Chapter 20: The Iron Fist of "Love" Returns
Not long after the Red-Haired Pirates' departure, Garp's warship appeared on the horizon. The timing was almost comically precise—a near miss that likely saved Shanks and his crew from a catastrophic encounter.
Had they met, Garp's fondness for the former cabin boy wouldn't have stopped him. He knew Shanks's potential all too well; the man was a future storm the Marines would have to weather.
"Luffy! Grandpa's back! Did you miss me?!"
The moment his ship anchored, Garp unleashed his Observation Haki, pinpointed his grandson's vibrant energy, and shot across the island. He appeared beside Luffy with a whoosh of displaced air.
"Grandpa!"
Luffy's face lit up with pure, uncomplicated joy. Despite everything, Garp was family, and his arrivals were always a chaotic, exciting event.
"Grandpa, you're finally back! I missed you so much!" Luffy cried, his arms shooting out—stretching out—to wrap around Garp's neck in a rubbery hug before launching himself into the man's massive arms.
"Hahaha! Grandpa missed you too! If it weren't for that old fool Sengoku denying my leave, I'd have been back months ago!"
In his delight, Garp completely missed the strangeness of the stretchy embrace, simply reveling in the reunion.
"Hey, Grandpa," Luffy said, his tone turning serious as he remembered his grand new purpose. "I don't wanna be a Marine anymore."
"Oh?" Garp's booming laugh paused. "Not a Marine? Then what do you want to be?"
"I'm gonna be a PIRATE!"
Luffy declared it to the sky, his eyes shining with stars, every fiber of his being radiating his newfound dream.
Huh?
Garp's smile vanished. What in the world had happened while he was gone? His Navy-aspiring grandson now wanted to be... a pirate?
His eyes, sharpening, landed on the straw hat perched on Luffy's back. It looked familiar. Very familiar.
"What's that hat?" Garp asked, his voice dropping.
"This is from Shanks!" Luffy announced proudly. "He gave it to me! When I become a great pirate on my own, I'm gonna give it back to him! We promised!"
"Shanks."
The name was a cold stone in Garp's gut. He pictured the red-haired brat. Roger's protégé. A man with talent that rivaled the legends. He'd known Shanks was in the East Blue, but he'd been tied up with Marine business. He'd assumed it was harmless; the Roger Pirates remnants rarely caused mindless slaughter. But he hadn't counted on this—on Shanks poisoning his grandson's mind.
"That damn red-haired rat," Garp growled, the air around him seeming to grow heavier.
"Don't you badmouth Shanks!" Luffy snapped, his small face setting into a fierce frown.
"You're a damn brat too!" Garp roared, his patience snapping. He grabbed Luffy and, with a flick of his wrist, hurled him into the ground. CRUNCH. Luffy cratered the earth.
"Hehe... doesn't hurt," Luffy mumbled, pushing himself up. His rubber body absorbed the impact.
"You ate a Devil Fruit too?!" Garp bellowed, piecing it together. "That Shanks... he's really done a number on you! Next time I see him, I'll throw him into Impel Down and throw away the key!"
His knuckles popped, white with anger.
"I said, DON'T BADMOUTH SHANKS!" Luffy yelled, scrambling to his feet and throwing a punch at Garp's leg.
The punch had all the force of a gnat. But the intent behind it—defending an outsider against his own grandfather—ignited a volatile mix of rage and jealousy in Garp's heart.
"You little ingrate! Taking an outsider's side against your own flesh and blood! Time for a lesson in respect!"
"Hit me all you want! I'm rubber! It won't hurt!" Luffy taunted, puffing out his chest.
"Heh. That's because you haven't felt my Fist of Love yet."
Garp's hand clenched. This wasn't a playful tap. A dark, shimmering aura—Armament Haki—sheathed his massive fist.
THWONK!
The sound was like a mallet hitting a ripe melon. Luffy's head snapped to the side, a gigantic, throbbing lump instantly swelling on his skull.
"GYAAAAAH! IT HURTS! I'M RUBBER! WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!" Luffy wailed, collapsing and rolling in the dirt, tears streaming.
"Because this is your grandpa's special love!" Garp declared, puffing out his chest. "No cheap Devil Fruit power can withstand it!"
On a nearby tree branch, Satoru watched the familiar, brutal comedy. Some things never change, he thought, shaking his head. Luffy was going to have a head full of lumps before this was over.
Just as Satoru turned to leave, a shadow fell over him.
"And where do you think you're going?" Garp's voice was right beside him. The man had moved with terrifying silence. "Luffy's gone down the wrong path, and as his big brother, you share the blame for not steering him right. You need a taste of the Fist of Love too!"
Garp's Haki-coated fist descended toward Satoru's head. But a few centimeters away, it stopped dead. An invisible, immutable wall—Infinity—held it at bay. The air crackled with the strain of conflicting forces.
"Give it up, old man," Satoru said, looking up at the frozen fist with calm eyes. "An attack like that won't touch me."
Internally, Garp was impressed, not angry. This "punishment" had been a test. He'd wanted to gauge the progress of Satoru's strange ability. To see his Haki-enhanced strike halted so completely... it was remarkable. This was no half-baked power.
A wide, proud grin split Garp's face. He withdrew his fist, the Haki fading.
"Not bad, Satoru. Not bad at all. You haven't disappointed me."
(End of Chapter)
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