CHAPTER 50 — The Hero Arrives (Loudly)
📅 22 July, S.C. 1510
👦 Ren — Age 7
📍 Foosha Village → Makino's Bar
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The morning in Windmill Village was peaceful.
Children played near the docks.
Fishermen repaired nets.
Makino swept the front of the bar.
Ren sat outside with Zemo, organizing notes from his plant experiments.
Everything was calm.
Until—
BOOM!
The ground shook.
Seagulls scattered.
Villagers screamed.
Ren's head snapped up.
"What was that?!"
Makino sighed immediately.
"Oh no… not him again…"
Before Ren could ask, a massive shadow appeared over the hill.
A booming voice followed:
"HERO OF THE MARINES, MONKEY D. GARP… HAS ARRIVED!!!"
Zemo's ears folded back.
Ren whispered:
"…Who the hell yells their own title?"
---
PART 1 — THE GARPUAL IMPACT
Garp didn't walk into the village.
He charged.
Full-speed.
Through the fence.
Through a stack of crates.
Nearly through a fisherman.
Villagers dove out of his way.
"GARP! STOP RUNNING!"
"THE FENCE AGAIN?!"
"My tomatoes!!"
Garp laughed like a lunatic.
"Hahaha! A little destruction builds character!"
Ren stared, speechless.
Makino pinched the bridge of her nose.
"That man is going to shorten my lifespan…"
Zemo growled defensively.
Ren whispered:
"He's… scarier than the forest creature."
---
PART 2 — THE TRAP INCIDENT
Ren stepped back as Garp approached.
But something else caught Garp's eye first—
Ren's small tripwire trap set beside the shed, half-buried in leaves.
Meant for small animals.
Or the occasional Ridgeback boar.
Garp squinted.
"What's this?"
Ren opened his mouth.
"Sir, please don't—"
Too late.
Garp stepped on it.
Snap!
A bucket launched upward.
Zemo barked in alarm.
Ren reached out helplessly.
Makino shouted:
"NO—!!"
SPLASH!
A bucket of cold saltwater drenched Garp's head.
Silence.
Villagers stared in horror.
Ren stared in horror.
Zemo stared in horror.
Garp… did not move.
A droplet slid down his cheek.
His eye twitched.
Ren whispered:
"…I am so dead."
Then—
Garp exploded into laughter.
"BUWAHAHAHA!!
Kid! You got me good!"
Ren blinked.
"What…?"
Garp wiped his face, grinning.
"Ha! Finally! Someone in this weak village has spirit!"
Makino sighed in relief.
Ren let out a shaky breath.
And Zemo slowly lowered his fur.
---
PART 3 — GARPUAL INTERROGATION
Garp marched toward Ren and stopped directly in front of him.
He stared down.
Ren stared up.
Zemo stared murderously.
Garp stroked his chin.
"So you're the scientist brat."
Ren's eyebrow twitched.
"…I prefer researcher, sir."
Garp laughed.
"Same thing!"
He leaned closer, eyes sharp.
"I heard you sell salt.
Make tools.
Study herbs.
Build weird contraptions."
Ren nodded carefully.
"Yes…"
Garp grunted.
"And that wolf of yours—"
Zemo growled.
Garp grinned wider.
"—he's interesting."
Ren stepped slightly in front of Zemo.
"He's my partner. Not a tool."
Garp blinked.
Then smirked.
"…Good answer."
---
PART 4 — THE TEST OF COURAGE
Garp suddenly thrust out his hand.
"Hit me."
Ren froze.
"…What?"
"Come on! Punch me!"
"I'm not punching a Marine Vice Admiral!"
Garp barked:
"Bah! Titles are for old people!
Hit me!"
Ren looked at Makino helplessly.
Makino mouthed: Just do it.
Ren sighed.
He raised his fist.
Zemo watched nervously.
Ren pulled his arm back—
And punched.
Tap.
His knuckles barely touched Garp's stomach.
Nothing happened.
Garp blinked.
"…Kid."
Ren gulped.
"Yes?"
"That wasn't a punch."
He picked Ren up by the back of his shirt like a cat.
"Try again."
"Wha—hey!"
Zemo barked furiously.
Garp set Ren down again.
Ren tried a second time.
Tap.
Garp stared.
"…Is that seriously your full strength?"
Ren threw his hands up.
"I'm seven!"
Garp burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha!
Makino! This kid's all brain, no brawn!"
Makino shrugged.
"He works very hard on the brain part."
Ren muttered:
"I swing a wooden sword now…"
Zemo nodded proudly.
Garp's grin widened.
"A sword, huh…?"
His eyes gleamed with interest.
---
PART 5 — THE DOGFIGHT (GARPUAL STYLE)
Without warning—
Garp bent down and poked Zemo's forehead.
Zemo froze.
Ren's soul left his body.
"Uh… sir… I wouldn't—"
Zemo leaped.
Teeth bared.
Claws extended.
Garp laughed:
"THAT'S THE SPIRIT!"
He sidestepped easily.
Zemo landed, spun, charged again.
Garp blocked with one finger.
Ren's jaw dropped.
"…What are you made of?!"
Zemo used Echo Sense, predicting Garp's movements.
Garp dodged again, impressed.
"Oh? You can read my movement?
This wolf's no joke."
Zemo growled fiercely.
Ren yelled:
"ZEMO! STOP! STOP!!"
Zemo didn't listen.
He was testing Garp.
Exactly how Garp wanted.
---
PART 6 — THE RESULT
After five minutes of chaos, Garp finally stopped, raising one hand.
"Alright, enough."
Zemo halted mid-step as if hitting a wall.
Garp patted his head.
"You did good.
But you're still a pup."
Zemo huffed in indignation.
Ren collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.
Makino sighed again.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack, old man."
Garp laughed.
"Bah! I'm still young!"
"You're fifty-six."
"Exactly!"
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PART 7 — DEPARTURE MESSAGE
Before leaving, Garp approached Ren quietly.
No jokes.
No shouting.
Just… serious eyes.
"You're clever, kid.
Too clever."
Ren stiffened.
Garp continued:
"Clever people attract trouble.
Big trouble."
Ren swallowed.
Garp poked his forehead.
"Grow stronger.
Not just here—"
He poked Ren's chest.
"—here too."
Ren blinked.
"…My heart?"
Garp nodded.
"Brains are fine.
But a scientist without strength dies early in this world."
He turned to leave.
"Train your body.
Train that wolf.
Train with your sword.
I'll be back to check."
Ren whispered:
"…Check what?"
Garp grinned.
"If you're worthy of surviving."
Then he walked away laughing.
Zemo watched him go, eyes narrowed.
Ren exhaled shakily.
"…That man is terrifying."
Makino patted his head.
"You'll get used to him."
Ren doubted that very much.
But as Zemo nudged his hand gently, he smiled.
"Let's get stronger… together."
Zemo barked in agreement.
The world felt a little bigger now.
And much more dangerous.
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END OF CHAPTER 50