The morning sun bathed the open grounds of Windmill Village in golden light, illuminating every inch of the land.
Luffy pushed open the wooden door, and the scene before him made his eyes widen in disbelief.
He rubbed them vigorously to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Zoro was wielding a wooden sword, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Each swing carried a sharp whistling sound through the air—simple movements, yet every strike seemed capable of cutting through any obstacle before him.
Nearby, Sanji continuously shifted his kicking stances, his legs tracing perfect, razor-sharp arcs through the air.
Standing before them was Garp's adjutant, Bogard.
He had removed his Marine coat, his expression serious and his eyes focused with intensity. He lightly tapped Zoro's wrist with a wooden stick, patiently instructing him.
"Your Three-Sword Style stance needs more stability. Imagine you possess Haki, letting it flow naturally like water."
Turning to Sanji, his tone carried a hint of sternness. "Your kicking power is good, but if you want to awaken Observation Haki... it's not enough yet."
Luffy was surprised to discover that although their training hadn't been long, both their movements had become several times sharper than before.
Every attack carried a faint, almost imperceptible energy, as if their bodies had merged with the surrounding air.
Watching Zoro and Sanji, Luffy felt a surge of admiration and envy.
He knew they were striving hard for their dreams, and he couldn't fall behind.
Garp materialized behind Luffy, his rough hand resting on the boy's shoulder.
"What do you think? You're all good material." He grinned, pride evident in his eyes. "Have you reconsidered joining the Marines?"
Sanji paused his movements, lighting a cigarette. Through the smoke, his eyes held complex emotions.
"Old man, you already seriously violated military regulations by getting Luffy out of Impel Down, didn't you?" He blew a smoke ring, his gaze complicated. "What... are you planning to do?"
Garp let out a hearty laugh, though it carried a hint of melancholy. "At worst, I'll just strip off this uniform and retire right here!" He rubbed his reddened nose, his eyes showing traces of weariness.
"I should've retired long ago anyway."
Luffy's heart trembled upon hearing Garp's words.
He knew Garp had sacrificed too much for him. Looking at his grandfather's rough hands, his heart swelled with gratitude.
Luffy hung his head low, the straw hat's shadow concealing his expression.
He recalled Ron's words—that being a pirate wasn't child's play, and everyone must face the consequences of their actions.
He remembered the helplessness he felt during the defeat at Impel Down; that feeling of being restrained and suppressed still haunted him.
He couldn't continue like this. He needed to become stronger.
When he raised his head again, his eyes burned with unwavering determination.
"Grandpa, teach me Haki! I must learn it!"
Garp stared into his grandson's eyes, ultimately refraining from asking whether he would still become a pirate in the future.
Whether he asked or not didn't matter much anymore. What mattered was that Luffy was his grandson, and no one could change that.
Some questions didn't need to be voiced aloud; some answers were already mutually understood.
"Good kid!" Garp suddenly punched Luffy on the head, making him grimace in pain. "Starting tomorrow, you'll obediently learn Haki from your grandpa! You're not going anywhere!"
His voice carried a stern tone, but his eyes showed a touch of affection.
Zoro and Sanji exchanged glances, remaining silent.
Zoro frowned and said, "But... if the Navy finds out you're training a pirate..."
"Pirate?" Garp picked his ear, looking innocent. "What pirate? I was under the impression the Straw Hat Pirates had already disbanded."
The two were taken aback, then smiled wryly and shook their heads.
Indeed, the Straw Hat Pirates had disbanded.
And unusually, Luffy didn't refute this, merely silently adjusting his straw hat as if acknowledging the reality.
Watching Luffy's movements, Garp sighed inwardly.
He knew Luffy still held onto a dream in his heart—to become the Pirate King.
But he also knew Luffy needed to become stronger to control his own destiny, rather than needing to be rescued like before.
He decided that from today onward, he would do his utmost to help Luffy grow.
Moreover, he was confident that with his guidance, the boy might just forget about piracy.
Garp turned to Zoro, his rough hand scratching his graying hair.
"You two brats can ask Bogard whatever you want to learn." He grinned. "This guy is more than capable of teaching you."
Suddenly remembering something, Garp slapped his forehead and turned to the silent Bogard.
"Ah, I forgot to ask for your opinion." His expression turned uncharacteristically serious. "If you want to return to the Marines..."
"Garp-san," Bogard calmly interrupted, his right hand resting on his sword, his gaze as firm as steel.
"Wherever you go, I will follow."
With that, he bent down to pick up a wooden stick from the ground.
With a flick of his wrist, the stick drew a beautiful arc through the air.
Zoro's pupils contracted sharply—he clearly saw the stick's surface covered with a faint, elusive black sheen.
This was Armament Haki, and it was being used with exceptional mastery!
"Three-Sword Style brat," Bogard pointed his wooden stick at Zoro. "Let me see your swordsmanship."
He then turned to Sanji. "Curly-brow, attack with your best kicks."
Zoro and Sanji exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.
This seemingly ordinary adjutant now emitted an aura that made their skin tingle. They realized Bogard's strength was anything but ordinary—his presence instantly overwhelmed the entire training ground!
Zoro's three wooden swords left their sheaths simultaneously, their edges glinting coldly in the sunlight.
Sanji's leather shoes scraped sparks from the ground as both unconsciously assumed combat stances.
Meanwhile, Luffy was hopping around while clutching the large bump on his head.
"Grandpa, you hit too hard!"
Garp laughed heartily with hands on his hips, the Armament Haki on his fist slowly fading.
"Hahaha! Luffy, the fastest way to train Armament Haki is..." He suddenly lowered his voice with a sly smile.
"...Getting hit by Grandpa's Fists of Love!"
"Wait! I'm not ready yet... Aah!!"
Luffy's screams echoed across the training ground as Garp's fists fell like meteors, each strike precisely hitting the parts of Luffy's body that needed training most.
Though it appeared brutal, anyone with keen eyesight would notice these attacks were skillfully guiding the flow of energy within Luffy's body.
When it came to his grandson, Garp was truly teaching him properly!
The morning in Windmill Village thus began with training sounds, screams, and Garp's booming laughter, while the village windmill creaked as it turned, recording everything in its rotating gears.
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