"Bang!"
The tavern door burst open, startling everyone inside. It was evening, and the warm light spilled out onto the dusty road.
Garp, a huge Marine with a booming laugh, strode in. "Pwahahaha! You must be the Marines from the 153rd Branch!" he roared, his voice shaking the room.
Roya and the others jumped to their feet, snapping to attention. "Vice Admiral Garp!" they shouted, offering respectful greetings.
"No need to be so stiff!" Garp boomed, waving a hand dismissively. He lumbered over to the bar and ordered a Wheat Beer from Makino, the barmaid. He then proceeded to gulp it down in one go, the mug nearly disappearing in his massive hand. He was parched after a long day of "training" - mostly beating up - his two grandsons.
Roya carefully placed a neatly wrapped Gift Box on the bar. "Vice Admiral Garp," he said, "Colonel Rhodes asked me to deliver this and send his regards on behalf of the 153rd Branch."
"That kid's got a good heart," Garp grumbled, but a hint of a smile played on his lips. Rhodes always made sure to visit when Garp was home, bringing small, thoughtful gifts - mostly snacks that Garp enjoyed.
Garp turned his attention to Roya, his sharp eyes sizing him up. Rhodes hadn't come himself this time, sending a young subordinate instead. The message was clear: Rhodes wanted Garp to mentor these young Marines. And Garp, despite his gruff exterior, was happy to oblige.
"You're Roya, right?" Garp asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.
"Yes, sir," Roya replied, a little surprised that Garp remembered his name.
Garp crossed his massive legs and let out another booming laugh. "Pwahahaha! I read the newspapers! Your recent work has been quite impressive. It's rare for the 153rd Branch to produce such an excellent Marine!"
"Thank you, Vice Admiral. I still have a lot to learn," Roya said, beaming. Receiving praise from Garp, the "Hero of the Marines," was an honor that most Marines could only dream of.
They chatted for a while about the 153rd Branch and its current activities. Finally, Garp yawned, waving Roya and the others away. "It's getting late. Come find me tomorrow morning," he said.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp," Roya replied, saluting smartly.
---
The next morning, Roya and the others were at Garp's doorstep, waiting patiently. But Garp didn't open the door until well after noon, still wearing his sleeping cap.
"Yo! Good morning!" Garp greeted them cheerfully.
"It's almost noon!" the four Marines complained in unison, their voices filled with exasperation.
Garp wasn't fazed at all. He just chuckled, making fun of them. "Pwahahaha! Young people are always so impatient!"
"..."
Roya's forehead throbbed. He'd been standing outside this door for hours! If he didn't respect his elders, he would have given this old man a piece of his mind. Couldn't he be just a little more reliable?
Garp quickly tidied himself up, then headed north towards Mount Colubo, gesturing for them to follow. "Come on!"
"Yes, sir!" They followed him.
---
Half an hour later, they were deep in the heart of Mount Colubo.
Luffy and Ace were practicing.
"Rubber Rubber!" Luffy shouted, throwing his arm back. "Rubber Rubber..." His short arm stretched out to an incredible length of over ten meters!
"Pistol!" With the force of the rubber snapping back, his fist shot out like a bullet, aimed straight at Ace.
"Luffy, your attacks are as predictable as ever!" Ace easily dodged the punch. He grabbed Luffy's outstretched arm and began to swing him around like a windmill.
"Aaaaaah!" The boy's scream startled a flock of birds.
After spinning him around a dozen times, Ace yelled and jumped into the air, slamming Luffy into the ground with a loud thud!
"Boom!" The ground cracked.
Luffy's upper body was buried in the dirt. An ordinary person would have been seriously injured, but Luffy, with his rubber body, was only slightly dizzy. The problem was that his head was stuck!
"Ugh..." Luffy kicked his legs frantically, like a frog. He was suffocating!
"Whump!" Suddenly, someone yanked him out of the ground.
Luffy gasped for air. Just as he was about to thank Ace, he heard a familiar, booming laugh.
"Pwahahaha! That's my grandson!"
Grandpa?!
Luffy was shocked. His grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, was the most dangerous person he knew. He couldn't count the number of times he had almost died at his grandfather's hands.
Garp picked Luffy up, grinning. "From now on, you will train with my grandsons."
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp," Roya responded.
Roya glanced at Luffy, then shifted his gaze to Ace, who stood a short distance away. His eyes narrowed slightly. He's strong.
Luffy was only 13, and his body was still developing. Even with his strange powers, he couldn't be that strong. But Ace was 16, and looked like a young adult. He already possessed considerable strength. It wasn't just natural talent; he had been training in this forest since he was very young, pushing himself relentlessly.
Ace walked over, staring intently at Roya. "Grandpa, who is he?"
"Let me introduce you," Garp said, clapping Roya on the shoulder with a force that made him stumble. "This kid is Major Roya from the 153rd Branch. He's pretty strong, you know."
"A Marine Major?" Ace looked at Roya with surprise. A Marine Major wasn't that special. Every time his grandfather came home, he was surrounded by officers of that rank or higher. But there weren't many Majors this young. Is this guy really strong?
Ace couldn't contain himself. His eyes sparkled with excitement and a hint of challenge. He longed for a worthy opponent.
"Fight?" Ace asked, a grin spreading across his face.
"Okay," Roya replied, taking off his coat.
He hadn't expected Garp to personally train him; that wasn't realistic. But having Ace as a sparring partner was a fantastic opportunity. Let's see what he can do.
"Fullbody, Jango, you guys can practice with that rubber kid," Roya instructed.
"Understood!"
After giving the orders, Roya walked towards an open space. Without a word, Ace followed.
Roya didn't draw his sword, and Ace put down his iron pipe. They faced each other, bare-handed. At the sound of a bird's chirp, they charged at the same time.
"Bang!"
Their arms collided with a loud crack!
It was an even match.
After testing each other's strength, Roya and Ace both stepped back to create some distance, then charged again.
Roya stepped forward with his left foot, pulling his right fist back to his waist. As Ace came within range, Roya swung his fist upwards towards Ace's face with all his might!
"So fast!" Ace leaned back sharply, the fist barely missing his nose.
Using his momentum, he kicked out with his right foot from below!
"Snap!"
Roya tightened his stomach muscles, and his left hand grabbed Ace's calf, stopping the tip of his foot just inches from his chest.
Both of their attacks and reactions were incredibly fast!
"Not over yet!" Ace used his core muscles to spin his body, and his other foot swept in a wide arc towards Roya's neck.
Roya didn't stop. He brought his right fist back to defend, blocking Ace's kick. At the same time, he grabbed Ace's ankle and threw him with all his might towards a large tree!
"Bang!" The tree shook violently.
Ace's back slammed against the tree trunk, and he slid down from a height of four or five meters. His back was burning with pain, and his insides ached.
Roya looked at his arm. The area that Ace had kicked was bruised and swollen. An ordinary Marine would have had a broken arm. He's really strong.
Even though Ace was still a rookie who hadn't ventured out to sea, he could easily keep up with his movements and launch effective counterattacks. Given time, he will become incredibly powerful.
Roya clenched his fist. Whether for himself or for the honor of the 153rd Branch, he can't lose this fight!