Purely Natural Handmade Cannonballs

Super high-speed solid iron cannonballs, capable of destroying ships with a single blow, relying solely on kinetic energy.

Garen understood that for the enemy to accelerate metal cannonballs to such terrifying speeds, they probably used some black technology high-energy electromagnetic railgun developed by a great scientist in the pirate world.

But actually...

These cannonballs were purely naturally, hand-launched.

Not long ago...

A massive warship, bristling with turrets and soaring masts, slowly sliced through the calm waves of East Blue.

Upon that mountain-like, majestic hull, a huge flag with a white background and a seagull-wrench emblem was prominently displayed.

This was a Marine warship, and a high-class one at that, equipped only for Rear Admirals or higher in Marine Headquarters, possessing a valuable seastone base, capable of freely traversing the Grand Line and the Four Seas.

However, on the spacious deck, there was a long reclining chair that seemed out of place with the solemn scene. A burly old man with snow-white hair and beard, but with bulging muscles all over his body, was lying on it, fast asleep.

The sea breeze from East Blue gently blew, startling the old man awake from his slumber.

He groggily looked around at the seascape, then casually picked up a rice cracker from a small tea table beside him and began to chew it.

"There's wind..."

The devilishly muscular old man chewed on his rice cracker and asked the Marine officer standing guard beside him in a completely unceremonious manner:

"Smoker, have we reached East Blue yet?"

Large warships from Marine Headquarters usually don't appear in East Blue, known as the weakest sea.

This trip to East Blue was both to send the Marine hero Garp home for a vacation and to send Captain Smoker and his subordinates to Loguetown Marine Base, the bridgehead connecting East Blue to the Grand Line, for a rotation of duty.

"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp!"

Smoker casually wore a large coat with the word "Justice" written on the back, but it was completely different from the standard Marine justice coat, instead having something of the domineering feel of a biker gang jacket.

In addition, his large expanse of exposed chest and abdominal muscles, his silver-gray crew cut like a delinquent youth, and the thick cigar in his mouth made Smoker look more like a mafia boss than a righteous Marine officer.

And Smoker's personality matched his appearance perfectly. If he saw something he didn't like, he would even dare to curse at his superiors.

Many of his Marine Headquarters colleagues speculated that one of the reasons Smoker, a promising young Headquarters Captain, was sent to garrison in the weakest sea, East Blue, might be his foul temper.

But even so, Smoker couldn't help but restrain his rebellious attitude somewhat in front of Garp, the Marine hero with a strong personal charm, and his tone was more or less respectful:

"We just passed through the Calm Belt and have reached the East Blue waters!"

"Good..."

Garp suddenly stood up and stretched his body casually.

His extremely powerful body immediately burst out with a sound like popping beans.

"It's been a long time since I've been back to East Blue for a vacation!"

Feeling the moist sea breeze of East Blue, Garp couldn't help but reveal a carefree and comfortable smile:

"I wonder how Luffy is doing, hopefully he doesn't learn from that bastard Ace..."

"Hm?"

As he spoke, Garp's eyes suddenly narrowed, and his sharp gaze saw a very distant place through the thin mist on the sea:

"A pirate ship?"

Smoker quickly followed Garp's gaze and looked into the distance, but with his strength as a Headquarters Captain, he could only see a vast expanse of sea.

His awe for Marine hero Vice Admiral Garp grew even more out of thin air.

"Hahaha..."

"To dare to sail on the ocean currents near the Calm Belt, they must be some talented young people!"

Garp laughed heartily and waved his muscular, thick arms:

"It just so happens that I just woke up, so I'll move my body a little!"

"Bring me some cannonballs!"

The surrounding Marine soldiers all showed expectant and excited expressions:

"Is Vice Admiral Garp going to personally demonstrate his strength again?"

"Stop talking nonsense..."

Smoker, however, was smoking his big cigar and impatiently roared at his subordinates: "Hurry up and get the cannonballs!"

"Yes!"

The Marines hurriedly agreed, but there was no panic on their faces.

They understood that although their superior looked fierce and difficult to deal with, he was actually a good person who cared about his subordinates.

Before long, a basket of solid iron cannonballs was placed next to Garp.

Garp casually picked up a solid iron cannonball from the ammunition basket pushed over by a nearby sailor, lightly weighed it in his hand, and looked far into the distance that only he could see.

Finally, Garp stretched his body slightly, and his slightly bent arm suddenly exerted force:

"Fist Bone Meteor!"

He flung the iron ball in his hand, and it instantly accelerated to a terrifying speed.

The ball, violently rubbing against the air, emitted an abnormal bright red glow in mid-air, disappearing into the clear blue sky within a few breaths.

"Rear Admiral Garp!"

The accompanying Marines were awestruck by this power, and couldn't help but excitedly call out the name of their idol.

"Hahaha"

Garp laughed easily and bent down to pick up a second cannonball from the basket.

He was simply stretching his body.

Garp was a highly respected and powerful Marine Rear Admiral, who dealt with terrifying characters notorious on the seas. He was generally too lazy to deal with small-fry pirates encountered during voyages.

However, using these small pirates to exercise was a personal hobby of Garp's.

Meeting them was fate;

Sending a few "Fist Bone Meteors" their way was also a Marine's duty.

Because the distance was too great, only a few lookouts with telescopes, besides Rear Admiral Garp with his incredible eyesight, saw the unlucky pirate crew that Garp was using as a target from the Marine warship.

With just two manually launched cannonballs, the pirate ship with the ridiculous red-nosed skull flag was reduced to a large pile of rotten wood.

And Garp casually threw out a third cannonball.

"Alright!"

Garp smiled easily and said to the Captain beside him:

"Let's continue on our way."

Having finished exercising, Garp wouldn't go out of his way to hunt down those unlucky small pirates; as for what their fate would be, it would depend on their own luck.

"Hmm?"

Garp's eyes paused slightly, his gaze fixed on the distant, dilapidated pirate ship before he could retract it:

"My Fist Bone Meteor... was cut down?"

"What?"

A female Marine officer waiting nearby immediately showed a surprised and shocked expression.

She had neat, short black hair, wore plain, square-framed glasses, and wasn't wearing a Marine uniform, but rather a casual outfit of a plaid shirt and dress pants.

Coupled with the gentle smile full of feminine charm that she always wore on her pretty face, she looked anything but imposing, more like a cute and friendly girl next door.

The only thing on the girl that showed any hint of a Marine officer's aura was the well-made, famous sword Shigure she wore at her waist.

This female officer was Smoker's subordinate, Petty Officer Tashigi of Marine Headquarters.

At the same time, she was a female swordsman who loved swords as if they were her life.

So when she heard that Rear Admiral Garp's high-speed cannonball had been cut down by an unknown pirate swordsman, Tashigi immediately perked up and was shocked by it:

The "Fist Bone Meteor" thrown by Rear Admiral Garp was just a blurry shadow in her vision.

Tashigi knew that she would have difficulty even barely dodging such an attack, let alone cutting it down head-on.

This young female officer from Marine Headquarters immediately changed her view of the East Blue, the "weakest sea," and even developed some strange feelings towards the mysterious swordsman who had cut down the cannonball:

Being able to cut down Rear Admiral Garp's Fist Bone Meteor, the opponent might even have the strength of a master swordsman.

And challenging powerful master swordsmen was a hidden expectation in the hearts of every swordsman.

However, Tashigi, being only a Petty Officer, could only harbor her expectations and secretly get excited. The real decision-maker was still the Marine hero Garp.

Garp was also somewhat interested in the young swordsman who had cut down his cannonball.

Unlike Tashigi, Garp's eyesight, comparable to a thousand-mile eye, allowed him to clearly see the situation on Garen's side.

"Turn the ship around!"

Garp gave orders to his subordinates, and then picked up an iron cannonball from the ammunition basket:

"Uh, I'll throw another one and see..."

The last cannonball he threw randomly at the hull, and it just happened to hit Garen.

But this time, Garp's cannonball was aimed precisely at the young "swordsman" who could cut down cannonballs in mid-air.

Near the sinking pirate ship

Cabaji, Mohji, and the lion Richie had already used their familiarity with the ship to board the only lifeboat on board.

And all of Buggy's body parts except his feet had also flown onto this small boat.

A lifeboat, no matter how small, was still a boat, with food, fresh water, and sails. Spreading the sails would allow them to escape far away with the wind.

In comparison, Garen's situation was much more difficult:

They were just barely squeezed onto a broken piece of wood, with barely enough room to stand, and could be overturned by any wave.

This was a huge contradiction between the people's necessary living needs and the unequal distribution of development resources. Garen, with his greatsword in hand, naturally had to make Buggy, who had already boarded the boat, understand what it meant for the rich to lead the poor.

"Stop!"

"Let us on board, or this greatsword in my hand won't be so polite!"

Garen, holding Buggy's foot aloft, shouted towards Buggy and the others in the lifeboat not far away:

"Buggy! Even if you can sail the boat away, can you take your foot with you?"

This foot was Buggy's weak spot, and Garen hadn't been willing to throw it away even when he was busy catching cannonballs.

Buggy's expression, which hadn't been relaxed for long, immediately turned gloomy again.

"Buggy, don't even think about running away!"

Garen's voice echoed across the sea once more:

"I don't believe another cannonball will come crashing down to save you this time!"

PS; New week, requesting recommendations~