Chapter 2

I woke up to the door to the room being kicked in, and then Garp came running in, grinning through his teeth. As soon as I wanted to say a word, Garp grabbed my leg and threw me out the open window.

- Bastard, I'll drag you into my darkness and never let you out! - Twisting, I landed on my feet and looked out the window at Garp.

- Bwahaha, give it a try. - Garp climbed through the window and stood next to me. - The first phase of your training. - Garp pointed his finger at the top of the mountain. -You have to climb to the top of the mountain, take the kairoseki shackles there, put them on, and then come down.

- ...How am I going to climb it, it's a steep mountain?

- Well, there must be ledges. - Garp shrugged, and grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and threw me straight up the mountain.

Flying at high speed, I knew that if I crashed into the mountain and fell down, I had little chance of surviving, since I couldn't turn into my element. So I covered my fists, elbows, knees, and toes with the will of arms and tried to hit exactly those places.

A second later, I heard an explosion from the collision. I managed to make a hole in the mountain in which I was at the moment. My whole body hurt a lot, even though I had hit the places I had covered with my will. The dream was gone like a dream.

Garp's loud laughter could be heard from below, and I gritted my teeth as I looked around. There was not a single ledge I could grasp. How the hell was I supposed to climb this damn mountain?

Only if I had a stronger will of arms, and if I were stronger, I could use my fingers to break through the rock and climb safely...

After thinking for a while, an idea occurred to me. After looking at the hole that I had made with my body, I began to collect stones and put them in my pockets. Then I took two sharper stones, covered them with my will, and started hitting the rock, trying to make a hole.

That's how I climbed up, taking two to five minutes for each hole. During the whole climb I had about three rocks broken, which I covered with my will, luckily I gained quite a few rocks.

I also occasionally encountered ledges along the way that I could grab onto and not waste time creating a new hole. When the sun was at its zenith, and sweat was dripping profusely from me, I finally climbed to the top. In front of me lay a rock, on which stood a flask of water and the shackles of the kairoseki lying.

After catching my breath and drinking half the flask, I hid the flask in my pocket and started to put on the shackles.

As soon as I touched them, I felt a great weakness, and my powers were cut off as well. These shackles are different from that kairoseki bracelet with a lot of admixture. As soon as I put the shackles on my legs, I felt that I could barely stand on the ground, my hands began to tremble with weakness, and sweat began to roll down my body more profusely than I had before.

On trembling legs, I walked to the edge of the mountain and looked down. I could only see the camp below, there were hardly any people in sight. When I looked at the forest, I saw a couple of birds here and there, and in the distance I could see the ship we had come here on.

I had no choice... Clenching my fists, I got down on my knees and grabbed the ledge with my hand, at the same time, I hinged my legs and started looking for the hole I had made when I climbed up here. At that moment...

- Gwaaaaaah! - A big bird flew over and started circling around me.

- Shit, if it threw me off..." Tensing my muscles, I began to stretch to get back to the top of the mountain. However, weakened by the kairoseki, I could only lift myself a little. Realizing that the venture was pointless, I concentrated entirely on the will of observation, preparing myself for the bird's attack.

Literally seconds passed as the bird began to dive toward me with its claws out. Realizing that if the bird pierced me with those claws, I would surely die, I leaned two feet against the wall, preparing to jump.

When it was two meters away from me, I pushed off the wall. The claws that should have pierced me broke the stones, but I covered my arms with my will and grasped the belly of the bird with a deadly grip.

- GWAAAAAAA! - The bird's scream stabbed at my ears, and I gripped even tighter into its belly. It flew downward at full speed, and I caught my breath with fear. The bird tried to fly upward, but whether it was the pain or my weight with the shackles, it could only try to slow down.

At one point, we just hit the ground. I was immediately crushed by the large carcass of a bird that screamed at the top of its lungs. Only one arm was left free as I tried to move the body. At the same time, I heard Garp laughing loudly next to me.

Unfortunately, because of the effects of the kairoseki on me, I just didn't have the strength to move the body. I started pounding the ground, giving Garp a sign that I needed help.

- BWahahahahahahahahah. - Garp laughed for a few minutes, not even paying attention to my attempts to call out to him. Realizing that this jerk wasn't going to help me, I started trying to dig underneath me to get out.

After a few minutes, I managed to stick my head out from under the carcass, and after another five minutes, I was able to stick my other arm out.

- You old bastard, help me out! I'm wearing kairoseki shackles, I can't move the bird.

-Bwahahahaha, so you're seriously wearing shackles? I didn't think you'd dare put on shackles and come down the mountain with them, wahahahahahahaha. - Garp walked over to the screaming bird and picked it up with one hand and threw it toward the forest. I immediately felt the mountain being lifted off me and was able to breathe normally.

- Y-you said yourself I should put them on and come down.

- Didn't you? I kind of should have said to take them and come down, but okay. You'd have to wear them the whole time we were on the island anyway.

- The whole time? What about learning how to use the fruit?

- I'm not going to teach you how to use it, you'll practice with it in marinford, now we're going to increase your strength. Remember what strength you had before you put on kairoseki and what you have now. I'll make your strength the same as it was without the shackles, and when you take them off, you'll be stronger than before.

My eyes rounded as I realized what Garp was talking about. - That's a cool workout! Is that how they train all the fruiterers?

Garp stuck his finger up his nose and snarled. - Nah, it's considered too brutal, a lot of people just break down. When you only have strength to walk, training to the point of exhaustion is like torture.

Really... I could barely stand on my feet when I put on the shackles, and how hard it was to hold on to the bird and not fall off it, well, the adrenaline helped.

I got to my feet and shook myself off and looked at Harp. - What now? - Garp stretched out his finger and began to make circular motions.

- You have to run around this island before nightfall. - My eyes widened as I heard the impossible demand. - You have unlimited attempts, but a deadline of two weeks. If you can't run around the entire island in that time, I'll have to come up with a punishment for you.

- I can't even do it without shackles.

- You punk! - Garp's fist flew into my head. - Your goal isn't just to get to the level you were without shackles, you have to get stronger, and you have to develop your willpower.

- IN TWO WEEKS?!

- AND YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASY? - Garp grabbed my head and spun me around, tossing me toward the shore.

He trained Luffy the same way, didn't he?

The landing on the shore of the island came out hard, a drop of blood even gathering in the corner of my mouth. That damn old man... Only half a day left before nightfall, you could have let me rest.

- If I become admiral of the staff, I'll load him up with work up to his neck. - At that moment something flew into my head, and I hit my face in the sand again. - H-has he heard so far away? - I lifted my head and looked at what had hit me. It was a large leather backpack. When I opened it and looked inside, I saw a large water bottle and a lot of meat.

- Damn it, I have to run with this heavy backpack. - Clenching my fists, I pulled a piece of meat from the backpack and began to eat for the first time today. - I don't need to stretch this out for two weeks, do I? - Stopping a second piece of meat at my mouth, I clenched my teeth, and tucked it into my backpack. Rising on shaky legs and putting the backpack on my back, I began to run.

When night fell, I sat in the woods near the shore. I made a small fire so it wouldn't be so cold and slowly chewed a piece of meat.

As I engaged in a physical workout under the influence of kairoseki, it felt like I was back in my weak and flawed body from the old world. It was difficult for me to run even for ten minutes, my legs just fell by themselves. Because of all this, I had to rest for about thirty minutes before each five-minute run. Even now, however, I was already anticipating what the results would be at the end of my run and at the end of four months of training with Harp. Joining the Watch was no mistake, and after all, this is just the beginning, I haven't even trained the strength of my devil fruit.

Throwing out the bone, I leaned against a tree and looked up at the sky. If I leave the Watch for some reason in the future, should I look for allies? I could recruit, for example, Admiral Aokiji, who uses ice logic, or the one with the gravity paramecium that will replace him. I can find a lot of suitable people during my time on the Watch, as well as some interesting devil fruit.

When I stopped thinking about the future, I closed my eyes and began to fall asleep so that I could start training in the morning.

A week passed.

In the intervening time, my clothes had turned to rags, which I hadn't thrown away yet because there were no replacements. The backpack with provisions was also noticeably empty, which made it easier for me to carry. I ran around the island three times during the week, but was not able to complete the run until evening. However, progress was visible to the eye, even after a week of training. I feel much better than when I first put on my shackles, running in them is of course very uncomfortable, but within a week I was able to adjust, and I was getting the most out of my body. However, there were some disadvantages. The shackles wiped the skin on my legs in blood while running, so I had to use the will of arms to protect my legs.

Also a few times when I slept in the woods I was attacked by beasts, luckily a responsive sleep always saved me. Right now I was running with a backpack on my back and trying to figure out how to increase my speed. The shackles do not allow me to spread my legs properly, so the speed is noticeably reduced, and I would not be able to run around the island even in normal condition until the evening. The only thing that comes to mind is the use of different techniques, such as the soru and the one used by that pirate from Usopp's village. I understand that there must be some special leg movement technique behind it, but to learn it without a teacher...

I even tried running on all fours like an animal to increase my speed, but it was stupid as hell, and I got tired even faster.

Six days later.

I was sitting on the sand, chewing on the last piece of meat. I was almost out of water, only a liter left.

Just a little more... - I looked out at the sunset and wondered what Garp would cook for me when I failed in his task. I had already reached the level where I was without kairoseki shackles, I like my developmental speed, but I had never been able to run around the island before sunset. However, I am making progress with the leg movement technique I have developed. However, this technique is so lousy that it just speeds me up like I'm not wearing shackles and can move freely, and I need to speed up my normal speed by a factor of four.

- Shit! I can't even complete such an easy task! - After hitting a tree with my fist, thus leaving a big dent, I got to my feet and continued to improve my foot technique.

Not good!

It's horrible!

How can I even think about becoming an admiral!

If I can't improve my technique, I'll climb the mountain myself without using my legs!

I stomped my foot and my body began to shimmer.

Not enough!

I was running in a circle at twice the speed I normally do.

Too weak, I couldn't even dodge Garp's normal punch at that speed.

I quickly bent my back and spread my legs. The dust rose behind me, the speed getting faster and faster, until my legs cramped and I slid across the sand.

- What a load of crap this was. - I slammed my fist on the ground and raised a cloud of sand. - Kha, kha, my eyes... - I felt angry and desperate. I can't get faster than Garp in two weeks, I'm ashamed of myself. - Huh... Hahahahahaha. - I rolled over onto my back and started laughing. I got hysterical.

Wiping my eyes, I looked up at the night sky. It's okay if I can't do the workout, Garp will just give me a harder assignment. But I just need to improve my leg technique. I've already got my old strength back, there's just one technique left to improve. Just one improvement...

- Then I won't sleep..." I got up from the ground, and started running around the island.

At this time, a smile bloomed on Garp's face, who was watching Garou's training. He had purposely given an impossible task to a child so that he could give him a consolation prize, such as teaching him soru techniques, and then give him an impossible task again and throw him into the abyss of despair. What he saw, however, made him look at the kid in a new way. Everything he had shown before was the result of hard training and a strong will. Garp knew the boy was gifted, maybe he could become a Fleet Admiral in the future and make his life easier... - Hehe...

Garp also paid attention to the way Garu created his own technique. This technique is different from soru, thanks to which you can quickly move some distance. His technique allows him to move quickly. What is worth paying attention to is that he uses the technique when the movement of his legs is restricted. When he removes the shackles and modifies the technique, his speed will increase to a new level...

- Truly gifted. - Rubbing his chin, Garp went after Gara.

The evening of the next day.

I was lying on the sand. All my clothes looked worse than bum rags. My short black hair was all soaked with sweat and stained with sand. My stomach was empty, because I hadn't eaten since yesterday, and there was also a severe pain in my legs after I had squeezed the maximum out of them all day. And my emotional state was in chaos.

I made it!

And

I know how to develop another technique!

The speed of my feet at the end was so high that I was able to create fire. - There was a storm of emotion in my head about it. It was similar to Sanji's technique, the main difficulty here is getting a body part to vibrate quickly. My smile grew even wider when I realized that I couldn't have done it if I didn't have shackles.

- That leaves me to learn how to do it with my hands as well, hahahaha. Garp, I'm too tired and won't be able to make it to camp on my own. - I turned my head toward the woods and looked up at the tree where Garp was sitting.

- You surprised me. - Garp jumped down to me. - As a reward, I'm going to teach you a rokushiki technique called soru. - Garp tossed a pouch into my hands. When he opened it, the smell of meat hit my nose. - First, get some food.

I quickly took a large piece of meat. - How delicious.

The next day, Garp started teaching me the soru technique, which allows me to move a short distance almost instantly. The way I used the technique was quite different from my own technique, but thanks to my experience, I was able to learn the soru in just one day.

- Garou, about that technique you developed. - I cast an interested glance at Garp. - It's similar in meaning to the rokushiki heppo technique. - Garp jumped up in the air, and then pushed off into the air. - If you learn this technique by tomorrow, you'll have an easier time at tomorrow's practice. - Garp laughed and went to his house while I stood near the camp and pondered how my technique related to the heppo.

-Hmmm... -I lifted my leg a little and began to vibrate quickly, but not with enough speed to cover it with fire. In the next second I jumped into the air, and as I began to fall, I bent my leg at the knee so that in the next second I could curve it and increase the vibration. The air under my foot became tight in an instant, and I was able to push off into the air.

- That's all, pfft... I already thought I wouldn't sleep again. - I repeated the technique a few more times to reinforce myself and went to sleep in the barracks.

The next day, Garp decided to kill me. He made me put my hands behind my back and handcuffed me with kairoseki handcuffs. I immediately felt weak.

- These handcuffs have a higher kairoseki content than your shackles.

- Now what? You gonna put me in a cage and torture me?

- No, I'm just gonna throw you in the big birds' nest and you have until tonight to deal with them all. If you've learned heppo, you'll have an easier time avoiding attacks.

- Wait, wh... - Garp grabbed my head and threw me somewhere in the woods. I'm starting to get used to it.

As I landed, my body took down a couple of trees until I hit a big rock at the end. Before I could wake up, hundreds of big birds started screaming everywhere.

I looked around and saw that all the trees around me were being used as nests for the big birds.

- Yes he is crazy. -I quickly used the sora to dodge an attack by two birds. They're all mad at me for destroying some nests when I fell. - I feel like it should have been punishment if I hadn't finished last week's training. - I pushed off the air to dodge the bird, then covered my heel with my will and blew the bird's head apart. I wanted to, at least. My strength, because of my weakening, was only enough to knock it out.

Then I tried to light my foot, but my strength wasn't enough to do that either.

- I would have to get stronger again. - I concentrated on the will of observation and set about cleaning.

It had been two months since I had arrived on this island.

In all that time, I had only had contact with other people on the island a couple of times. Mostly I only interacted with the cook on this island. She's twenty-five years old, got a job as a cook on the patrol as a kid when she needed the money. And like most girls in this world, she's sexy as hell, plus she doesn't wear much clothing on her. I wish I had a girlfriend in this beautiful world, but I'm only thirteen, no one would want to have a relationship with a kid. Unless it's another kid... Ahem.

I wore shackles on my legs for the entire two months, and several times I had already put on new ones with more kairosecki. Garp has not handcuffed me again since then, though there are still two months to go...

Garp has taught me all the rokusika techniques, I'm not very good at them of course, and I don't like some of the techniques, I'll probably rarely use them. But there are some that I do like, like rankyaku, which allows me to create blades of tightly compressed air when I swing any long part of my body.

Also in the evenings, if I had time, I developed my fighting technique, the main principle of which is to cover a part of the body with will and fire. The progression is not very good, I will most likely do it at full strength in marinford, as I am always in a weakened state.

Of what is noticeable is the development of the will. The radius of action of the will of observation has increased from fifteen to forty meters. With the help of the will of arms I already think I will be able to smash rocks with ease. I might even be able to smash rocks easily without being affected by kairoseki, since I don't even know my full strength.

- Here you go. - Garp threw me a huge backpack. Looking inside, I saw a huge steel ball with a chain

- Let me guess, I'm supposed to hitch this ball to my shackles and run around the island?

- No way. You hitch that ball to your shackles and climb the mountain without using rokusika techniques, and I'll throw cannonballs at you while you do it. - Garp pulled out a cannonball from somewhere and tossed it.

- As much as you overestimate me, I don't think I can do it. - However, I decided to give it a try. I took a huge steel ball out of my backpack and hooked it with a chain on my shackles. - Then at least don't start throwing cannonballs at once. - I looked at Garp's wide grin and shook my head as I walked toward the mountain. As soon as I started pulling the huge steel ball behind me, I realized that this training would be many times more difficult than any of the previous ones. - Well at least I could drag it behind me. - Last time Garp helped me cover some distance, but I'm not going to ask him to do it myself.

As soon as I got to a place where I had to use my arms to climb up, I realized what a pain I would feel in this training session. It was hard to drag the ball up this incline, and I'm not yet climbing the steep part of this mountain.

After a few minutes I reached the steep part and already had to use the will of arms to climb. Unlike last time, where it took me a long time to make a hole for the grip, now it's much easier, I just leave a decent hole with my fist. However, I wouldn't say the speed has increased from last time, now I have to drag a very heavy steel ball.

Ten minutes later, as I was drenched in sweat, my will of observation caught a fast-flying object in my direction.

- Here we go... - How could I have forgotten that part? I dug my fingers into the mountain in a swift motion and pulled out a small piece of rock. Covering the stone with the will of my weapon, I threw it at the core flying at me, thus deflecting its trajectory, and it crashed a few meters away from me. Meanwhile, Garp laughed, and started aiming another cannonball.

- This is going to be fun. - Garp threw a cannonball at Gara with a big grin.

At this time, many of the sentinels from the camp could watch the hero of the patrol, trying to hit the guy who was climbing the mountain and dragging a huge ball of steel behind him with the cannonballs.

- Hey, why do you think Garp decided to punish this kid?

- I don't know, maybe he insulted Garp. Too bad about the kid, he's just young, I don't think he's going to make it.

- Are you kidding me? This guy's always hanging around Garp, maybe he's his grandson.

- Who would throw cannonballs at their grandson while he's climbing a mountain with a big steel ball?

- Isn't this guy Garp's apprentice? I've seen Garp teach him Rokushiki. Maybe he did something wrong.

- Hahaha, maybe Garp is just training him?

- Are you a complete idiot? Does this look like training to you?

Several hours went by.

My hands were shaking as I once again ripped a rock off the rock and threw it into the core. I no longer had the strength to climb the mountain, and there was still a long way to the top. The enormous weight, the weakness because of the kairoseka, and the kernels coming from Garp at times, just did not allow me to relax even for a second. So I started digging a small hole in the mountain where I could catch my breath.

It took about fifteen minutes to dig a small hole. In which to sit, but Garp's attacks kept me busy, so I decided to cover the entrance to the hole with a metal ball.

I grabbed the chain and started dragging the ball toward me, and then barricaded the entrance with it. Immediately it became dark, not a single ray of light entered the hole. I still had to hold on to the chain with the ball to keep it from falling off and dragging me down with it.

The attack with the balls stopped for only a couple of minutes, after which I felt the metal ball hit and as the ball mutely entered the hole I had made.

- At this rate, that ball could crush me. - I grabbed the chain with my hands, leaned against the wall, covered my legs with my will, and placed them on the orb. This would keep the orb from advancing further, but I would feel Harp's attacks...

However, it gave me just the time I needed to take a breather. I relaxed a bit and was ready to continue climbing the mountain. My will of observation caught the flying core, and I strained my legs and pushed the steel ball out of the hole. The ball immediately crashed into the core and knocked it down. To keep the ball from taking me with it as it fell, I jabbed my fingers into the mountain and braced myself for a hard jerk.

In an instant, it was as if I had been grabbed by my legs and tried to tear them off with one tug while I held on tightly.

- How did my bones not break? - I got out of the hole and continued to climb the mountain. The half-hour rest had taken some of the pressure off me, and even my climbing speed had increased a little.

As soon as the sun began to set, I climbed to the top of the mountain. I had to take three breaks during the entire climb, or I would have died. At the top of the mountain, I just lay back and enjoyed the wind that cooled my hot body.

After a few minutes, I heard footsteps next to me.

- Not bad, but I could have done better.

- You must have forgotten that I feel weaker now than I did before our training. - I said faintly.

Garp put a large piece of meat in front of me. - I'll let you rest for one hour. After that, you will have a training session with the will.

Two months later, the day before we set sail for Marinford.

Is my four-month training with Harp harder than Luffy's two-year training with Reilly? I don't know, but I think so. Every day of my training was unbearable. Every time the difficulty of the training reached a new level, all the subsequent ones weren't mitigating, they were harder or at least the same level. Yes, even when I was trained in easy for me rokushika techniques, afterwards he made me apply them in a very difficult fight.

But I can't, I can't say that I don't like it. It's even more than I expected from joining the Watch. My choice was definitely not a mistake, I don't know yet how strong I am physically, but my will has developed very much. The radius of my will of observation has developed from forty to three hundred meters. Everything I felt with my will became clearer, and I also began to hear other people's voices in that range. I think that in a couple of years, I will already be able to predict the future.

The will of arms has also become stronger, I haven't reached the advanced level of invisible will, but already now, I can cover my whole body, which I don't do though, because it wastes a lot of strength. I think that I can now cover some wood with my will, and go to crush rocks with it, and it won't break.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to awaken the royal will. You have to experience strong emotions to do that.

It's also frustrating that the only long-range attacks I have are rankyaku and the ability to throw some rocks. I can't develop a new technique because of my weakened state.

Today Garp told me he had a special surprise for me. I don't know if it's a gift or a hell of a final workout. As if I hadn't had enough of yesterday... I looked at my badly swollen left arm and shook my head.

A few minutes passed as I saw Garp approaching.

- Today was the last day. - Garp walked over to me. - However, you have one last test ahead of you. Follow me. - Garp said everything with a serious face. Just as I thought, I won't be able to rest today.

Garp led me to the sentinel camp. We didn't walk long, about five minutes, as we reached a small wooden building. Once inside, I saw the sentries laughing and booing merrily.

- Hey Garp, this place is...

- Bwahahahaha. You did a great job, that's your reward. You can rest all day at the hot springs.

- I didn't know there were hot springs here.

- Of course, how would you know, you've hardly been to camp, wahahaha.

That's how the day went. I relaxed at the hot springs and had fun. Garp didn't take my shackles off though, he said he would only take them off when we got to the ship.

There was one common spring, so I could watch the gorgeous shapes of the local girls all day long.

I even met the one guy I was with when I first got to the island. He told me that everyone was mostly trained in groups. They were trained in shooting and sword fighting and also in rokushiki. However, it took much longer for other people to advance in rokushiki than it did for me. He also told me that there was a guy like Rob Luchi, who worked for the world government. So this guy also had incredible talent, and at the age of thirteen, he killed five hundred soldiers he thought were weak and unworthy of life.

I think I could kill that many people too, even if they didn't take off my shackles...

The next day.

I stood excitedly on the sentinel ship, waiting for us to start sailing. Four months of very hard training on the island had hardened me. I could tell I had gotten a lot stronger. Now I was holding the key to my shackles and I was very excited. In all the time I had taken off my shackles, only to put on others with more cairoseki, now I would finally be rid of them.

Crouching on the deck, I inserted the key into the lock and opened it, and then immediately threw the shackles aside.

I immediately felt that wonderful sensation of being overwhelmed by power, but now this feeling will not be suppressed, I can feel everything fully. Also, I could finally remove the will of the weapon from my legs; now nothing would rub against me.

- Hahahahahahaha. - I got to my feet and started walking. The feeling was very unaccustomed. In four months I had gotten used to my legs being stiff and had even figured out a way to get around more comfortably. Now my feet were completely free. I ran along the deck with a happy smile on my face.

And sure enough, I felt control of my devilish fruit return. Pretty soon I would be able to try it out.

In my joy, I ran straight to the training room, where I walked over to the metal ball that I had to chain on my shackles several times, and which was very heavy. I grabbed the chain and began to lift the huge ball with one hand. The weight was almost impossible to feel.

- It was unbelievable. Just four months ago I was barely dragging that ball around, and now I can barely feel its weight. - How strong am I now? - I tossed the ball a few times on my arm, then put it down and went back to the deck. I guess standard training won't do me any good now. Unless, of course, I'm in kairoseki.

I went back to the deck and found Garp standing next to him.

- Old man, look at me, I seem to have grown taller. - I compared my height to Garp's and remembered how tall I was before.

- What? No, you're still a snot. - Garp laughed.

I compared that and realized I'd actually grown almost half a head taller. I wonder if I'll be as tall as Garp. That old man is almost three meters tall... I scratched my chin and stared at the sea.