Deep in the heart of the forest.
Ace lay sprawled outside the circle, gasping for air. Disappointment clouded his eyes. Ever since Sabo had left, this was the first time he'd lost to someone other than Gramps.
Inside the circle, Roya stood tall, his knuckles bruised and stained with blood.
He had won, but the victory had been hard-earned.
"Pwahahaha! To actually beat my adorable grandson - not bad at all!"
Garp boomed with laughter. His hand, as hard as iron, slammed into Roya's back. The force of the blow nearly made Roya vomit blood.
There's no way that punch was just training! Roya thought, wincing.
Rolling his eyes, Roya sat down, crossing his legs. He stared at his bloodied fist, replaying the battle in his mind.
Is this Haki?
He could clearly feel a unique, invisible power added to each punch. It didn't necessarily increase his strength, but judging by Ace's pained expression, it definitely made the blows hurt more.
If this is Haki, it 's much weaker than I imagined. But that was probably because he hadn't developed it enough, or maybe he hadn't mastered it yet.
"This feeling… isn't bad!"
Roya clenched his fist, a grin spreading across his face. Maybe next time, I should shout "Iron Body!" before I punch! How cool would that be?
"Pwahahaha, Roya, my boy!"
Garp cracked his knuckles, the joints popping loudly. He hadn't initially planned on personally training Roya; letting him spar with Ace seemed enough.
But seeing Roya awaken Haki through sheer willpower, Garp knew he had to take this seriously. If this kid is properly trained, he could become a real asset to the Marines.
He'd let him experience the full power of Haki with his Iron Fist of love!
"Next, I'm your opponent!" Garp declared.
"..."
Roya shot to his feet, a mix of apprehension and excitement swirling within him.
Okay, this is happening. Though their ideals might be a bit different, Roya wanted Garp's guidance. They were both Marines, after all, fighting for the same overall goal.
Garp didn't immediately attack. He looked at the others. "All of you! Come at me together!"
"Yes, sir!" Fullbody and Jango responded excitedly. Being trained by the legendary hero Garp was more than they could have ever hoped for!
Little did they know what awaited them.
A few moments later…
"Aaaaaah! My leg is going to break!"
"Help! Somebody, help!"
Howls of pain echoed through the forest.
This wasn't training; it was a complete and utter beatdown. Even Ace and Luffy were getting pummeled, their screams blending with the others.
"Damn old geezer!"
Roya staggered to his feet, his face swollen and throbbing. The searing pain only fueled his fury.
This isn't just practice; it's a fight for my life!
To become a real powerhouse, you have to make it through this!
Roya saw Garp coming at him, a huge grin plastered across his face. Roya dug in his heels, not giving an inch. I'll throw everything I have at his 'Iron Fist of love' and see what happens!
"Iron Wall!" Roya shouted, bracing himself.
"Bang!!!"
Garp's fist, packed with the force of a small earthquake, landed square in Roya's gut!
Everything's going dark...
Roya's eyes fluttered, and he crumpled like a discarded ragdoll.
"Pwahahaha～～～～" Garp roared, his laughter bouncing off the trees like a wild echo.
----
Days turned into weeks.
Every day, Roya and his companions spent their time enduring excruciating pain. They grew closer to Luffy and Ace, often squabbling over pieces of meat during meals.
He wasn't sure if they had become truly stronger, but they were definitely more resistant to getting beaten up.
Even Fullbody and Jango, who had been so skinny, started to fill out, their bodies becoming sturdier and their faces less gaunt.
Down by the waterfall.
Except for Luffy, who watched with envy, Roya and the others were in the pool, washing their dirty bodies under the cascading water.
After his bath, Roya approached Garp.
"Vice Admiral Garp, I need to talk to you about something… about the Arlong Pirates."
He had been thinking about the Arlong Pirates, and even with his newly awakened Haki, he couldn't guarantee he could defeat Arlong.
Haki isn 't a cure-all.
Back when the Sun Pirates were at their peak, they had defeated countless Marine Headquarters warships, including officers who used Haki, even a Rear Admiral.
My amateur Haki still needs time to develop.
He hadn't been close enough to Garp to speak frankly, but now that their relationship was better, he felt confident asking for reinforcements.
Roya carefully explained the situation in Nami's hometown.
"The Arlong Pirates… I've heard about their crimes," Garp said, his brow furrowed.
Garp deeply valued the peace of the East Blue. Whenever he came across pirates, he would always deal with them swiftly and decisively. So he knew about the Arlong Pirates.
The Marine Headquarters caused so much chaos trying to defeat the Sun Pirates, and they had to answer to the Celestial Dragons.
It wasn't until the legendary Fisher Tiger met his end that the chaos began to settle, but his death only poured gasoline on the already blazing fire of hatred between humans and fish-men. Arlong, a ferocious pirate, took up the banner of revenge, leading his crew against unsuspecting humans.
To try and calm the storm, the World Government decided to offer Jinbe, a respected fish-man, a position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Jinbe, hoping to bridge the divide, accepted the offer. He had one condition: Arlong, who was rotting away in the underwater prison of Impel Down, had to be freed.
In essence, the government was giving its seal of approval to Arlong's past misdeeds.
Garp, visibly disgusted, turned and spat towards the direction of the Gray Terminal, a lawless slum, and growled, "Do you have any idea how many pirates are festering there?"
"..."
Roya's brow furrowed.
He had made it his business to learn about the wretched state of the Gray Terminal.
It was a dumping ground for trash, criminals, and disease...
Anything and anyone the Goa Kingdom deemed unnecessary was tossed into its depths, including people. It was a true haven for the lawless.
Dozens of pirate crews, mountain bandit gangs, and other vile groups had carved out their territories there. Any kind soul who dared enter was quickly swallowed up, either forced to join the depravity or torn to shreds.
"My hands are tied," Garp admitted with a sigh of frustration.
"I once ventured into the Gray Terminal, driven by a desire to save the innocent people trapped there. But no matter how many times I tried, it was a futile effort."
"I'd wipe out one wave of pirates, only for another to rise in their place. It was a never-ending cycle, and it's been like this for decades, even centuries."
"Do you understand?"
Roya gave a slow, understanding nod.
Of course, he understood.
At its heart, the Gray Terminal was a product of the Goa Kingdom's twisted policies, the insatiable greed of the royal nobles, and the inherent cruelty of the world itself.
Simply killing pirates was a pointless exercise.
And tragically, there were countless other places just like the Gray Terminal!
"As for the Arlong Pirates' atrocities," Garp continued, his voice heavy, "I truly wish I could help you. But for reasons I cannot disclose, I can't take action."
Garp fixed Roya with a piercing stare.
"Even if I were to go and crush the Arlong Pirates, another group would inevitably take their place. And I can't remain in the East Blue forever."
"You, Roya, you're the one stationed here, the one who can protect this sea in the long run. That is the burden you must carry."
"Roya, you may see the Arlong Pirates as an insurmountable force, but I believe that the East Blue will soon produce a Marine who is capable of defeating them. I hope that person is you."
"Justice always faces trials, but Justice will never yield to evil!"
Garp turned sharply and strode away.
Roya stood in silence for a long moment, the weight of Garp's words settling upon him.
He understood the older Marine's predicament.
Jinbe, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
As one of the three great powers of the world, the Seven Warlords had a pact with the World Government. The government could call upon them to fight, but in turn, could not attack them. And Arlong was Jinbe's subordinate.
Even Garp couldn't act recklessly.
As for Arlong's crimes, that was just one side of the story. It would take time and resources to investigate fully.
And perhaps, in the eyes of those in positions of power, the minor harm caused by the Arlong Pirates wasn't worth jeopardizing their relationship with Jinbe.
From a "grand strategy" perspective, Jinbe was seen as the most Royal of the Seven Warlords, and his service was deemed more valuable than dealing with a few troublesome pirates.
But not everything could be measured in terms of "profit." The consequence of constant compromise was a loss of integrity.
This is infuriating!
Roya's eyes turned cold.
I've got my sights set on the Arlong Pirates!
Not even Jinbe will be able to protect them!