The orphanage children, hearing the news, all rushed out and welcomed Hina happily.
"Waaah! Teacher!"
"Teacher, you're not going anywhere now, right?"
Seeing that, Hina also choked up a little and said.
"Hina is touched, now I won't go anywhere."
I also approached Hina and said.
"Welcome."
"Hina... yes."
Hina originally stayed in the place used as lodging by the Marines, but now I arranged a room for her next to Chunja's (Robin) room near mine. Those rooms had a simple kitchen where one could cook, and a shower room with a toilet and bathtub—they were quite excellent lodgings with everything. And she was already somewhat close with Chunja.
That evening, the island residents held a welcome party for Hina in the village square. I personally made the food.
"Wow~ delicious! Boss, you're good at cooking too."
"Right, he's rich, handsome, strong, and cooks well. Isn't he the best man?"
Squeal squeal~!
'Hey hey, I can hear you! It's been a while since I've been in this kind of situation.'
While listening to the residents' stories like that, I learned an interesting fact. The swordsmanship instructor was dating a beautiful employee. The age difference was about 15 years, I think? Teaching swordsmanship developed into a good relationship. If this were Korea, he'd be treated as a complete thief, but since this is the One Piece worldview, it probably doesn't matter.
While enjoying the party like that, a female employee, slightly drunk, approached me.
"Boss! What kind of woman do you like, Boss?"
As if curious, the residents suddenly became quiet at the employee's question and all looked at me. Given the atmosphere, it seemed I had to answer.
"Hmm... A woman with a good personality, beautiful, and strong?"
The residents buzzed upon hearing that.
"Then isn't it Teacher Hina? She has quite a personality."
"It doesn't seem to be Secretary Chunja either? She's scary when work isn't handled well."
Hearing that, Hina and Chunja (Robin) simultaneously stood up and said loudly.
"That's not true!" "No way!"
At their loud voices, all the residents fell silent, and as attention focused on them, the two blushed, seemingly embarrassed, slowly sat back down, bowed their heads, and just sipped their drinks.
"Seems it's not them after all."
"Right."
Whisper whisper
"Ugh... Hina, humiliation..."
Hina was too embarrassed to raise her head. Chunja (Robin) was in a similar situation. The two drank an enormous amount to soothe their embarrassment, so by the time the party ended, they couldn't regain their senses, and I carried them one by one to their lodgings. From the next day, female employees suddenly started training even harder.
Thus, two more years passed, making it seven years since I came here. During that time, there were several weddings on the island, and children were born. And employees who learned Haki began to increase; those employees even developed their own techniques. As a result, the martial arts tournament became quite intense. Of course, I healed all injured people.
One day, a small dinghy arrived at the Merchant's Island. Hearing it was someone who knew me, I went out and saw it was Ace.
"Oh~ Ace! Nice to see you."
"Nice to see you, Taejin."
I shook hands with Ace and treated him to food I personally made at the dining hall.
"Wow~ this is tasty! Want to come as a cook on my ship?"
It seemed Ace had just left Foosha Village not long ago and was recruiting crew members.
"Hahaha, thanks for the offer, but the island can't run without me."
"I see, that's a shame."
"By the way, is Luffy doing well?"
"That guy is doing fine. He's training pretty hard too."
"I see."
"I realized after coming out too, Taejin, you're quite a big shot."
"Well... that's right. I'm in a position of managing an island, after all."
"I have a request—won't you fight me? Honestly, the pirates around are too boring. I want to fight you, who's rumored to be strong. Since Gramps Garp acknowledged you, you must be strong."
Ace challenged me to a spar. Having caught pirates and handled various matters, I was indeed rumored to be strong.
"Alright. Then let's finish eating, rest a bit, and do it."
"Great."
Gobble gobble
Ace increased his eating speed after I agreed. I couldn't tell if he was eating or drinking. Probably taught by Garp. Eat a lot when you can. We finished eating, rested a bit, and moved to the village square used as the tournament venue.
"If you're ready, come anytime."
"Alright, since I'm the challenger, I'll go first. Hup!"
Ace quickly approached to throw a punch, but I moved slightly faster forward and blocked his upper arm with my hand, preventing it from extending.
"Eek!"
Ace panicked as his punch attempt was blocked before it even started, so he tried to kick, but I again used my foot to block the thigh of the leg Ace was about to attack with, preventing the attack entirely.
"How can this be..."
Ace stepped back a little, sweating and surprised. The skill gap between Ace and me was too big. He had no Haki and until now had only met weak pirates, so his trained body, basic martial arts, and innate reflexes were enough, but that was far insufficient to face me.
"Hahaha, giving up already?"
"No way, this is just the beginning."
After that, the same routine continued for a full two hours. Ace seemed tired, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. I just stood there, same as at the beginning.
"Huff huff huff..."
"Let's stop now."
"How is this possible? You're reading all my attacks."
"That's because your attacks are too obvious and simple."
Honestly, this wasn't just Ace's problem. All the pirates I've met in One Piece so far were like that. Maybe because of Haki, it was even more so. I took out a drink from my inventory and threw it to Ace. Ace caught it and drank it immediately.
Gulp gulp~
"Phew~ thanks."
"You need to learn Haki first."
"Haki? What's that?"
I taught Ace about Haki. I showed him the same Haki demonstration I showed the residents two years ago.
"Then my attacks not working was also..."
"Yes. And when you go to seas where strong people are, almost everyone has learned it."
"I see..."
"And one more thing, not only Haki, but your attacks are too monotonous. Stand and guard for a moment."
Ace stood and took a guard stance. I pretended to aim a kick at the shin, then changed trajectory to a high kick, stopping right next to Ace's head. I showed Ace a Brazilian kick.
"Gasp!"
Ace, trying to defend only his shin, couldn't prepare for the suddenly changed trajectory high kick. Ace seemed quite surprised.
"I'll show you one more. Get in stance again."
"Alright."
I gave a slow punch feint, and as Ace tried to dodge sideways, I immediately threw a backspin blow, stopping again next to his head.
"This is..."
"I only showed big techniques. You can do it with small techniques too."
This time, I pretended to kick but threw a punch. Namely, a superman punch. I showed a few modern fighting techniques in this way.
"Do you understand what I mean by attacks being simple?"
"Yes, I couldn't predict where the attack would come from at all."
"Until now, you've met weak pirates and overwhelmed them with just your trained body, but if you're thinking of going out to seas with strong people, it would be good to develop more varied attack patterns."
"I understand."
"Let's go for now. I'll show you a place to rest."
"Alright, thanks."
Ace received the lodging guidance with a serious face, contemplating what I taught him without saying a word. In the evening, Ace ate without a word and went to his lodging. I was a little worried seeing him like that.
From the next morning, strange shouts were heard in front of the main building.
"Uooooo!"
Opening the window, I saw Ace running madly around the main building.
"Hahaha, if he gave up, he wouldn't be Ace."
After eating breakfast and going to the office to work on documents with Chunja, Hina came in.
"Hina is flustered! Taejin, who is that fool!"
"Vice Admiral Garp's grandson."
"What!? Really?"
"Yes."
Perhaps because Ace hadn't made a name for himself yet, Hina didn't know much about him.
I don't know where he heard it, but Ace asked for the Merchant's Island martial arts tournament ranking list, so I gave it to him, and he started training by sparring in order from ranks with similar skill to his own.
"Don't tell me he's planning to stay on the island until he beats the number one?"
Then before I knew it, he learned Armament and Observation Haki. Of course, it was still a beginner level, but it was quite fast. Maybe because he became attached while sparring, or because people around helped a lot, and he already had a well-trained body.
'Did bloodline play a part?'
Thus, two months passed, and his skill grew to the point where he could spar with mid-tier tournament participants. Then, as if competitive spirit ignited, a male employee who was an orphanage graduate started squabbling with Ace every day. The two had little skill difference and repeated wins and losses.
"Taejin, thanks for everything. I think I'll go now."
"Boss, I think I'll follow Ace. Thank you for everything until now."
I knew this would happen. I didn't like having an employee I diligently raised taken away, but I considered it the price of the Devil Fruit.
"Alright, understood. Both of you, follow me."
I took the two to the port. And pointed to one of the not-so-fancy ships I had made as a spare.
"It's a gift. Take it and go."
"I don't know how to repay this favor."
"Well... I've become attached, and I've already received something..."
"Huh? What did I give?"
"Friendship!"
"Right, friendship!"
"I'll load provisions. Go say goodbye to people and come back."
"Alright, thanks."
Ace and the employee who was leaving went around the Merchant's Island saying goodbye to people and returned. The people they had become attached to came out to see them off. I loaded the ship generously with provisions.
"See you again."
"Yeah."
"Take care, Ace."
"Be sure to survive."
"Next time you come, I'll buy you a drink."
Many people came out to the port and waved to Ace. Ace also waved as he departed on the ship. Seeing that, Chunja (Robin) said.
"Phew... it'll finally be quiet now."
Hearing that, Hina also agreed and said.
"Hina agrees, honestly, it was too noisy in the morning."
Ace became stronger than in the original, but well... it probably doesn't matter.
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