"Hiss…" Lynn sucked in a sharp breath and quickly protested, "Hero Garp, are you trying to beat me to death? Is this how a Navy hero treats people?"
"Huh?" Garp picked his nose and replied, "Don't worry about the details. You still haven't answered my question—how did you suddenly appear on my ship?"
Lynn scooted his chair away from Garp and said, "I'm not really sure myself. It's a power I got after eating a Devil Fruit."
Garp and Aokiji immediately perked up. Aokiji asked first, "What kind of ability is it? Teleportation?"
Lynn shook his head. "It should be space-related, but I'm still unfamiliar with it. I almost fell into the sea just now, hahaha."
Aokiji muttered, "Sounds like a Paramecia-type. If developed properly, it could be quite incredible."
Lynn grumbled inwardly. Devil Fruit abilities are flashy, sure, but it's physical combat and Haki that matter most. I'm not going to be one of those fools who rely solely on their fruit!
Before he could continue musing, Garp slapped him on the shoulder again, making Lynn yelp, "Uncle Garp! Please, don't come near me! That hurts!"
"Aha ha ha!" Garp laughed and ignored his complaints. "Looks like you only just ate the fruit. No wonder you're not used to it yet." He squinted at Lynn. "You didn't happen to steal the fruit from that auction house on the island and then get chased, did you?"
Lynn's eyes widened. This guy's imagination is too wild… That's actually a better excuse than the truth!
Aokiji noticed Lynn's reaction and asked playfully, "Wait—was that actually it?"
Lynn nodded furiously like a chicken pecking rice. "Yes, yes, yes! I hadn't eaten in three days and three nights, and I accidentally ate a weird fruit. Turns out it was a Devil Fruit someone was trying to auction off! No wonder they were after me!"
It was a perfect lie. The warship had already left Sabaody Archipelago, so no one could verify it anyway.
Garp rolled his eyes. "Is that really true?"
"Yes!" Lynn said quickly. "Why else would I come aboard like that? By the way, thanks for letting me hitch a ride, but I don't have any Bellies…"
Garp waved dismissively. "Don't be so formal. The Navy's here to help people in need. As long as you're not some evil pirate, there's no reason not to give you a lift."
Lynn grabbed Garp's hand, eyes full of gratitude. "You Navy people are saints! Thank you so much. May the heavens bless you! Long live the Lord!"
"..." Everyone looked at him strangely. Garp quickly pulled his hand away, feeling something was off.
Aokiji, still lounging in his recliner, asked, "So, my dear traveler, where's your home? Are you planning to travel with us?"
Right… where to?
In all the panic, Lynn had completely forgotten to plan ahead.
He glanced at Garp and quickly stood up, worried the old man would smack him again.
"Will I go with you?" Lynn tilted his head to the horizon at a 45-degree angle and said solemnly, "I have no home. Life is fleeting, like the wind. I go where the wind takes me. Why worry about the destination…"
Aokiji's face darkened. "Speak human language."
Lynn scratched his head and laughed. "Just drop me off at the next island."
Pah! Garp slapped him on the shoulder again and grinned. "Then how about joining the Navy, kid? Come travel with us!"
"Hiss!" Lynn winced and jumped back. The moment "join the Navy" was mentioned, an image of being chopped up and fed to some Celestial Dragon's pet flashed through his mind. He shook his head violently. "No, no, no! I'm not joining the Navy. Never in my life!"
Everyone on deck turned more serious at his firm refusal.
Lynn immediately regretted his impulsiveness. He hadn't meant to react so strongly.
The atmosphere grew tense. Aokiji was the first to speak. "Why such a strong reaction? Did the Navy do something to you?"
Lynn scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Not really. It's just… I'm lazy. I like freedom. If I join the Navy, I'll be waking up earlier than the roosters and sleeping later than the dogs. That's just not for me. I'm not great at following orders, either."
Garp rolled his eyes. "Sounds like you need some discipline. Making excuses already? You've got good energy. Come join the Navy—you could be an Admiral someday."
Lynn snapped, "You're such a bad old man! Don't try to scam me with that! I'm being honest here. Do you guys know about the human auction house on Sabaody Archipelago?"
Aokiji nodded. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Lynn, now feeling rebellious, answered heatedly, "A lot, actually. The Navy Headquarters is right next door, and yet people are being sold like livestock there! If I joined the Navy, I'd be dead in no time!"
He paused, then continued. "What even is justice? Is it just obeying orders? Turning a blind eye? Treating living people like products to trade? If that's justice, then I want no part of it!"
The moment the words left his mouth, an invisible force erupted from his body. Pressure swept across the entire ship like a storm. Everyone froze. Several Marines went pale and collapsed on the spot.
While Garp wasn't affected, he could clearly feel the surge of anger and resentment radiating from Lynn.
Aokiji looked stunned. He wasn't alarmed by the outburst itself—what shocked him was that someone with such low apparent strength had released Conqueror's Haki, a rare ability said to appear in only one in a million people.
More than that, he and Garp couldn't refute Lynn's words.
So-called justice… selective obedience… systemic cruelty…
His rant hit uncomfortably close to home.
"That… that's Haki, right?" a Marine gasped weakly.
"Did he do that?"
"We've got a dangerous guy onboard…"
Lynn blinked, realizing what just happened. "Uh… that was me? Sorry! I got carried away—I didn't mean to!"
Garp looked at him with a mix of surprise and admiration. "Kid… you're dangerous."
Lynn quickly backed away. "What are you trying to do?! I'm a good guy! You're righteous Navy officers, right? Don't do anything crazy!"
Bam!
Aokiji punched him on the head. "Crazy? Look what you just did, idiot. Now help me."
"Help? With what?" Lynn asked, rubbing his head, though secretly, he was thrilled. Time travelers really are different!
Aokiji groaned. "The helmsman fainted. Half the navigation crew is out cold. What do you think I need help with?!"
Lynn sputtered, "I—I don't know how to steer a ship!"
Bam!
Garp thwacked him again. "No excuses!"
Tears welled up in Lynn's eyes. "If you keep hitting me, I'm reporting you to Navy Headquarters! This is abuse! Wuwuwu…"
Eventually, after some chaos and a few more bumps, the warship resumed its course across the vast ocean.
-End Chapter-
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