Grand Line, New World.

"My, my, that's quite a big ship," Jack remarked, sitting on the deck of the Seraphim Ship as he watched the pirate vessel slowly approaching.

"What are these pirates thinking? Just because they build their ship bigger, does it make them stronger? No matter how big... it's still just a wooden ship, isn't it?"

"You're just a well-fed man who doesn't know the hunger of the starving!" Yamato stood beside Jack, frowning.

"Do you think just anyone can sail around in a warship that's practically ahead of its time like we do? That pirate ship over there might not have top-tier fighters, but they're still somewhat capable... Otherwise, how could they swagger around the New World in such a massive ship and still sail safely this long?"

"But unfortunately, their pirate career might end here." Jack stood up, his face—the kind that could scare children into sleepless nights—twisting into a murderous grin.

"They're clearly coming for us."

"Hold on, hold on! Don't act like it's your turn to step in. Father said we take turns with this kind of thing... Last time in Paradise, it was you who handled it, right? So that means... it's my turn now."

"Ah, well, that part doesn't really matter," Jack replied awkwardly, scratching his cheek.

"But is it really okay for you to call the Chief of Staff 'Father' so boldly?"

"After all these years, Father has clearly gotten used to it!"

"Is that something to be proud of!?" Jack retorted loudly. "Isn't it just because he couldn't convince you otherwise and had to adjust himself instead!?"

Ever since they ran away with Michael five years ago, Jack and Yamato had been following him under the guise of ordinary Revolutionary Army soldiers.

At first, Michael had refused.

He never expected that even after slipping away during the Marine's siege and going into hiding, these two would still track him down.

And not only that...

They even managed to steal his Seraphim Ship.

So...

He had no choice but to keep them around.

Not that Michael particularly missed his warship...

But along the way, these two reckless idiots had already made plenty of enemies—beating up over a dozen vice admirals!

Even if they tried to return to the Marine, they'd probably be outcasts by now.

So they had to stay with him, acting as his entourage—just dealing with pirates, sinking ships, and disposing of bodies—without involving them in actual Revolutionary Army operations.

Their combat prowess was so enticing that even Dragon personally tried to persuade Michael to let them officially join the Revolutionary Army.

But after witnessing the true nature of these two troublemakers... Dragon never brought it up again.

Right now, Michael was catching up on sleep in the Seraphim Ship's cabin.

Before setting off, he had arranged all the necessary work and handed it over to Ginny and Kuma, who came to relieve him.

Although he possessed boundless stamina, mental exhaustion had nothing to do with physical strength.

So, sleep was still necessary.

When he woke up again and stepped onto the deck, he saw Yamato, who had just returned to the ship, and the scattered wooden debris floating in the sea not far away.

"What… kind of business did you run into?"

"Father, it's like this. This pirate crew tried to attack us, so I struck first," Yamato said, pulling out a severed head from beside her.

"Redbeard Charles, alias 'Grand Inspector of Pirates'! Bounty of 130 million berries. He frequently attacked the Marine and, before entering the New World, repeatedly harassed Revolutionary Army offices across various regions… His abilities weren't particularly strong, so it seems his bounty was inflated due to the sheer number of people he killed."

After saying this, she lowered her head and muttered under her breath:

"What kind of trash is this guy, daring to call himself 'Grand Inspector'!"

Michael's lips twitched.

Whether it was ability or combat experience, Yamato was undoubtedly among the top-tier fighters on the seas.

But this blind worship of him—even a dog would shake its head at it.

"Tch, hopeless," Jack said, shaking his head.

"You… never mind, I can't be bothered to lecture you."

I just said even a dog would shake its head!

And here you are, Jack, shaking your head too!

Just asking for a scolding!

"Alright, you two, enough clowning around. A troublemaking pirate crew—killing them is no big deal… After all, crews like this can't pick fights with the strong, so they specialize in tormenting civilians and branch Navies…" Michael sighed before continuing.

"How much farther do we have until Egghead?"

"Probably… another day or so," Yamato said after checking the nautical chart and thinking for a moment. "We have to detour around the Marine's exclusive shipping lanes, so it's hard to take advantage of special currents for high-speed travel…"

"You did the right thing. Right now, we need to avoid direct contact with any Marine forces outside of the SWORD Classified Special Forces."

"Oh, speaking of the Marine…" Jack said, pulling a box from his pocket. "While you were asleep, Vice Admiral Garp tried to reach you."

The box looked small in Jack's hands, but it was actually half a meter square.

Inside, each Den Den Mushi was neatly labeled with the name of the person it could contact.

Michael opened the box, picked up the white Den Den Mushi, and placed it next to the one labeled "Garp."

Given his current status, he still had to be somewhat cautious.

Preventing eavesdropping was just basic protocol.

"Pururu pururu, pururu pururu, click—"

"Hello? Who is it!? Have you no decency! Calling someone in the middle of the night!" Garp's face was immediately mimicked by the Den Den Mushi, his mouth wide open as he shouted.

"Huh? Michael? Is that you, Michael?"

"Thanks a lot. If you shout any louder, the entire Marine Headquarters will know you're in contact with a Marine traitor like me!" Michael rubbed his temples. He never had much patience for straightforward types like Garp.

"Even if no one else hears, it's not good if Ace, Luffy, or Sabo find out!"

"Oh, come on, don't be so cautious." Garp's voice still carried his usual carefree tone, though he lowered his volume.

"To be honest, even after you left the Marines, your popularity among them remains sky-high."

"Sky-high?"

"That's right. Although you were expelled from the Marines, the vast majority of them still see you as their Grand Inspector..."

Garp chuckled:

"After all, a man who can injure two Admirals will only earn their admiration."

"This world ultimately worships strength."