cheerfully.
"I wonder if that kid calls Whitebeard 'Pops'? Wahaha, if he does, I wonder what expression the Captain would have! That would definitely be interesting!"
Saying this, a excited smile appeared on his face. "Captain's own son? Now, I really do want to meet that kid."
Come to think of it, he actually met an interesting kid a while back, and his name was the same as the captain's sword.
--**--**
"What? It's confirmed?!"
New World, somewhere in the sea, on board the Red Hair Pirates ship.
Shanks looked at Ben Beckman before him, completely dumbfounded. "When did this happen? No way!"
"A few days ago, Mock boarded the Whitebeard Pirates ship." Ben Beckman flicked the ash from his cigar. "Now the rumor is being treated as confirmed all over the seas."
"The Whitebeard Pirates?" Shanks paused, frowning. "Isn't it just because Mock is interesting that Whitebeard let him board?"
"I'm not clear on that." Beckman shrugged. "But there are rumors that Whitebeard personally acknowledged him."
Shanks stared blankly. What the hell? But before a stunned Shanks could say anything,
"Oh, right." Beckman seemed to recall something and added, "There are also rumors that a few days before Mock entered Moby Dick, Whitebeard met with Garp."
"Whitebeard? Garp? Those two met? For real?"
"I don't know if it's true or not!"
Hearing Beckman's words, Shanks rubbed his forehead, a headache forming.
Did Garp tell Whitebeard?
But if Mock really was the Captain's son, what about the youth seen back then?
Who did Garp take away? Or was there two of them?
In that case...
Portgas D. Ace.
Hargon D. Mock.
Damn it, what exactly did the Captain do back then? Didn't they say he spent his final days on Baterilla Island?
"Captain really was quite the playboy." Shanks shook his head with a look of resignation, then sighed. "Seriously, what exactly is Garp trying to pull? With the seas the way they are now..."
His eyes flickered slightly.
"It's still not the time."
--**--**
Meanwhile.
At this moment.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Sengoku looked at Garp, who was still grinning cheekily in front of him, with extreme annoyance. "You actually had the nerve to admit that man's identity to Whitebeard?"
"No! I didn't admit it!"
"You didn't?!" Looking at Garp, who was still feigning ignorance right in front of him, Sengoku grew even more furious. "If you didn't admit it, where are these rumors coming from now? Is Whitebeard an idiot?!"
"Don't ask me, I have no idea!" Facing such an irate Sengoku, Garp remained completely indifferent, speaking as cheerfully as ever. "Maybe Whitebeard really *is* an idiot!"
"I think you're treating 'me' like the idiot." Seeing that Garp was still talking nonsense, Sengoku finally lost his patience and bellowed, "Tell me clearly right now, is Mock the son of the Pirate King or not!"
"Of course not! That kid has nothing to do with Roger!"
"It looks like the rumors are true then!"
"I asked you a while ago and you wouldn't say a word, but today you admit it straight out?" Sengoku scoffed. "Do you really take me for a fool?"
Garp suddenly felt the snacks in his hand weren't very appetizing anymore. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Sengoku, there's something I want to say, but I don't know if I should."
"Save it! Trying to fool me again?" Sengoku looked at Garp coldly and snapped, "Not a single one of you guys from the East Blue ever gives me any peace of mind."
Rubbing his forehead, he continued, "Pirates are like this, and Marines are like this, too!"
Both Marines invited to the training camp had refused, and now this Son of the Pirate King mess had erupted, yet this guy still wouldn't admit it!
Sengoku scoffed again. "Fine. Whether it's true or not, the World Government is going to treat him as if he is anyway!"
Garp fell silent for a moment, then resumed stuffing large mouthfuls of snacks into his mouth. He sighed and said, "Fine, let it be then."
"See? You're admitting it now."
"...Fine, I admit it! Just consider it me failing that kid!" Garp blinked and shook his head. "Approve my leave request. I need to go back on vacation."
"A vacation? You want a vacation?!" Sengoku glared at Garp. "After causing such a huge scene, you have the nerve to ask me for time off? I haven't even settled the score with you regarding Mock yet! Denied. Stay here and behave yourself!"
"Then forget it, I'll just play hooky." Garp sighed and stood up, looking rather dejected. "I was planning to go back and see Zephyr after payday, buy two bottles of wine to have a good chat and vent with him... I thought maybe I could help Zephyr feel a little better."
After all, a lot had happened.
"Even though Zephyr has retired, I know what he's like. He's as stubborn as a mule."
He shook his head with a sigh. "But if you won't sign it, fine. They'll dock my pay and I won't have money for snacks, so I'll just come here and eat yours. I'll head over empty-handed. Hopefully, it'll make Zephyr feel a little better."
With that, he stood up and walked out, looking thoroughly disappointed.
Watching Garp's act, Sengoku knew perfectly well the man was faking it deliberately. But hearing Zephyr's name made the corner of his eye twitch. He scoffed and barked, "Get back here!"
As Garp turned back, Sengoku snatched the request form, scrawled the word "Approved" on it, and tossed it to him. After a moment of silence, he exhaled sharply and added, "And go check on Zephyr for me while you're at it."
"Bwahahaha! Don't worry, I will!" Garp snatched the approved form, roaring with laughter. "If there's nothing else, I'm off!"
He didn't wait for Sengoku, whose mouth was hanging open, to say another word. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and bolted for the door.
Leaving only...
"Wai-" Sengoku stood there with his mouth agape, staring silently as Garp vanished in a blur. Finally, he shook his head in defeat. "That bastard..."
He let out another sigh. "Fine. Let him go keep Zephyr company."
Yet, Sengoku didn't realize...
Walking down the hallway with his approved leave in hand, Garp wore a smirk. He chuckled, "Hah! Does he really need me to keep Zephyr company? That old geezer Zephyr is probably having the time of his life right now!"
Come to think of it, the year was almost over.
After working so hard all year, he was entitled to a good relaxation session too.
===============
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