Word quickly spread like wildfire among the marines about the girl known as the sea whisperer. The news of her seeming to be the possible girlfriend of the notorious Straw Hat captain only made the topic more intriguing. Eventually, the word reached Vice Admiral Garp. When Garp heard the news, his eyes widened in surprise.
"He has a girlfriend?" Garp repeated, as if he couldn't believe his ears.
"It's true, sir," one of his marines confirmed. "Straw Hat appears to have a girlfriend, and she's the one we're looking for."
Garp scratched his head, trying to process the information. He hadn't expected Luffy to have a girlfriend, much less one that the World Government had been searching for.
"How do you know it's her?" Garp asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Reports from the troops say she fits the description, sir. A young blonde woman," the marine explained. "Vice Admiral Kado reportedly saw her control the sea with his own eyes."
"Hmm," Garp murmured, deep in thought. The idea of Luffy having a girlfriend was strange enough, but one who was in possession of a mysterious gift from the sea? It was beyond unexpected.
The marine continued, "We've also received a direct order from Fleet Admiral Akainu himself. He's given Kado the authority to use any means necessary to capture the girl, and he's been tasked to work with you on this mission."
Garp rubbed his chin, his mind racing. Akainu's involvement meant this was serious. The government was not taking this lightly. But Luffy having a girlfriend? It was an unexpected complication for Garp, who always found himself torn between his duty and his love for his grandson.
"I see," he finally said.
He was about to say something further when the marine added, "Vice Admiral Garp."
Garp looked at him, irritation flickering across his face. "What?"
"There's something else," the marine said, his voice hesitant.
Garp raised an eyebrow, his irritation replaced by curiosity. "What is it?" he asked, his voice firm.
The marine took a deep breath before speaking. "The order we received from the Fleet Admiral was not just to capture the girl," he said, his voice low. "It's to eliminate the Straw Hat pirates as well, by any means necessary."
Garp's eyes widened as he heard this. Eliminate the Straw Hat pirates? "Are you serious?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
The marine nodded gravely. "I'm afraid so, sir," he said. "The Fleet Admiral has given Kado the authority to eliminate them. They are already considered a grave threat to the World Government, but the threat they pose is even greater now with a sea whisperer on board."
Garp cursed under his breath. This was not good. Not only was he tasked with capturing a girl that Luffy had fallen for, but he was also being asked to help eliminate his own grandson and his crew.
Garp took a deep breath, his mind still wrestling with the conflicting emotions he felt. He knew he had a duty to uphold, but he also couldn't bear the thought of truly harming his grandson. Finally, he spoke. "I'll go meet with Kado," he said gruffly.
The marine nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, sir," he said, relieved that Garp had agreed to cooperate. "We'll inform Kado that you're on your way to meet him."
Garp gave a curt nod in response, then turned and walked away, his mind and heart churning with turmoil. He knew he was about to embark on a mission that would put him in direct conflict with his own grandson and his crew. It was not a position he wanted to be in, but duty and obligation left him with no choice.
Later on day, Kado sat in his quarters, which was spacious and well-appointed, lit by the soft glow of candles. The room was decorated with various trinkets and mementos, souvenirs from his time as a Vice Admiral. It was late at night, and he was sitting at his desk, papers and reports scattered across the surface.
A knock came on the door, and Kado looked up. "Come in," he called out.
The door opened and a tall, muscular marine captain entered. He saluted Kado.
"Captain Johnson," Kado acknowledged, gesturing for Johnson to take a seat in front of him.
"Sir," Johnson began, taking a seat. "I have some important information to discuss with you."
Kado leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him. "I'm listening."
"We've been doing some digging in our records, and we think we've identified the girl that's been sailing with the Straw Hats," Johnson said.
Kado's expression remained stoic, but he leaned forward slightly. "Go on," he said, clearly interested.
"We came across some old records from 15 years ago," Johnson explained. "There was a woman named Montgomery Pristine who had the ability to sea whisper."
"Pristine..." Kado repeated the name, his expression contemplative and serious.
"Yes, sir," Johnson nodded. "Unfortunately, the World Government tried to enlist her and her power. When she refused, they eliminated her. But, her records say that she was not alone. She had a husband and a young daughter with her at the time."
Kado's eyes narrowed as he considered the information. "So, you're saying the girl that's sailing with the Straw Hats could be the daughter of this woman you speak of?"
Johnson nodded. "Yes, sir. We also have an old picture of the mother, and the girl that we've photographed with Straw Hat Luffy looks remarkably similar to her. The records say her daughter's name was Montgomery Aria," he explained, pulling out a copy of the old photo and placing it on the desk in front of Kado.
Kado picked up the photo and studied it carefully. Sure enough, the resemblance between the girl in the photo and the girl who was with the Straw Hat pirates was striking. The hair color, facial features, and even the way she held herself were all shockingly similar.
Kado set the photo back down on the desk, his face betraying nothing of his thoughts. "And what about the father?" he asked.
"Based on the documents, it appears he managed to escape with their daughter and went into hiding. We know his name was Montgomery James; however, we've learned that he's now deceased. We were able to find an obituary and traced it to the island he lived on. According to the obituary, he died several months ago after pirates raided the town."
Kado sat up straight, a determined gleam in his eyes. "Very well. We need to take action. I want a bounty issued for this girl. Use the photo we have. I want every marine and bounty hunter in the world searching for her." Kado's expression hardened. "I want her alive. And the bounty, make it high enough to attract attention. Let the world know that we're offering a significant reward for her capture."
"Yes sir," Johnson replied, his pen already jotting down the details. "What amount should we set the bounty at?"
Kado considered for a moment. He wanted the bounty to be high enough to ensure that every bounty hunter in the world would be gunning for her, while still being low enough that it wouldn't arouse too much suspicion or panic. He glanced down at the photo of the girl. "100 million berries," he said finally.
Johnson's eyes widened. "100 million berries?", he exclaimed, his pen hovering over the papers in front of him. "Are you sure about that amount, sir? That's extremely high, even by our standards."
Kado nodded, his eyes fixed on the photo of the girl. "I'm sure," he said briskly. "We need to send a clear message that we're serious about capturing her, and a bounty of that size will make sure every bounty hunter in the world takes notice."
"Understood, sir," Johnson said, adding the number to his documents. "I'll get this order out immediately."
Several days had passed. Kado was standing on the deck of his large warship, gazing out at the sea with a serious expression on his face. He was lost in thought, thinking about the mission at hand and how to best capture the girl who could whisper. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching him and he turned to see Garp, who had just arrived, walking towards him.
Garp stood next to him, also gazing out at the sea. "Kado." he said with a nod in greeting.
Kado looked over at Garp, his face betraying nothing. "Garp." he responded, his tone neutral.
Garp stood there silently for a moment, feeling a mix of emotions as he looked out at the sea. Finally, he spoke up. "So, you've been tailing the Straw Hats, huh?"
Kado nodded. "For the past several days. We've been watching them closely, waiting for the right moment to make our move."
Garp nodded, understanding the situation. "And what have you learned from your observations?"
Kado looked at Garp, a serious expression on his face. "We have confirmed that Straw Hat Luffy and the girl appear to be in a relationship. They appear to be very close."
Garp's facial expression remained passive, but Kado saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Is that so? How have they been interacting with each other?"
Kado took a moment to recall the observations they had made. "They're constantly seen together. They sit close to each other, laugh at each other. They're often seen holding hands or with their arms around each other. There's no doubt that they are romantically involved."
Garp felt a pang of concern, his heart heavy as he processed this information. "And the girl...? Are you certain she's a sea whisperer?" he asked, his voice low.
Kado nodded again, a confident look in his eyes. "Yes, we're certain. We've seen her use her gift once before. It was a remarkable sight to behold. There's no doubt about her abilities."
Garp felt a mix of shock and unease. "I see." he said heavily.
Kado looked at Garp, sensing the conflicted look in his eyes. "What's the matter, Garp?" he asked, curious.
Garp hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal his inner turmoil. "It's nothing." he replied, trying to sound casual.
Kado was perceptive, and he could tell there was something more Garp wasn't telling. "Come on, Garp. You can be honest with me. What's really on your mind? You look troubled."
Garp sighed, knowing he couldn't keep it from Kado. "It's just...Luffy being involved with the sea whisperer. I didn't expect it. Luffy has had no interest in women before, so this took me by surprise."
Kado nodded. "I can see how that would be a shock to you. But you know what must be done. We have our orders. The girl must be brought in." Kado's voice was somewhat cold, and despite his words, he was unconcerned with how the situation affected Garp.
Garp's jaw tightened. He knew Kado was right, but it was still difficult for him to accept. "Yes, I know. But Luffy...he's my grandson."
Kado looked at Garp, his expression hardening. "I understand that, Garp. But you have a duty to the marines and to the World Government. You can't let your personal feelings get in the way of your responsibilities."
Garp took a deep breath, knowing he had to maintain composure. "You're right, Kado." he said, trying to sound firm. "I have a duty to uphold."
Kado nodded, satisfied with Garp's response. "Good. I'm glad we're on the same page. We have a plan in place to capture the girl, and we need your assistance."
Garp felt a sense of resignation wash over him. "What do you need from me?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.