As Garp and Raidon ate to their hearts' content, Bogard, who had already finished his meal, couldn't help but stare at Raidon. At such a young age, Raidon was incredibly strong—stronger than he was—and possessed the kind of power that matched a Yonko Commander residing in the New World: an extremely chaotic part of the sea, where violence was a daily reality for pirates, especially within the territories of Big Mom and Kaido. With that in mind, Bogard couldn't help but be in awe of Raidon's remarkable strength.
"If you have a question, you can ask," Raidon said suddenly, sensing Bogard's stare and curiosity.
"How were you able to become this strong despite being so young?" Bogard responded without hesitation, accepting Raidon's invitation, clearly intrigued.
"I already explained my Devil Fruit's ability, didn't I? Well, to add to that, I can create complete clones of myself, each with equal strength. Ever since I ate the Devil Fruit—five years ago—I've been sparring against myself every single day. At first, I could only make one full-strength copy, but as I grew stronger, that number increased. Now, I can make five clones, each just as strong as me, to spar with," Raidon said, revealing the secret behind his rapid growth, though he intentionally downplayed the truth. In reality, he could create as many full-strength clones as he wished.
Both Garp and Bogard turned to look at Raidon, with Garp pausing mid-chew as the full implications of Raidon's words sank in. The fact that he could create five clones, each possessing the same strength and abilities as himself, meant that if Raidon ever chose to become a pirate, he would effectively command a crew equivalent to five Yonko Commander-level fighters. Such a force would be nothing short of formidable—an immediate and direct threat to the balance of power in the world.
Bogard, who had initially been curious, now found himself horrified. Raidon had just implied that he could fight five opponents, each as powerful as he was. That alone was terrifying. But if each of those clones could in turn replicate the same level of strength, the situation escalated rapidly. In theory, Raidon already held the combat power of twenty-five Yonko Commanders within his ability.
And that wasn't even the most frightening part.
Raidon was still only twelve years old.
He was still growing—still getting stronger.
If he ever reached the level of a Yonko, Bogard doubted that even the combined might of the Marines-the Fleet Admiral, the Three Admirals, and every Vice Admiral—could stop him. With his clone-based combat strategy, he could overwhelm even the highest echelons of military power. And the worst part? No one knew the true limit of how many clones Raidon could create in the future.
"Don't worry, though—I don't plan on becoming the Pirate King, if that's what you're worried about. That sounds like way too much trouble," Raidon said with a casual grin, sensing the tension in the air. "The reason I trained to become this strong is simple: I want to travel the world freely. In this world, if you don't have strength, you're nothing more than an ant. So you don't have to worry about me terrorizing innocent civilians."
He leaned back slightly, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Who knows? Maybe I'll even lend you a hand now and then. If I ever decide to become a bounty hunter, I might just bring you all four Emperors' heads for their bounties! Hahahahahaha!"
Raidon laughed heartily, attempting to lighten the mood soured by his brutally honest explanation. Deep down, however, he chose not to reveal the full truth—that his real goal was to become the strongest being in the world.
Garp, who could feel that Raidon was hiding something, did not push any further, as he could also feel the sincerity of his words, he just laughed at the words of Raidon that he would bring them the heads of the 4 emperors, as this would be impossible as the World Government was keeping a balance to make sure that the world does not fall into the chaos. The World Government was also using the 4 emperors to make the kingdoms rely on them for protection in exchange for Heavenly Tribute that the Celestials used to fund their lavish lifestyle.
Similar to Garp, Bogard also understood why Raidon's proposal was unfeasible. Despite being enemies on paper, both the World Government and the Four Emperors benefited from maintaining the current balance. Neither side had any real interest in toppling the other, as the stalemate allowed them to preserve their influence and power.
"But make no mistake," Raidon said, his tone suddenly colder. "I won't back down from a challenge. If I'm ever confronted by a Marine who threatens me, I won't hesitate. I don't mind killing—if it comes to that, they'll die where they stand."
He let the words hang in the air before adding with a smirk, "If that makes me a pirate in your eyes, then so be it."
"If you're ever labeled as a pirate," Garp replied, his voice steady and deadly serious, "I'll hunt you down myself."
Raidon only grinned in response, eyes gleaming with the thrill of confrontation. "Then I'd finally get to see why they call you Garp the Fist."
That grin—brazen, defiant, and utterly fearless—confirmed it for Garp. Raidon was undeniably one of them. A true bearer of the Will of D.
A grin slowly stretched across Garp's face in return.
In the next instant, the air between them shifted. Both unleashed their Conqueror's Haki, directed solely at each other. The force was staggering, but carefully controlled, sparing the rest of the Marines onboard. Even so, the deck beneath them cracked, spiderweb fractures splintering across the wooden floor, bearing silent witness to the collision of titanic wills.
"Garp-san, please don't destroy the ship. The Fleet Admiral already warned us about damaging another warship," Bogard said, watching the exchange between Garp and Raidon with concern.
"Don't mind Sengoku," Garp replied, laughing as he waved off the warning. He had no intention of taking Sengoku's threats seriously, knowing full well the Fleet Admiral wouldn't punish him.
"I don't want to be the reason these poor guys have to swim back to shore," Raidon added, a faint smirk on his face. "If we're going to fight, we can do it on the island I was staying on."
"That's alright with me. But if your island gets destroyed, you're welcome to stay at my hometown. You could even teach my grandsons a lesson," Garp said, casually extending the invitation to Windmill Village. While he framed it as a lesson for his grandsons, in truth, he hoped Raidon's presence would serve as protection for them in case a vicious pirate crew attacked while Garp was away.
"That's alright, I already plan to leave my island. I was just getting information on where to travel, but since you already offered, I would gladly teach your grandsons a lesson or two," Raidon said, while guiding the warship towards his island.
After just a few minutes, the warship approached the island where Raidon had been staying. As they drew closer, they noticed a large number of birds watching them intently. However, both Bogard and Garp could sense that none of the birds had any life force—these creatures weren't alive. Once they docked, Raidon began walking inland, and the birds silently followed him. Each one was as dark as ink, a clear reflection of Raidon's abilities. As they continued, more and more black creatures emerged, silently trailing behind him until they finally arrived at a large wooden cabin nestled deep within the island.