A Sneaky Fighter in the Making, Garp's Forced Recruitment

Five years slipped quietly by, and before long, it was the year 1500 of the sea circle calendar.

On the coast of Dawn Island in the East Blue, waves lapped gently against the rocks, and a faintly salty sea breeze brushed across the shore.

A ten-year-old boy in simple cloth clothes crouched atop the highest rock by the shore. A handsome boy, he held a stalk of foxtail grass between his lips, his elbows resting on his knees as his deep-set eyes gazed at the calm sea, as though pondering life.

Or rather, questioning it.

"Hmm... It's been two years since Roger was executed, right? The Great Pirate Era has officially begun..."

He muttered under his breath around the grass, a complicated look in his eyes.

"Powerful figures are rising all over the sea now, and undercurrents are stirring, but the East Blue, the Weakest Sea... is still fairly peaceful."

"Luffy hasn't been born yet, and Ace was only born recently... I really did get here early."

He sighed softly, gazing at the shimmering sea in the distance as his thoughts drifted.

He hadn't spent these five years loafing around and waiting to die. Though he had no system or cheat upgrade panel, he had relied on a transmigrator's persistence and an inhuman constitution to train himself into half a monster.

[Teleportation Fruit: Enhanced Version]: At first, he could only teleport three to five meters, and it left him dizzy. Now? He could teleport more than a hundred meters in a single jump and blink repeatedly. Afterwards, he could still do three hundred push-ups without getting out of breath!

[Giant's physique]: A crazed wild boar had sent him flying twenty meters. He had gotten back up, chased it for three blocks, then picked it up with one hand and tossed it into a pot to make soup. His mother had nearly called the police, thinking her son was possessed by a demon.

[Signs of Haki awakening]: His Observation Haki could occasionally predict the angle of a slipper flying out of the kitchen from his mother, allowing him to dodge with perfect precision; he could already coat both arms steadily in Armament Haki!

"Sigh..."

Roy rolled over lazily as he lamented, lying on his back atop the rock. "When all's said and done... what I'm missing is systematic instruction!"

"Blundering around on my own, figuring things out bit by bit, is like shaving in the dark. It's all guesswork."

He scratched his head in frustration and muttered, "That damn goddess didn't even leave me a cheat panel before she left! She could've at least given me a copy of 'Haki Training: From Beginner to Godhood'!"

As he complained, another familiar grumble flashed through his mind: Didn't that idiot goddess say I'd meet Garp when I was ten? It's been ten years already. Where is he?!

He grumbled to himself, In theory, if I meet Garp, I should be able to make my way into the upper ranks of the Marines without much trouble. But Luffy hasn't even been born yet. Does the timeline have to be this early?!

Just then, the sea suddenly churned. A gigantic Sea King burst through the waves and lunged at Roy with its enormous maw wide open!

"Roar!!!"

"Hey, hey, hey!"

The screams of passing villagers rose like a tide. "Roy, run!!"

Roy couldn't even be bothered to lift his head. "Shut up! I'm pondering life here!"

The next second.

Roy teleported in front of the Sea King's face, a savage grin curling his lips. "Go back and take a bath!"

Smack!!!

A thunderous crack rang out as the Sea King's face instantly warped. Its enormous body flew backward like a cannonball and crashed into the sea, kicking up a spray more than ten meters high.

"Hiss..."

The villagers' jaws nearly hit the ground. "Is... is he even human?!"

Roy shook out his hand and calmly teleported back to shore. "So that's all the Sea Kings in the East Blue have got..."

Still holding the foxtail grass between his lips, he walked toward the village. He was just about to grumble some more when a huge shadow suddenly fell over him.

Roy frowned slightly and slowly raised his head—

A man wearing a dog-head hat was looking down at him with a huge, goofy grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes.

Garp grinned, his voice booming. "Kid! You're pretty strong!"

Roy's pupils contracted sharply. "...The Marines?!"

Garp scratched his head casually, then grabbed Roy by the collar. "You slapped a Sea King flying with your bare hand, and you can teleport, not to mention that monstrous strength... Hahaha! I've struck gold!"

Roy kicked his arms and legs wildly and yelled, "Wait! I haven't agreed to this—"

Garp ignored him completely, slung him over his shoulder, and headed back. "Come on, come on! You're coming with me to Marine Headquarters!"

Roy's screams echoed through the sea breeze. "Kidnapping! Put me down!!!"

On the shore, villager A wiped away tears and waved a handkerchief. "Roy, remember to come back and fix the village roads when you become an Admiral!"

Villager B hugged a chicken and beamed. "I'll tell your parents you've gone to join the Marines!"

Garp swaggered toward the harbor, followed by his neatly dressed adjutant, Bogard, who wore a pair of sunglasses.

Bogard pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed helplessly. "Vice Admiral, could you please stop carrying people off every time you say you've 'struck gold'...?"

Garp laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Why wait for a promising recruit to hand me a business card? It's easier to take him straight away!"

Bogard could only shake his head and sigh. "Yes, yes... I'll go let the boy's family know first."

Led by a villager, Bogard arrived at Roy's front door.

He knocked politely, and Roy's father, Rock, opened the door and stepped out, looking utterly puzzled. "Huh? A Marine? What can I do for you?"

Bogard smiled slightly, his tone gentle. "Hello, I'm Bogard from Marine Headquarters."

"Roy displayed some truly astonishing strength by the shore just now. Vice Admiral Garp took a liking to him and brought him straight to Marine Headquarters for training."

Rock froze for a moment. Then his eyes lit up, and he nearly jumped with excitement. "Really? Lord Garp took a liking to him? Hahaha! That's wonderful, wonderful!"

His mother rushed out of the house too, clasping her hands together. "Thank you, sir! That little rascal is a handful. Sorry for the trouble, but please give him plenty of discipline!"

Rock slapped his thigh. "Don't hold back when you train that little rascal! We're counting on you!"

Bogard nodded with a wry smile. "We certainly will..."

He turned and watched Garp carry Roy toward the warship, then sighed helplessly. "Sigh... He really has struck gold this time."

Garp carried Roy aboard the warship as though he were a kitten. Roy kicked and struggled the whole way, but it was no damn use. Garp held him steady with one hand.

Only when Roy spotted the adjutant, Bogard, returning from shore in the distance did he shout as though he had found a lifeline. "Hey! Mr. Marine, save me!"

Bogard walked over calmly, glanced at Roy on Garp's shoulder, and spoke evenly. "I've explained the situation to your parents. They're very supportive."

Roy fell silent at once, his eyes flickering. "...Really?"

Bogard nodded. "Yes. Your father said, 'That boy's a menace to the village when he's home anyway.'"

The corner of Roy's mouth twitched. "...Is he really my dad?"

Bogard added, "Your mother cried as she pressed a basket of oranges into my hands. She said, 'Please ask Mr. Garp not to beat him to death.'"

Roy covered his face. "...Is she really my mom?"

Garp laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Don't worry, kid. I know how to hold back!"

Garp casually tossed Roy onto the deck, sat down cross-legged, and pulled out a bag of rice crackers. Crunching away, he fixed Roy with a gleam in his eyes. "All right, tell me. What's the story behind your teleportation and monstrous strength?"

Roy grumbled inwardly, If I tell the truth, I'll probably be locked up and dissected for research!

He blinked, putting on an innocent look. "Oh, that... When I was five, I was playing on the mountain behind the village and found a strange fruit. It tasted really awful, but after I ate it, I found out I could go 'whoosh' and blink around everywhere. It was super fun!"

Garp raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I've never heard of a fruit like that."

Bogard pushed up his sunglasses and added, "It might be the legendary Paramecia-type Teleportation Fruit. There are a few scattered records of it in the Marine Headquarters library."

Roy played dumb and said with a smile, "Anyway, I figured out lots of ways to use it myself! Like—"

Before he finished speaking, he flashed behind Garp with a whoosh, swung his fist, and struck:

"Sneak attack!"

Without even turning his head, Garp reached back and caught Roy's fist with perfect precision.

Garp grinned. "Young people have no martial honor!"

Roy's pupils trembled. "What the fuck?!"

The next second, Garp swung his arm, sending Roy flying like a rag doll. He slammed into the deck with a bang, cracking it.

Stars danced before Roy's eyes. "Wait... I wasn't ready—"

Garp roared with laughter, a trace of killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Ready? Do you think pirates will give you time to get ready?!"

His fist coated in dense Armament Haki, he punched straight at Roy's face!

Roy's teleportation kicked in instinctively, and he flashed onto the mast with a whoosh. He had barely caught his breath when a wave of killing intent suddenly swept in from behind him—

Garp's voice was low and tinged with laughter. "Observation Haki isn't just for show!"

Thud!

A Haki-coated iron fist slammed into Roy's back, driving him straight into the deck and through it into the cabin below!

Roy's screams echoed throughout the warship:

"Ah! Not the face!"

"I was wrong! I'll never sneak attack you again!"

"Mr. Bogard, help me!"

Bogard took a calm sip from his teacup. "You'll get used to it."

The Marine soldiers aboard the warship whispered among themselves:

"Those screams... Vice Admiral Garp's found himself another punching bag, hasn't he?"

"The last one who had it that bad was Vice Admiral Kuzan when he was young..."

Half an hour later.

Roy lay sprawled on the deck, bruised and battered, feeling as though every bone in his body had come apart.

Garp clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Not bad! Your combat instincts are like a headless fly's, but your physique is decent!"

Roy managed a feeble grin. "Thanks for the compliment?"

Garp's smile faded, and his gaze suddenly sharpened. "Starting today, I'll train you myself!"

Roy trembled and struggled. "Can I refuse...?"

Garp clenched his fist, grinning like a tiger. "What do you think?"