Sengoku, oh Sengoku.
You bastard, you clearly promised back then that after you became Marshal, nothing like the incident at Divine Valley would ever happen again!
But in the end, still...
Luffy stared blankly at his grandfather. He had never seen Garp with such a confused and pained expression.
"But not becoming a pirate is the bottom line!"
Garp suddenly turned around, reverting to his fierce demeanor, and grabbed Luffy's ear:
"Anyway, I've taken an invincible long vacation! I don't need to go back to the headquarters anytime soon. Whether it's a few days or months, even years, I can stay at home! And from now on, I'll personally train you! The day you can beat me..."
The old man suddenly grinned, thumb pointing at himself, baring his white teeth:
"I'll take you to the New World, to confront that red-haired bastard face to face! After that, you can decide what to do!"
"Hey, really?"
Luffy's eyes lit up immediately, ignoring the pain in his ear:
"Grandpa, are you serious? No take-backs!"
These past few months with the seastone handcuffs, his strength and endurance had improved greatly, equivalent to two or three years of hard training!
And Grandpa, although everyone in the village says he's strong and amazing, he's already quite old.
If things continue at this pace...
Heh heh.
Luffy clashed his fists confidently.
Maybe he wouldn't even need to wait until his seventeenth birthday to beat his grandfather to a pulp!
By then, he would be able to meet Shanks and get to the bottom of everything!
"Hmph! When have I ever not kept my word?"
Garp released his grip and gulped down the remaining wine:
"Alright, then let's not waste time and start immediately! Come with me, I want to see if your current physical strength is qualified to train in Haki!"
Haki?
Luffy was full of question marks. He seemed to have heard Brother Shano mention it before, but had completely forgotten what it was.
What was it again?
He racked his brains but didn't notice that he was already being casually thrown over Garp's shoulder, dashing away towards the Korbo Mountain Range.
Garp ran full speed, feeling the weight on his shoulder, feeling the warm body heat, a mix of emotions in his heart.
If it weren't for Shano messing things up badly, he probably would still be in a dilemma, reluctant to leave that mess and come home.
"Brat!"
Garp laughed heartily as he ran, "This time, I won't go easy like before! Get ready for some real hellish training!"
The waves of the new era were crashing more fiercely, and the seas in the coming years were destined to be more dangerous.
He didn't care whether Red Hair's feelings for Luffy were genuine or what their plans were.
Nor did he care what the future would hold.
Luffy's full name was Monkey D. Luffy!
He was Dragon's son, his grandson!
He would definitely not stand by and watch Luffy become someone else's pawn and toy!
He had to make sure Luffy had enough power to protect himself as he ventured into the vast seas!
Even if it took two hundred times the effort!
"Starting today, every morning, five thousand push-ups! Five thousand sit-ups! Three thousand squats! A hundred kilometers long run! If you can't do it, forget about lunch!"
"Huh? Just in the morning? That's too..."
"Hmm, indeed too little, then add another two thousand pull-ups! Two thousand sets of basic fist techniques!"
"Eh! No, Grandpa!!!"
Amidst the wailing, under the sunset, the silhouettes of the grandfather and grandson gradually disappeared beyond the Windmill Village, into the depths of the Korbo Mountain Range.
——————
Early morning, at the break of dawn.
In the New World, on the Redfox.
"Boss."
Ben Beckman took a drag on his cigarette, sighed deeply, "The worst-case scenario happened, those new recruits on the ship all took off into the night."
On the deck, a pile of abandoned luggage lay around, and a rope ladder hung from the side of the ship, not yet retracted.
Apparently, those newly recruited apprentice pirates were determined to escape from this ship.
"Ha, so they were scared off after all?"
Yasopp polished the gun barrel, smiling, "Once the newspaper came out, even among old crew members, some were murmuring non-stop."
Lucky Roux took a big bite of meat and mumbled:
"Can't blame them, can you? Because of what happened in the North Sea recently, the Heavenly Celestial Dragons are being cursed by everyone. Anyone who suddenly finds themselves on a Celestial Dragon's ship would want to escape..."
"Hey!"
One of the senior members couldn't help but glare, "Lucky, what you're saying makes it sound like our captain is in cahoots with those bastards!"
"Such an idiot..."
Lucky Roux was speechless, "Talking sense to a guy like you is pointless!"
"Ha?!"
Amidst the clamor, Shanks sat by the side of the ship, drunkenly clutching a newspaper that rustled in the sea breeze.
His father, Saint Garling's stern face on the front page photo made him feel a wave of nausea.
"Hah..."
Shanks crumpled the newspaper into a ball and took another big gulp of wine:
"Actually, they aren't wrong, are they?"
The wine dripped down his chin as he wiped it off carelessly, burping and chuckling bitterly, "This bloodline is indeed repulsive."
Yesterday morning, when he first got the newspaper, he broke into a cold sweat and immediately realized the gravity of the situation.
The events that followed were unsurprising.
The Red Hair Pirates, though without a fixed territory, certainly had a number of islands that proudly bore their flag.
And there were over a dozen Pirate Gangs with whom they had shared vows, existing as subordinates in the "Red Hair Grand Fleet."
Starting from noon yesterday, they constantly received calls from these islands and crews questioning the truth of his Celestial Dragon identity.
Some believed in Red Hair's character and were willing to keep following him even if he was once a Celestial Dragon.
But many were furious, even ashamed to be associated with him, declaring their intent to sever ties with the Red Hair Pirates.
By now.
After just one night, even the new recruits on his own ship had all fled.
This cursed bloodline, hah...
"You've drunk too much."
Ben Beckman frowned as he snatched the wine gourd from Red Hair's hand, "Drowning your sorrows in alcohol is one thing, but why are you pitying yourself here? Hey! This isn't the Shanks I know!"
"Those who left weren't real partners, genuine brothers. They've known your character long enough; how could they doubt you over such news?"
"Exactly, Captain!"
The old crew on deck nodded in agreement, one even raised a bottle, shouting:
"Who cares about lineage! We recognize you as a person!"
"Exactly! What does being a Celestial Dragon matter? If you truly cared about that identity, you would've returned to the Holy Land a long time ago, no need to fight at sea for years!"
"Everyone..."
Shanks was taken aback, his gaze traversing the familiar and resolute faces. His hand, tightly clutching the newspaper, slowly relaxed.
"Bwahahaha!"
He threw back his head and laughed, the sound resonating across the deck and echoed upon the rising sunlit sea.
"You're right!"
Shanks suddenly stood, flung his cloak behind him, and grinned broadly, eyes no longer clouded with drunkenness or confusion, but fueled with burning determination.
"What does the Celestial Dragon bloodline matter, what do people's misunderstandings count for? I'm Shanks!"
The skepticism from the world is merely temporary.
His path is not wrong!
When he steps into the Holy Land with the light of resistance, with the liberating drumbeat, those who once doubted him, those who didn't understand him, will comprehend his choice and perseverance!
"Broo broo~"
At this moment, the Radio Snail rang once more.
"Another call of questions, huh?" Beckman got up to answer it, "I'll take it."
"No, I'll do it."
Shanks intercepted Beckman and strode towards the Radio Snail, his resolve solidified by the encouragement and support of his partners.
He would not be troubled by those skeptical voices anymore!
The call connected.
"I am Shanks."
Red Hair's tone was calm.
The next moment, his expression suddenly changed, eyes widened.
Because on the other end, came a voice both unfamiliar and familiar, a voice he hadn't heard in a very long time:
"Ah, it's you, how convenient... I am Garling, it's been so long, hasn't it, Shanks."