Garp Is One of the Strongest Marines

The pirates also found it somewhat absurd and inexplicable.

Ares, that guy...

Is he really a pirate?

"No, staying here any longer is too dangerous." Ochoku was both anxious and furious. He turned toward the stunned pirates on the ship and shouted hysterically, "What are you standing around for? Keep controlling the ship and get closer!"

He felt that if he let Ares continue "playing" like this, his heart might not be able to take it.

He had originally thought that Ares was quite "adorable" because he was always so absorbed in training, but now he no longer found that guy adorable in the slightest.

On the warship.

After falling into the cabin, Ares smashed quite a few things. He reached up and rubbed his head. "I still need to train. I still can't properly control this burst of power."

He could unleash his strength now. Even though he had yet to reach his limit, it still represented a considerable improvement in his power.

However, he still couldn't perfectly control this explosive force or completely transform it into formidable combat strength.

Ares walked out of the cabin and immediately spotted Garp battling another man with a green beard on the deck. "That helmeted man with the green beard should be the 'World Destroyer' Bundy World Ochoku mentioned, right?"

"So these are the Great Pirates of the sea... They're all so strong!"

This time, he didn't join the battle.

Instead, he focused completely on carefully observing the battle between the two powerhouses. A clash of this level had broadened his horizons considerably.

He firmly etched everything he was seeing into his mind!

After fusing "a portion" of different souls, Ares was changing. Even his memory was growing stronger and improving.

At that moment.

Ochoku leaped from the side of the pirate ship and landed beside Ares. Without a word, he wrapped both arms around Ares's waist and hoisted him onto his shoulders.

"Ares, stop watching!"

He turned around and leaped back onto the pirate ship's deck with Ares, immediately shouting at the others, "Turn around! Retreat!"

Then he set Ares down.

Ochoku wore an angry expression and harshly berated Ares without the slightest courtesy. "Ares, do you know you nearly got everyone on this ship killed?!"

"Your recklessness is going to get you into serious trouble!"

"If the Marines hadn't interfered, if Bundy World hadn't held Garp back, we would all be buried beneath this sea today!"

If the Marines hadn't appeared, World alone could have defeated everyone aboard the ship.

If World hadn't held Garp back, Garp could have taken down every pirate aboard as well.

Having such lucky circumstances occur twice was already extraordinarily fortunate. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

"The captain said battle can temper me. I want to fight!" Ares replied in a forceful voice. "Without going through hardship, how can I forge myself into a Famous Sword that surpasses the Supreme Grade Sword?"

This battle had given him tremendous gains and considerably increased his strength. Once he completely mastered what he had gained from this fight, his improvement would accelerate even further.

The repeated flesh-on-flesh collisions with Garp had also made him feel that his body had grown just a tiny bit stronger.

After hearing Ares's words, Ochoku was rendered speechless. Then he said, "Next time, you might not be so lucky. If someone dies while pursuing their dream—"

"Then their dream isn't worth a single Berries!"

"But if someone achieves their dream, no matter what filthy or despicable methods they used, then they are...great!"

"They are successful!"

"People only see the victor in the end. They never care about or remember how many people died along the way."

He knew Ares was still young and that there really was something wrong with him mentally, but there were some things he had to say.

He also had to teach him!

If someone other than the captain had been in charge today, they might have abandoned Ares and fled long ago.

Ares nodded thoughtfully without saying anything. Already taciturn, he now seemed even more sullen.

He said flatly, "I'll go back to my room."

Then he turned and left the deck.

Seeing Ares covered in bruises, Ochoku waved and sent someone to find the ship's doctor to treat him.

He then began leading people in cleaning up the mess on the deck.

His battle with World had destroyed not only the ship's mast but also part of the deck, the sides of the ship, and several rooms. Everything needed to be cleaned, and they also had to find an island where they could repair the ship.

Back in his room, Ares sat alone on the hammock.

"I really was wrong..."

"There's nothing wrong with pursuing a dream. I just failed to consider the others..."

After thinking for a while, Ares decided that he should be more careful next time.

A moment later.

The door opened, and the ship's doctor entered carrying medicine.

When he saw Ares's enormous, muscular body covered in bruises and purple swellings, he was still taken aback.

He walked up to Ares, taking medical tools from a case while clicking his tongue. "You really are lucky to be alive, kid. You actually managed to hold out against Marine Vice Admiral Garp for that long."

"Garp is one of the strongest Marines, and quite a few pirates have been captured and killed by him."

After saying that, he began applying medicine to Ares's body on his own.

The doctor's words brought Garp's appearance to mind. Ares's expression shifted, and he immediately asked the doctor, "Marine Vice Admiral Garp—what kind of person is he?"

The ship's doctor paused and asked in surprise, "You don't even know Marine Vice Admiral Garp?!"

Seeing Ares nod seriously, the doctor continued applying the medicine and explained, "He's an extremely famous officer in the Marines. At thirty-six, he's already been a Marine for many years."

"He's one of the Marines' strongest people, along with Marine Admiral The Clever General Sengoku, Marine Vice Admiral Zephyr, and Vice Admiral Tsuru."

(At the current point in the timeline, 1480 in the Sea Circle Calendar, Sengoku should be thirty-seven and already an admiral, since two years later, in 1482, thirty-eight-year-old Zephyr became a Marine admiral.)

The ship's doctor continued, "Their combat strength is about equal to that of the ship's captains. Some captains aren't even their match."

"·········"

Ares listened patiently as the ship's doctor explained various matters concerning the Marines, and he gained a basic understanding of them.

After the doctor finished applying the medicine.

Ares's body was wrapped in quite a few white bandages. He asked the doctor, "Doctor, how long will it take for my injuries to heal? I want to get back to training as soon as possible."

This was what Ares cared about most. Garp's fists had dealt tremendous damage, and even now, his whole body was aching.

He hadn't felt it during the battle, but once the strength in his body faded, the pain and effects of his injuries began to intensify.

"It depends on how quickly your body recovers. If things go well, about ten days. If not, one or two months." The ship's doctor thought for a moment before answering. After all, these injuries had been left by Marine Vice Admiral Garp.

He had examined them carefully. Although the injuries looked harmless, their destructive power was actually considerable.

They required proper treatment and rest.

The doctor's answer instantly made Ares's expression wilt like a withered cucumber, and his mood sank.

"Ares, don't think about training until your injuries have healed. It'll only damage your body, make your injuries harder to heal, and might even leave hidden problems behind." The ship's doctor once again reminded him worriedly.

He was already planning to report Ares's condition to Ochoku after leaving, lest Ares do something reckless.

After giving Ares a few more instructions, the ship's doctor left the room.

Ares could only lie on the hammock and close his eyes as he entered his mind.

He began his "special" training.

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I'll remember all the brothers who have supported me. Thank you, everyone.

This is the third update today. Please urge me to update, send power, leave comments, and so on.

My thanks to you all!

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