Chapter 17: Disciple Tyr

Deciding to return to Foosha because Conomi islands were near the red line.

They leisurely made their way back to Dawn island and Tyr celebrated his birthday on his boat with the two boys.

"Wow, I never expected the world to be so much larger!" Ace was fascinated by their adventure.

"There's a lot more food out there than I expected." Luffy nodded sagely.

"Right? It was a nice trip, but we have to come back home." Tyr then looked at the direction of Amazon Lily.

It was too close to Mary Geoise. He wasn't going to risk it for now.

"Welcome back!" Makino hugged Ace and Luffy.

"We're back." Tyr raised his hand in greeting. "Did you guys have fun?" Makino asked.

"We explored east blue! We had a blast!" Ace was all giddy.

"Shishishi, we had all different kinds of meat!" Luffy was pleased by the diverse cuisine.

They then returned to Dadan's place in the mountains.

Tyr decided to rebuild his home in Foosha and he upgraded it to a log cabin.

"I guess when we visit this place again in the future. It would surprise them that I rebuilt our little hut." Tyr missed the Boa sisters.

"I should go and train some more... Maybe paying Koushiro a visit won't hurt?" Tyr wanted more versatility in his kit.

He thought of going to Shimotsuki again after Ace's birthday which is in new year.

"Oh, I better prepare a gift for Luffy as well. It's almost May." Tyr chuckled.

And what would be the best thing he could ever want? An all you can eat buffet of course.

So he started gathering all kinds of ingredients for Luffy. Even aging some sea king meat so they would develop a strong umami flavor.

And when May 5th, came. Makino blindfolded Luffy as she guided him towards the village's plaza.

"Makino, what's happening?" Luffy was feeling around and she chuckled.

"Just a little something, Luffy. Don't worry, you'll love this for sure." Makino chuckled and Luffy nodded.

"Ohhh, something smells good!" Luffy smelled the spread of dishes that Tyr prepared for him and Makino took off his blindfold.

"Happy birthday, Luffy." They all greeted him and he saw the food that was around.

"You guys!" Luffy grinned and Tyr patted his head while pointing at the spread.

"Go on tiger, eat as much as you can. This is your special day." Tyr smiled and Luffy almost dived into the food like a hungry beast.

"Hah, he's as feral as ever." Ace sighed while shaking his head.

"Everytime he sees food, he's like a crackhead that's going on withdrawal." Tyr laughed.

"Huh? What's a crackhead?" Ace asked and Tyr started sweating a bit.

"Uhhh, they're addicted to drugs. Don't do drugs alright?" Tyr ruffled his hair.

"Okay?" Ace didn't quite understand him. Though he vowed not to.

Luffy then stuffed his face like he wouldn't ever eat again.

"Best day ever!" Luffy cheered and Makino smiled at him.

"Ace, I'm gonna give you a little something." Tyr took out an object and Ace stared at it.

"That's a transponder snail?" Ace wondered why he would give him one.

"Garp's coordinates is also there. I'm gonna have a little adventure to myself next year, you see?" Tyr started explaining.

"Huh? You won't take us with you?" Ace frowned heavily.

"It's something I need to do for your big sisters Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold." Tyr smiled wryly.

"Oh... Will you come back?" Ace was worried and Tyr ruffled his hair.

"That's what the transponder snail is for, squirt. I'm going to come back here immediately if you call for help." Tyr gave him a reaffirming nod.

"Oh, then it's fine. A man's gotta do, what a man's gotta do." Ace supported him and Tyr chuckled.

"Why can't Luffy be a bit smarter like you." Tyr laughed.

Ace was proud of himself for a bit, then he noticed what Tyr meant.

"Hey! You saying I'm just a little smarter than Luffy!?" Ace glared at him.

"Yeah, but the tradeoff is you're a bit more impulsive than him." Tyr snorted.

"Huh!? Tell me how?" Ace raised a brow at him in doubt.

"Well, to mess with him. You took him hunting with me. Even if you're scared shitless." Tyr laughed and Ace winced.

"It's okay to be a bit immature. But it will cost you someday. Try to be more calm, you're Luffy's big brother." Tyr advised him and Ace went pensive.

"Un... I guess I am." Ace looked at Luffy and he thought of how a big brother should really be.

"That's my little bro, come on. I doubt Luffy would be able to finish all that. But he might eat all the best dishes." Tyr led him to the buffet.

__New Year, January 1__

It was a pretty cold morning. And Luffy was still rubbing his eyes as Ace woke him up.

"Luffy, come on. Say goodbye to Tyr, he's going on a trip." Ace pinched his cheeks.

"Good...bye zzzz." Luffy had a snot bubble on his nose as he fell asleep.

"Hmph, don't worry about him Ace. You two are growing kids, sleep is important." Tyr didn't mind.

"Here, I have a little something for you too." Tyr gave him a short sword.

"Wow... Thanks." Ace inspected it and Tyr smiled.

"Use it to protect Luffy alright? I'd imagine that hunting will also be much easier with it." Ace nodded with a beaming smile.

"Take care, you guys grow strong while I'm away." Tyr patted him on the back.

"Oh! Trust me with Luffy, I won't let you down." Ace was determined with his new responsibility.

"Good, call me if you have any problems." Tyr boarded his boat and let out a jet of flames for thrust.

"There he goes..." Ace saw him speed away and he looked at Luffy.

"I guess I'm the big bro here now. I hope I can do a great job." Ace chuckled.

__Shimotsuki village__

Tyr arrived by noon at Shimotsuki due to his speed.

He then went towards the dojo that Koushiro ran.

"Tyr!?" Kuina was doing practice swings outside and Tyr greeted her.

"Yo, Kuina. How you doing?" Tyr raised his hand nonchalantly and Kuina ran to him.

"You visited!" Kuina grinned at him and Tyr nodded.

"I'm here to learn how to use a sword, can never be too strong, yeah?" Tyr ruffled her hair.

"Ey! Stop messing my hair! I'm your Kuina nee-chan!" She pried off his hand.

"Hmph, maybe when you get bigger." Tyr snorted and she pouted at him.

"Ohhh, Tyr? It's good to see you." Koushiro saw him.

"Dad! He said that he's here to learn how to use the sword!" Kuina excitedly informed him.

"Yeah, Kuina might get cocky if she's unrivaled. So I'm gonna beat her to a pulp." Tyr chuckled.

"As if! I'm gonna be the best swordsman in the world!" Kuina huffed.

"Sure, sure, squirt." Tyr smiled at her and she harrumphed with puffed cheeks.

"Are you ready though? Learning the sword is quite the undertaking." Koushiro knew he was going to fight death battles with it.

And that was its true use. Unlike his other disciples that was just training for discipline and extra curricular activities.

"Wouldn't you say that something worth learning will be extremely hard?" Tyr smirked.

"Wise words... Pick a practice sword and spar with me. I will see how we should progress." Koushiro gestured for him to go in the dojo.

"A little warning though, I'm not exactly normal." Tyr advised.

"I would think so, with your features. You look more like a mythical creature." Koushiro chuckled.

Tyr took a bokken, a wooden uchigatana. He then went into a sloppy stance in Koushiro and Kuina's eyes.

'Heh, dad will school him!' Kuina was sure that Tyr won't be able to compete.

"Start!" Koushiro shouted and Tyr's eyes analyzed him like a computer.

Koushiro slashed and stabbed at him with his own bokken. But Tyr just dodged and weaved with impeccable instincts in his eyes.

'Ope, I forgot that I'm using haki...' Tyr thought it was cheating.

So he instead relied on his physical prowess. Koushiro was a good swordsman.

He even looked elegant in Tyr's eyes. With all the calculated slashes, thrusts, and footwork.

But he was too goddamned slow. Even without haki, Koushiro can't land a single hit on him.

Tyr then swung his sword sloppily. But Koushiro slid on the ground when he tried to parry it.

"Oops, I gave it a little bit more oomph." Tyr scratched his head sheepishly as he was used to always going out against Garp.

And the impacts of their blows creates shockwaves.

"You are too physically strong... Though your technique is lacking. Hah, Kuina. This is the difference in pure, brute strength. Tyr would kill me in one blow with his bare hands." Koushiro sighed.

Kuina went pensive as she stared at Tyr. "That's what I'm here for. It's to learn the techniques, you know?" Tyr laughed.

"You'd be a terrifying swordsman if you can sharpen your techniques." Koushiro imagined Tyr slicing down mountains in due time.

"You're gonna make me blush, Koushiro." Tyr laughed.

"Kuina, can you teach him the basics?" Koushiro asked of her.

"Kuina?" Koushiro called out to her again because she was spacing out.

"Huh? Yeah..." Kuina nodded and she focused once again.

Tyr noticed that she was thinking about something deeply. But he would ask about it later.

"Good, I'll also teach you how I trained my physique, Kuina." Tyr thought she will be quite the firecracker in the future.

"Really!?" Kuina suddenly beamed at him. "Yeah, prepare yourself though." Tyr warned her.

"Huh? Why? I'm born ready!" Kuina had a determined expression.

"Well, you'll feel like you're dying." Tyr looked at her. Koushiro and Kuina started laughing.

"That's a good one." The father and daughter duo smiled at him. But he wasn't laughing.

"That's a joke, right?" They asked with a gulp. "Haha, gotcha." Tyr laughed too and they smiled nervously.

"Or am I?" Tyr smirked at Kuina and she paled.

__A few moments later__

"Hah, hah, hah, 103!" Kuina was swinging a metal bar with weights on top. Increasing the torque needed to lift and control it massively.

"Do a thousand of those and you'll have a break of an hour. Next comes stamina training and I'll shackle you in these." Tyr made an iron ball and shackle.

Kuina was panting like crazy and she saw what was next. "I regret all the decisions I have made that led to this moment." Kuina felt like her arms were as heavy as lead.

"Oiii! Kuina! I'm here to challenge you again!" Zoro showed up and Kuina ignored him entirely.

"Oi, what are you doing?" Zoro raised a brow at her weird training.

"Shhh, don't disturb her, squirt. Hmmm, now that you're here... Why don't I make you feel what her training is like?" Tyr suddenly latched the shackles on him.

"Training!? I won't get bested by her!" Zoro was all in.

"Then run around the village. Give me 50 laps, chop, chop." Tyr clapped and Zoro started to run.

But he immediately face planted when the iron balls were too heavy for him to pull.

"T-this is impossible!" Zoro pulled at the iron balls with all his strength. And he only managed to move them for a few feet.

"Tough luck then, you're just not cut out to being a swordsman if you can't even do that." Tyr shrugged and Zoro frowned heavily.

"Bah! I'll show you! Ahhh!" Zoro started pulling the weight with maximum effort.

"You're next by the way." Tyr looked at Kuina and she wanted to cry.

"Will they be fine, Tyr?" Koushiro saw their brutal training.

"Hmph, I was hauling battleship anchors and chains when I was three." Tyr huffed and Koushiro winced.

'They're not exactly like you...' Koushiro wanted to retort, but Tyr looked like he knew what he was doing.

As they can barely finish his tasks. But they can do it nonetheless.

"Come on! Stop being slow! Swing faster!" Tyr hyped up Kuina and she looked at his father with a helpless expression.

Koushiro turned away and Kuina gasped at the betrayal.

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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.