How Fierce Is the Fist of Love?

After bidding Shanks farewell, Wright watched the Red Force sail into the distance.

But... Shanks's ship no longer rang with the crew's usual shouting and horseplay. It was so quiet that it felt unsettlingly strange—

In truth, aside from Shanks, whom Wright had awakened with a Purification Spell to give him some face, only the navigator and helmsman had been awakened so they would not lose their bearings at sea and get blocked by the Marines. Everyone else... could sleep until tomorrow night!

They actually dared to laugh at a chuunibyou's dream. If I don't get revenge on you, I'll write the word "two" backward!

With the Red Hair Pirates gone, there were basically no more opponents in the East Blue for him to test his strength against. His next step would be the Grand Line. But getting there without a reliable navigator would still be difficult. Although he had learned a little about navigation, it was only superficial knowledge. Maybe he should talk to the Marines and see if they could give him a ride?

"When will I have strength like Hawkeye's, where I can roam however I please in a tiny boat?"

After spending the night on the island, Wright rested up and prepared to visit a nearby Marine base to ask about the Grand Line routes.

He had not encountered a rainy day in half a month. The sun was growing increasingly vicious, leaving Wright drenched in sweat. He jumped into the sea for a bath and felt much better—but he could not use this trick too often. His public identity was that of an ability user. An ability user bathing in the sea? Was he not dying fast enough...? It would be troublesome if outsiders noticed something was off.

Lying on his little boat, Wright could not help but envy the future World's Greatest Swordsman's carefree and unrestrained... strength.

"So sleepy... Those bastards from Shanks's crew had plenty of good liquor, though. I'm still feeling it..."

Wright yawned and let the little boat drift across the sea as he fell into a deep sleep.

"Vice Admiral Garp! You've eaten all the senbei and donuts! There really won't be any more until we return to Headquarters!"

"Mm... Is that so? They're all gone... How boring. I might as well sleep... Snore... snore..."

"Vice Admiral Garp? Vice Admiral...?"

A huge dog sailed across the calm sea... No, it was an enormous Dog Head Warship. The dog head held a massive bone in its mouth, making it look rather foolish.

Yet this foolish-looking Dog Head Warship struck terror into countless pirates on the Grand Line. It was the flagship of Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral "Hero" Monkey D. Garp!

Only five years had passed since the Pirate King had been publicly executed by the Marines, and the Pirate King's unparalleled strength remained vividly etched in the minds of people across the world. During the capture of Pirate King Roger, there had been only one man capable of facing him head-on: Vice Admiral Garp!

There was no need to elaborate on how formidable Vice Admiral Garp was. It was only because he preferred freedom and... that he had long refused promotion to admiral. In terms of strength, he was unquestionably at the peak of admiral level!

The East Blue was so vast. What were the odds that two ships would meet at sea purely by coincidence? Infinitesimal. Yet the world was simply that wondrous.

"Report! Vice Admiral Garp!"

"Snore... snore..."

Old Garp, wearing a Dog Head Hat, sat imposingly in his chair with one fist propping up his head. A huge snot bubble floated from his nose, and he appeared to be deeply asleep.

"Vice Admiral Garp! Vice Admiral?!" Sweat beaded on the scout's forehead. The Vice Admiral was still asleep—should he wake him?!

He would not get sent flying with one punch, would he? He would, right?!

"What is it?" Fortunately, the reliable adjutant Bogart came to the rescue. The scout breathed a sigh of relief and quickly saluted as he reported.

"Report! A small sailboat has been spotted ahead. There is only one person aboard!"

"Oh?" Bogart glanced at Garp, who was still snoring, then asked helplessly, "Have you confirmed the person's identity?"

The scout answered shamefully, "My apologies, sir. The person appears to be... sleeping. His face is covered by a hat, so we have not confirmed his identity yet!"

"..."

Was Bogart somehow cursed to clash with people who loved sleeping? One after another!

Bogart adjusted his gentleman's hat and walked to the bow, observing the small boat drifting toward them at an unhurried pace. He soon noticed something unusual.

"That long blade with the golden glow... There has never been a second one like it in the entire East Blue... no, even on the Grand Line."

"The Pirate Hunter, the 'Dawn Divine Healer,' Wright!"

Did this guy usually drift around the sea like this? Wasn't he an ability user? Was he not afraid of falling into the sea and drowning? The East Blue did not have much severe weather, but he should try that on the Grand Line!

Suppressing the urge to complain, Bogart approached Garp. "Vice Admiral Garp, the person ahead is Wright, the 'Dawn Divine Healer,' who has recently risen to fame and is known as the East Blue Strongest Pirate Hunter."

Pop! The snot bubble burst. Garp seemed to have heard some key words and woke up. "Oh? That little monster? The East Blue Strongest Pirate Hunter who, at such a young age, possesses Devil Fruit abilities, Two-Color Haki, and swordsman-level swordsmanship?"

Crack, crack...

Garp stretched, clenching both fists. "Ah, I truly appreciate talented young juniors. Another interesting brat from my East Blue has finally appeared."

"He should get a taste of my Fist of Love! Why become some Pirate Hunter instead of doing proper work!"

Thud!

Garp had only just woken up when Wright's small boat crashed into the warship. As it was about to capsize, Wright abruptly opened his eyes, gripped his sword, and leaped. By the time Bogart signaled for the ship to stop, Wright was already standing on the deck.

"Huh? I was sleeping. What did I crash into?"

These people... Marines? He should have been quite far from any Marine base. Had his boat drifted onto another strange route again? Such a huge warship... Did the East Blue have Marines of this level?

After looking around, Wright spotted the enormous dog head at the bow and seemed to wake up a little. He slowly turned around and saw a huge dog... No, a burly man wearing a Dog Head Hat, draped in a Vice Admiral's Justice Coat, grinning at him with fists as large as casseroles. Beside him stood a figure in a suit, also wearing a Justice Coat, with a gentleman's hat on his head and a long sword at his waist. His mouth was stretched into a long grim line, as though the whole world owed him hundreds of millions of Beli... All right, this was not a dream.

"Yo! Vice Admiral Garp? The weather sure is nice today, huh?"

"The brat knows me?" Garp threw back his head and laughed. "I haven't been in the East Blue for a long time, yet my legends are still passed around here! Hahaha..."

Wright, Bogart, and the Marines all broke into a sweat. What the hell did he mean, he had not been in the East Blue for a long time...? Did the old man not have any idea why the East Blue was called the Weakest Sea...

Still, this was a good chance to test his strength.

"Vice Admiral Garp, your reputation in the East Blue is truly thunderous, your deeds are truly—"

"Hahaha! Enough nonsense. A brat like you becoming a Pirate Hunter in the East Blue is simply wasting your life! I heard you beat up every highest-ranking officer in the East Blue branches and declared that you would join the Marines if anyone could defeat you? I like young people with character the most. Let's see whether I'm qualified to recruit you!"

Garp's booming laughter cut off Wright's dog... flattering nonsense. He leaped into the air and charged at Wright. "Brat, taste my Fist of Love!"

"I came back this time to see just how outstanding the Pirate Hunter whose fame reached Headquarters was. And you delivered yourself right to my doorstep!"