Chapter 20: Garp Arrive

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As if sensing something, the man with the moustache turned and looked in Arashi's direction. 

The man's blurry smile appeared through the rain-soaked lens of the binoculars. Arashi shifted his gaze away. 

Behind the pirate ship speeding through the storm, scattered pirate ships were frantically and angrily trying to catch up, but they were quickly left behind.

Even the ships flying in the air were forced to land on the sea due to the storm coming to a halt. 

This sudden storm had undoubtedly disrupted the Flying Pirates' encirclement plan. 

Arashi then noticed ships coated with protective membranes emerging from the sea not far ahead of them. 

Everything appeared distorted and blurry in the storm, but the sight of the skull flag, representing the Flying Pirates, once again filled everyone with tension.

One ship after another quickly surfaced—ten in the blink of an eye. 

The Flying Pirates' formation had been completely scattered across the sea due to the battle and the storm. 

Arashi narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, and his aura rose. 

Black and red lightning crackled around him as a heavy, oppressive atmosphere emanated from his body.

But the next moment, his aura suddenly froze, and he sharply turned to look at the sea. 

Through the storm, he saw a Marine battleship with a dog-head figurehead speeding toward them. 

Then, a figure suddenly leapt from the bow of the ship.

"Buzz!" The storm seemed to halt, and an overwhelming aura spread out. 

A man with short black hair, a square jaw, and a wild grin swung his fist. 

Lightning as thick as a house shot out, slamming down with tremendous force. 

The sea rapidly caved in, and ten pirate ships were shattered in succession, with splinters flying everywhere.

"My beloved disciple, are you all right?" the man called out. 

"Please forgive your teacher for arriving late!" 

His booming laughter pierced through the storm and reached Arashi's ears, easing the serious expression on Arashi's face.

As the laughter echoed, the once-stalled storm resumed its movement, and the tiny figure that had appeared like a dot in the distance landed back on the dog-headed battleship.

"Vice Admiral Garp!"

"It's Vice Admiral Garp! We're saved!"

All the Marines around Arashi erupted in cheers. 

In this era, Vice Admiral Garp was the most powerful person in the Marines, a hero whose presence alone could stabilize the situation and boost morale. 

His legendary feats were earned through real combat, with no falsehoods.

Moments later, the two Marine ships converged. 

Arashi and the others were brought aboard Garp's ship, and only then did Simbu, Saul, and the others finally relax, smiling.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Garp walked over, laughing heartily. "So, Arashi, what do you think after seeing those two?"

"I've got a long way to go!" Arashi replied in a serious tone after taking a deep breath. 

Yes, just by watching, he could clearly see the vast gap between himself and the world's top-tier warriors. 

While mastering Conqueror's Haki to its fullest might significantly close that gap, it didn't mean he was on the same level as them yet. 

Observation Haki, Armament Haki, physical strength, reaction speed, and combat experience were all crucial factors that couldn't be ignored.

"You're right; you still have a long way to go!" Garp said, his smile fading as he spoke earnestly. 

He genuinely believed that Arashi could follow in his footsteps and become a Marine like him.

Arashi nodded firmly.

"True Marine are forged through countless battles, tempered in the crucible of life and death!" Garp continued, placing a hand on Arashi's shoulder. 

"And you, possessing the essential qualities of a Marine, will grow faster and go further than most!"

Garp then looked up at the storm ahead and suddenly grinned. "I'm planning to chase after Roger."

"Do you have the guts to join me?" Garp asked with a lighthearted tone. His back turned to Arashi as the storm raged around them.

Arashi's eyes narrowed. Chase after Roger? The thought of facing those two in battle stirred a deep sense of unease and fear within him. 

Could he stand against such powerful opponents? But in just a moment, he nodded firmly. "Let's go!"

Hearing this, Garp laughed heartily once again. He spoke softly, his voice nearly drowned out by the storm. 

"You have the potential to become a world-class powerhouse with monstrous abilities and exceptional talent."

"But your foundation is weak. You haven't even received systematic training as a Marine."

"Sengoku believes you should be given a stable environment to grow, waiting for you to mature before facing the real challenges."

"But," Garp paused, then grinned widely. 

"I disagree. You're destined to be different from everyone else. Even Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino can't compare to you."

"You possess a limitless quality with your Immortality." 

"You've survived gunfire, beheadings, cannon fire, poison—nothing can kill you. Yet, through all this, you've forged an iron will and made you stronger."

"And despite having no formal combat training, you've already awakened Conqueror's Haki!"

"You were born to grow stronger, step by step, in the face of adversity and danger, without fear of death."

"A sheltered environment is no place to raise a monster like you!"

Listening to Garp's words, Arashi's expression tightened, but then he smiled. "I'd prefer to stay by your side, Garp-sensei, and learn everything from you!"

Garp laughed loudly once more and patted his disciple's shoulder. "I'll train you to become the strongest Marine in history!"

With that, the hero of the Marines, at the peak of his power, turned and walked away. 

As Arashi watched Garp's tall and powerful figure disappear into the storm, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration and reflection.

Throughout the entire Marine system, Garp's life was full of challenges and heartbreak. 

He had tried to raise his son, his disciple, and his two grandsons to become Marines, but all his efforts failed. 

The three became pirates, and one became a revolutionary. Garp had fought to maintain a fragile peace his whole life. 

Everything he did was for the justice he believed in.

He was close friends with Roger, yet he repeatedly captured him, driven by his unwavering sense of justice. 

He watched as his grandson, whom he had raised with his own hands, was executed before his eyes, unable to do anything but watch until, finally, he screamed in rage at an old friend of many years.

{"Hold me down, Sengoku! Otherwise, I won't be able to stop myself from killing him!"}

Two years after the Marineford War, he again faced his former disciple, Kuzan, on Hachinosu Island.

Arashi's expression grew complicated as he remembered the older Garp—hair greying, his once-powerful body now slightly hunched, showing signs of age. 

Beneath his smile, there was always a hidden sadness and loneliness.

But the Garp standing before him now was different—domineering, wild, and strong! 

This was Garp at the pinnacle of his life, living more freely, joyfully, and passionately than at any point twenty years later. 

This was Garp's golden era when he was the Marine Hero.

'And this is my era too,' Arashi thought as he looked up, facing the raging storm. "This is my era," he murmured to himself.

<End Chapter>

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