Garp, charging through the forest in pursuit, came to a sudden halt.
He'd been chasing the fleeing pirates with unwavering resolve. Their retreat wasn't a cowardly scramble driven by fear but a calculated withdrawal backed by firm determination. In his heart, Garp even admired their resolve.
Now, it seemed the moment to see their true intentions had arrived.
In a clearing, less dense than the surrounding woods but still encircled by trees, Kiri and Zoro stood side by side. Their stance was resolute, waiting for Garp with clear intent.
Their fighting spirit was palpable. They were ready.
Young and reckless, they dared to face a legendary Marine hero head-on, despite being just two against a seasoned veteran.
As pirates, whether this was the right move remained to be seen, but Garp found the situation intriguing.
He walked slowly into the clearing, stopping as he entered.
Kiri and Zoro watched his every move with serious focus.
"So, you're done running? Then you'll tell me where Luffy is, right?" Garp asked.
"Don't know. Sorry about that," Kiri replied.
"Hmph, pirates. Lying as easily as breathing," Garp scoffed.
"He's not exactly the sit-still type. Once he's moving, even we don't know where he'll end up," Kiri explained.
"So you're saying asking you is pointless?"
"If you get that, it saves time. I'd rather avoid a pointless fight," Kiri said.
"Sorry, that's not an option," Garp retorted.
He cracked his knuckles, adjusting his stance.
"When someone stands in my way, I can't just let them go. It's my nature."
"Figured as much. I know someone like that," Kiri said.
"Cheeky brat. Coming after me and acting innocent," Zoro muttered, tying his bandana around his head.
Three swords, a green sash, a black bandana. Even Garp, not stationed in the East Blue, recognized the description.
He'd heard rumors of this man recently.
Certain of his identity, Garp's interest piqued.
"Now that I think of it, there's talk of a famous bounty hunter in these seas. A 'Pirate Hunter' who wields three swords," Garp said.
"Just something someone started calling me. Doesn't matter to me," Zoro replied.
"One's a swordsman. And you, what's your deal?" Garp asked Kiri.
"You'll see when we start," Kiri answered.
Silence followed, tension hanging in the air.
A breeze swept through the clearing.
In the eerie quiet, no one moved, locked in a charged standoff.
They knew their opponent was overwhelmingly strong. But escaping wouldn't be easy—Garp wasn't the type to let them slip away. They had to face him.
They needed to buy time for Luffy's escape.
It meant risking their lives, but there was no other way.
If Luffy was caught, the crew would fall apart, rendering their journey meaningless.
Their resolve was clear: fight to the end and retreat.
This wasn't just their will—it was the entire crew's.
"Here we go, brats!" Garp roared.
He stomped the ground and charged, his presence overwhelming, making past enemies seem trivial.
A singular, colossal threat barreled straight at them.
His only weapon was his clenched fist, wielded with absolute confidence. Zoro drew his swords, stepping forward with two blades in hand, closing in to find an opening.
Garp's grin didn't falter as he approached.
Zoro gritted his teeth, feeling the electrifying pressure, and lunged forward.
"Two-Sword Style: Hawk Wave!"
Sliding low past Garp, he unleashed a flurry of slashes, waves of attacks tearing across the ground. But Garp leaped, dodging effortlessly.
His perception was unreal.
He read the attack's trajectory and nature instantly, pinpointing its path in a split second.
Unscathed, Garp landed, evading every slash.
His grin remained, unshaken, as Zoro clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Not bad for your age," Garp said.
"Tch, with just that movement," Zoro growled.
"Once you know where it's coming from, most attacks are dodgeable. Might be too early for you to get that. But with training, you could be something," Garp mused.
Mid-sentence, his expression shifted, and he tilted his head back. A sharp paper arrow shot through where his head had been—an unusual weapon, clearly born of a Devil Fruit.
Garp turned to Kiri.
She held a paper-crafted bow, her stance poised and resolute.
A Paramecia-type, likely manipulating paper.
Garp's grin widened, amused by the odd ability.
"Interesting. A Devil Fruit user with a unique power," he remarked.
Kiri didn't respond, calmly nocking her bow and firing three arrows simultaneously. Her skill was precise, targeting Garp's shoulder, abdomen, and leg. The arrows flew true, but Garp dodged with fluid ease.
It was as if he knew their paths from the start. His movements were uncanny.
But Kiri had anticipated this. As the arrows passed, she opened her right hand. Instantly, they disintegrated.
Reduced to mere paper.
Garp, impressed, noted her mastery of her ability. Her movements were graceful.
Kiri twirled her finger, and the paper spun in the air, redirecting toward Garp en masse.
"Hm?" Garp grunted.
"Within a certain range, I control it freely. Command Paper," Kiri declared.
The paper seemed harmless, merely colliding without force.
It brushed Garp's skin. But then, sheets plastered over his eyes.
His vision blocked, he let out a surprised shout, hands reaching for his face.
"What!? Can't see a thing!"
"If you can't see, you can't dodge, right?" Kiri said.
"Tiger Hunt!" Zoro roared.
Seizing the moment, Zoro attacked with his three-sword style, blades tracing claw-like arcs.
Garp, eyes covered, leaped backward, dodging.
The attack missed, leaving Kiri and Zoro stunned.
It wasn't luck.
Zoro had been close enough to land a hit.
Undeterred, Zoro pressed forward, but Garp dodged every slash effortlessly, not even grazing his clothes.
"Damn it, what's going on!?" Zoro cursed.
"Even blind, he's…" Kiri muttered.
"Too naive. Some can fight blind in the seas ahead," Garp said.
"Was that pointless?" Kiri asked.
Clicking her tongue, Kiri peeled the paper from Garp's eyes.
His vision cleared, sunlight flooding in. The clearing's open canopy was no coincidence—part of their plan.
The bright light made Garp squint briefly.
His narrowed vision, however slight, was a moment of weakness.
Zoro seized the chance, kicking off the ground with full force, muscles surging as he charged. A prolonged fight was disadvantageous; he needed a decisive blow. Using his body like a spring, he launched a powerful attack.
"Oni Giri!"
"No chance!" Garp countered.
He stood firm, crossing his arms before his chest. Zoro's blades struck, but instead of cutting flesh, they clanged against something hard, inexplicably blocked. His white suit was torn, but his body was unscathed.
Zoro froze, stunned.
Beneath the torn suit, Garp's arms were blackened, like iron. The sensation distracted Zoro—the reason his attack failed.
Garp, grinning, opened his eyes, sensing his counterattack's moment.
"Impossible… Is he a Devil Fruit user too!?" Zoro exclaimed.
"Zoro, fall back!" Kiri shouted.
A split-second hesitation was fatal.
As Zoro tried to retreat, Garp's attack was already coming.
Incredible speed—no ability, just honed muscle and experience. Too fast to track, his fist swung.
In that instant, overwhelming pressure made the fist loom large, freezing Zoro's body.
He felt it hit his stomach.
A tremendous impact sent him flying.
No time to brace, the blow's force was beyond comprehension. Pain radiated from his gut, consciousness fading as his vision blurred.
He crashed through the clearing, smashing into trees, snapping three before hitting the ground and rolling.
From Kiri's position, he vanished from sight. But lingering wasn't an option. She turned to Garp, ready to distract him.
Garp didn't pursue, instead crossing his arms.
"You two have potential. Good teamwork. How about joining me as Marines? I'll put in a good word. I can even overlook your crimes," he offered.
"Crimes?" Kiri asked.
"You destroyed the inspection ship, didn't you? Wendy told me," Garp said.
"She ratted us out too, huh?" Kiri muttered.
"If you want, I can assign you to her unit. Luffy'll be under my watch for a while," Garp added.
Kiri laughed, staying vigilant.
She knew she couldn't win one-on-one. No matter how cautious, Garp was leagues above. Escaping seemed impossible.
Yet she refused to bow, even if it was bravado. She wouldn't show fear.
With a childlike resolve, Kiri smiled, maintaining her stance.
"If Luffy agrees, we'll follow. But that's not happening," she said.
"We'll see. If I say so, he'll join the Marines," Garp replied.
"You don't know your own grandson. If he was that type, he wouldn't be a pirate," Kiri shot back.
She raised the fallen paper, surrounding herself with it, and stepped forward.
Her paper supply was limited; she had to make do.
Garp's strength was immense, her chances near zero. But not absolute zero—she refused to believe it. No matter how strong, he was human.
(That punch didn't seem special. A Devil Fruit user? His tone didn't suggest it. There's a trick, but…)
The earlier attack was just a punch, made deadly by extreme training. His movements suggested mastery, not an ability.
In combat, that was the most terrifying thing, but it meant he wasn't invulnerable.
Unlike a Logia, attacks could land.
But blocking Zoro's swords with his arms was inexplicable.
That made him more than human. After seeing that defense, what attacks would work was unclear.
Garp was an enigma. Dodging blind was another mystery.
Escaping now seemed impossible.
Facing an unclear enemy was tougher than expected.
Kiri's eyes sharpened, her mind honed. Unlike her usual lethargy, she was a pirate now, ready to unleash her ability without restraint.
"Fine, let's do this," she said.
"Hm, I sense some spirit. But if you can't control it, it's meaningless," Garp remarked.
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