Luffy's Opponent

Foosha Village had produced more than its share of remarkable people.

In another world, it would have been called the birthplace of legends.

There was Garp the Hero of the Marines.

Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army, and Sabo, his second-in-command.

Ace, the Pirate King's son, and Luffy, a future pirate.

Dadan, the mountain bandit who had beaten Garp in a straight fight.

Makino, the tavern owner rumored to have borne Shanks's child.

Which of them wasn't famous?

"Who knew Foosha Village grew so much grain?"

Rubick gazed at the wheat fields stretching into the distance and couldn't help praising them. The windmills scattered around the village were probably used to grind flour.

"You bet!"

Garp was proud. "Foosha Village is known throughout the East Blue as a prosperous village."

Foosha Village lay just east of the Goa Kingdom, with only a mountain between them. Thanks to that location, its villagers naturally lived better than people on the outlying islands.

"Come on. Let's go to Makino's tavern first."

"Aren't you going to look for your grandson?"

"I come back at the same time every visit," Garp explained. "Luffy's bound to be waiting for us at the tavern."

Along the way, Garp greeted the villagers warmly. He knew every one of them.

"Garp, you're back."

An old man in a floral shirt and striped hat, with a graying beard, greeted Garp. "Brought another newcomer?"

"No. I met him on the road. I'm seeing if I can bring him back to Marine Headquarters."

Garp introduced him to Rubick. "Slapp, the mayor of Foosha Village."

Rubick gave him a practiced, insincere smile. "Hello, Mayor."

Slapp pushed up his sunglasses. "I don't care who he is. Just take Luffy away already. Every day, he goes on about setting sail to become a pirate, and he turns seventeen next year. If you don't want to find him gone to sea the next time you visit, you'd better do something soon."

Garp burst out laughing. "Don't worry. I'll give him a lesson in love right now!"

He took Rubick to the tavern. Sure enough, Luffy was sitting at the bar eating lunch.

Garp stopped in the tavern doorway, his huge frame blocking it completely. When the people inside saw who it was, they couldn't help smiling in anticipation.

"Luffy!"

At the sound of his grandfather's voice, Luffy spun around, spread his arms, and cried happily, "Grandpa!"

Garp sprang forward and punched him on the head.

Smack!

Rubick's mouth twitched. Using Haki to hit his own grandson—only Garp would do that. Looking at the huge lump rising on Luffy's head, Rubick felt his own head ache.

Luffy looked ready to cry. "Grandpa, why'd you hit me the moment you saw me?"

"Because I'm your grandpa! That was a Fist of Love!"

Garp hooked his right arm around Luffy and tucked him under his armpit. "Come on. I brought you a strong opponent today."

"Wait, my hat!"

Luffy stretched out his right arm, snatched the Straw Hat Shanks had given him from across the room, and put it on his head.

Garp grew angry again. "That damn Red-Hair. Next time I see him, I'm going to give him a beating."

"Don't say bad things about Shanks!"

Smack!

Another punch shut Luffy up at once. Against Garp, he was completely at the mercy of his grandfather.

Garp carried Luffy outside the tavern, where Luffy saw Rubick. Most people would have been mortified to meet someone for the first time like that.

Not Luffy. He grinned at Rubick. "Hey, mister! How come I haven't seen you before?"

"I'm Rubick," he said. "I came here with Vice Admiral Garp."

"Luffy, I met this strong fighter in the East Blue," Garp said. "If you can beat him, I won't stop you from becoming a pirate."

Luffy's eyes lit up like lamps. "You said it, Grandpa! Once I beat Rubick, you can't stop me from becoming a pirate!"

Rubick held a moment of silence for Luffy while he considered what to do. If something happened that changed the future, he would have no choice but to go to Sky Island and become a god.

Before long, the three of them reached a spot outside the village. Garp dropped Luffy and stood to one side.

Eager to begin, Luffy warmed up on the spot, grinning confidently. "Mister, don't let your guard down. I'm really strong."

"Yeah, I know."

Garp picked his nose. "Enough. Get started already!"

Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat and shouted, "Here I come! Gomu Gomu no... Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Both his fists shot forward at high speed. After extending a certain distance, they snapped back. By repeatedly stretching and recoiling like rubber, he could throw hundreds of punches in moments.

Rubick stood still and let Luffy's fists strike him. He activated Elemental Form, and every attack passed harmlessly through him.

Luffy kept punching, but soon noticed something strange: Rubick stood there completely unharmed. Every fist Luffy landed passed straight through his body.

"Is this... a Devil Fruit power?"

Refusing to believe it, Luffy tried a Gum-Gum Rocket. Sure enough, his hands passed through Rubick's body, leaving the force of his attack to strike empty air.

Garp called from the sidelines, "Rubick, if you don't make a move, I will. And you'll be the one I hit."

Rubick sprang into action. His lower half turned to smoke, and Genie's Lamp Mode appeared once more.

"Why? Why can't I hit you? What kind of Devil Fruit power is that?"

Frustrated, Luffy tried attacking a few more times. He had only met a handful of truly strong fighters. His combat experience was decent, but he knew too little. Unable to hurt Rubick, he kept using the moves he knew, unaware that he was only wasting his strength.

Rubick knew the Gum-Gum Fruit's powers well. He knew Luffy couldn't beat him, but he couldn't beat Luffy either. He had no weapon and couldn't use Haki.

So Rubick threw a straight punch. His entire arm turned to smoke, crossed the battlefield, and struck Luffy squarely.

"Huh? That didn't hurt at all."

Luffy had found Rubick's weakness. He laughed. "I'm a Rubber Man! Your attacks don't work on me!"

But the punch hadn't been Rubick's real plan. His arm suddenly swelled into a thick cloud of smoke, grabbed Luffy, and lifted him into the air.

"Give up, Luffy," Rubick said, "or I'll throw you into the sea."

"What? That's cheating! Put me down so we can keep fighting!"

Luffy struggled, then leaned back and whipped his arm down toward a tree below.