Luffy and Ace

Clang!

At dusk, the tavern doors were shoved open with a bang.

Garp strode into the tavern, laughing loudly.

"Puhahaha! You're the Marines from the 153rd Branch, right?"

"Vice Admiral Garp!"

Luo Ya and the others immediately rose to their feet and formally greeted Garp.

"No need to be so stiff."

Garp walked straight to the bar, asked Makino for a mug of ale, and guzzled it all down the moment he received it.

He had spent the entire day beating up his two grandsons and was parched.

Luo Ya took out the prepared gift box and set it on the bar. "Vice Admiral Garp, Colonel Rhode asked me to convey the 153rd Branch's greetings."

"That kid's thoughtful."

Garp did not refuse. Whenever he came home in the past, Rhode would visit him, and the gifts he brought were never excessive.

They were usually snacks Garp liked.

Garp looked Luo Ya over.

Rhode had not come this time and had instead sent his young subordinates. The intention was obvious: he hoped Garp would guide these young Marines.

Garp was quite willing to do so.

"Your name is Luo Ya, right?"

"Yes."

Luo Ya was a little surprised. He had not expected Garp to remember his name.

Garp crossed one leg over the other and laughed as he praised him. "Puhahaha! I read the newspaper. You've performed very well lately. It's rare for the 153rd Branch to produce such an outstanding Marine."

"Thank you, Vice Admiral. I still have a long way to go."

Luo Ya was very pleased.

For the vast majority of Marines, receiving Garp's approval was something to be proud of for a lifetime.

Recognition from the "strongest" Marine!

They chatted for a while about the 153rd Branch's recent situation.

Garp yawned and waved for Luo Ya and the others to leave. "It's getting late today. Come find me tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp."

Early the next morning, Luo Ya and the other three arrived at Garp's house to wait. It was nearly noon before Garp finally opened the door, still wearing his nightcap.

"Yo, good morning!"

"It's almost noon!"

All four complained in unison.

Garp showed no shame whatsoever. Instead, he laughed at Luo Ya and the others. "Puhahaha! Young people are just too impatient."

"..."

Veins bulged on Luo Ya's forehead.

They had stood outside for hours, and his temper was already flaring. If he did not respect the elderly and care for the young, he would have slapped this old man silly.

Could he be any less reliable?

After tidying himself up a little, Garp left the house and headed north toward Mount Colubo.

"Follow me!"

"Yes."

They hurried after him.

Half an hour later, deep within Mount Colubo.

Luffy and Ace were sparring.

"Gomu Gomu!"

Luffy shouted "Gomu Gomu" and flung his arm behind him. His originally short arm instantly stretched more than ten meters!

"Pistol!"

Propelled by the recoil of its contraction, his rubber fist shot toward Ace like a bullet, swift and fierce.

"Luffy, your attacks are still as straightforward as ever!"

Ace merely shifted slightly to the side, easily dodging the punch that could shatter rock. Then he grabbed the rubber arm and began whirling Luffy around like a windmill.

"Ahhhhhh~~"

The boy's screams startled flocks of birds into flight.

After spinning him more than a dozen times, Ace shouted and leaped into the air, swinging Luffy down viciously at the ground!

Boom!

The ground shattered!

Luffy's upper body was embedded in the earth. If an ordinary person suffered such a devastating blow, they would be severely injured even if they survived. Yet Luffy, with his rubber-like body, was only a little dizzy.

However, his head was stuck.

"Ughhh~~"

Luffy kicked desperately like a frog.

He was about to suffocate!

Whoosh!

Someone pulled him out.

Luffy gulped down air. Just as he was about to thank Ace for saving him, a familiar laugh sounded by his ear.

"Puhahaha! This is my grandson."

Grandpa?!

Luffy was so frightened he nearly lost his voice.

His grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, was the most dangerous being in the world. He could not remember how many times he had nearly died at his grandfather's hands.

Garp held Luffy up, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"From now on, you'll train together with my two grandsons."

"Understood, Vice Admiral Garp."

Luo Ya glanced at Luffy, then shifted his gaze to Ace in the distance. His expression tightened.

Strong!

By his calculations, Luffy was only thirteen and had not fully grown yet. Even though he had eaten the strongest Nika Fruit, he could not possibly be all that strong.

Ace, meanwhile, was sixteen. He looked no different from an adult and already possessed considerable strength.

It was not just innate talent. Since a very young age, Ace had trained in this forest without ever slacking off.

Ace walked over, staring intensely at Luo Ya.

"Grandpa, who is he?"

"Let me introduce you."

Garp patted Luo Ya on the shoulder and stoked the flames with a hearty laugh. "This kid is Major Luo Ya of the 153rd Branch. He's very strong!"

"A Marine major?"

Ace looked at Luo Ya in surprise.

A Marine major was nothing special. Every time his grandfather came back, there were plenty of officers of colonel rank and above among his subordinates. But majors around his own age were rare.

Is this guy really that strong?

Ace could no longer hold himself back. His eyes held a challenge. Having no worthy opponents around was what troubled him most, and he had long yearned to fight powerful people from outside.

"Want to fight?"

"Sure."

Luo Ya removed his cape.

He had not expected Garp to personally guide him step by step; that was unrealistic. Having Ace as a sparring partner was already top-tier treatment.

Let him see it, then.

"Fullbody, Jango, go spar with that rubber kid."

"Understood."

After giving the order, Luo Ya walked toward an open patch of ground nearby. Without needing any words, Ace followed him.

Luo Ya did not draw his sword, and Ace set down his iron pipe. The two faced each other barehanded. At the next birdcall, they charged at each other at the same time.

Bang!

Their arms collided violently!

They were evenly matched.

Having initially tested each other's strength, Luo Ya and Ace both retreated to open the distance, then charged at one another again.

Luo Ya stomped forward with his left foot while drawing his right fist back to his waist. The moment Ace entered his striking range, he threw his right fist upward with all his strength at Ace's face!

"So fast!"

Ace leaned sharply backward. The fist grazed the tip of his nose, and he narrowly evaded the blow.

Using the momentum of his backward lean, he kicked upward with his right leg!

Smack!

Luo Ya pulled his abdomen back and pressed his free left hand against Ace's lower leg. Ace's toes were only a finger's width from his chest.

Both their attacks and reactions were fast!

"It's not over yet!"

Ace twisted at the waist, spinning his body around. His other leg swept in a wide arc toward Luo Ya's neck.

Luo Ya did not stop either. He drew back his thrown right fist to block Ace's kick, while his left hand seized Ace's ankle and hurled him with all his might toward a nearby tree!

Bang!

The tree shook violently.

Ace's back struck the trunk, and he slid down from a height of four or five meters. His back burned with pain, and even his internal organs ached from the impact.

Luo Ya raised his arm. The spot struck by the kick was bruised and swollen. If it had been an ordinary Marine, that blow would have broken his arm.

He's really strong.

Though Ace was clearly still a rookie who had never gone to sea for real training, he could easily keep up with Luo Ya's movements and counter effectively.

Given time, he would surely soar to great heights.

Luo Ya clenched his fists.

Whether for himself or for the honor of the 153rd Branch.

He could not lose this fight!