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As if sensing something, the man with the eight-shaped mustache turned his head and looked directly in Kōjin's direction.
Through the rain-smeared lens of the binoculars, Kōjin could faintly make out the man's blurred yet unmistakable smile.
Kōjin lowered the binoculars and shifted his gaze.
Behind the pirate ship speeding through the storm, several other pirate vessels were chaotically chasing after it, scattered, disorganized, and furious, yet quickly being left behind. Even the ships that could soar through the air were forced down onto the sea by the raging tempest, unable to continue their flight.
This sudden storm had completely shattered the Flying Pirate Fleet's encirclement plan.
Not long after, Kōjin spotted several coated ships surfacing from the sea a short distance ahead, their hulls glistening faintly even under the driving rain.
Everything in the storm was warped and hazy, yet the skull flag of the Flying Pirates could still be seen, and at the sight of it, everyone on deck tensed up once again.
One ship. Then another.
In the blink of an eye, ten of them had surfaced.
It was clear that the Flying Pirates' formation had been completely disrupted by both the battle and the tempest; their fleet was now scattered across the entire sea.
Kōjin narrowed his eyes, stepping forward as his aura began to surge.
Black and crimson lightning crackled and entwined around him, causing a heavy, oppressive energy to spread from his body.
But in the very next instant, that aura suddenly froze. He snapped his head toward one side of the stormy sea. Through the sheets of rain, a dog-headed Marine battleship came charging forward at breakneck speed.
A figure leapt from its bow, "BZZT!"
The storm itself seemed to halt as an invisible, overwhelming force spread through the air.
A man with short, black hair and a square, rugged face grinned wildly, and then he threw a punch.
Lightning exploded from the sky, thick as tree trunks, crashing down mercilessly. The sea caved inward from the impact, and ten pirate ships were instantly shattered, splintered into a rain of debris.
"My beloved disciple! Are you alright?! Forgive your teacher for being late!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
The booming laughter tore through the rainstorm and reached Kōjin's ears,
and for the first time, the tension in his expression eased. With that laughter, the frozen tempest began to move once more, and the dark speck in the distance landed squarely back onto the dog-headed battleship.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
"It's Vice Admiral Garp! Thank goodness!"
"We're saved! We're really saved now!"
Every Marine officer around Kōjin burst into shouts of joy.
In this era, Marine Hero Vice Admiral Garp was not only the strongest man in the Marines, but also a living symbol of morale and courage, a name that could steady hearts and inspire men.
His fame was not bought, nor exaggerated, it was earned, forged in countless battles with blood and sweat.
Moments later, the two battleships met and linked up.
Kōjin and the others were brought aboard the dog-headed vessel, and only then did Shinbu, Saul, and the rest finally exhale in relief, smiles returning to their faces.
"Ha ha ha ha! So, Kōjin, how does it feel, seeing those two monsters with your own eyes?" Garp strode up to him, laughing heartily as he asked.
"I'm still far from their level." Kōjin took a deep breath before speaking in a firm and calm tone.
Yes, Just by watching that battle, he had clearly realized how vast the gulf was between himself and those at the very pinnacle of the world.
Even mastering Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki) to its highest level might narrow the gap somewhat, but it didn't mean standing shoulder to shoulder with such men.
Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku), Armament Haki (Busoshoku), raw physical strength, reaction speed, battle experience, all of these mattered just as much.
"You're right, you've still got a long way to go," Garp said, his laughter fading into a rare moment of seriousness. "But one day, you'll stand among them. I'm sure of it."
In his heart, Garp had already acknowledged Kōjin as a disciple capable of inheriting his mantle and becoming a warrior as strong as himself.
Kōjin nodded heavily.
"Strength is forged through countless battles, tempered again and again between life and death! And you, boy, you have the most important quality a strong man needs. You'll grow faster than anyone else… and go farther than anyone else!"
Garp raised a massive hand and clapped Kōjin on the shoulder.
Then, lifting his head toward the raging storm ahead, he suddenly grinned again.
"I'm going after Roger. Do you have the guts… to come with your teacher?"
Kōjin's pupils shrank.
Chasing Roger?
Seeing those two fight with his own eyes sent a shiver through Kōjin's heart, fear and awe intertwined.
Could he, a single person, truly stand against such monsters? But in an instant, he nodded resolutely.
"Let's go!"
Hearing this, Garp laughed once more. With his back turned to Kōjin, he spoke softly amid the raging tempest:
"You have the potential to become a world-class warrior, with monstrous strength and extraordinary talent. But your foundation is too weak. You haven't even received the systematic training expected of a Marine. Sengoku thought you should be given a transitional environment, a safe space to grow, before facing the storm when you were ready."
"However…"
Garp paused, grinning widely.
"My opinion differs from his. You are destined to be different from everyone else.
Even Kuzan, Sakazuki, or Borsalino cannot compare to you. You possess undying qualities. Guns, beheadings, cannon fire, poison, nothing can kill you. Yet all these have forged an iron will within you."
"Even before mastering any combat techniques, you were able to awaken Haoshoku! You were born to grow step by step in the face of death and adversity. A sheltered environment could never train a monster like you!"
Listening to Garp's words, Kōjin's expression tightened for a moment, then he smiled.
"I prefer it this way, studying everything from Garp Sensei by my side!"
Garp laughed heartily, patting his disciple on the shoulder again. "I will train you to become the strongest Marine in history!"
Then, the Hero Vice Admiral, at the peak of his life, turned and departed. Amid the storm, Kōjin watched Garp's tall, muscular back, filled with emotion. Looking at the entire Marine system, Garp's life had been both difficult and admirable.
He had tried to train his son, his disciples, and two grandsons as Marines, but all ended in failure. Three became pirates; one joined the Revolutionary Army.
His entire life was spent striving to maintain a fragile, artificial peace. Everything he had done was in service of the justice he believed in. He was Roger's true friend, yet repeatedly captured him for the sake of justice.
He raised his grandsons by hand, only to witness one of them being executed before his eyes, helpless. And when one was killed by a comrade, he had shouted in rage at his longtime friend: "Hold me back, Sengoku! Otherwise, I won't be able to stop myself from killing him!"
After the Time Skip (Two Years After Marineford), on Hachinosu (Beehive Island), he personally faced the disciple he had raised, Kuzan.
Kōjin's expression turned complex. In his memory, Garp's hair was gray, his body still strong but slightly bent, showing signs of age. Behind his smile was always a hint of sadness and loneliness.
But now, this man was domineering, ferocious, unstoppable!
At the peak of his life, he lived more freely, joyfully, passionately than on any day twenty years later.
This was Garp in his youthful, happiest days! This was also his strongest period.
It was the era of Marine Hero, Garp.
"And now… It's my era too!"
Kōjin lifted his head, facing the raging tempest, whispering to himself.
(End of Chapter)