Commitment

Chapter 12: Commitment

Relying on its excellent insight and the user's powerful learning ability, Sharingan can easily copy the opponent's ninjutsu, taijutsu, and even illusions. So, after Garp demonstrated the Geppo, Rodney easily memorized the essence of the movements but still couldn't execute them.

The main reason is that his body is not qualified enough. The Rokushiki has certain requirements for the practitioner's physical condition. Ninjas have high attack power but low endurance, and Rodney is no exception. 

Although his body is native to the world of pirates, he hasn't had much physical training. Therefore, he needs to exercise and also requires a Shadow Clone...

But the Shadow Clone requires 1,000 points to exchange, and he often forgets about it... He can only practice with all his strength for now, constantly strengthening his physical strength. He has learned to use Shave, but he is still in the process of practicing the Geppo.

"Gomu Gomu no - Gatling!"

Countless fists strike, but Rodney easily dodges them.

Shave!

He instantly appears next to Luffy, "Shadow of the Dancing Leaf!"

He kicks Luffy's chin, sending him flying, then jumps up, and in mid-air, he positions himself behind Luffy, parallel to him. He twists his body and kicks Luffy in the stomach.

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

Boom!

Luffy is sent crashing into the ground. He gets up, brushes off the dust from his body, and says, "That was close! You're really strong." With a serious expression, he straightens his straw hat.

After being easily defeated by Rodney's Sharingan last time, Luffy, who is unwilling to admit defeat, challenges him again. Rodney initially refuses, but in the end, he is convinced by Luffy's persistence and has no choice but to agree. And now, here they are.

Luffy's rubber fruit makes him immune to blunt attacks. Rodney's punches and kicks have no effect on Luffy, so he takes out shurikens and kunai, holding them between his fingers, and throws them toward Luffy.

The shurikens collide in the air and change their trajectory. With Sharingan, Rodney has better control over the shuriken as he blocks Luffy's escape routes, leaving only a straight path toward him.

Just as he anticipated, seeing that all his paths of retreat are blocked, Luffy charges forward, making hand seals: "Fire Release!"

He jumps up, but Rodney seals his hands again, and within an instant, he spits out small fireballs.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

"Oh no!" 

Seeing that he can't dodge in mid-air, Luffy doesn't know what to do. He is only fourteen years old, and his actual combat experience is not extensive, but he knows he can't rely solely on brute force. Can his rubber body withstand the high-temperature flame formed by chakra and hit it head-on?

The phoenix fire hits him, igniting his clothes, but miraculously, it does not affect the straw hat on his head. So, the straw hat is the real body, huh?

"Gomu Gomu no—Pistol!"

His arm stretches out and hits Rodney with force, but after a burst of white smoke, it turns out to be a log.

"Hahaha, Luffy, you're such an idiot. Rodney has already escaped. You're still too naive." Garp laughs from the side. His intuition had already sensed Rodney making a gesture in advance, and then he disappeared at a rapid speed, leaving behind a wooden stake disguised as himself for Luffy to hit.

"Where is he?"

"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"

Now, there is only a head on the ground.

"Let me go, set me free!" Luffy yells, slapping the dust off his body, but Rodney ignores him. Using Earth Release is convenient, but it always leaves a lot of dust on his body, making taking a shower particularly troublesome.

"Ace, did you see that? Rodney enjoys fighting with his wits. You guys rely too much on your own abilities. This is where you fall short, Rodney boy, do you want to join the Marines? Your abilities are well-suited for working in the Marine." Garp, not giving up, extends an invitation to Rodney.

However, Rodney instantly rejects it, and Ace on the side says, "Old man, leave me alone! I want to venture out to sea!" He still wears Seastone Cuffs, but he can still move freely, but they also make his body weak and lacking strength, giving him an uncomfortable feeling of fatigue.

"Call me Grandpa!" Garp punches him, leaving a smoking red mark on Ace's head.

"Old man!"

"Damn it, you brat, why won't you call me grandpa? I want my grandson to love me too. Rodney boy, why don't you become my grandson?" 

Garp's mind wanders a bit. He truly deserves to be Luffy's grandfather, not knowing how a dragon with an extremely high IQ could give birth to a Luffy with a rather simple mind. Could it be that Luffy inherited the mother's genes? The Garp family's genes have evolved in Luffy...

"Don't." Rodney takes a step back and looks towards the sea. It appears that a large ship is approaching. Sharingan activates in his eyes, greatly enhancing his vision. He can clearly see the flag on the ship and the people already on board, the Spade Pirates!

"Ace, your crew is here."

"What? Everyone..." Ace is deeply moved. Suddenly remembering that Garp is still present, he becomes alarmed and says, "No, they can't come here!"

Garp looks towards the seaside and laughs, "Hahaha, Ace, it seems you've found a group of dependable crew members." The crew that will never abandon their captain at sea is a precious treasure for any leader. It seems he hasn't made a mistake in his judgment.

"Of course!" Ace says proudly. Then he sees Garp heading towards the port wearing the cloak of justice and asks in shock, "Wait! Old man, where are you going?"

"Do I even need to say? A group of pirates has arrived, and I, as a Marine, will naturally take action!"

Ace immediately rushes forward but is thrown back by Garp. Rodney helps him up, and Ace looks at him earnestly, saying, "Rodney, let me go! I'm going to save everyone!"

He doesn't know how powerful Garp truly is, but he knows that Garp is stronger than him, stronger than his respected and resented father, and stronger than the crew of his ship. If Garp were to make a move, his crew, and his friends, would be helpless against him.

Rodney looks at him. Of course, he can help Ace escape and remove his Seastone Cuffs. He holds the key to the Seastone Cuffs in his hand. However, if Ace escapes and enters the Grand Line, the chances of becoming Whitebeard's son are very high. Being loved by a father figure, it is easy for Ace to become his son after experiencing a father's love from Whitebeard.

Afterward, Blackbeard, during the war—Rodney simply looks at him and asks, "Ace, do you have to become a pirate?"

"That's only natural!"

"Even if it means risking your life?"

"I'm not afraid of death!"

"Even if it means dying in front of Vice Admiral Garp? Letting this old man who raised you watch you die without being able to do anything, and living with regret for decades?"

' Isn't that painful for him, who is bound by justice, to witness his grandson's death at the hands of Akainu?'

Ace and Luffy are his grandsons! How can a grandfather not love his grandchildren?

"I..." Ace hesitates this time.

He holds a great deal of respect for Garp, even though he addresses him as "stinky old man" and "old man." Garp is still his grandfather, even though he doesn't want to admit it. Rodney's question makes it difficult for Ace to make a choice. He is a pirate, and as a pirate, he will inevitably clash with the Marine.

When he decided to become a pirate, he had already put life and death aside. But Rodney's question makes him suddenly feel a twinge of fear toward death. Allowing himself to die in front of the stinky old man, watching himself die while the old man can do nothing but feel guilt until he dies...

How cruel is that?

Even though Garp carries the title of a Marine Hero, in front of his family, he is just an ordinary old man.

"Ace, what are you still pondering? They are your crew, your comrades! Shouldn't you be responsible for them?" Luffy suddenly shouts, in his opinion, comrades are more important than anything else. Rodney's face darkens.

Luffy's words solidify Ace's determination. He looks at Rodney and says firmly, "I won't die in front of the stinky old man! Absolutely not! Rodney, I promise you here! Please help me. I am their captain, and I will take responsibility for them if I lead them out!"

Ah, in this world, people always value loyalty above all else, which is admirable yet ridiculous at the same time.