(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)
(T/N: Enjoy!!)
<><><><><><>
"Huff... Huff... Huff..."
It was Atlas's third day aboard Garp's battleship.
On the second day, he had already resumed his daily training routine: four hours of intense physical training without fail, followed by swordsmanship practice.
After completing his usual regimen, he added thirty minutes of meditation to hone his Observation Haki.
"Hey, hey, Atlas, you little brat! Come over here and let me give you some pointers! Hahahahaha!"
Garp, seemingly bored, called out to Atlas while casually picking his nose. Atlas was excited when he heard that.
After all, Garp was the "Hero of the Marines" — the man who had driven the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, into a corner multiple times. In the world of pirates, he was the epitome of overwhelming strength!
Being trained by someone like him would undoubtedly be a huge advantage.
But the moment Atlas stepped in front of Garp, he felt an indescribable pressure—not just physical, but one of pure presence and spirit.
Still, Atlas wasn't someone who would be defeated so easily. A determined glint appeared in his eyes.
The strongest men in the world don't back down from this kind of pressure.
Seeing Atlas withstand his aura so well, Garp showed a flash of appreciation in his eyes before snapping back to his usual goofy self.
He clapped Atlas hard on the shoulder a few times, almost knocking him to the ground.
"Hahaha! Not bad, brat. I was just watching your training. You're focused on building up your body. That's the right direction — physical strength is the foundation of true power!"
Atlas glanced at Garp's massive arms and nodded in agreement.
"Alright, let me be your opponent. Feel the power of my fist full of love!" Garp didn't bother explaining further.
Unlike Zephyr, he wasn't much of a teacher — he believed in learning through battle. Before Atlas could even object, Garp's iron fist was already flying toward his face.
Startled, Atlas's pupils flashed red — Observation Haki, activate!
"Boom!"
"Oww! That hurt!"
Even with Observation Haki, Atlas couldn't dodge Garp's punch. Oddly, even though Garp hadn't used Armament Haki, the pain felt deep and penetrating.
"Hahahaha! That was a fist filled with love!" Garp chuckled, noticing the confusion on Atlas's face, and casually explained.
Before Atlas could reflect on the meaning behind those words, another punch came flying in.
"Ah! Not the face, Vice Admiral Garp!"
"Oof!"
"Easy, easy!"
"Aaaagh—"
"Garp, you old man! You'll pay for this!"
Medical Room...
Atlas sat in a chair, his head covered in bumps, while a medic cautiously applied ointment and bandages.
"If you want to laugh, just do it already." Atlas turned to Bogard, who was holding back a laugh.
"No, hahaha... I didn't mean to... hahahaha!"
Atlas could only sigh.
The sun slowly rose above the horizon, casting its light on the calm sea. Below the surface, dark shadows occasionally darted past.
On the giant dog-headed Marine ship, Atlas had just finished his morning training and was enjoying his breakfast.
"Yo! Brat, you've recovered fast."
Even Garp was a little surprised. Though he hadn't used Armament Haki yesterday, he had imbued his punch with his will.
There were no internal injuries, but the bruises were unavoidable. Yet here was Atlas, fully recovered overnight.
Atlas didn't explain. He suspected Garp had simply been bored and wanted an excuse to beat him up.
Still, after yesterday's pummeling, he did feel that his body had grown a bit stronger — and that strange "fist of love" was oddly intriguing.
"Let's continue yesterday's training, please, Vice Admiral Garp," Atlas said calmly, like a prisoner on the way to the gallows, full of grim determination.
"Bam!"
"Bam!"
"Bam! Bam! Bam!"
Another simple, brutal day of getting beaten up.
Three Days Later...
"Garp, old man... uh... where are we headed?" Atlas asked, munching on a donut. As for why not senbei?
According to Garp, "You always eat the tastiest stuff first." So the senbei were long gone, and now he had dragged Atlas into a donut-eating contest.
Motivated by revenge, Atlas planned to eat every last donut before Garp could.
"Hmm? I'm heading back to Foosha Village for vacation! Going to visit my grandson!"
Garp replied casually.
"Huh!? You have a grandson, Vice Admiral Garp?" Atlas was surprised. Luffy shouldn't even be born yet. What grandson was he talking about?
"Oh! He's adopted."
Must be Ace. If memory serves, Ace was born this year. Probably just a few months old. And Garp already handed him off to a bandit? What a carefree man!
"Whoa! That's 1,000! I win! Hahaha- Snoree!" Garp suddenly shouted — then immediately started snoring?!
Atlas was speechless. Sure, they hadn't slept for two days and nights, but did he have to fall asleep that fast? No wonder he later got slashed by Morgan.
Atlas stood up and stretched, then turned to Bogard.
"Mr. Bogard, would you mind sparring with me? I want to see how far I am from a real powerhouse."
"No problem. Let's move a bit farther away so we don't wake Vice Admiral Garp."
Bogard readily agreed — he had a lot of faith in Atlas's potential as a Marine.
The two drew their swords. Atlas's expression grew serious.
He knew he couldn't win — he only had Observation Haki, his swordsmanship wasn't at the "cutting steel" level, and he hadn't learned Rokushiki.
But a real warrior never fears stronger opponents!
One-Sword Style: Iris Slash! Atlas took the initiative and launched his attack.
Bogard parried it effortlessly. "Good form. Solid fundamentals. You just need more power." He smiled, and his leg muscles tensed.
Soru!
Bogard vanished from Atlas's view. Atlas quickly gripped his sword with both hands, eyes glowing red — Observation Haki, locked on!
Clang!
With his full concentration, Atlas barely caught the attack, but even with both hands, he was overpowered and sent flying into the ship's railing.
"Huff..."
The gap was enormous. Just a few exchanges, and he was completely outmatched. Yet Atlas wasn't discouraged. He was even more motivated.
"Huh...? What's going on?"
The loud crash awakened Garp, and he saw a battered Atlas sitting on the deck.
....
After several days at sea, they finally arrived at Garp's hometown, Foosha Village.
Since sparring with Bogard, Atlas had gained a much deeper understanding of what it meant to be strong.
His training became even more intense, and during daily matches with Garp, he no longer shouted or complained, which Garp found a bit dull.
"Hey, Atlas, you little brat — want to go stretch your legs a bit? Hahahaha!"
Garp asked, catching Atlas as he was quietly planning how to sneak off the ship.
"Huh? Yes, of course!"
Atlas immediately nodded. Just in time! He thought to himself: Guess I can forgive you for beating me up so much.
Truthfully, Atlas wanted to check if he could catch a glimpse of Ace, the baby who would someday send off the Pirate King himself.
While he was at it, maybe he could visit Makino, the tavern owner rumored to have caught Shanks' heart... and perhaps even had his child.
Ahem. Just to be clear, he was only going for the drinks. Not for Makino. Not.
Foosha Village was a small, inconspicuous settlement in the Goa Kingdom, but it had already produced two major figures: the famous Marine hero and the infamous Revolutionary Dragon.
Those two happened to be father and son. Who would've guessed?
The village, tucked away in a remote area and separated from the bustling capital by the towering Mt. Colubo, was peaceful thanks to both its isolation and Garp's protection — except for a certain group of reckless mountain bandits… led by Higuma, of course.
With anticipation in his heart, Atlas disembarked and asked a local for directions to Makino's tavern. Then he made his way straight there.
Makino's tavern was located near the center of the village. It was lunchtime, and a few villagers were scattered around the place.
Most locals couldn't afford to eat at the tavern every day, but thanks to Makino's excellent cooking and brewing skills — and her fair prices — there were always a few patrons around.
"Welcome, Marine officer."
Makino greeted Atlas with a gentle smile as she noticed him looking curiously around the tavern.
At this time, Makino was only around ten years old. Her glossy green hair and soft, youthful features gave her a pure, sweet appearance.
Though she lacked the elegance she'd develop in ten years, her charm was already evident.
"You're here with Grandpa Garp, aren't you?" She asked politely, noticing Atlas staring a bit too long, which made her feel slightly awkward.
"Ah, yes! I'm Kanos Atlas!" Atlas realized how rude he had been and quickly answered loudly.
"Oh~ So, what can I get you, Marine officer?" Makino asked, unfazed by his earlier awkwardness.
"I'll have a glass of rum, please." Even though he had just turned fourteen...
But with his physical strength, handling a little alcohol was no problem at all.
Before disembarking, Bogard had even given him some spending money—not much, but enough to afford a drink or two.
Meanwhile, Garp had gotten off the ship just after Kanos Atlas. After greeting the village chief, he headed straight for Mt. Colubo.
With his powerful physique, he made it to the Dadan Bandits' hideout in a short amount of time.
"Yo! The little brat's being taken care of pretty well, huh?" Garp said cheerfully as he saw a lively baby Ace crawling around on the ground.
"GAAARP!!" Dadan, who had just been playing with Ace, froze in terror when she heard that familiar voice.
Her eyes nearly popped out of her head—after all, the person she feared most was Garp.
"When are you gonna take this brat back? I'm so sick of seeing him! We're bandits, not babysitters!"
Dadan quickly wiped away the doting look she'd just had and cautiously questioned Garp.
"Yeah! That's right…" one of her lackeys echoed.
"Hm?" Garp raised an eyebrow, then threatened them with his usual method. "You trying to get thrown in prison?"
"Uuuuhhh…" Dadan and her gang instantly gave in, overwhelmed by the threat.
Still, they couldn't help but feel wronged, huddling in a corner and sobbing together in frustration.
Little Ace, oblivious to what was going on, simply stared at Garp with curious eyes.
He was too young to recognize him—after all, when Garp had taken him in, Ace had still been an infant who couldn't speak.
"Come here, little Ace! Say Grandpa! I'm your grandpa!" Garp's heart melted at the sight of the adorable baby.
He swooped in and picked up Ace, trying to rub his stubbly chin on the baby's soft cheeks.
But Ace wasn't having it. His tiny hands pushed Garp's face away with all their might. Garp didn't mind at all. He just laughed goofily as if nothing could ruin his mood.
If Roger were watching this scene, who knows how he'd feel—his son calling Garp "Grandpa"? It was practically stealing his legacy.
While Garp was enjoying some wholesome family bonding time, Kanos Atlas, who had been drinking at the bar and casually observing the barmaid, found himself in trouble.
BANG!
The bar door was suddenly kicked open with force. As soon as the patrons saw who had entered, the once-lively tavern fell into a dead silence, like a flintlock gun that had suddenly misfired.
The noise drew Kanos's attention from his corner. He frowned slightly. Seriously? Can't even enjoy a drink in peace?
He glanced up and thought, Well, well… isn't that Higuma the Bear? The so-called Bandit King who smashes tables and dares to mock an Emperor? The guy who kicked the future Pirate King?
What a coincidence.
At this point, Higuma wasn't that old, but he already looked sickly and sleazy, just like he would a decade later.
He scanned the bar until his eyes landed on Kanos, clearly identifying him by his Marine uniform.
Thinking the young Marine looked like easy prey, Higuma sneered and said: "Hey! You! Marine brat! I've got my eye on that seat you're in. If you know what's good for you, you'd better get lost right now."
Kanos ignored him completely.
"The hell? Are you deaf, brat? I'm talkin' to you!" Higuma's expression darkened, clearly annoyed by Kanos's indifference. But Makino couldn't stand by and do nothing.
Despite her fear of Higuma, Kanos was her customer, and she had to protect the safety of those in her establishment. So she began to step forward to block Higuma's path.
However, Kanos wasn't exactly the type to let someone else handle his problems—especially not like Shanks, who would endure insult with a calm demeanor.
He stepped past Makino and stood directly in front of Higuma, facing him head-on. A wave of pure, nearly tangible pressure burst forth from Kanos.
In that instant, Higuma felt an uncontrollable shiver. A chill ran down his spine, and a sudden urge to pee crept up from his legs. Cold sweat poured down his face.
It felt like a wild, ferocious beast was staring him down. Forget pride—he didn't even bother saving face.
Under the stunned gaze of the tavern patrons and the confused looks of his men, Higuma bolted from the bar like a dog with its tail between its legs.
"…Huh?" Makino blinked in disbelief at how quickly Higuma had backed down. But realizing that Kanos was under Garp's wing, she relaxed. It all made sense now.
The bar soon returned to its previous lively atmosphere.
Higuma the Bandit King's sudden appearance was nothing more than a small detour in Kanos Atlas's visit to Foosha Village.
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 20 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:SJ NOVEL TIER (PLEASE DONT SUBS THROUGH IOS PLATFORM)