Chapter 178: Recruitment Attempt
While Rhodes was lost in thought, analyzing his performance, Garp slowly approached with a knowing grin.
"Young man, your swordsmanship and lightning abilities are both formidable, but your Haki still has room for improvement."
"Hmm?"
Rhodes was puzzled by Garp's unexpectedly cordial attitude, but he maintained his respectful tone.
"Garp-san, do you have guidance to offer?"
His Armament Haki was actually quite impressive—considered the strongest among the younger generation, far surpassing even Fire Fist Ace's level.
But compared to these long-established masters, his current proficiency was still lacking.
However, Armament Haki couldn't be rushed. Like physical conditioning, it was cultivated through daily training over many years.
Even with Rhodes's Thunder Tempering technique accelerating his growth far beyond normal rates, he couldn't possibly match these veterans' decades of accumulated experience in just over a year.
"And your taijutsu—or rather, your defensive technique—is severely lacking."
Garp didn't answer directly, instead pointing out Rhodes's greatest weakness.
During their battle, Garp had noticed that Rhodes attacked almost exclusively, showing virtually no defensive awareness.
While this was partially due to the nature of their sparring match, Garp—a seasoned warrior who'd fought countless battles—could easily read the underlying patterns. He'd quickly deduced that Rhodes likely fought the same way in actual combat.
"Perhaps you believe that with sufficient offensive power, you can consistently overwhelm your opponent. Or maybe you're relying on your impressive speed?" Garp chuckled knowingly.
"...Hai."
Rhodes nodded slightly. That was indeed his fighting philosophy.
As long as his offensive power was strong enough, enemies would be suppressed before they could counter.
As long as his speed was fast enough, enemy attacks would never land.
"That tactic works well in the early stages—the fierce momentum can overwhelm opponents. But at our level, it's extremely inadequate."
"At this level, instant kills are nearly impossible. Most battles require prolonged exchanges to reach a conclusion."
"In such situations, if you neglect defense, it's easy for the enemy to seize an opening and land a devastating blow—possibly even a fatal one."
Garp paused here, finally revealing his true intentions.
"The Marines have training manuals on various defensive techniques. And there are opponents like me who could spar with you regularly to help develop those skills..."
"..."
Rhodes looked at him with newfound wariness. He hadn't expected someone as straightforward-looking as Garp—with those honest thick eyebrows and earnest eyes—to be so calculating!
But they'd just finished sparring, and he did owe Garp a debt of gratitude for the lesson. It would be rude to refuse outright, so he could only respond politely:
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested in joining the Navy."
"Ah, worth a shot."
Garp shrugged, showing no signs of disappointment. He'd made the recruitment pitch on impulse anyway. If it worked, great—if not, no big deal. He'd be retired in a few years regardless.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat Pirates along with Coby and the other Marines had gathered around the two fighters.
Nami, carrying Chopper in her arms, ran the fastest and quickly reached Rhodes's side, asking the little reindeer to examine him for injuries.
Though Rhodes wasn't seriously hurt, it was difficult to refuse Nami's genuine concern, so he simply let Chopper do his examination.
Coby and the other Marines looked at Rhodes with completely changed expressions. They'd initially thought this young man was foolishly ignorant for daring to challenge the naval hero, but they hadn't expected the battle to reach such incredible heights!
The terrifying aftermath had practically churned the ocean itself, stirring up waves and winds reminiscent of a tsunami.
They had no doubt that if this battle had taken place on Water 7's main island rather than Scrap Island, it would have completely destroyed the city!
After the spectacle concluded, Rhodes and the others didn't linger, instead returning directly to their lodgings.
Once the combatants departed, Water 7's residents gradually dispersed, already spreading tales of this god-like clash they'd witnessed.
For a long time afterward, this battle remained the talk of the town—a topic of intense discussion at every tavern and workplace.
After returning to his residence, Rhodes didn't even bother showering. He simply collapsed onto his bed and fell into a deep sleep.
When he awoke the next day, he felt completely refreshed. His stamina had mostly recovered, and the minor muscle strains he'd sustained had already healed thanks to his enhanced physiology.
Standing in the courtyard, Rhodes stared at his hand—now coated in gleaming black Armament Haki that made it look like polished steel—and muttered to himself:
"Garp-san was right. My Haki does need significant strengthening."
Perhaps Garp possessed special Armament Haki techniques passed down through the Marines, but Rhodes wasn't a Marine, so the old man wasn't likely to share such knowledge freely. Their relationship wasn't quite at that level yet.
"In this world of pirates... where can I actually improve my Armament Haki?"
Rhodes pondered, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed up at the sky.
Suddenly, his thoughts fixed on Amazon Lily—the island of warrior women nestled within the Calm Belt. That nation, where nearly every citizen awakened Haki naturally, must possess a well-established tradition and training methods for it.
"Yeah, I should pay them a visit."
Rhodes nodded to himself, a plan forming.
While the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock was famously narcissistic, having read the original manga, he understood the traumatic source of that seemingly arrogant yet deeply defensive personality.
As long as he could address that particular problem, Hancock would likely be open to negotiation.
"The only questions are Amazon Lily's exact location... and how to remove the mark of the Celestial Dragons..."
The location issue was straightforward—he could just ask Bartholomew Kuma.
Kuma had been able to send Luffy precisely to Amazon Lily during the Summit War timeline, so he must know its exact coordinates.
Fortunately, Dragon had given Rhodes Kuma's contact information a while back.
After a few calls through the encrypted Den Den Mushi network, Kuma—though somewhat surprised that the Dragon Slayer's first contact was to inquire about Amazon Lily's location—still provided the coordinates directly, though he added a warning:
"The Pirate Empress is dangerous. Extremely dangerous. She possesses the Mero Mero no Mi—the Love-Love Fruit—which can petrify anyone who harbors even a trace of attraction toward her. Once struck by her powers, it can easily prove fatal."
"While her raw combat strength might rank mid-tier among the Seven Warlords, her danger level is comparable to the strongest members."
"Understood. I'll be careful."
Rhodes nodded, confirming his awareness of the risks.
After ending the call with Kuma, Rhodes contacted Crocus—the Pirate King's personal physician—to inquire about removing the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon, the brand burned into slaves of the Celestial Dragons.
"That cursed Celestial Dragon mark..."
Crocus's voice came through the receiver, contemplative. He pondered for a moment before responding:
"There are several methods. The most direct would be to burn it off completely and allow scar tissue to form over it."
"However, given that you can manipulate electricity to stimulate cellular activity... if you're extremely careful and work gradually, you should be able to remove the brand fairly completely, leaving minimal scarring. The key is precise control—too much current will cause tissue damage, too little won't stimulate sufficient regeneration..."
The old doctor elaborated on the technical details, explaining the optimal voltage levels and application patterns, before ending the call.
As the physician who'd kept Gol D. Roger alive throughout his journey to Laugh Tale despite terminal illness, Crocus was arguably the world's greatest doctor. Removing a Celestial Dragon brand was trivial for someone of his expertise.
With all preparations complete, Rhodes quickly gathered his belongings, bid farewell to Nami and the others, and set course for Amazon Lily.
Meanwhile, across the seas, Garp was on a call with Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Sengoku was absolutely furious about the revelation that Straw Hat Luffy was Garp's grandson, and he was thoroughly berating the old hero.
"The son of a naval hero becomes the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and now your grandson is a supernova-level pirate?! You've raised an entire family of criminals, Garp!"
Sengoku practically seethed with frustration. Fortunately, he didn't yet know that Fire Fist Ace was also Garp's adopted grandson, or he might have had an aneurysm.
"Wait... hold on. Are you telling me that the Dragon Slayer Swordsman has power rivaling our Admirals?"
"Ah, pretty much."
Garp maintained his carefree smile, completely unbothered by Sengoku's earlier tirade.
"At minimum, he's Admiral candidate level."
Sengoku couldn't help but show genuine surprise at this assessment. Admiral candidate level had very specific implications.
Take Vice Admiral Momousagi, for example. She could single-handedly intimidate a pirate like Donquixote Doflamingo. In an actual fight, she'd have at least a seventy percent chance of victory.
But Rhodes's strength had increased at such an alarming rate!
Last December, Rhodes's duel with Don Chinjao had been hard-fought, with both warriors pushed to their limits.
Yet now, less than a year later, he'd already reached Admiral candidate level?
Did that mean he'd be able to genuinely challenge the current Admirals—Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu—within this very year?
Considering this possibility, even the normally composed Fleet Admiral Sengoku felt a chill run down his spine.
"Garp... we may have seriously miscalculated with this one."
"Yep," Garp agreed cheerfully, still picking his nose. "That's what makes him interesting, though!"
Sengoku massaged his temples, already feeling the headache forming. Managing the balance of power between Pirates, Warlords, and Marines was complicated enough without wildcards like Rhodes throwing everything into flux.
"Keep an eye on him," Sengoku finally said with a sigh. "If his strength continues growing at this rate... we may need to reconsider our entire approach to the Warlord system."
(End of Chapter)
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