"As long as you agree to join the Marines, I will teach you hand-in-hand..."
Lorne quickly pulled himself out of his initial surprise and desire for Haki, his mind racing.
Join the Marines and hang out with this legendary marine hero?
It sounded like a decent choice.
Garp's strength and status were unquestionable; having him backing him up would undoubtedly make things much easier for him on this vast ocean.
But, the Marines...
The moment Lorne thought about having to follow the orders of those Celestial Dragons—scum who wore bubble helmets, considered themselves gods, and treated human life like dirt—he felt a wave of physiological discomfort.
He would rather be a free-spirited bounty hunter, or even a wanted pirate, than associate with those people.
Furthermore, the Marines were not a monolith; hawks, doves, fence-sitters... there was no shortage of factional infighting and scheming.
As an outsider, even with Garp's recommendation, he would likely be even more easily dragged into endless trouble.
Staying alive and getting stronger were the top priorities; placing himself in such a complex environment was clearly not a wise move.
Lorne composed his expression, took a solemn step forward, and bowed slightly to Garp.
"Junior Lorne, thank you very much for your appreciation, Mr. Garp."
His attitude was respectful, but his tone was neither servile nor overbearing.
Garp nodded in satisfaction, patted his chest with his large hand, and grinned.
"Hahaha! No problem! No problem! So, you little brat, are you agreeing?"
"No."
Lorne raised his head, met Garp's slightly bewildered gaze, and shook his head seriously.
"I am very sorry, Old Man Garp. Please forgive me for refusing."
The smile on Garp's face froze instantly; he had not expected that an invitation he personally extended would be so flatly rejected by an unknown little brat.
"Why?"
He pressed, his voice filled with a trace of confusion.
"With your talent, staying in a place like the East Blue is too much of a waste! Only at Marine Headquarters can you receive the best training and become a true powerhouse!"
Lorne sighed slightly; he knew that if he didn't provide a reasonable explanation, this stubborn old man probably wouldn't give up easily.
"Because I cannot stand taking orders from those Celestial Dragons."
Lorne's voice was not loud, but every word was exceptionally clear.
"I cannot imagine myself in a situation where I have to protect scum like the Celestial Dragons; that would make me sick."
"Celestial Dragons..."
Garp chewed on the word, his sharp eyes suddenly narrowing as a terrifying glint flashed and vanished.
He stared fixedly at Lorne, and the surrounding air became heavy.
"You little brat..."
Garp's tone became exceptionally complex as he scratched the dog-head hat on his head.
"You sure know a lot!"
His voice was no longer the boisterous, carefree tone from before, but carried a hint of depth and scrutiny.
Garp subconsciously wanted to retort, to say that the Marines' justice was for the people of the world, but the words were swallowed back down by him at the last second.
He recalled the things he had seen and experienced in the Marines over all these years.
Those unreasonable compromises made for the sake of the so-called World Nobles, those dirty dealings covered up under the cloak of justice.
Wasn't he the one who refused to be promoted to Marine Admiral his whole life just because he didn't want to become a direct lackey for the Celestial Dragons?
A long sigh escaped the marine hero's chest, and the oppressive aura around him dissipated along with it.
"Sigh..."
Garp waved his hand, a hint of helplessness and desolation appearing on his face; he found that he actually couldn't refute this young man's words.
"The East Blue is still too small."
Garp looked at Lorne again, this time with less hardness in his gaze and more of the guidance of someone who had been there before.
"No matter what you want to do in the future, remember, strength is the foundation of everything! Without sufficient power, you don't even have the right to choose your own path!"
He straightened his chest, an invisible pressure spreading out, and continued.
"If one day you figure it out, the doors of Marine Headquarters will be left open for you by me!"
Changing the subject, Garp's expression became serious again. He clenched his fist, which was larger than a sandbag, and his knuckles made a cracking sound.
"Of course, the premise is that you don't go down the wrong path and become some pirate who burns, kills, and loots! Otherwise... I will personally drag you into Impel Down!"
The threat was self-evident, but Lorne could feel that in those sharp eyes, there was more warning and a complex sense of expectation.
"No! I don't want to be a Marine! I want to be the pirate king!!"
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