Parents

Dusk was falling on Dawn Island.

Whoosh!

A tall figure appeared silently at the village entrance.

He had short black hair and wore a crisp Marine uniform, with a commendation medal personally signed by Admiral Zephyr pinned to his chest. It was Roy.

He took a deep breath. The familiar scent of grass and trees washed over him, awakening memories buried deep in his mind.

It's been two years...

He hurried toward the little house he remembered. From a distance, he saw his father, Rock, chopping firewood in the yard, while his mother, Airin, took down the laundry.

"Dad, Mom."

The familiar voice was like a pebble tossed into a still lake, instantly sending ripples across its surface.

The axe fell from Rock's hand with a clang and was instantly teleported onto the table by Roy, while the laundry basket in Airin's hands overturned on the ground.

"R-Roy?!" Airin's voice trembled slightly, and her eyes instantly reddened.

Rock's eyes widened as he looked the nearly two-meter-tall young man before him up and down. His uniform was neatly pressed, his gaze steady, and his expression resolute and composed.

Was this the same mischievous little rascal who used to steal chickens and dogs?

"You little brat..."

Rock strode over and gave his son's shoulder a solid slap, his eyes slightly red. "You've grown taller than your old man!"

Airin had already rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Roy's waist, tears falling like pearls from a broken string. "My child, you've gotten so thin! Didn't the Marines feed you enough?"

Roy didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Mom, I'm thirty kilograms heavier than when I left..."

Airin looked up at his face, wiping away her tears. "But I still can't help worrying. You've gotten so tanned..."

Roy reached out and hugged his mother, his gaze softening. "Mom, I'm fine."

The fire crackled in the hearth, and the table was covered with a generous spread of home-cooked dishes: braised meat, stewed fish, stir-fried vegetables, and a large bowl of steaming rice.

Rock poured a cup of homemade rice wine and raised it. "Come on! Tell your old man what you've been doing these past two years!"

Roy smiled and gently clinked his cup of juice against his father's. "Mostly training at Marine Headquarters. I came to the East Blue to take down pirates these past couple of days."

As he spoke, he took out a Marine commendation and a bag of bonus money and pushed them in front of his father. "Teacher Zephyr signed it himself. These are some rewards I accumulated in the training camp."

Rock's fingers trembled slightly as he looked at the gold-embossed words "Commendation." Pride and concern appeared on his face. "Good lad... That's my son, all right!"

Airin hurriedly piled a large helping of food into Roy's bowl. "Eat more. Just look at you—you're almost thinner than the black bear in the village!"

She then reached out and squeezed Roy's arm, instantly drawing a sharp breath. "These muscles... A-are you even human?!"

Roy smiled and put down his chopsticks. "This is Tekkai."

"Huh?"

Roy said frankly, "I can catch cannonballs with my bare hands now."

"Pfft!" Rock sprayed out a mouthful of rice wine and nearly choked.

Airin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She wiped Rock's mouth with a handkerchief. "Don't scare me like that! Don't do anything so dangerous!"

Roy smiled gently. "Don't worry. The training camp was even more dangerous than the battlefield. I got used to it a long time ago."

Laughter filled the table, and the atmosphere was warm.

After dinner, Roy helped his mother clear the dishes, then neatly stacked the firewood in the yard for his father.

As the night grew late, Roy got up to say goodbye.

Airin, reluctant to see him go, pressed a large bundle of rice balls and pickles into his arms. "Take these! The food on a warship can't be as good as Mom's cooking!"

Rock smiled. "Honey, I hear the food on Marine ships is top-notch."

Airin shot him a glare. "Mom's cooking tastes better!"

Rock put his hands on his hips and looked at Roy with mock severity. "Remember, boy, don't disgrace your old man!"

"Yes, sir!" Roy gave a salute, a bright smile on his face.

Whoosh!

The next second, his figure became an afterimage and vanished into the night wind at the village entrance.

The yard fell quiet. Rock put an arm around his wife's shoulders and spoke softly. "Looks like... our boy really has grown up."

Airin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and sighed softly. "He just grew up too fast... I haven't even had time to hug him a few more times..."

A shooting star streaked across the night sky, its faint light illuminating the smiles and tears of the two parents.

The next day, Garp's Dog-Head Warship cut through the waves on the blue sea.

On deck, two figures crossed and clashed at astonishing speed. The muffled thuds of fists and feet striking each other rang out one after another beneath the setting sun!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Roy's entire body was covered in pitch-black Armament Haki. His black hair flew in the sea breeze, and every punch carried a fierce gust that seemed ready to tear through the air!

Garp, meanwhile, fought barehanded, his footing steady as a rock. Every punch he threw came with a deep explosive report, like the roar of a giant beast!

"Good power! But you're still too soft!"

Bang!

Garp landed a punch squarely on the top of Roy's head, smashing him bodily into the deck and sending wood chips flying.

The Marine soldiers on deck stared in astonishment, holding their breath.

"Hey, hey... Roy's been punched into the deck again..."

"That's the third time today, right?"

"That's terrifying... Those are Vice Admiral Garp's fists!"

Bogard, the adjutant, held a pipe between his teeth and narrowed his eyes. A flicker of admiration he couldn't conceal passed through them. "There aren't many people in the entire Marines who can take that many punches from Mr. Garp without making a sound."

Crash—

Roy slowly climbed out of the shattered deck, wood chips still caught in his black hair and several bloody scratches on his face. But his gaze remained sharp as a blade. "Again!"

Garp laughed heartily, his hands on his hips. "That's the spirit! But that's enough for today. If we keep going, my warship will fall apart!"

Roy looked down at the dented and deformed deck beneath his feet and silently shut his mouth.

The sun sank in the west, and ripples glittered along the golden horizon.

Roy and Garp sat side by side at the bow, each holding a cup of steaming tea. The sea breeze was cool and refreshing.

Garp munched on a rice cracker as he spoke indistinctly. "Boy, you're improving pretty fast. You lasted three minutes longer than last time."

Roy's face darkened as he rubbed his aching wrist. "But I still can't beat you."

Garp roared with laughter. "Obviously! You want to beat me? Train for another twenty years!"

Roy shook his head with a wry smile. After a moment of silence, he suddenly stopped smiling and looked at Garp with a bright, intent gaze. "Mr. Garp, I want to learn your fist techniques."

Garp paused slightly in the middle of biting his rice cracker and turned to look at him. "Oh?"

Roy's gaze was firm. "Not ordinary Armament Haki, but... your 'Iron Fist' that can smash anything with a single punch!"

Garp stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into earth-shaking laughter. "Hahaha! Brat, you're not ready for that yet!"

Roy: "..."

Garp slapped him hard on the back, nearly knocking him into the sea. "Armament Haki is just the foundation! The real 'Iron Fist' doesn't rely on flashy techniques, but on fighting spirit!"

He thrust his fist up, the wind howling around it, his gaze sharp enough to seem capable of splitting the sea. "It's conviction! It's the determination to protect someone!"

Roy froze.

Garp's expression suddenly turned serious, and his voice deepened. "Roy, you're very talented. But a true powerhouse can't be built on technique and strength alone."

He extended a finger and poked Roy in the chest. "What matters is whether this is strong enough."

Roy looked down and remained silent for a long time, his fists resting on his knees slowly tightening.

Garp suddenly returned to his carefree smile and laughed heartily. "But you're still too early to learn it, boy! We'll talk when you can take my punches!"

The corner of Roy's mouth twitched. "How long will that take?"

Garp raised his eyebrows, looking smug. "A hundred years at least!"

Roy: "...A hundred years?!"

Garp waved a hand. "Not enough? Then two hundred!"

Roy: "..."

The soldiers on deck watched the scene, their faces nearly cramping from holding back their laughter.

Bogard sighed, his pipe bobbing slightly. "Mr. Garp, please stop teasing Roy..."

Garp roared with laughter, full of vigor. "Teasing him? This is my love!"

The sea breeze swept across the deck, bringing a burst of laughter. Beneath the setting sun, the young man gently clenched his fists, his gaze growing ever more resolute.