"...Is a new rookie named Monkey D. Luffy."
"WHAT?!"
Garp's roar was so loud, so violently explosive, that every single glass beaker, test tube, and graduated cylinder in Ben's laboratory shattered simultaneously. The sheer acoustic force of the Vice-Admiral's disbelief rattled the reinforced steel walls and sent a shockwave vibrating through the floorboards.
Ben winced, physically recoiling and pressing both hands over his ears. His eardrums rang with a high-pitched whine.
"Ouch," Ben groaned, shaking his head to clear the ringing. "My ears. Calm down, Garp-san. I don't have regrowing eardrums yet."
"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?!" Garp leaped out of the plush leather armchair, completely ignoring the infinite pouch of rice crackers that spilled onto the floor. He slammed his massive hands onto the mahogany desk, leaning his scarred face inches from Ben's. "Do you have any idea what you are saying?! You're spouting nonsense, Magician! Luffy didn't eat a god fruit! He ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi! The Rubber-Rubber fruit! He's a rubber man! He bounces and stretches!"
Ben didn't flinch. He calmly waved his hand, cast a silent Reparo to fix the shattered glassware around the room, and looked the Marine Hero dead in the eye.
"That is what it says in the new Devil Fruit Encyclopedia," Ben corrected smoothly. "The revised edition. The one heavily curated, censored, and distributed by the World Government. The old, original texts? They don't have a 'Rubber-Rubber' fruit listed anywhere in their pages."
Garp's jaw slacked. He stared at Ben, a distinctly dumb, blank expression washing over his normally intense features. He blinked once. Twice.
"The... the fruit Luffy ate..." Garp stammered, the gears in his head grinding as he tried to process the lie that had been staring him in the face for a decade.
"Its true, original name," Ben stated, his voice carrying the weight of ancient history, "is the Mythical Zoan, Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Sun God Nika."
Garp collapsed back into his armchair. The leather groaned in protest.
"A Mythical Zoan..." Garp whispered, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Not a Paramecia."
"Exactly," Ben nodded, leaning back in his own chair. "And for Luffy to truly wield the power of that god, he has to awaken the fruit. Once he does... it is said to be the most ridiculous power in the world. Whatever he imagines, whatever he wants to do, his body and the world around him will bend to allow it. He fights with complete, unadulterated freedom. The very embodiment of Joy Boy's will."
Garp didn't know what to say. He looked at his hands, calloused and scarred from decades of enforcing the World Government's rigid order. His own grandson possessed the power to shatter that order completely.
"It was a good thing," Ben said quietly, his tone turning dark and serious, "that Luffy didn't listen to you, Garp-san. It is a very, very good thing he never became a Marine."
Garp frowned, his eyes snapping to Ben. "What do you mean? If he was a Marine, I could have protected him! He would have been safe!"
"Protected him from whom?" Ben challenged. "From pirates? Yes. From the World Government? Absolutely not. If Luffy had joined the Navy, the moment he showed promise, the moment he started stretching and using his powers in the upper ranks... the Five Elders would have noticed. They would have realized the fruit they had hunted for eight hundred years was sitting in their own barracks."
Ben leaned forward, the glow of the lab's instruments casting sharp shadows across his face.
"Do you think they would have just let him be a Vice-Admiral? He would have been assigned a 'special, highly classified mission'. He would have gone missing. And death, Garp-san, would have been the absolute least of your worries."
Garp swallowed hard. The lump in his throat felt like a cannonball.
"You know what they do to things they can't control," Ben continued mercilessly. "If they killed him, the Nika fruit would just reincarnate somewhere else in the world, slipping through their fingers once again. They couldn't allow that. They would have captured your grandson. They would have placed him in an eternal, frozen cell deep beneath Mary Geoise. Chained in ice. Never allowed to die, so the fruit wouldn't respawn. Never allowed to live. A caged god, forgotten in the dark, forever."
Garp gulped loudly. The blood completely drained from his face, leaving his tan, weathered skin a sickly shade of gray. He imagined his bright, laughing, freedom-loving grandson locked in a lightless, frozen tomb for the rest of his natural life. The very thought made Garp's stomach violently churn with nausea and unadulterated horror.
Garp slowly turned his head to look at the blank steel wall of the laboratory.
His entire worldview, the foundation of his life's work, had been systematically dismantled and pulverized over the last hour.
Sabo, the grandson he thought had been murdered by the Celestial Dragons, was alive and actively leading the Revolutionary Army alongside his son, Dragon.
Ace, the son of Roger whom he had sworn to protect, was currently hunting down Marshall D. Teach, the inheritor of Rocks D. Xebec's terrifying will.
And Luffy... his goofy, meat-obsessed little Luffy... was the destined enemy of the 'Gods', the bearer of the Sun God's fruit, the man the World Government feared above all else.
Garp rubbed his face with both hands, letting out a long, shuddering, incredibly weary sigh.
"I am..." Garp groaned, his voice cracking with the weight of it all. "I am too old for this."
The room descended into a heavy silence. The hum of the Merry's Arc Reactor vibrated gently beneath their feet.
After a long while, Garp lowered his hands. His eyes, though tired, were sharp again. The Marine Hero looked at the Magician who had orchestrated this entire revelation.
"You didn't bring me in here and tell me all of this just to give an old man a heart attack," Garp said flatly. "You told me the secrets of the world. You bound me to an Unbreakable Vow. Now... tell me what you want from me."
Ben smiled. It was a bright, eager smile that didn't match the heavy conversation they just had.
"I want you to train us," Ben said simply. "I want you to train me, Luffy, Ace, and the rest of the crew."
Garp blinked. Then he scowled. "Train you? Are you out of your mind? I am an active Vice-Admiral of the Navy! I can't just abandon my post to run a boot camp for the most wanted rookie crew on the seas! If Sengoku finds out what is happening, he will be furious. He'll burst a blood vessel! And if those CP agents report back that I'm fraternizing with the enemy..."
Garp leaned in, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "They won't just send Admirals after you, kid. If they know I'm polishing your fangs, they will act swiftly. They will send the God's Knights to eradicate you instantly. You don't want that kind of heat."
Ben nodded understandingly. "I am aware of the logistical and political nightmares, Garp-san. I'm not asking you to sail with us to the New World."
Ben held up three fingers. "How about you train us for three days?"
Garp paused. He stared at Ben's three fingers. Then he looked at Ben's face. A highly comical, exaggerated expression of pure exasperation crossed the old Marine's face, his eyes turning into tiny dots and his jaw dropping.
"Three days?" Garp yelled, throwing his hands up. "What kind of training can I give a bunch of monsters in three days?! It takes years to forge a proper Haki user!"
"Just three days of your time," Ben insisted, his smile unwavering.
Garp rubbed his chin. He had requested shore leave in Water 7 precisely to check on his grandsons. He couldn't justify staying away from Marineford for much longer than that anyway without raising severe red flags with Sengoku.
"Three days..." Garp grumbled, crossing his arms. "Fine. I can do that. I can't stay with those idiot grandsons of mine for longer than that anyway without wanting to strangle them. But don't expect miracles in seventy-two hours, Magician."
"Oh, I think you'll be surprised," Ben stood up from his chair, smoothing his suit. "Well then. Let's not waste any time. Let's get the training started."
Garp grunted, grabbing the infinite pouch of rice crackers and following Ben out of the laboratory.
---
Outside the atmosphere was chaotic and loud.
Ben strolled into the room first. Luffy, Ace, Coby, and Helmeppo were all seated at a massive table, surrounded by towering stacks of empty plates. Luffy and Ace were currently engaged in a high-speed eating contest, shoveling meat into their mouths while occasionally falling asleep for three seconds at a time. Coby and Helmeppo were watching them with a mixture of awe and disgust.
A moment later, Garp's massive frame filled the doorway.
"BWAHAHAHA!" Garp roared, marching into the room and immediately grabbing a whole roasted turkey from a passing tray, taking a massive bite.
After Garp had swallowed half the bird, Ben clapped his hands loudly, drawing the attention of the entire room. The rest of the Straw Hat crew—Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, Vivi, and the Giants—looked over.
"Listen up, crew," Ben announced, his voice carrying clearly over the din. "We are instituting a mandatory, highly intensive training session. And we have a special guest instructor. Garp-san has graciously agreed to beat some sense into you."
At the sound of the word 'training' coupled with the name 'Garp', both Luffy and Ace froze mid-chew.
The color instantly drained from their faces. Their eyes popped out of their skulls.
"GRANDPA'S TRAINING?!" Luffy and Ace shrieked in absolute, harmonious terror.
They immediately pushed their chairs back, the wood screeching against the floor, and began to aggressively backpedal toward the nearest window, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.
"Nope! No way! We're busy! We have pirate stuff to do!" Ace stammered, sweating bullets.
"I'm full! I need a nap! For a week!" Luffy added frantically.
Ben stepped smoothly into their path, blocking the exit. He fixed them with a stern, uncompromising glare.
"We are doing this," Ben said, his tone leaving absolutely zero room for argument. "From now on, the opponents we face will be on an entirely different level. The New World is full of monsters who make them look like children. It is infinitely better to get hit by your grandfather now, in a controlled environment, rather than suffer a fatal blow in the future."
Luffy and Ace slumped, their shoulders sagging in total defeat. They knew Ben was right, but it didn't make the prospect of the 'Fists of Love' any less terrifying.
Garp chuckled darkly, cracking his knuckles. He turned to his two young Marine subordinates.
"Coby! Helmeppo!" Garp barked.
"Sir! Yes, sir!" The two Marines snapped to perfect attention, saluting stiffly.
"Return to our battleship immediately," Garp ordered. "Make sure the men stay in line and keep everything in order. I will be conducting... specialized family business for the next three days. Tell the crew to run drills until I get back. Nobody slacks off!"
"Understood, Vice-Admiral!" Coby nodded, throwing one last, slightly empathetic look at Luffy before turning on his heel. He and Helmeppo quickly exited the ship, heading back toward the Blue Station docks.
"Alright," Ben clapped his hands again. "Everyone. Follow me."
---
Ben pushed the door open, revealing the endless, glowing white void of the pocket dimension.
The Straw Hats (minus Ace) walked in casually, already accustomed to the bizarre environment. Zoro immediately sat down to stretch his legs, while Sanji began wrapping his shins in bandages.
Garp stepped through the threshold. He looked up at the infinite white sky, then down at the pristine tiled floor that seemed to stretch on forever. He stomped his heavy boot against the tile, testing the slightly heavier gravity.
"What kind of nonsense is this?" Garp grunted, looking around in genuine bewilderment.
Ben walked to the center of the group, turning to face Garp and Ace.
"Welcome to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," Ben introduced, gesturing to the white expanse. "The crew is already familiar with its primary feature, but let me explain it to you two."
Ben held up a finger. "In this pocket dimension, the flow of time is severely dilated compared to the outside world. Ten minutes out there in Water 7... equals one full, twenty-four-hour day in here."
Ace's jaw dropped. "Ten minutes is a day?!"
Garp froze. His veteran, tactical mind instantly began to crunch the numbers. Ben had asked him to train them for three days in the outside world.
Three days. Seventy-two hours. Four thousand, three hundred and twenty minutes.
Garp's eyes widened. He snapped his head toward Ben, a look of absolute, comical outrage on his face.
"You tricky little bastard!" Garp roared, pointing an accusatory finger at Ben. "Three days out there means... means...!"
"Four hundred and thirty-two days in here," Ben confirmed with a totally innocent smile. "A little over fourteen months of uninterrupted, intensive training."
"I CAN'T TRAIN YOU MONSTERS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF STRAIGHT!" Garp complained loudly, clutching his lower back dramatically. "I'm an old man! My back will snap! My knees will give out! You're trying to work me to death!"
"I am aware that a year of constant combat is taxing, even for the Hero of the Marines," Ben said soothingly, reaching into his spatial pouch. "Which is why... I have a solution for that."
[Flashback - Two Days Ago ]
The 'god' Enel, who had served his purpose as the ultimate lightning-battery sparring partner, was currently chained to the floor, unconscious and battered. Beside him lay the unconscious form of Funkfreed, Spandam's elephant-sword, which Robin had kindly procured during the Enies Lobby raid.
Then Ben performed the ritual and extracted both fruits.
[System Notification: Devil Fruit Object Detected (Zou Zou no Mi - Elephant). Absorb for Template Roll?]
"Absorb the fruit," Ben commanded mentally.
[Absorption Complete. Points Accumulated. Initiating Template Roll...]
A massive, glowing roulette wheel materialized in Ben's mind. It spun rapidly, flashing past hundreds of silhouettes from across the multiverse. Finally, it slowed, ticking past a man in green armor, a boy with a glowing sword, and stopping dead on a figure shrouded in a dark purple, hooded cloak.
[Template Acquired: Medea of Colchis - Greek Mythology]
Abilities Unlocked: Hecate's Divine Magic, Age of Gods Sorcery, Master Alchemy, Conceptual Severing.
Ben's eyes snapped open in the real world. A surge of ancient, suffocatingly dense magical energy flooded his veins. The magic of Dumbledore was potent and versatile, but the magic of Medea... this was from the literal Age of Gods. It was raw, conceptual, and overwhelmingly powerful.
A twisted, obsidian ritual dagger materialized in Ben's right hand. It pulsed with the chaotic, iridescent light of ancient witchcraft.
[Artifact Created: Blade of Severance]
An ancient anti-magic weapon born of Medea's mythological betrayal. A blade that deals no physical damage, but conceptually severs any spiritual contract, curse, or magical connection it touches.
Ben looked at the dagger. He looked at Enel.
"Well," Ben smirked. "That makes things infinitely easier."
Ben held the newly formed Goro Goro no Mi in his hand. He looked down at Enel. The man was alive, but he was just a man now.
Ben Apparated instantly to the shores of Upper Yard in Skypiea, dumping the unconscious, powerless Enel on a cloud bank, and vanishing before anyone noticed.
He then pulled out a small, golden coin—the paired Portkey he had created for Sabo.CRACK.
Ben materialized in the war room of the Revolutionary Army in Baltigo. Sabo, looking up from a map, nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Ben?!" Sabo gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Special delivery," Ben tossed the swirling yellow fruit to the Revolutionary Chief of Staff. "Eat it. It's the Goro Goro no Mi. one of the fastest Logia in the world. The Revolution could use some lightning."
Sabo caught the fruit, staring at it in shock. Before he could even formulate a thank you, Ben smiled, tapped his wand, and Apparated back to the Time Chamber.
For the next two weeks of chamber-time, Ben isolated himself. He combined Medea's legendary Master Alchemy skill (capable of brewing potions that defied reality) with Dumbledore's masterful potion-making. He boiled rare herbs, catalyzed magical energies, and manipulated the very essence of time within the beakers.
[End of Flashback]
Ben pulled his hand out of his spatial pouch.
He held up a small, crystal vial filled with a luminescent, golden liquid that seemed to swirl and dance with its own internal light.
"I brewed this using ancient alchemy," Ben said, handing the vial to Garp. "Drink it Garp san."
Garp held the small vial between his massive fingers. He looked at the glowing liquid skeptically. He sniffed it. It smelled faintly of ozone and old parchment.
"A magic potion to fix my back?" Garp snorted. He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Bah. I've drank worse things on a dare from Sengoku."
Garp popped the cork and tossed the liquid back in one gulp.
For three seconds, nothing happened.
Then, Garp dropped the empty vial. It shattered on the white tiles.
Garp grasped his chest, his eyes widening. A terrifying, audible thrumming sound began to emanate from his body, like a massive engine revving up to maximum RPM.
"Grandpa?!" Ace stepped forward, alarmed.
"Stay back," Ben warned, raising an arm.
The physical transformation was rapid and shocking. The stark white hair and beard covering Garp's head began to darken, the gray washing away until it was replaced by a thick, unruly mane of pitch-black hair. The deep, heavy wrinkles etched into his face smoothed out, leaving only the rugged, battle-hardened scars of his youth.
But it was his musculature that was truly terrifying. His chest expanded, threatening to rip his Marine suit coat to shreds. The muscles in his arms and legs bulged to absurd, superhuman proportions, dense with a power that hadn't been seen since the era of Gol D. Roger.
Garp stopped clutching his chest. He stood up straight.
He didn't look like an old man complaining about his knees anymore. He looked like the Demon of the Marines. The man who had destroyed mountains for target practice. The Hero of God Valley in his absolute, undeniable prime.
Garp looked down at his hands. He flexed his fingers. The air around his fists literally distorted, warping under the sheer, unadulterated physical density of his grip.
He let out a low, booming chuckle. The sound was deeper, more resonant, lacking any of the raspiness of his older age.
Slowly, a wide, incredibly dangerous, almost feral grin spread across his newly youthful face. He cracked his knuckles. The sound echoed through the endless white void like cannon fire.
THROOOOOOM.
Without warning, an overwhelming, suffocating tidal wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded from his body. It was black and red, tearing up the white tiles around his feet, pressing down on the Straw Hats with the gravity of a dying star.
Usopp and Chopper instantly collapsed to their knees, gasping for air. Even Zoro and Sanji gritted their teeth, struggling to stay upright under the crushing pressure.
Prime Garp rolled his shoulders, his eyes burning with the thrill of battle. He looked at his two grandsons, and then at the crew of monsters who had dared to challenge the world.
"Well then," Garp's voice boomed, rich with terrifying excitement. "So... who wants a Fist of Love first?"