[Hina: …Ain, what are you really trying to say?]
[Ain: It's nothing big. I'm your junior, and I don't want Teacher Zephyr to be heart-broken over you. Just a reminder—if things start looking bad, you might consider doing what Tashigi did.]
[Hina: …]
Hina lowered her head and gave Ain—still standing below the rail—a long, searching look. For a moment she had no words; she understood Ain was right. Arton was already strong, and every day he would only grow stronger. The longer this dragged on, the slimmer Garp's chances of catching him became. If she staked all hope on the Marine Hero, the Government might still brand her guilty.
A shout from Jabra telling her to head below cut the exchange short.
"Is quitting the Navy really my only way to avoid a guilty verdict?" she muttered, brow creasing. Then her gaze shifted back to Ain. "She's actually urging me to follow Tashigi… has she truly lost faith in the Navy?" The thought tangled her feelings still more.
Garp turned to Zephyr. "Didn't expect to run into you here. Since you're here, put your scouts to work and find a trail on that kid Arton. He's left Hina in an ugly spot; one way or another, I'm going to track him down and give him a lesson."
Zephyr nodded. "You don't have to ask. Hina's my student too. And after what Arton did, the Navy has no choice but to arrest him." In fact, before reaching Loguetown he had already ordered his East Blue raiders to comb for Arton—so far without results.
Kujaku stepped forward. "Vice Admiral Garp, we'll help with the search." Doll and Hibari nodded.
Garp shook his head. "Better you shadow the CP-9 detail. I don't trust Government agents when no one's watching. And, Kujaku, stop by and see Tsuru—she's worried sick about you." Kujaku flushed, then nodded; she still couldn't leave Hina unwatched. With Tsuru's granddaughter on board, CP-9 would think twice.
She saluted the group and hurried toward her own Navy cutter.
Garp raised an eyebrow at Doll. "You're not going with her?"
Doll shook her head. "Kujaku alone can keep an eye on Hina. Out here, one more pair of hands hunting Arton can only help. Besides, your warship is still a long way out. You can ride mine to save time."
Garp laughed. "Good. Swimming and Moon-Walking all this way wore me out. Arton beat Mihawk, so his power is no joke—if I ran into him half-spent, I might not be able to pin him down."
"Then let's get moving," Zephyr said. "Arton's been gone a while, but with a Navy cruiser's speed we might still catch him. Ain, let's go."
Chapter 255 – I will catch you
"Yes, Teacher Zephyr." After replying, Ain nodded to Doll and Hibari, then hurried after Zephyr.
"All right, let's shove off," Garp told Doll, ready to depart Loguetown.
"Hold it, Vice-Admiral Garp— I'm coming too. I have to track down Arton and bring Tashigi back," Smoker said, fists clenching at her name. Arton's abduction of Tashigi still cut deep.
Doll and Hibari stiffened. They knew Tashigi had personally stabbed a World Noble; even if the Navy did catch her, there'd be no going back.
"No—you have to stay in Loguetown," Zephyr called back before Garp could answer.
"Why?" Smoker frowned.
"After a World Noble was killed here, the town's a tinderbox. If you leave now it'll explode," Zephyr warned.
Smoker fell silent. Arton had only just strung up the noble's corpse on Roger's platform and burned it to ash. Pirates lurking in town were surely on edge; if he left, pillage would follow. Reluctantly, he watched Zephyr and Garp head off on Doll's ship, then turned toward the square—problems awaited.
…
Marine group chat
[Sadi: What—Hina, World Government agents really took you?]
[Hina: Hina hates to admit it, but yes.]
[Domino: Those agents are brutal. Once they drag you off it's hard to get free.]
[Ain: We know why Arton spared Hina, but the Government doesn't. Explaining that will be next to impossible.]
[Hibari: Isn't there any other way?]
[Hina: Don't worry too much. Vice-Admiral Garp and Teacher Zephyr will think of something, and Hina will do her best to explain in questioning.]
[Domino: My fear is they'll skip questioning altogether.]
[Gion: I'll ask Vice-Admiral Tsuru to intervene—the Government still owes her respect. And Garp's idea stands: catch Arton and clear Hina face-to-face.]
[Sadi: Catching Arton isn't easy. Vice-Admiral Gion, you've chased him this long and still haven't found him.]
[Gion: This time's different. Navy and Government are throwing real muscle into the hunt. The sea's vast, not invisible—give us time and we'll locate him.]
[Sadi: We'd better. If he reaches the New World we'll be helpless—that's pirate turf.]
[Domino: Arton just unlocked top-tier Conqueror's Haki; with time he may master advanced coating. Then even Vice-Admiral Garp might not stop him.]
[Hibari: R-really? What do we do?]
[Gion: Don't sell Garp short—you saw Arton's diary: in the future he thrashes an admiral. Anyway, everyone in East Blue, keep searching. If you spot Arton, don't spook him; we need overwhelming force and one clean capture.]
Gion closed the channel, looked up, and tightened her grip on her sword.
"Arton, just wait—I will catch you," she vowed, eyes blazing with resolve.
...
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