Unconsciously, Solon had been in this world for almost three months, and life had been very comfortable.
"I wonder how my parents over there are doing now; they must be very heartbroken. They won't need to burn so much joss paper for holidays and anniversaries anymore, and I won't have any use for it either..."
"I'm doing quite well here. I have a cute and well-behaved younger sister, a warm-hearted grandpa, and the neighbors like me a lot. My interpersonal relationships are just fantastic..."
"I cook really well, and it's already won general acclaim from the public. When I get a bit older, I might consider opening a restaurant and becoming a chef. Making a living will be an absolute breeze..."
"And besides, I'm only ten years old now, so I've gained eighteen years for free! Plus, I'm not fat at all anymore; with rosy lips, white teeth, sword-like eyebrows, and starry eyes, I'm a proper handsome little prince and a dashing young beauty..."
"I just hope the two of you will take good care of yourselves..."
In the sunshine, a boy sat on a large stone pier by the dock, looking out at the sea and murmuring to himself.
Suddenly, a large white ship slowly sailed into the boy's field of vision on the vast ocean.
"A ship is coming?"
Solon stood up, gazing into the distance at the vessel as it steered into the harbor.
"The Navy."
It wasn't until he clearly saw the emblem on the ship's flag that he completely confirmed the reality that he had transmigrated into the world of pirates.
"Hahaha, I'll take my leave first!"
His voice arrived before he did, and a powerfully built giant leaped down from the ship.
"As self-willed as ever, Lieutenant Commander..."
"The deck is smashed up again. We'll have to file a repair request when we get back..."
"As expected of the Lieutenant Commander, he's truly amazing..."
The soldiers on the deck did not show much surprise, going about their respective tasks as if it were an everyday occurrence.
The burly man who had just landed on the deck had spotted Solon standing on the stone pier from far away, and a mischievous idea instantly popped into his head.
He flexed his legs and sprang upward from the dock, flying like a cannonball and landing precisely right in front of the stone pier. Looking down at the boy, he boomed, "Well, kid, pretty impressive, right? Do you want to join the Navy when you grow up?"
At that moment, Solon was left a bit numb from the shock, screaming inwardly:
"Holy crap, awesome! This is no ordinary guy."
Even though he was standing on the stone pier, the burly man's figure towered high above him.
If it were an ordinary ten-year-old child, he probably would have been scared to tears and wailing loudly.
Solon steadied his nerves, looked straight into the burly man's eyes, forced his trembling legs to stand up straight, and asked, "Who are you?"
"Hahaha, not bad, not bad! You didn't get scared to tears or run away, and you even have the courage to talk back."
"You're quite interesting, kid. I think you're very suited to be in the Navy. By the way, I am Lieutenant Commander Garp, Monkey D. Garp," the burly man suddenly laughed loudly.
Clang!
Solon's brain crashed.
"Oh crap, a big shot—a living big shot, and a living young big shot at that..."
At this very moment, it felt as though a young man was sitting on a stone by the roadside when someone in a corporate jacket suddenly stood in front of him and asked: "Young man, want to get ahead? By the way, my surname is Gao, and I'm the top boss of the Handan clique."
Ever since he suspected he had transmigrated into Pirates, Solon had been pondering his future path.
Being a pirate was out of the question; as a law-abiding youth raised under the red flag, he loathed evil forces from the bottom of his heart.
As for the Navy, he had considered it, but due to his young age and his current comfortable life, the idea had been shelved.
Taking a deep breath, Solon steadied his heartbeat, rebooted his brain, and began to think.
"A powerful backer—undeniably a powerful backer. Should I hug this thigh or not?"
"The main thing is that this big shot always dives right into pirate dens, leading a life of licking blood from the blade. And the intensity of his new recruit training... with my scrawny arms and legs, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to handle it."
Solon thought of his younger sister at home and his increasingly aging grandpa. His new life had only just gotten on track; he couldn't go, he absolutely couldn't go.
Immediately, Solon shook his head at Garp.
"I still have a grandpa and a younger sister at home who need me to take care of them. If I want to join the Navy in the future, I'll come looking for you then."
Garp chuckled, "Alright then, whenever you've made up your mind, you can come find me."
"By the way, do you know Solon? He should be about your age."
"If you're talking about Doglat Solon, then yes, I know him," Solon said uncertainly.
Garp nodded. "Right, that's him. Do you know where he is right now?"
Solon swallowed hard and pointed at himself.
The air grew somewhat quiet, and the two stared blankly at each other.
"You're Solon?"
"Genuine and authentic."
"Little liar, Solon only ever had a mother. Where did he get a younger sister and a grandpa?" Garp's smile vanished, and he asked with a stern expression.
"My mother passed away three months ago, and Village Chief Grandpa Doug took me in. He has a granddaughter. So, now I have a grandpa and a younger sister."
Solon looked into his eyes and spoke every single word clearly.
Garp's eyes widened wide in disbelief and shock, before they dimmed and his expression grew heavy.
"Passed away? When I came last time, I saw your mother was looking much more haggard. I just didn't expect it to be so sudden. I'm sorry, Solon."
Solon was somewhat baffled. Looking at the self-reproaching Garp before him, he asked doubtfully, "Why are you apologizing?"
"Solon, your father, Douglas Fris, was a great soldier. I hope you will remember him forever."
Garp recounted Fris's various deeds to Solon, especially that final battle where he went alone to face death.
"It was an islander evacuation mission. No one expected us to be ambushed by pirates. Before the pirate ship drew close, he ordered his crew to evacuate with the refugees, and then he jumped onto the enemy ship all by himself."
When he reached this point, Garp paused, and a hint of extra grief seemed to appear in his eyes.
"When reinforcements arrived, the sea surface was still stained with a faint red. They searched for a long time, and only found a blood-stained shirt and dozens of pirate corpses."
"Your father, who was also my mentor, taught me so much when I first joined the Navy—strength, experience, and an unyielding belief. He saved my life more than once..."
"In my eyes, he knew no fear and always charged to the front lines, giving it everything he had. He was steadfast justice itself..."
Solon looked at Garp, listening to him endlessly rattle off his father's glorious deeds and watching the growing light in his eyes, until...
"I remember the day you turned one year old. We had just finished a battle with pirates, and it was the first time I saw a look of hesitation on your father's face."
"That was the first time I was asked a favor by him, and his only one. He said that if anything ever happened to him one day, he hoped I could take care of you all."
"I promised him."
Garp fell silent. He raised his head to look up at the sky, as if something up there were watching him too.