65: Sign-In at Impel Down

[Sign-in complete. Sign-in reward acquired: Vitality +10.]

Ron felt a rush of warmth flowing through his body, along with a tingling sensation that seemed to tear at his muscles, invigorating every fiber. Curious, he examined the Senzu Bean he'd just acquired.

"No matter how severe the injury, it fully restores you to peak condition. Just as I thought—it's the legendary Senzu Bean from Dragon Ball!"

He chuckled to himself, pleasantly surprised. "I've already managed to sign in twice here at Enies Lobby."

"Next up is Impel Down, the Underwater Prison. I wonder what kind of reward awaits me there," he mused with growing excitement.

All in all, this journey was turning out to be a huge gain!

In front of the towering gates of Impel Down…

As Garp's warship docked, the prison warden Magellan and the deputy warden Hannyabal were already there, waiting to receive them.

"Vice Admiral Garp."

Magellan, the massive poison-man who wielded the powers of the Venom-Venom Fruit, stood tall, his demonic horns and large black wings casting an imposing shadow. He greeted Garp with a crisp salute, his gravelly voice resonating with a certain weight.

Next to him, Hannyabal stood stiffly at attention, throwing up a trembling salute. "Vice, Vice, Vice Admiral Garp! I'm Hannyabal, the new Deputy Warden! Becoming Warden is my ultimate dream!"

"Oh, no! I said it out loud again!" he muttered, berating himself.

"Hahaha! Don't worry about it!" Garp laughed heartily, waving a hand in amusement before gesturing toward the prisoner. "Here, this guy's all yours."

Magellan nodded in understanding and turned to Hannyabal. "Hannyabal, take the 'Corrupt King' Avalo Pizarro down to Level Six, the Eternal Hell."

"Y-Yes, sir!" Eager to make a good impression, Hannyabal quickly motioned for the jailer beasts to move in. Together, they took custody of Avalo Pizarro, the infamous prisoner still locked tightly within his cage.

However, just as the handover was about to conclude, a strange expression crossed Magellan's face. Pressing a hand to his stomach, he looked toward Garp with an apologetic smile. "Vice Admiral Garp, I apologize. I have… some urgent business to attend to. I'll be on my way now."

"Not a problem, go take care of it," Garp said, nodding understandingly.

With no further delay, Magellan spun around and made a hasty retreat back inside Impel Down.

"Pfft," Hannyabal let out a stifled laugh, barely containing his amusement. "That guy must be off to the restroom again. It's always like this for Magellan."

"The Venom-Venom Fruit certainly comes with its own challenges," Garp remarked, nodding sympathetically. He knew about Magellan's predicament—although the fruit granted him extraordinary power, the side effects were equally intense, forcing him to spend hours in the restroom releasing toxins.

"Well, he's all yours now," Garp said, turning to leave. "There's nothing left for us here, so let's head back."

But as he turned, Garp noticed something peculiar. He was suddenly alone.

Looking around, he saw no sign of Ron.

"When did that brat disappear?" he muttered, scanning the area before spotting a small figure slipping through the gates of Impel Down.

"Huh? Since when?!"

Meanwhile, just as Ron stepped through the imposing entrance of Impel Down, the familiar voice of the system echoed in his mind.

[Detected current location: Impel Down. Sign-in conditions met. Would you like to sign in?]

"Sign in."

[Sign-in complete. Reward acquired: Vitality +10. Bonus reward: Observation Haki level-up.]

[Current Observation Haki: Level 2.]

Swish!

Suddenly, a hand shot out of thin air, reaching toward him with surprising speed.

Ron, whose Observation Haki had just been enhanced, sensed the incoming attack and prepared to dodge.

Yet, before he could fully react, the hand's speed increased sharply.

"What?!" Ron's eyes widened in shock.

In the next moment, the hand caught him by the back of his collar, lifting him clean off the ground.

"I told you to stop running around," a voice thundered behind him.

Garp, wearing his iconic dog-head hat, was glaring at Ron with mock fury, holding him effortlessly. "Thought you could dodge? You're still a long way off, kid."

Ron gritted his teeth in frustration. This damn old man…

But he couldn't deny it—Garp's strength was terrifying.

Even with his enhanced perception, Ron couldn't escape. Observing Garp closely, Ron could almost "see" and "hear" the intense life force coursing through his body like a roaring river. His bones were like tempered steel, and his muscles were remarkably resilient. Compared to Lucci, whom he'd encountered at Enies Lobby, Garp's presence was a whole different level of intimidation.

To reach this kind of physical power, how many years of grueling training would it take?

Garp's Armament Haki was undoubtedly among the most formidable in the pirate world, possibly even unmatched. His Observation Haki was equally impressive, far surpassing Ron's own skills.

That single grab from Garp had been unavoidable, even with Ron's Observation Haki and Transparent World activated. He could sense the attack and even anticipate its trajectory, yet he couldn't dodge it.

Finally grasping the vast difference between their abilities, Ron wisely decided to let it go for now. There was no point challenging Garp at this moment. Instead, he resolved to remember this experience and bide his time until he could surpass him.

As they headed back, a small crowd gathered, watching Garp carry Ron by his collar like a disobedient kitten. Hannyabal stifled a laugh, unable to resist the humorous sight of the usually calm Ron being hauled around.

But as Ron passed him, Hannyabal caught a chilling glare from the young Marine intern. Beneath his messy bangs, Ron's eyes were sharp, piercing Hannyabal with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine. Cold sweat broke out across Hannyabal's forehead as he shifted nervously.

Only when Garp returned to the warship with Ron in tow did Hannyabal feel the suffocating pressure lift, finally allowing himself to exhale in relief.

"Who… who is that kid, anyway?"

With the warship departing from Impel Down, they began their journey back through the Calm Belt to Marineford.

After disembarking at Marineford, Ron returned to his usual routine. He resumed his daily life, occasionally joining Marine patrols and embarking on small missions with various warships.

Half a month later, Hina returned to Marineford, freshly promoted from Ensign to Lieutenant. Her first task upon arrival was to track down Ron.

"I'm back!" she declared cheerfully, grabbing Ron and dragging him along. "You owe me a shopping trip."

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T/N:

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