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"Hah... hah..." Garp panted, sweat and a trickle of blood running down his face. That final, all-out attack had grazed his scalp.
"That was a close one," he said, looking down at the young man lying in the massive crater. "I'm getting too old for this. Can't keep up like I used to."
His strength hadn't diminished, but he wasn't as durable as he was in his youth. Age makes you brittle.
Bogard held his hat down against the wind. Hina covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
Jin's power had stunned them. He had been strong at the beginning of the fight, but as it went on, he had become more and more terrifying.
That final attack... any other Vice Admiral would have been crushed.
"Vice Admiral Garp!" the Rear Admiral shouted, rushing over with a squad of soldiers. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Garp burst out laughing. "We're on a Marine base. What could possibly happen? I was just stretching my legs, a little spar with the kid. Hahaha!"
The Rear Admiral was stunned. He realized that the explosion had been caused by Jin.
He's that strong??
"Bogard—" Garp said, picking up his coat of justice, "—you'll be in charge of Hina's training. Teach her the complete Six Powers. And have her work on developing her Devil Fruit abilities."
"Understood," Bogard nodded. He was more than qualified to train Hina. He had trained Koby and Helmeppo as well.
"As for this one," Garp said, "I'll take him myself. He needs real training. The standard stuff won't do him any good."
He jumped into the crater, hoisted Jin onto his shoulder, and turned to the Rear Admiral. "Prepare a ship. I'm heading into the Calm Belt."
"The Calm Belt?" The Rear Admiral's face paled. "You're going to that place? Wait, sir, he's the king of a member nation. If he dies..."
"What he's lacking is constant, life-or-death battle," Garp said with a laugh. "A diamond in the rough like this needs to be properly polished."
Hina, worried, rushed forward. "That place... where is it?"
"An island in the Calm Belt," the Rear Admiral replied, his voice grave. "The nesting ground of the Super Sea Kings."
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Torino Kingdom.
Bartholomew Kuma, cloaked and hooded, had brought Bonney to this island after leaving the Sorbet Kingdom. He'd told her they were on vacation, but in reality, he was searching for a famous doctor.
But the Sapphire Scale disease was too rare. Many doctors had never even heard of it, let alone treated it.
While Kuma was consumed with worry, Bonney was having the time of her life.
Innocent and carefree, she sat on Kuma's shoulders, happily munching on a local delicacy.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew a newspaper down the street. It landed at Kuma's feet. He was about to brush it aside when a certain article caught his eye.
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Drum Island.
"Dr. Kureha," Chopper said, grinding herbs and flipping through a medical text, "—this Sapphire Scale disease the king asked us to research... is it really incurable?"
"Theoretically, yes," Dr. Kureha replied, tinkering with a collection of bottles and vials. "It's a genetic disease, passed down from mother to child. When a patient is exposed to natural light, their skin hardens into blue, scale-like plates, eventually leading to death."
Having lived for over a hundred years and sailed the seas, Dr. Kureha had a vast repository of knowledge. She had, in fact, studied the disease before.
"So how do you treat it?" Chopper asked.
"A genetic disease is incurable. How can you treat it? Unless..."
"Unless?"
"The ancient texts speak of a treatment involving blood transfusions and organ transplants."
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Asuka Island.
The mild, temperate climate was perfect for mushroom farming. The first crop was of excellent quality and was now ready for harvest.
The order from the G-3 base arrived right on schedule.
With the money in hand, Izaya and her people were all smiles.
Freed from the curse, with a bright future ahead of them... who wouldn't be smiling?
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Hannabal Island.
A young man disembarked from a ship. He looked out at the bustling town, his melancholic eyes heavy with unspoken thoughts.
His name was Shuraiya Bascùd.
He wore black work pants, riding boots, and a high-collared jacket, his hands thrust into his pockets. He was a stylish young man.
Is Gasparde really dead??
Four years ago, Gasparde had attacked his hometown. His family and friends had been brutally murdered. The pain had been his constant companion ever since.
Revenge against Gasparde had become his sole purpose in life. He had become a bounty hunter.
And then, during a recent hunt, he had heard the news of Gasparde's death.
The one thing that had kept him going... was gone?
What? How?
That man was supposed to die by his hand.
Shuraiya's world had shattered.
To find out the truth, he had asked around and had managed to hitch a ride on a pirate ship bound for Hannabal Island.
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Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
G-3 Base.
As the day's training came to an end, Hina glanced at the port. Garp and Jin still hadn't returned.
A flicker of worry sparked in her heart.
There was no denying it. She had developed feelings for him. And the longer he was gone, the stronger that feeling—whether it was longing or worry—grew.
Just as the sun was about to sink below the horizon, a dark silhouette broke the surface of the sea.
In the slanting light, it was just possible to make out the shape of a sloop.
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Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"FLEET ADMIRAL SENGOKU! A CALL FROM G-3! VICE ADMIRAL GARP HAS RETURNED!"
"Garp!" Sengoku's face darkened. "So the old bastard finally decided to come back. What about the King of the Winter Blossom Kingdom?"
Ever since the Rear Admiral at G-3 had reported that Garp had taken the king out, Sengoku had been on edge.
Training was one thing. A little light sparring, a formality... that was all that was needed. But Garp... he had a tendency to take things too far.
If something had happened to that king, how was he supposed to explain it to the World Government?
The longer they were gone, the more anxious he became. Had something really happened?
Now, hearing that they were back, he felt a wave of relief. He picked up the Den Den Mushi and, the moment he heard Garp's voice, he let loose a torrent of abuse.
"You fool! You have no respect for your position! You don't do any real work! All you do is slack off and go on vacation in the East Blue! You've practically cleaned out all the small-fry pirates there! And now you just disappear for three months without a word?! I thought you'd fled to escape your responsibilities!"
Click.
Garp hung up.
"..." Sengoku's face was blacker than the bottom of a pot. But after venting his frustration, he called again. "Where is the king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom?"
"He left."
"Really? You didn't... dispose of the body? Cover up the evidence?"
"I may not like dealing with nobles, but I'm not the kind of person who goes around killing people."
"You can call his Den Den Mushi."
At those words, a wave of relief washed over Sengoku. He was safe. His expression softened. "So you really did train him?"
"I just taught him the basics," Garp said. "The rest is up to him to figure out."
"And?" Sengoku asked. "What's your assessment?"
"A monster," Garp replied. "Remember Rocks? This kid... he's got the same kind of potential."
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