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Night fell swiftly, wrapping the ship in a cool shroud. Naturally, Garp's "legendary-level" training method couldn't be carried out under the stars.
Bogard, as silent as ever, nonetheless proved thoughtful. He brought Kōjin a fresh set of Marine clothes, along with a mountain of meat, vegetables, fruit, and fresh water.
"You need to replenish your stamina," He stated simply.
His calm words earned a look of genuine gratitude from Kōjin. The two exchanged a glance, a moment of quiet understanding passing between them, before settling into comfortable silence.
Kōjin then proceeded to devour the food with large, hungry bites. Death might make him stronger and heal his wounds, but the gnawing hunger in his stomach was a constant he simply couldn't endure.
The night wind was brisk. Given Garp's famously carefree personality, it was clear that he wouldn't be concerned about anyone's comfort. Kōjin leaned against the mainmast, eyes half-closed, attempting to catch a few moments of rest.
Footsteps broke the quiet. He slowly opened his eyes to see Kuzan tiptoeing toward him, clutching a thin, folded blanket.
"I figured you might need this!" Kuzan offered with a soft smile.
"Thanks," Kōjin replied, taking the blanket. Kuzan then sat down beside him, mirroring his posture and leaning against the mast as well.
"I've never seen anyone quite like you," Kuzan admitted, his smile fading into a thoughtful expression. "A commoner who dares to draw a sword on a noble, and even attack a Celestial Dragon."
"And you're not even a Devil Fruit user… yet you just refuse to die!" Kuzan's tone was light and casual as he spoke, but his eyes were sharp, betraying a deep curiosity. The mystery surrounding the boy was clearly intriguing.
"Nobles? Celestial Dragons?" Kōjin's voice broke the momentary silence as a cold sea breeze passed between them. "How are they any different from us?"
Kuzan was momentarily stunned. His first instinct was to blurt out, 'Of course they're different!'
But then... he fell silent too, lost in thought.
What was the difference?
Status? Identity?
Yes, those things were distinct, but at the core, they were the same: both were just living beings, two shoulders carrying one head. Shot by a gun, cut by a blade, either one would die.
Thinking that far, Kuzan's expression turned a little strange. If anything, wasn't the boy before him the real monster?
"You're right," Kuzan finally said with a soft chuckle. "There's no real difference at all."
Kōjin said nothing more. He closed his eyes again, and soon, a faint, rhythmic sound of snoring filled the air. After the chaos and exhaustion of the day, both his body and mind were utterly spent.
The first rays of dawn sunlight spilled across the deck.
Kōjin suddenly opened his eyes, feeling a brief moment of disorientation before fully waking up. He was, after all, no longer in the world he knew. Even though more than ten days had passed, the unfamiliarity still lingered in his very beng, this world still felt foreign, like he didn't quite belong.
But even so, he had to admit: last night had been the most comfortable sleep he'd had since arriving here.
"Garp, Kuzan, Bogard…" He quietly whispered their names as a faint smile touched his face.
"Maybe… this world could be interesting too."
Suddenly, the Marine on watch in the crow's nest blew a sharp whistle.
"Pweeet, Pweeet, Pweeet!"
The calm of the morning was shattered. The shrill sound cut through the air, long and piercing.
Kōjin stood up and walked to the bow, gazing forward.
"Hey! You, trainee! Stop staring around and get ready for battle!"
He noticed another Marine up in the crow's nest shouting down at him.
"See that island up ahead? The town there's crawling with pirates! That's our target this mission, Yulan Island!"
'Battle preparations? How was he supposed to prepare for that?'
Confusion flickered across his face. He had never fought pirates before, not even once.
The next second, hurried footsteps thundered from the main cabin as Marines poured out, quickly lining up on deck. Their expressions were grave and tense; the entire ship's atmosphere instantly became heavy and disciplined.
A massive shadow suddenly loomed over Kōjin, and an iron fist came crashing down on his head without mercy.
"What are you spacing out for?! Get in formation!"
The thunderous roar made Kōjin flinch. The iron fist that had landed squarely on his head moments earlier had nearly given him a concussion; the throbbing pain made him grit his teeth and hiss.
He turned his head and saw the man before him, with a short black buzz cut and square jaw, who was no other than Garp. Only now, Garp's face no longer carried that cheerful grin from yesterday. Instead, his expression was cold and sharp.
"Fall in line, Marine trainee!" Garp barked.
"Yes, sir!" Kōjin instinctively clutched his head, shouted his response, and sprinted to the end of the formation.
He saw that Kuzan was already in position, and his own spot just happened to be right beside him. The future Admiral stood tall and straight, face serious, eyes fixed on Garp. His gaze gleamed with pure admiration and ambition, a young man's burning desire to become stronger.
"You all should already know about the emergency mission." Garp's deep voice rumbled across the deck.
Kōjin blinked. 'He didn't know a thing'.
"Early yesterday morning, the Marine branch stationed on Yulan Island was suddenly attacked by pirates. Within a short period of time, they lost control of the entire island. The pirates have now occupied the town. The branch's Lieutenant Commander made the right call; he evacuated together with the townsfolk."
Garp paused for a moment, then a smile crept across his broad face. But Kōjin could clearly see it; that smile carried a sharp, murderous intent.
"Which means… our mission this time is going to be very simple. Wipe out every last pirate on that island. Leave no one alive!"
A Marine in the front row saluted and shouted, "Vice Admiral Garp, do we know which pirate crew it is?"
"Do we need to know?" Garp raised an eyebrow.
The Marine froze for a moment, then lowered his head silently. Clearly, their superior either hadn't bothered to gather the details… or simply didn't care.
"Proceed according to the usual plan," Garp said casually, digging a finger in his nose.
"Yes, sir!" The Marines roared in unison.
Kōjin stood among them, completely lost.
'Mission? What mission? What's the "usual plan"?'
'And more importantly… where's his weapon?'
But nobody paid him any attention. Even Kuzan only gave him a quick wink before rushing off to prepare. Crates of cannonballs were quickly carried to the front of the ship.
"Let's give them a nice little welcome gift!"
Garp grinned, effortlessly hefting up one of the heavy black cannonballs with a single hand.
Kōjin couldn't help but be impressed. He knew exactly how heavy those shells were. The ease with which Garp lifted it showcased truly terrifying arm and palm strength.
'No wonder my head still hurts', He thought bitterly.
The next instant, Garp hurled the cannonball with explosive force.
"Whoosh!"
The black shell tore through the air, flying at an unbelievable speed. Its trajectory was perfect, plunging directly into the fleet anchored near the shore.
"BOOM!"
The blast was deafening. Flames erupted skyward, engulfing a pirate ship in seconds. Screams followed in waves. Kōjin drew in a sharp breath. He saw the cannonball hit, and the ship split cleanly in two from the point of impact.
The Marine battleship surged forward, accelerating rapidly toward the coast.
All around him, the Marines' expressions hardened. They drew long blades and rifles, leaping off the ship one after another like dumplings dropping into boiling water.
"Attack!!"
"For Justice!!!"
"Kill those bastards!!!"
Their battle cries thundered across the sea, blood-pumping, fiery, and full of resolve. Kōjin watched as Kuzan charged ahead with a short blade in hand, his face burning with youthful fervor.
Then he looked down at his own empty hands.
A moment of silence.
Then, without hesitation, he grabbed the chair beside him and took off running.
Leaping from the bow of the ship, he roared: "KILL!!!"
Behind him, Garp, who had just been about to sit down, froze mid-motion, his jaw dropping as he saw the boy charging across the beach, brandishing his chair like a weapon.
"That damn brat…" Garp muttered, his face twitching in disbelief. "That's my chair!"
(End of Chapter)