Ronan slammed the butt of his spear heavily against the ground, producing a deep thud.
"The shaft of this spear was carved from the very core heartwood of the Treasure Tree Adam. Its density long surpassed ordinary steel."
Franky lunged forward at once. His massive modified hands gripped the Zhangba Serpent Spear as he carefully examined the shaft, astonishment pouring from his mouth.
"This texture… this density… it really is the heartwood of Treasure Tree Adam!"
"And not just that—this is top-grade material stripped from an extremely massive ancient branch!"
Leaning against the doorframe with folded arms, Zoro coldly interrupted Franky's worshipful rambling.
"Oi, Franky. After all that talking, what exactly are you planning to do?"
"SUPER! Obviously, I'm gonna build the strongest ship!"
Franky sprang to his feet and struck his signature pose.
"Occasionally, branches of Treasure Tree Adam appear on the black market. A single piece costs at least two hundred million berries."
"I was worried about the funding before, but since the Merry's loaded with gold…"
"So you're planning to use the ship's gold to trade for Adam Wood on the black market?" Ronan retracted his spear, his gaze deep.
"That's right! Only a keel made from this level of heartwood can fully support the potential of the Munch-Munch Fruit inside the Merry!"
Luffy adjusted his straw hat and flashed his trademark confident grin.
"Franky, go for it! Spend however much gold you need! As long as our Merry becomes the strongest companion that can carry everyone anywhere!"
After Franky boarded the Sea Train heading toward the black market, Dock One transformed into a training chamber for Ronan and the others.
Under Nami's precise electromagnetic control, the entire room was maintained under ten times normal gravity.
The walls emitted sharp groaning sounds from the pressure, while even the floor had begun to sink slightly beneath the weight of Ronan and the others.
"Faster! Only under this level of gravity will the circulation speed of Vajra Inner Energy accelerate enough to break through!"
Ronan let out a low shout.
His upper body was bare, crackling arcs of lightning flowing across his skin.
Nami sat high above them, golden staff in hand as she guided streak after streak of silver-blue lightning to strike their acupuncture points with perfect precision.
Zoro trained under the crushing gravity, drenched in sweat. Every slash of his blades produced sonic booms in the air.
Meanwhile, Sanji forcibly used Moonwalk in midair to counter the immense force dragging him toward the ground.
The moment sweat emerged from their pores, it was vaporized into white mist by the intense heat. Under the dual pressure of thunder and gravity, everyone's aura became deeper, heavier, and more refined.
…
The next morning, the peace of Water 7 was shattered by the deep blare of a ship horn.
Upon the once-calm sea, an extremely flamboyant Marine warship cut through the waves. Mounted at its prow was an enormous dog head biting a bone.
"That's… Vice Admiral Garp from Marine Headquarters?!"
"The legendary Marine Hero who cornered Pirate King Roger countless times?!"
Panicked whispers spread throughout the island.
To the older generation of pirates and civilians alike, Garp's name represented absolute power itself.
As the towering old man stepped onto the shore, even the surrounding air seemed to grow solemn from his arrival.
Wearing the Justice coat draped across his shoulders, Garp strode into Dock One. Behind him followed a large group of soldiers, along with two young men—Koby and Helmeppo.
"You two stay here on standby."
Without even turning around, Garp gave the order.
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Without the slightest courtesy, Garp walked up to the training room door where the Straw Hats were practicing. His giant calloused fist casually swung forward.
BOOM!!
The door exploded apart like fragile paper, instantly shattering into countless wooden splinters.
Through the drifting dust, Garp's overwhelmingly imposing silhouette slowly emerged.
"Who are you?!" Usopp nearly jumped in fright from the sheer force of the entrance. His alloy slingshot instantly appeared in his hands.
Ronan's pupils narrowed slightly. He recognized the Marine Hero at a glance.
Garp swept his gaze across the exhausted crew inside before finally stopping on Luffy. Snorting hot air from his nostrils, he said:
"So you're the Straw Hat crew? I brought a few real men here to see Monkey D. Luffy."
"Marines?!" Sanji and Zoro immediately tensed.
Before anyone could react, Garp vanished from where he stood.
Fast. Incomparably fast.
Ronan's Observation Haki screamed wildly, yet all he could capture was a blurry phantom-like afterimage.
This speed came not from Devil Fruit powers, but from pushing the human body itself to its absolute limit.
"I'm not the same as before!"
Luffy roared. His reaction speed was equally astonishing.
His right fist became completely coated in pitch-black Armament Haki while blue lightning aura exploded around it with crackling electric shrieks.
Yet before overwhelming strength and experience, such confidence seemed pitifully insignificant.
Garp's fist twisted at an unbelievably strange angle, effortlessly bypassing Luffy's attack.
"Fist of Love!"
BANG!!
A dull impact echoed out—a sound heavy enough to make hearts stop beating.
Garp's seemingly ordinary punch landed squarely on top of Luffy's head.
Terrifying force erupted instantly. The floor beneath Luffy shattered layer after layer like fragile porcelain.
Luffy's Vajra body, which had withstood Kizaru's lasers head-on, seemed to lose all defensive effect before that punch.
With a miserable scream, he was smashed straight into the ground. A massive crater three meters wide instantly appeared in the center of the training room.
Standing nearby, Ronan watched Luffy rolling around at the bottom of the pit clutching his head, tears flying from the pain. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as sympathy appeared in his eyes.
"That's… unbelievably brutal. It's hard to imagine how Luffy even survived his childhood…"
Garp slowly raised a hand and removed the somewhat ridiculous dog-head hood.
Revealing weathered silver hair and an aged face marked by countless hardships.
His sharp eyes stared into the crater while a mischievous grin curled at his lips.
"A fist filled with love is impossible to resist! Luffy, you brat, you've really caused chaos lately!"
"Not only did you sink Enies Lobby, but you pissed off that old geezer Sengoku so badly he was jumping around in his office. He almost personally led a team over here to strangle you himself!"
"But seriously, what happened to you, Luffy? How'd you suddenly become so huge? You're way taller too."
"I almost didn't recognize you. Still, this is more like what a member of the Monkey family should look like! Hahahaha!"
The crater trembled slightly as Luffy climbed out covered in dust and dirt.
The rookie pirate who had just fought an Admiral head-on at Enies Lobby now looked utterly defeated.
Clutching the massive swelling on his head, tears still hanging from the corners of his eyes, his trembling voice came out weak and pitiful.
"It… it hurts so bad… still hurts just as much… Gr… Grandpa…"
"Grandpa?!"
Dock One instantly fell into dead silence.
Zoro's hand froze midair on the hilt of his sword. Sanji's freshly lit cigarette dropped straight onto his foot. Usopp and Chopper's jaws nearly smashed into the floor.
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