Garp did regret it.
But he also knew perfectly well that, given everything Cyrus had done since then—and especially his attitude toward the World Government—even if Cyrus had joined the Marines back then, things would probably still have ended up here.
The only difference would have been the uniform he wore along the way.
That didn't stop Garp from wanting to punch him!
Cyrus noticed his clenched fist and crooked a finger at him.
"Want another round? I lost when we fought in East Blue."
"Forget it!"
Garp's fist immediately loosened.
"You're definitely up to something. I've got work to do, so get lost."
He waved Cyrus away without ceremony.
Cyrus ignored the dismissal and casually added, "Your two grandsons are pretty talented, though they could use some discipline. Luffy keeps saying he's going to become the Pirate King, and he doesn't seem to be joking. If he runs into some of my people later, there's a ninety percent chance they'll end up fighting."
Garp's breathing immediately grew heavier.
That grandson of his had been perfectly fine back home until someone dragged him off to Sky Island, and Garp was almost certain the man standing in front of him had been behind it.
"That bastard Shanks…"
He glared straight at Cyrus while cursing Shanks instead.
"Oh, right. Shanks's situation has changed too."
Cyrus rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"He was the one who put the idea of piracy into Luffy's head, but now even Shanks isn't a pirate anymore. So maybe your grandson will change his mind."
"That would be for the best."
Garp snorted.
"Then again, Luffy and Ace are both with your son right now. Maybe they'll just join the Revolutionary Army instead."
Garp's face instantly darkened again.
Cyrus almost laughed.
"Come to think of it, the Marines are bound to change after all this. Without the World Government hanging over them, they might finally have a chance to pursue actual justice."
"There'll still be rotten people inside."
Garp's expression turned serious as he shook his head.
There was no such thing as absolute justice.
Even without the World Government, the Marines would never become perfectly righteous. People were people, and every organization eventually developed flaws of its own.
That was simply how the world worked. Things rarely turned out as cleanly as anyone hoped.
"Whatever. That's your problem."
Cyrus stood to leave.
"Just remember to warn Sengoku."
Before he could open a portal, however, a thunderclap sounded in the distance.
Cyrus paused and looked toward it with mild surprise.
A streak of lightning flashed across the sky, and a figure appeared on the deck of the warship an instant later.
The few Marines still aboard rushed forward in alarm, but Garp immediately barked at them to stand down.
"Chairman!"
Enel grinned the moment he saw Cyrus.
"Knew my Mantra wasn't wrong."
Cyrus looked him up and down, visibly surprised.
"You seem to be doing pretty well."
"He is."
This time, Garp answered for him.
"Thunder God Enel. That name's getting pretty famous these days."
Enel immediately puffed out his chest, clearly delighted by the title.
"Thunder God, huh?"
Cyrus nodded lightly.
"Heh. Morgans insisted on making a big deal out of it. Said it would reassure the public."
Enel grinned so widely that nearly all his teeth were showing.
"You know me, Chairman. I don't care about that kind of thing."
Cyrus didn't believe him for a second.
Still, if Enel wanted fame, there was no harm in letting him enjoy it.
Judging by the way things were going, he had probably abandoned his old obsession with reaching the moon and finding the Endless Vearth.
"You've done well."
Cyrus gave him an approving look.
"Seems like you enjoy the job."
"The Guild needs it done, so I'll keep doing it."
Enel sounded almost dignified, but the excitement on his face betrayed him.
To Enel, Cyrus was the one person who had truly defeated him and therefore the only one he genuinely acknowledged as his superior.
Everyone else in the Guild was, at best, an equal.
That made Cyrus's praise especially satisfying.
"When this is over, you can take charge of Sky Island."
Cyrus continued, "The Hunter Exam will still be held there in the future, so I want you overseeing it."
Enel nodded without hesitation.
Then his expression shifted slightly.
Something about the wording bothered him, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
"This is important."
Cyrus's tone became firmer.
"Don't let anyone else interfere with it."
"Yes!"
Enel instinctively straightened.
"Good."
Cyrus patted him on the shoulder, then turned away.
Under Garp's and Enel's gazes, he stepped through a portal and disappeared.
"Strange…"
Enel scratched his head after Cyrus left.
Then he glanced toward Garp.
"You've already handled this island, right? I'll take the next one."
A thunderclap followed.
Enel transformed into lightning and vanished into the distance.
…
"Another world…"
Imu's low voice echoed through one of the few large sections of Mary Geoise that remained intact.
Her gaze rested on the Menos Grande standing nearby like a lifeless statue.
"The passage is about to open, isn't it?"
Imu understood that the moment a path to another world appeared would also be the most dangerous moment for her.
Cyrus would never let such an opportunity pass.
But she no longer had many alternatives.
The situation across the world had slipped completely out of her control.
Escaping was now the only way she could survive, rebuild, and eventually rise again elsewhere.
And the pure spiritual creature before her had revealed another possibility as well.
Its existence suggested that her own abilities might still have room to evolve.
Recently, the Hollow had begun changing.
Before, it had gradually weakened after entering this world.
Now it was growing stronger again.
The reason was not difficult to guess.
The Menos Grande, which had been pretending to be little more than a corpse, turned its head toward Imu.
A faint spark of fire flickered in its eyes.
Imu's heart tightened.
Then the creature gave a slight nod and looked toward a specific direction.
"You."
After receiving confirmation, Imu turned toward the maid who had remained at her side.
"Take it and find the source."
"Yes, Lord Imu."
The maid immediately understood what Imu intended.
She could not refuse, so she bowed and accepted the order.
Not long after she left with the Hollow, a middle-aged Celestial Dragon wearing a bubble helmet entered the room.
The moment he saw Imu wrapped entirely in black robes, naked desire flashed across his face.
"Lord Imu."
"The situation is getting worse. Those lowly creatures can't hold back the rebels."
"We need your power."
"You may have it."
Imu did not refuse.
"Choose suitable candidates yourselves."
Ecstasy immediately filled the Celestial Dragon's eyes.
Immortality.
Overwhelming power!
"Yes!"
His voice trembled as he answered, and he quickly turned and hurried away.
He never saw the coldness in Imu's gaze behind him.
Those people were expendable.
Nothing more than tools she could use to draw Cyrus's attention away from herself.
If every last one of them died but still bought her the opening she needed, then their deaths would be worthwhile.
Unfortunately, Imu knew the odds were poor.
Still, even the smallest possibility was worth trying.