Gourmet City Pujie

Chapter 12: 012. Gourmet City Pujie.

Garp's Room on the Warship.

On the table by the window, there were two Den Den Mushi. One was a normal pinkish-white, and the other was a plump milky-white. Both wore a Marine hat.

Mercer sat on the sofa, feeding the two small, snail-like creatures with vegetable leaves.

Although the [Taming] gift had not yet materialized, Mercer was confident in raising these little things.

It didn't require any technical skill.

Burururururu

Suddenly, the pinkish-white Den Den Mushi entered a state, opening its mouth and calling out. Mercer turned his head to look at Garp, who was napping on the bed.

"Grandpa"

As soon as he uttered the word, Garp got out of bed, yawned, and walked over to answer.

Click!

It was impossible to tell who was on the other end of the Den Den Mushi. They must have been in disguise, preventing the Den Den Mushi from mimicking their appearance. Garp answered the call with an annoyed expression.

"Hello, hello, hello, this is Garp. Who is this? I'm on vacation right now. Don't bother me with anything, I'm trying to sleep in the middle of the day."

After he finished speaking, he waited a few seconds. Seeing that the other party remained silent, Garp's forehead began to bulge with veins. "I'll count to three. If you don't speak, I'm hanging up. Three."

"Tch." Garp wasn't going to indulge people who were so bored they had nothing better to do. Just as he was about to hang up, a familiar voice came from the other end:

"Hearing you speak with such spirit, I'm relieved, Old Man."

Garp subtly glanced at the white Den Den Mushi.

Anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi.

Its effect was just as its name suggested.

Hearing the voice, he knew who was on the other end. His expression turned somewhat somber. After a few seconds, Garp's face became irritable:

"If you have something to say, say it. If you have something to release, release it. Don't forget what your current status is."

The other side was also silent for a moment.

"Old Man, I have a son. You have a grandson now. You know, my current situation isn't suitable for taking care of him. You raise him."

Garp's eyes suddenly widened, his mouth agape. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he stammered, "My real grandson? Little Bastard, you're not lying to me. A woman likes you? Which woman was blind enough?"

The voice on the other end became somewhat suppressed, as if accumulating anger: "Do you want him or not? Give me a straight answer. If you don't want him, I guarantee you'll never see him again in this lifetime."

Garp smacked his lips and said, "Time, place, tell me. Since he's my grandson, he can't be messed with by you anymore."

"You know that small island one day's sail from Water Seven towards Enies Lobby in the Calm Belt, right? We'll meet there in ten days. Hung up."

Click!

Garp glared at the Den Den Mushi, holding the receiver, and cursed, "Scoundrel."

As he cursed, he turned to look at Mercer, who was quietly listening.

"What do you think? What kind of person is he, asking for a favor without asking properly? If he weren't my son, and especially if he could hide so well, I'd break his legs."

"You'll see him in ten days. We can talk about it then. If you want to break his legs, that day will be a good opportunity. Right, Old Man?"

"Ah!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Mercer clutched his head, tears welling up in his eyes from the pain, feeling like his brain was throbbing.

"You damn Grandpa, do you want to kill me?"

Garp let out a sinister laugh, "Doctor Doriel isn't here, you better think before you speak. What should you call me?"

Mercer: "..."

"I was wrong, Grandfather. You're the best. My body is weak, I can't take your beating. You should save your strength for your son."

Mercer, being a good child, knew when to yield and did so quickly.

Garp: "?"

He was stunned for two seconds, then burst into laughter.

"Pfft, haha, Mercer, you brat, are you trying to make me laugh to death? Your body is weak? Do you take your Grandpa for an idiot? Although your aura is strange, your physical fitness doesn't look like a child's."

Garp's eyes flashed with surprise as he said this. As expected of that guy's offspring, he was even more of a monster than that little brat Ace.

In terms of physical fitness, he was stronger than that scoundrel who called just now, even at his age. Thinking of this, Garp narrowed his eyes, "Mercer, do you want to become stronger? If you do, Grandpa will teach you."

Mercer looked at Garp's eyes and felt a chill, always feeling that he had "ulterior motives."

He quickly shook his head.

"My body is weak. If I train now, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it."

"...Are you going to keep this up?" Garp's eye twitched: "If you say your body is weak again, do you believe I'll loosen your muscles and bones comprehensively right now?"

"Then forget it. My body isn't as weak as I say. Doctor Doriel has also been adjusting it with medicinal meals all these years."

"Then you... sigh, forget it. We'll talk about it in a couple of years. I was too hasty just now."

Mercer let out an "Oh" and quickly changed the subject, "Grandfather, the person on the phone just now said you have a grandson. Are you happy?"

"You brat, aren't you my grandson? What do you mean by that?" Garp frowned and looked at Mercer unhappily, "Listen carefully, you are my grandson, and no one can change that fact. Don't speak like that again.

You're very smart, I know you've realized we're not related by blood, but remember, you are my grandson."

Mercer's eyes widened in surprise, "How did you know?"

"Tch, you two brothers are just alike. As soon as Ace could remember things, he discovered the problem. He asked me why his name was Portgas D. Ace and mine was Monkey D. Garp, why our surnames were different, who his biological parents were, and if they were still alive.

I didn't say anything, just told him I'd tell him when you arrived, so that kid looked forward to your arrival even more.

And you're even more mature than Ace. If he could discover the problem, I don't believe you couldn't. Grandfather is also very curious, why have you never asked?"

Mercer listened quietly to Garp's explanation. As for the reason, it was naturally because he knew everything, but he couldn't say it directly.

And so.

"I was fine before, and I'm fine now. It doesn't matter if you know or not. Since it doesn't matter, there's no need to ask anymore. But since you said you'd tell us when we were together, there's no need for me to ask now. I'll know when the time comes."

After speaking, Mercer patted his face and looked at Garp with a grin, "Grandfather, let's not talk about those things. Let's talk about how you'll deal with your son later.

From your conversation just now, it seems he's in some trouble, you've fallen out, and you're still very unhappy with him.

Maybe I'll go with you then, you can hand over your grandson to me, and then you can go beat up your son."

Garp couldn't help but nod, but then looked at Mercer with a subtle expression.

"You little brat, were you trying to take advantage of me just now? Eat my fist."

The next moment, Garp's fist landed on Mercer's head.

Mercer dodged. He had even used Observation Haki, but even after retreating, his head was still hit by Garp's suddenly extended arm.

Mercer leaned back on the sofa, feeling exhausted and unwilling. Garp, on the other hand, smiled.

He was beaming with joy.

Eating, sleeping, and hitting his grandson, this kind of life wasn't bad.

It was good for his physical and mental health.

"Do you want some snacks? I'll have the ship's cook make them for you."

"A glass of apple juice, three pounds of roasted meat, a plate of french fries, and some dried fruit."

Garp said with a chuckle.

"You're thinking too much. I want to eat those things too, but there's nothing. Only dried sweet potato chips. I can't eat them."

Mercer sighed.

"Eat up."

Garp took out two bags of sweet potato chips from the bedside cabinet, poured two cups of tea, and sat on the sofa with one bag each, eating and drinking.

Garp went out midway, and immediately Mercer noticed that the warship's course had changed, and it was speeding in another direction along the current.

Days passed, passing through multiple islands. The warship also docked at several prosperous island ports for supplies.

A week later, on the vast, clear blue sea.

The weather was clear.

Deck.

Mercer straddled the wooden dog's head at the bow of the ship, watching the Marine soldiers training on the deck with great interest. They were paired up, fighting each other.

"Ha! Tekkai!"

"Shigan!"

"Kami-e. Damn it, don't hit my face."

"Geppo."

Slap, splash.

Bang bang dong dong dong. Whoosh whoosh slap slap slap.

Rhythmic impacts, powerful punches and kicks, enthusiastic shouts, sweat dripping under the sun.

A crimson light flashed deep in Mercer's eyes. Through their clothes, he perceived the operation of blood, muscles, and bones within their bodies.

For seven consecutive days, Every day when they started training, Mercer would appear in various places on the ship, watching them "perform" in his eyes.

Because he was a child, even if he wasn't a Marine, no one would drive him away.

Of course, Mercer knew that this was not only related to the atmosphere on Garp's ship, but also inseparable from the fact that he called him Grandpa.

After all, the [Marine Six Styles], a systematic training technique that can develop human potential, is not something that is casually taught.

Those who could be taught were all Sergeants with a certain military rank.

Or the genius trainees in the Marine Headquarters new recruit training camp.

Self-taught doesn't count.

These past few days, apart from Soru, a technique that's difficult to practice on a ship, the remaining five techniques have all been completely stolen by Mercer.

The Six Powers techniques, Only Tekkai, Kami-e, and Geppo are worth learning. The other three are nothing more than derivative products.

Although he learned the training method in just one day, Mercer didn't stop watching immediately. Instead, he continued to observe them carefully.

Learning from their shortcomings.

Understanding the key points of training.

In the top cabin, Garp and Bogard watched the Marines below, and of course, they also noticed Mercer at the bow of the ship.

Bogard smiled and said, "Vice Admiral Garp, aren't you going to discipline your grandson? Others may not know, but we do. He's been using Observation Haki to perceive the training of the Six Powers for a week. He's going to steal them all."

Garp said indifferently, "For him to learn the Six Powers? You're overthinking it. Learning the Six Powers requires a considerable physical foundation to support it. Mercer isn't ready yet."

"Then, what about Kami-e?" Bogard said, "Kami-e doesn't particularly require a strong physique to support it. That kid has Observation Haki. It's possible he's already learned it."

Garp's expression stiffened, but he immediately pouted, "If he learned it, he learned it. We didn't teach him. He's smart on his own. What? Do you want to stop someone from being smart?"

Bogard looked at Garp with speechless and helpless eyes, feeling like he was talking to a wall. He was very sure that his unreliable superior was playing dumb.

"Tch, if you don't care, I won't bother. He's your grandson, not mine. If something goes wrong, it won't come back to me. Do WHATEVER you want!"

Watching Bogard storm out of the room in anger, Garp smiled, then narrowed his eyes, watching Mercer openly steal techniques.

"Since you can learn it with your own ability, why should I stop you? How much you can learn depends on your own skill."

From time to time, Garp would personally step in to correct some of the Marines' shortcomings.

The Marines were all deeply moved and cried out in joy.

Their passion for training soared.

As evening approached.

The warship docked in a secluded part of a port on an island.

Mercer looked at the brightly lit port city not far away. The entire port was filled with all sorts of ships.

Merchant ships, pirate ships, transport ships, and also luxurious sightseeing ships with flags of other countries.

Tempting aromas wafted through the air, and the city not far away was bustling with activity. Even from the warship, one could feel the constant noise.

"Gourmet City. Puji"

A culinary holy land on the Grand Line, it is a paradise for chefs and a tourist destination.

However, due to its nature as a tourist and culinary destination, it has also led to a mixed crowd, with various forces intertwined.

Deck, Bogard stood at the entrance of the ship's cabin, looking at the Marines lined up in two rows ahead. He cleared his throat twice.

"We will dock here tonight. Vice Admiral Garp said you all have the night off. Report to the warship at seven in the morning tomorrow.

Those who want to go to Gourmet City can go later, but change into plain clothes. Also, no disturbing the locals, and no illegal activities.

Now! Dismissed!"

Ooooh!!!

Both the Marines and officers were overjoyed. They were all very happy to be able to visit here.

Not only was there delicious food, but also many beautiful women from all over. They all had plenty of salary in their pockets. They had to have a good time with this opportunity.

At the window on the second floor of the ship's cabin, Mercer looked at the lively scene on the deck below and then turned to look at Garp, who had already changed into a floral shirt, floral shorts, and flip-flops.

Mercer had also changed. He was wearing a blue-gray short-sleeved shirt with a panda head printed on the chest, black cropped pants, and a pair of coffee-colored deerskin ankle boots.

He had a small shoulder bag slung across his body.

It was bulging.

At this moment, Garp, who had finished changing, picked his nose and reached out his hand.

Mercer tilted his head, a little confused, and then placed his left hand on Garp's hand.

But the next second, Garp patted Mercer's hand away speechlessly. "What are you thinking? I wanted you to give me pocket money, not to hold my hand."

Mercer's face darkened, and he stared at Garp fixedly. After a few seconds, he complained speechlessly.

"Grandfather, are you talking properly? When does a grandfather go out to play and ask his grandson for money?"

"Just tell me if you're going to give it to me or not. Do you have the nerve not to give it to me?" Garp said angrily. "If I had money, would I ask you?"

"You exchanged a small bag of gold beans for over a million Belly at the exchange office on that island a few days ago. Do you think I don't know?"

Mercer's teeth itched with anger when he heard this. "Bogard, that big mouth, why does he say everything? Is it easy for me to save a little stash?"

He irritably took out a stack of Belly from his shoulder bag, estimated to be over a hundred thousand, and placed it directly into Garp's palm.

Instantly, Garp's eyes lit up, and he happily shook it in his hand. "Not bad, not bad. As expected of Grandfather's favorite grandson, much better than that kid Dragon."

"Cough cough!"

A cough sounded, and Bogard appeared at the door, dressed in an exquisite purple suit with a flower pinned to his chest, looking quite flamboyant.

At this moment, he was looking at the grandfather and grandson's actions with a strange expression, covering his mouth with his right hand, his shoulders shaking:

"Uh, Vice Admiral Garp, we should be going too. It's time to have some fun."

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