Spring passed and autumn came, and in the blink of an eye, seven years had gone by.
Foosha Village, Mt. Colubo…
BOOM! BOOM!
With earth-shaking tremors, a massive creature slowly emerged from the forest…
It looked like a bull—but easily ten times larger than any normal one!
Even an elephant from Earth would seem puny beside this beast.
Yet now, the colossal creature lay unconscious, dragged across the ground by a tiny figure, leaving a deep furrow behind it.
"Hey! Dadan! Look what I caught—get the feast ready!"
Ace's laughter rang through the trees as he called out at the top of his lungs.
"!!!"
But Dadan didn't respond. Not even a peep.
She stood frozen stiff at the front of the house, drenched in cold sweat like a recruit locked in parade stance.
"You've raised Ace pretty well, Dadan."
The man who spoke gave a devilish grin that sent a chill down Dadan's spine.
"I-it's nothing, Garp-san. Just doing what I should."
Dadan straightened up instantly, spine ramrod straight.
"Huh? That old geezer's here? Just don't try to steal my meat this time."
Ace walked up to the cabin, throwing Garp and the anxious Dadan gang a side-eye, visibly annoyed.
"Call me Grandpa, you little brat! You're so polite to everyone else—why so rude to your own grandpa?!"
Garp had greeted Ace with a beaming smile, but it turned to thunder the moment he heard that reply.
"Other people don't try to steal my kills, old man!"
Ace snapped right back, not about to give Garp an inch.
Seriously—this guy was supposed to be on the same level as my cheap old man, the Pirate King Roger, and he wants me to call him grandpa? Dream on.
And he keeps showing up every so often over the years just to swipe my game.
"Well, don't sweat the small stuff. Still, that catch of yours today is really something! Bwahahaha!"
If Garp felt any shame, he didn't show it. He laughed heartily as he approached the downed beast.
"He's already gotten this strong…?"
Staring at the massive creature, Garp pondered silently.
Though he wasn't the most sensitive guy, even he wouldn't put a kid through hellish special training at such a young age.
Which meant Ace had developed this incredible strength entirely on his own—no mentors, no guidance.
Such rare talent…
Garp couldn't help but feel a flicker of awe.
"Party time, Dadan!!"
Ace clearly didn't care what Garp was thinking—he was already shouting for the banquet to begin.
"Hold it! Before we feast, let me remind you—your dear Grandpa is on a rare vacation! And I'm going to use it to whip you into shape!
I'll train you until you're worthy of becoming a great Marine! Bwahahaha!"
Garp laughed as he hoisted Ace off the ground with one massive hand.
"A Marine? No way."
Ace looked completely disgusted at the suggestion.
The nerve of that old geezer, trying to turn the son of the Pirate King into a Marine.
The Marines were bound by the leash of the World Government. Even as an Admiral, you had to play lapdog to the Celestial Dragons when ordered.
Ace wasn't the type to take orders from anyone.
He'd been born into the world of pirates—of course he was going to become one.
"WHAT?! You little brat!"
Garp was instantly furious at Ace's scornful look.
"Looks like this round of training is gonna be extra intense—just you wait! I'll show you how noble it is to be a Marine!"
With that, he slung Ace over his shoulder and headed for his ship, leaving only a shout behind:
"Dadan! I'll bring this brat back in a month!"
As the ship sailed off, Dadan stood there, nervously watching them disappear into the distance.
...
"Hey! Old man! Where are you even taking me?!"
Two days into their voyage, Ace was slouched on the deck, thoroughly unamused.
"Call me Grandpa! Grandpa!"
Garp barked, then grinned.
"We're headed to a deserted island. Ace, try not to die there—bwahahaha!"
The laugh that followed was anything but comforting.
"Hmm? Look—there it is!"
Garp pointed ahead.
A small island was visible on the horizon.
Even from this distance, the roars of wild beasts echoed across the waves.
And these roars—deep, guttural, and savage—left no doubt that whatever lived there was far from ordinary.
"Tch. Just another island full of messed-up beasts. Whatever. But I am taking a hot bath tonight."
Ace spit on the deck, side-eyeing the cackling Garp.
He still remembered what Rouge told him before she died.
Taking a hot bath every night had become a habit—almost a ritual.
"Oh, don't worry about the bath. As for ordinary beasts? These aren't the kind you've been hunting."
Garp's grin turned downright wicked.
"And this island? It's not just full of beasts…"
With that, he reached below deck—and pulled out two absurdly huge fishing rods.
"Before I toss you into the jungle, let's do some fishing first."
That eerie grin of his was back in full force.
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TL/N:
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