Chapter 13 - Vice Admiral Garp

Raiden stared at the mountain of a man in awe. Grap was almost double his height, which made him even more intimidating.

This was the first time he encountered a canon character from the One Piece world. And it was none other than Luffy's grandfather, the legendary Marine hero, Garp. Raiden took a deep breath, mentally composing himself.

Garp observed Raiden with a mix of curiosity and amusement. The ten-year-old radiated an unusual vitality and potential that immediately caught the veteran Marine's attention.

Garp's grin widened as he daydreamed about molding this boy into a formidable Marine, 'Hehe. Luffy, Ace and this brat...yup, I'll make these brats good soldiers.'

"Brat, how in the world did you kill a Devil Fruit user, huh?" Garp asked, his voice booming with genuine curiosity. It wasn't every day that a child managed to neutralize a full-grown Devil Fruit user, especially in the relatively peaceful East Blue.

Raiden's excitement bubbled over as he eagerly explained his strategy, carefully omitting any mention of his reincarnated knowledge or the fact that Ronan helped him. Although he knew that Garp wouldn't arrest him, there was no point in leaking that information.

As he spoke, detailing his meticulous planning and execution, Garp and Rock, his grandfather, grew increasingly astonished. The boy's intellect and strategic mind were much sharper than his age suggested.

'Forget it. Luffy is too stupid to be at his level. That brat can only throw punches.' Garp thought with a mental sweat drop.

Suddenly, he realised something, "Wait! how did you know about the weaknesses of Devil Fruits? That's not common knowledge around here," Garp pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Raiden blinked a couple of times, before turning towards Rock, "Oh, that? Grandpa told me," Raiden replied smoothly, attributing the knowledge to Rock without missing a beat.

Rock blinked in confusion. "When did I tell you that?"

"You're getting old, Grandpa," Raiden said, subtly gaslighting Rock into believing he had taught him about Devil Fruits.

Garp chuckled, not fully convinced but willing to let it slide for now. "Bah! Who cares. That was a smart plan, brat. How about it… wanna become a Marine?" Garp's excitement was palpable. He saw immense potential in Raiden and wanted to recruit him immediately.

The sea was getting more and more dangerous. And he wanted to take the boy in before he chose the wrong path.

Raiden's mind raced as he considered the offer seriously, weighing the pros and cons. Joining the Marines would provide excellent training and resources. He could gain strength in peace and he can hunt pirates legally, getting a decent flow of AP as well. Also, if he ever felt trapped, he could always desert. It was a tempting proposition.

"Absolutely not!" Mary appeared out of nowhere and yelled at Grap.

Mary stormed over and hugged Raiden tightly, her protective instinct fierce. "Get lost, both of you. He's not going anywhere. Go recruit Marines elsewhere."

She was furious, determined not to let the old man corrupt her grandson. She had already lost too much to the Marine life—her son, her husband's health, and her marriage. She wouldn't let Raiden follow the same path

Garp and Rock exchanged looks, understanding Mary's hatred for the Marines. They couldn't blame her.

"Mary, we need young recruits to carry out justice," Garp tried to reason, his tone softer but still firm.

"Justice!? You mean the kind where you hypocrites…" She covered Raiden's ears. "…suck those Celestial Dragons' dicks!?" She uncovered Raiden's ears. "Or the kind where you collaborate with the pirates you're supposed to hunt!?"

Raiden's eyes widened at Mary's outburst. He knew her history with the Marines was fraught with tragedy, but seeing her so furious was a new experience.

"Raiden isn't joining the Marines, and that's final." Mary said with a furious tone.

A heavy silence followed. Mary's breathing was labored from her anger.

"Grandma..." Raiden said softly. He grabbed her hands, trying to comfort her.

Garp remained silent for a moment before he addressed the furious woman. "Mary...I know how you feel, but your worldview is limited. Yes marines have to follow the orders of those celestial scums but...without marines the pirates will overturn this world." Garp insisted, his voice calm but resolute.

He took a deep breath and continued. "That boy has Conqueror's qualification. He is destined for the sea. He can never sit back here on this small island."

Raiden's eyes widened in shock. 'Did he sense my awakening? That is insane!'

"Think about my offer boy. And you too, Mary but keep in mind, he'll either join the marines or you make sure he never leaves this island. Because if I find out he became a pirate..."

Garp started moving away towards his warship.

"...I'll hunt him down myself." Garp said ominously, before vanishing from their sight.

Raiden gulped. He knew Garp wasn't bluffing. Without a familial bond like Luffy's, Garp wouldn't hesitate to enforce his justice.

Raiden hugged his trembling grandmother, trying to comfort her. "Grandma, Grandpa, let's go home."

They nodded absent mindedly. All three of them had a lot on their minds, Garp too, didn't make things easier with his warning.

'Man, this became complicated for no reason.' Raiden sighed. He made his way back home, wanting some peace after the chaotic day.

_____

The morning came way too early, in Raiden's humble opinion. He was still exhausted from the confrontation and the emotional turmoil that followed it, the day before.

He got dressed and made his way outside, wanting to clear his head. The village was slowly coming to life, and as he walked towards the center, he noticed the villagers already cleaning up the mess left by the pirates. Some houses had been damaged, and there were still signs of the fierce battle scattered around.

Villagers were moving about, talking in hushed tones about the events that had transpired. Raiden caught snippets of conversations, and it was clear that everyone was deeply affected by the attack.

Near the village square, a small group had gathered around a makeshift memorial. There were a few solemn faces, and Raiden felt a pang of guilt as he approached. The memorial listed the names of those who had died defending their home.

Surprisingly, the villagers even arranged a proper burial for even the pirates that Raiden had killed the other day, which was a pretty nice gesture. No point holding grudges against the dead.

The number of villagers that died were close to twenty, all of them being men. He had a few villagers come over to thank him, although it was all muddled with the somber mood that the village had.

It was a pretty grim reminder of how easy it was to lose your life in this world.

Raiden left pretty quickly after the rituals were done. He had a lot on his mind.

_____

Raiden slowly made his way to the beach Rock used to train him at. He always found this place pretty peaceful.

"Admiring the view, Raiden?" Rock appeared out of nowhere and sat down next to the boy.

Raiden hummed in response, still lost in thought.

Rock looked out at the horizon, a wistful expression on his face. "This place is special to me, you know. It's where I confessed my love to your grandma, where we got married, and where I trained my son." He paused, his voice tinged with sadness. "He's gone now, but this place... it holds so many memories."

Raiden listened carefully. He hadn't known all this. To him, this was just a nice, quiet place he enjoyed spending time at. He hadn't realized just how much this little beach meant to the old man.

Rock continued, "Your grandma... she always knew you were sneaking into the forest to train. She just pretended not to notice because she saw how much it meant to you. She loves you very much, Raiden. Even if we've only been together for a month, she looks at you as her own grandson."

Raiden's eyes widened in shock. "She knew?" He had thought he was being so stealthy.

Rock nodded, a small smile playing at his lips. "She knew. And you have no idea just how much she chewed on me. She just worries because she's already lost so much."

They sat in silence for a while, the sound of the waves filling the gaps between their thoughts.

"Grandpa," Raiden started hesitantly, "about what Vice Admiral Garp said... what do you think I should do?"

Rock sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Garp is right about one thing. You're destined for the sea, Raiden. Whether as a Marine or something else, you have a power and potential that can't be confined to this village."

He turned to face Raiden, his expression serious. "Garp gave you a couple of years to stay here and make your decision. Use that time wisely. Train, learn, and decide what path you want to take. I support you, as long as you are walking on the right path. As for your...'profession', I couldn't care less about it." He said with a chuckle.

Raiden nodded slowly, the weight of the decision pressing down on him.

"Let's start your training, boy. I'll show you the Marine Six Styles, the Rokushiki. I'm not as good as the monsters at Marineford, but I can, at the very least teach you the basics."

Raiden's eyes widened in excitement. "Really? What about grandma?"

Rock smiled. "I know your grandma agrees too, right, honey?"

Raiden was confused until he heard a snort coming from one of the trees. "Grandma!"

Mary stepped out, crossing her arms with a huff. "What do you want, brat? If you've made your decision, then don't bother me now! Hmph!" Said said, looking away.

"...just be safe, please." She added in a low voice, her tough exterior cracking for just a moment.

Raiden beamed. Rock just smiled and ruffled his hair. "Well then, let's train you properly now, boy."

"Yosh!" Raiden exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over.

Both Raiden and Rock laughed while Mary watched with a fond smile. She clutched her necklace that had a picture of her late son.

"Looks like someone is going to carry your will... my baby." A small tear dropped onto the necklace.

The dawn that day was quite special... one that marked the rise of someone who would create massive ripple effects in the pre-set story.

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