On the other side of the forest, Ayr had already made dozens of swings with his blade. Each strike left him more satisfied than the last.
The area around him was a disaster zone. Not a single tree stood upright, everything had been cut down or torn apart. The ground beneath his feet was riddled with deep fissures, more than a dozen in total, some stretching so far it was impossible to see their end.
"Under Rocks' training, my swordsmanship is sharper than when I first joined the crew," Ayr muttered, nodding with approval as he surveyed the destruction.
It had only been a few days since he joined the Rocks Pirates, but each night since, Rocks had personally overseen his training.
On the first night, Rocks drilled him in Armament and Observation Haki.
Under that intense guidance, both types of Haki advanced to the mid-stage in a short span.
The following days were dedicated to swordsmanship. Rocks hadn't drawn a blade in his fight against Silver Axe, but that wasn't due to a lack of skill. It was simply because Silver Axe wasn't strong enough to warrant Rocks taking him seriously.
In truth, Rocks was one of the greatest swordsmen alive. If swordsmanship alone were measured, he would undoubtedly rank among the strongest in the world, possibly even worthy of the title of world's strongest swordsman.
Ayr, for his part, had awakened a powerful system and the Sage Body after reincarnating into this world. His overall talents had surged dramatically. Despite barely practicing swordsmanship during his year at sea, he had grown by clashing with powerful foes, eventually grasping the Breath of All Things and unlocking the secret of cutting iron.
Not long after, he even became a master of flying slashes.
It was through these life-or-death confrontations that Ayr unknowingly absorbed many elements of advanced swordsmanship. And now, under Rocks' guidance, those pieces had clicked into place. Ayr had broken through, touching on the true meaning of the blade. His swordsmanship had risen by another level.
At this point, Ayr had no regrets about joining the Rocks Pirates.
He still hadn't found a Devil Fruit worth using, but his overall strength had risen considerably thanks to Rocks.
Just as Ayr was about to sheath his blade and begin testing the Rasengan he had recently acquired, he heard footsteps in the distance.
Tap… tap… tap…
Dozens of Marines were approaching, boots pounding the ground in unison. At the front of the group was a young man with a strong build and steady eyes.
It was Garp.
He wasn't yet the legendary Marine Hero, but the talent was already there—impossible to miss.
When the Marines arrived and saw the aftermath of Ayr's training, many of them froze on the spot.
The destruction stretched out across more than a hundred meters. The ground was overturned, trees splintered, the earth split open by deep, jagged rifts. There wasn't a single flower or leaf left intact.
"Did… did this guy do all of this?"
"He's this powerful just with swordsmanship?"
"This guy isn't normal!"
"But don't panic! Colonel Garp is here. No matter how strong this guy is, he's no match for the colonel."
"Yeah, we've seen Colonel Garp's strength more than once!"
Garp stood with his arms folded, eyes scanning the shattered landscape. He didn't look surprised, if anything, he seemed intrigued. His gaze fixed on Ayr as a grin slowly formed on his face.
"If I'm right, you're a member of the Rocks Pirates… Ayr, wasn't it?"
Ayr frowned slightly. The version of Garp standing before him was still too young—he didn't recognize him at first glance.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Monkey D. Garp," came the reply, full of confidence. "Remember the name. Because starting today, I'll be the strongest opponent you've ever faced."
Ayr paused, then chuckled. Garp's face did seem a bit familiar, and now the name confirmed it.
So this was him, the man who'd one day become a Marine hero.
Ayr had planned to test the Rasengan in peace, but now the perfect sparring partner had shown up on his own.
Over the past few days, his Haki had reached the mid-stage, and his swordsmanship had advanced significantly. If there was ever a time to test his limits, this was it.
Garp grinned wider when Ayr didn't show fear.
"Not scared, huh? Well, I don't blame you. I'm not too well-known in the New World yet—but that's going to change."
One day, just the sight of him would make the worst pirates flee without a fight. That day hadn't come yet, but Garp had full faith in his strength.
"Draw your blade, pirate!"
"The colonel's strength is in a whole different league. If you surrender now, you'll suffer less."
"Come quietly. You'll have it easier in prison."
The Marines behind Garp were shouting, trying to sound brave.
But none of them dared approach Ayr.
His bounty had already reached 100 million belli, and after seeing the devastation around them, they had no illusions about his strength. Charging in blindly would be suicide.