Of course, Arashi wasn't actually planning to dig up Strollo's corpse and kill him a second time.
After setting Perona back down on the deck, he turned toward Momousagi and said calmly:
"Vice Admiral Momousagi, now that the Strollo Pirates have been wiped out, would you like to stay for a drink before you leave?"
"No, no!"
Momousagi instantly snapped out of her thoughts and hurriedly waved her hands.
"Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Arashi, but I must return to Marine Headquarters immediately and submit a report!"
As she spoke, she bowed once more.
"Farewell."
Then she used Moonwalk and returned directly to the only remaining warship.
Naturally, Momousagi understood the real meaning behind Arashi's words.
Although he had invited her to stay for a drink, the important part wasn't the drink.
It was the "leave."
Clearly, Arashi was politely asking her to go.
That said, she truly did need to leave immediately.
What happened here had to be reported to Headquarters as soon as possible.
Since Momousagi was leaving, Bell naturally wouldn't remain behind either.
After saying goodbye to Arashi, he returned to the warship as well.
"Mr. Arashi!"
Standing aboard the ship, Momousagi turned back toward him one last time.
"Until we meet again."
"Go on, go on."
Arashi waved cheerfully.
"Fate is a wonderful thing. If we're meant to meet again, then we definitely will."
"Fair winds, Vice Admiral Momousagi."
Momousagi nodded lightly before turning away.
The warship slowly started moving.
Then it changed course and gradually accelerated into the distance.
Back inside the cabin, Momousagi wasted no time.
She immediately picked up a Den Den Mushi and placed a call.
The connection was established quickly.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's voice came through the receiver.
"Momousagi, was Strollo captured?"
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral. Strollo is dead."
Upon hearing Sengoku's voice, Momousagi instinctively straightened her posture.
"However, our losses were severe. Four warships were destroyed, and many Marines..."
She truthfully reported everything that had happened.
Once she finished, silence filled the cabin.
Momousagi and Bell both understood perfectly.
Their mission had effectively failed.
If Arashi hadn't appeared, neither of them would even be alive to submit a report.
As such, they had already prepared themselves mentally for whatever punishment might follow.
Meanwhile—
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku fell silent after listening to the report.
He had never imagined the Strollo Pirates would be so dangerous.
Not only had they cost the Marines four warships, but they had nearly taken the life of Momousagi herself—a Vice Admiral considered one of the most promising future Admirals.
This was a failure of intelligence.
A failure on Headquarters' part.
They knew Strollo was a Logia-type Devil Fruit user.
But neither Sengoku nor anyone else had anticipated that Strollo would turn the tables and set an ambush for the Marines instead.
At that moment, the office door swung open.
Then Garp strode in while laughing loudly.
"Sengoku! I came across something interesting today—"
Before he could finish, Sengoku gestured for him to be quiet.
Then he spoke into the Den Den Mushi.
"Understood."
"This isn't entirely your fault."
"Return to Headquarters."
After ending the call, Sengoku looked up at Garp.
"Garp, that traveler you never stop talking about has done something huge in the West Blue."
"Oh?"
Garp's eyes immediately lit up.
He hurried over to Sengoku's desk.
"Tell me! What did that brat do this time?"
Without delay, Sengoku recounted everything Momousagi had reported.
"Good kid!"
The moment he finished, Garp slammed his hand onto the desk.
"We absolutely have to go to the West Blue and kidnap him back to Headquarters!"
Looking at the excited Garp, Sengoku sighed helplessly.
"Garp, that isn't the important part!"
"Momousagi and her fleet were nearly wiped out! That's what we should be concerned about!"
"Ahem."
Garp coughed awkwardly.
"Right, right. Good point."
But only two seconds later, he became excited again.
"Still, the Strollo Pirates are gone!"
"Strollo's dead, his crew's finished, and Momousagi's mission is complete!"
"So what we should really be focusing on is Arashi!"
"Don't you think that if we could recruit him into Marine Headquarters, our forces would become much stronger?"
"If he joins, we could directly make him a Marine Vice Admiral!"
"Don't be ridiculous, Garp."
Sengoku shot him a glare.
"I've thought this over carefully."
"We have to respect Arashi's own choices."
"If we force him into Marine Headquarters, it'll only backfire."
"You actually took that seriously?"
Garp suddenly burst into laughter.
"When I said kidnap him, I was joking."
"However..."
A sly grin spread across his face.
"I've suddenly thought of a much better idea."
Before Sengoku could respond, Garp leaned across the desk.
"Did Momousagi meet Arashi?"
"Yes."
Sengoku nodded.
"Arashi pulled her out of the sea himself. Of course they met."
Garp's eyes brightened immediately.
"What did Momousagi think of him?"
"This..."
Sengoku pondered briefly.
Then he replied:
"She summed him up with eight words."
"A heart devoted to justice. A future full of promise."
"Hahahahahaha!"
Garp immediately erupted into another fit of laughter.
Then he declared mysteriously:
"There's hope! There's definitely hope!"
"This is the first time I've ever heard Momousagi evaluate someone like that."
"Hm?"
Sengoku suddenly realized what Garp was implying.
He looked at him carefully.
"You mean...?"
"Exactly!"
Garp's grin became even wider.
"Think about it."
"How many people have pursued Momousagi at Headquarters?"
"Especially Chaton. That guy's confessed dozens of times, and she's rejected him every single time."
"As for everyone else?"
"She barely even acknowledges they exist!"
At that moment, Sengoku finally understood.
Thinking back to Momousagi's tone while mentioning Arashi during her report, it had indeed sounded unusually different.
As someone with plenty of life experience, Sengoku naturally understood what that might indicate.
The more he thought about it, the more amused he became.
Then he pointed at Garp and laughed.
"You old schemer."
"You're actually thinking about things from this angle?"
"Still, based on Momousagi's report, I don't think Arashi has any particular interest in her."
"No problem!"
Garp waved dismissively.
"Heh heh."
"Marine Headquarters doesn't only have Momousagi."
"Isn't there Hina?"
"And plenty of other beautiful female officers?"
"I refuse to believe Arashi's standards are so high that none of the beauties at Marine Headquarters catch his eye!"
Sengoku stared at him speechlessly.
This old man had completely abandoned all dignity in his quest to recruit Arashi.
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