Unexpected Bonding ft. Uta, Garp & Rouge!

Raphael: <>

System: []

******

It had been nearly a week since Grey transmigrated into Luffy's body, and the reality of his new life was gradually beginning to sink in. The awkwardness of interacting with Rouge and Uta also started to fade as he grew more comfortable in his new identity as Luffy.

He quickly grew accustomed to the routine of life in Foosha Village, though the emotional connections he felt toward those around him continued to catch him off guard. Whether it was Makino, the barmaid whom Luffy saw as an older sister, or Dadan, who helped Rouge raise him, Ace, and Uta—Luffy loved them all dearly, like his own family. Now, Grey could feel those bonds influencing his own emotions and decisions.

Over the week, Luffy also began testing the waters with his other boons, subtly exploring the extent of his abilities. He discovered that the Perfect Healthy Body boon granted him exceptional physical resilience and strength. Although it wasn't on par with the Rubber Devil Fruit powers that Luffy originally had in the manga, it was still enough to give him an edge over ordinary combatants in this part of the sea.

Meanwhile, the Inventory space appeared to be infinite, just as he had requested from his guide during the reincarnation process. Additionally, there seemed to be a stasis enchantment within the Inventory that halted time for any items placed inside. Unfortunately, Luffy could only store nonliving things, so it couldn't be used to protect or shield an injured crewmate.

Overall, Grey was pleased with his gifts and with how well he was transitioning into Luffy without drawing attention. However, what he didn't realize was that Luffy's sudden change in behavior hadn't gone unnoticed at all.

The people around him, especially Rouge and Uta, noticed the subtle changes in his behavior—like his increased thoughtfulness and more measured approach to decisions. In the end, they seemed to chalk it up to his growing maturity as he prepared to set sail the following year. However, throughout the week, the more they observed Luffy, the more baffled they became by this new version of him.

Luffy also started doing and saying things he'd never done before. For example, Rouge nearly choked when Luffy announced he should learn to cook—and actually managed to make good-looking, tasty food on his first try. Uta and Makino were left dumbfounded when he complimented a visiting merchant's daughter, and were even more shocked when she flirted with him and he flirted back. By the end of the day, no one knew what was going on with Luffy, so they just assumed it was another one of his usual absurdities.

What they didn't know, however, was that before coming to this world, Grey had been an ordinary man with an ordinary salary. Eating out every day wasn't easy on either his wallet or his health, which forced him to learn how to cook for his survival. Additionally, having worked in a customer-facing job, the playful exchange with the merchant's daughter was nothing more than a casual interaction between two strangers for him.

Overall, life was good and normal—until today, when a legendary hero decided to visit his grandson.

******

"Raphael, how much more time is it going to take to sync the system?" Luffy asked, sitting in his room, spinning his Straw Hat on his finger.

<Answer: Appromixty few more hours.>

"It's all right then, it's not like I'm in a hurry or anything," Luffy replied, knowing there was no point in rushing Raphael since he knew that Raphael was always working at maximum efficiency.

"What about my smartphone?" Luffy asked.

<Answer: Synchronization with a smartphone is already complete.>

"Great. In that case, could you start searching for techniques from other fictional worlds that might be adaptable here?" Luffy requested. He knew that many techniques from anime and comics were impractical or tied to power systems that couldn't exist in this world, but he believed there might be some that could be adapted. So he tasked Raphael with finding them.

<Notice: The search for optimal techniques has begun.>

Just then, the door to his room swung open, and as usual, Uta walked in without knocking or asking for permission. "Oi, Luffy! Rouge called you for breakfast!" she shouted as she entered.

Luffy sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Uta, would it kill you to knock or ask for permission before barging in? What if I was changing or, I don't know, doing something worse?" he added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, please," Uta replied with an unimpressed expression, showing no sign of embarrassment. "It's not like I'd see anything I haven't seen before. And remember, I've seen you pick your nose, so I'm not exactly going to be attracted to you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, sister," Luffy said dryly. "Why are you so shameless?"

"Shanks raised me during the impressionable years of my life," Uta said matter-of-factly, as if that explained everything. "Anyway, come on, I'm hungry," she said, grabbing Luffy by the arm and dragging him out of the room.

Luffy let himself be pulled along, smiling at the banter. Despite the constant teasing, he was starting to enjoy the dynamic between him and Uta. For a former orphan like him, all these interactions were quite heartwarming.

As they walked down the hallway, Luffy glanced at Uta. "You know, one day I might actually surprise you by locking the door."

"And I'll just kick it down," Uta shot back without missing a beat, grinning mischievously.

Luffy chuckled, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

"And you love me for it," Uta teased, draping her hand over his shoulder as they entered the kitchen.

Rouge looked up from the stove, smiling warmly at the two. "There you are. I was starting to think you'd sleep through breakfast."

"Blame Uta," Luffy said with a grin. "She took her sweet time coming to get me."

"Only because someone takes forever to get ready in the morning," Uta retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

Rouge laughed softly, shaking her head at their playful bickering. "All right, you two. Sit down and eat before the food gets cold."

As they sat down at the table, the door suddenly slammed open with a thunderous bang, startling everyone. Standing in the doorway was none other than the Marine Hero, Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp.

"Oi! Luffy!" Garp's booming voice filled the room as he strode in with the force of a hurricane. "I hope you are not slacking off! Otherwise, I will give you the taste of my fist of love!"

Luffy nearly choked on his food, quickly swallowing before looking up at the imposing figure of his grandfather. "G-Grandpa! What are you doing here?" he stammered, trying to compose himself.

Garp grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What, I can't visit my grandson?" he asked knuckling his head.

Uta snickered from her seat, clearly enjoying Luffy getting harassed by Garp. "Good morning, Gramps," she said casually, clearly used to Garp's dramatic entrances.

"Morning, Uta!" Garp replied with a hearty laugh before turning his attention back to Luffy. He crossed his arms, eyeing his grandson critically. "But you do seem a bit different. What's going on with you?"

Rouge, who had been watching the exchange with a fond smile, decided to step in. "Garp, don't be too hard on him. Luffy's been going through some changes, he has matured a lot since you saw him last time. He's been more thoughtful and responsible lately unlike you Garp."

Garp raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of skepticism and amusement. "You? Thinking? Now I know something's up."

"Garp, stop harassing your grandson and join us for breakfast," Rouge said and served Garp his share of food.

"Fine," Garp said as he took a seat at the table. "By the way, we are going to spar after breakfast to make sure that you are not slacking off!"

"Uh, spar? Right after breakfast?" Luffy's eyes widened slightly, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead after all he had seen in Luffy's memories how brutal this devil grandfather was.

Uta burst into laughter, clearly enjoying Luffy's predicament. "You're in for it now, Luffy. Good luck trying to keep up with Gramps."

"What are you laughing at? You're coming along too!" Garp said, effectively dampening Uta's cheerful mood. She looked stunned for a moment before glaring at Luffy as if it were his fault they were being dragged into Garp's plans.

"Rouge, can I get seconds?" Luffy asked, hoping this wouldn't be the last time he'd enjoy Rouge's heavenly cooking.

******

After breakfast, Garp led Luffy and Uta outside the cabin, and the trio began walking through the forest, searching for a good spot to spar.

"Ahh! What beautiful weather!" Garp laughed heartily, clapping his fist into his palm with a resounding smack. "I'm going to have more fun than usual pummeling you two!"

Meanwhile, Luffy and Uta, trailing behind him, exchanged nervous glances. Garp's enthusiasm was anything but reassuring.

"Luffy, do something!" Uta hissed, jabbing him in the side.

"What do you want me to do?!" Luffy shot back, poking her in return.

"Hahaha! You two are as lively as always!" Garp's laughter echoed through the forest. "You'll make fine additions to the Marine ranks! If only that idiot Ace had listened to me and joined the Marines."

"Like that would've done anything after they learned who he really is," Luffy muttered under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper.

Unfortunately for him, Garp's sharp senses picked up the remark. The Marine Hero stopped in his tracks, turning to glare at Luffy with an intensity that sent a shiver down Uta's spine.

"What was that, brat?" Garp demanded, his tone devoid of its usual cheerfulness.

Luffy sighed but decided to stand his ground. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Gramps," he said, meeting Garp's glare without flinching. "Once your precious Marines figure out who Ace really is, do you really think they'll care if he's a Marine or not?"

"Luffy..." Uta's voice trembled slightly as she instinctively grabbed his sleeve, her eyes darting nervously between her brother and their grandfather.

For a long moment, Garp's eyes bore into Luffy's, the tension between them palpable. Then, with a low grumble, Garp turned and continued walking, though his usual jovial mood was noticeably absent. Luffy and Uta followed in silence, the atmosphere between them heavy with unspoken words.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Luffy spoke up again, his voice low but firm. "I know why you want us to join the Marines, Gramps. It's because of our fathers, isn't it?"

Garp sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "So, you know who your father is, huh?"

"I mean, there can't be that many Monkey D's in the world," Luffy replied dryly.

Garp glanced back at him, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. "Well, if you're so smart, then why are you resisting so much?"

"Because it doesn't matter who I am, or who Uta is," Luffy answered, his voice gaining strength as he spoke. "At the end of the day, your precious organization and its leaders will never see us as individuals with our own sins and virtues. To them, we'll always be tools—to hurt our fathers, or to serve as symbols for their propaganda."

Garp's steps slowed as he absorbed Luffy's words. A flicker of pain flashed in his eyes, quickly masked by a stern frown. "You think I don't know that?" he muttered, more to himself than to Luffy. "But with enough achievements, they'll have no choice but to acknowledge you for who you are."

Luffy could sense the conflict within his grandfather. He knew Garp wanted to protect them, to give them a future that wouldn't be overshadowed by their heritage. But he also knew that Garp's faith in the Marines was unshakable, even if it was misplaced. After all, he saw this very man restrain himself when Ace was going to get executed at the hands of a Marine

"I respect you, Gramps, and I know you're trying to do what's best for us. But the Marines aren't the answer—not for me, and not for Uta," Luffy said as he grabbed Uta's hand and gave a light squeeze.

Garp stopped walking, his back to them, and let out a deep sigh. "You've grown up more than I realized, Luffy," Garp said quietly, his voice devoid of its usual bluster. "But the world out there is harsh. You've got to be strong—stronger than you can imagine—if you're going to survive it. The Marines would give you that strength."

Garp knew his grandson was destined for greatness. He could see the fire that burns within his grandson, similar to his father and himself. He knew that just a few years under Zephyr and his grandson would be a force to be reckoned with.

Luffy shook his head, a small, sad smile on his lips. "Strength doesn't just come from power or training, Gramps. It comes from knowing who you are and what you stand for," he said. "If I can't achieve my dreams, then what's the worth of this life you're trying to give me?"

Garp stared at him for a long moment before nodding slowly. "I see. Just... make sure you know what you're doing, boy. The world doesn't go easy on fools."

With that, they finally found a clear opening for their spar.

******

Later that evening, Luffy and Uta sat in his room, both of them battered and bruised, each nursing their wounds with ice packs. This was the usual scene after their sparring session with Garp which always leaves them sore and exhausted every time.

"Your grandfather is a demon!" Uta whined, wincing as she pressed an ice pack to her leg and every ache in her body seemed to amplify her frustration.

Luffy chuckled weakly, wincing as he adjusted the ice pack on his shoulder. "Yeah, he's pretty intense, huh? You'd think he'd go easy on us, but nope."

"Easy? He acts like he's training us to take on the entire world!" Uta groaned, shifting to a more comfortable position. "I mean, I know he's the Marine Hero and all, but does he have to be so... brutal?"

"Gramps has always been like that," Luffy said, leaning back against the wall, his body protesting the movement. "He thinks the only way to show his love is to beat the crap out of us."

"I get that, but still..." Uta sighed, her frustration slowly giving way to exhaustion, "There's a difference between tough love and whatever that was today. He nearly broke my ribs!"

"Yeah, but we survived, didn't we? And we're stronger for it." Luffy smiled sympathetically. " Besides, I think he's proud of us, in his own way."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to take a shower. See you in a bit," Uta said, getting up slowly and limping slightly as she left Luffy's room.

Luffy leaned back with a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment, trying to let the lingering aches and pains fade away. Just as he was beginning to relax, there was a gentle knock on the door. He opened his eyes to see Rouge entering the room, a concerned look on her face and a notebook in her hand.

"Looks like Garp went overboard with his love again," Rouge said with a soft smile as she sat down beside him. She placed the notebook on the table and gently took the medical box from Luffy's hands, beginning to patch him up with practiced ease.

"Yeah, it's business as usual," Luffy replied, wincing slightly as Rouge applied medicine to one of his more painful wounds. "By the way what's that?" Luffy asked gesturing towards the notebook.

"Don't know," Rouge shrugged. "Garp left it with me before he left and told me to give it to you."

"Oh..." Luffy said wondering what might be in that notebook.

Rouge smiled warmly as she finished tending to Luffy's wounds. "There! All done," she said, her voice soft with affection. "You better not get into the habit of getting injured like this out at sea. After all, I won't be there to patch you up."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," Luffy replied with a chuckle. He paused, then added almost reflexively, "Thanks, Mom…!" The word slipped out before he could catch himself, and he immediately froze, his eyes widening in surprise at what he had just said. "Rouge… I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"It's okay, Luffy," Rouge interrupted gently, placing a comforting hand on his head. Her voice was kind and filled with warmth. "In fact, I'm quite happy you see me like that…" She leaned down and kissed his forehead tenderly, but her smile faltered when she noticed tears streaming down his face. "Luffy, what's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing…" Luffy quickly shook his head, trying to brush off the question. He knew there was no way he could tell her that the tears weren't from Luffy but from Grey himself.

Seeing Luffy like this, Rouge sighed softly and pulled him into a gentle embrace, stroking his head as he rested it on her shoulder. The boy leaned into her touch, finding solace in her presence. As she held him, Rouge's eyes burned with a quiet fury, directed at the kind of mother who would abandon her child without ever meeting him. The thought of Luffy growing up without his mother filled her with anger and sadness, emotions she rarely let surface.

Meanwhile... 

Baltigo, Grand Line -

On an island covered in white soil, within the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, a woman with golden hair and blue eyes was diligently working when a sudden wave of longing surged through her. She stood up from her desk, leaving her papers behind, and walked to the balcony facing east.

"Luffy…" the woman muttered in a voice thick with pain. Her expression was one of deep sorrow, the years of separation weighing heavily on her heart. But she quickly shook her head, pushing the emotions back down as she had done so many times before. "I'll have to ask Kuma to pay him another visit…" she murmured to herself, before turning away from the balcony and returning to her work.

Back at the Foosha Village -

After sharing a heartfelt moment, Rouge gave Luffy one last smile before quietly exiting the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. She understood he would need some time to process everything and made sure to tell Uta not to disturb him until the next morning.

In the quiet of his room, Luffy finally calmed down and picked up the notebook that Rouge had brought with her. He opened it, and tucked between the pages was a letter. Curious, he unfolded it and began to read.

******

Hey Brat,

All this time I thought you were just a stupid boy trying to become a pirate to imitate that Red-Haired moron—I'm going to punch that idiot for badly influencing my grandson—but today I realized you're more mature than I thought. You know the path you're taking and what its consequences will be.

That's why I won't force you to become a Marine anymore, and this notebook is the last thing you'll ever learn from me. If you can figure out how to master the things in this book, your strength will be greatly enhanced. If you can't, don't even think about setting foot in the Grand Line, let alone the New World.

After this, there will be no more lessons or spars. The next time we face each other, it'll be as a Pirate and a Marine, and I don't plan on losing to a brat like you. So train hard and don't embarrass me in front of the world.

P.S. Don't cause too much trouble like your father. Sengoku is already on three heart medications and blames me for his condition.

Your Loving Grandpa!

******

Shaking his head with an amused smile, Luffy carefully folded the letter and placed it under his bed. Then he turned his attention to the notebook and opened it, his eyes widening in surprise and joy when he saw the title: Basics of Armament & Observation Haki. His heart raced with excitement. This was something that canon Luffy hadn't acquired until 500 chapters later, and the best part was that he hadn't even needed to use his system to get it.

Without wasting any time, Luffy quickly stuffed the notebook into his Inventory and asked Raphael to start analyzing it. He wanted to make sure it would be easy to understand, not just for himself but for Uta and any future crew members.

Just as he managed to contain his excitement, another message from Raphael popped up.

<Notice: The synchronization of the Randomizer System is complete.>

"Oh, it's finally done!" Luffy said eagerly. "So, is there anything I should know?" he asked, anticipation bubbling up inside him.

<Notice: The first draw comes with a 50% increase in the Luck factor. Aside from that, there is nothing to worry about.>

"Great! Let's do it!" Luffy said, opening his system screen. With a mixture of excitement and nerves, he spent his first 1,000 points on a roll.

Spinning...

Luffy held his breath as the system processed his request.

[Congratulations! Petrosapiens ability pack received!]

To be continued...