The members of the Franky Family asked Luffy if they could join him on his journey, and he readily agreed. Even Barry, the shipwright leader, along with two others, stealthily snuck aboard the "Rocketman" and became Luffy's temporary companions. However, the colossal Aqua Laguna tidal wave presented the first formidable obstacle they'd have to face.
Meanwhile, Sanji, who had slipped onto the Sea Train earlier, left Nami with a Transponder Snail for communication. He successfully rescued Franky and Usopp, though despite their hopes, the three were still unable to free Robin from the clutches of CP9. After regrouping with Luffy and the others who had followed in pursuit, the Straw Hats and their allies decided to launch a direct assault on Enies Lobby.
At the same time, Ryu, who had just reached the Gates of Justice via the Calm Belt, seemed to sense something. Looking in the direction of Enies Lobby, he muttered quietly, "Hmm, I wonder how long until the events at Enies Lobby unfold. I'll need to help Luffy when the time comes, and I'll have to rearrange things with Lucci's group so that the government's lackeys don't get the upper hand."
After a conversation with Dragon, Ryu had started to focus more on the importance of building influence. According to Dragon, personal strength can only take you so far; unless you're invincible, there are rules to follow, and even if you can't be defeated in single combat, what if your enemies combine forces? True power lies in having influence, as it will ensure you can achieve your goals more effectively.
What Ryu didn't know, however, was that Luffy was already at the doorstep of Enies Lobby, preparing to attack with an army of allies.
"Sir, the Fleet Admiral wants to see you in his office immediately. He's furious about your unauthorized departure!" Upon arriving at Headquarters, Ryu was promptly greeted by Lena, who informed him of Sengoku's summons.
"Alright, I get it. It was an accident; I didn't intend to leave, but some unexpected things happened," Ryu explained, already having prepared a story with Dragon and Kuma, who'd agreed to back him up. They would say that an accident during a sparring match with Kuma had resulted in him being accidentally "slapped" across the sea.
Sengoku wasn't entirely convinced by the story, but with Kuma vouching for him, there wasn't much more he could say.
After leaving Sengoku's office, Ryu immediately sought out Garp, proposing a sparring session. "Old man, I've gained some new insights recently. Care to test them out?"
These new insights were primarily the result of fully mastering the basic techniques of "Arhat Fist." Previously, Ryu hadn't paid much attention to purely technical manuals; unlike the Dragon Subduing Techniques, which involve special power applications, the Arhat Fist manual simply teaches basic moves. Most of the time, Ryu only practiced it casually as a strength-building exercise, so although he had the manual for quite some time, he hadn't fully mastered it until recently.
The reason he had downplayed technique before was because he knew about the "Observation Haki" in this world, an ability that functions almost like a cheat code. Characters like Katakuri have such advanced Observation Haki that they can see brief glimpses of the future. Even basic Observation Haki can render conventional techniques useless, as opponents can anticipate each move in advance. This is why top-level battles in the One Piece world tend to be straightforward power struggles rather than complex tactical exchanges—because with Observation Haki, subtle tricks become redundant.
However, after fully mastering Arhat Fist, Ryu realized that it wasn't the technique itself that was flawed; rather, he simply hadn't trained it to a sufficient level to be effective.
With Arhat Fist perfected, Ryu now felt a profound, almost instinctual grasp of its moves, no longer confined to rigid forms. The techniques, force application, and tactical advantages of the style became immediately apparent. This was just a basic manual; higher-level techniques would undoubtedly yield even more surprising effects, making Ryu look forward to mastering the Dragon Palm Techniques even more.
"Oh? Now this sounds interesting. Since that trip to East Blue, you've been avoiding me to dodge our sparring sessions. And now you're coming to me willingly? Looks like you picked up quite a few things on your recent journey," Garp said with a cheerful grin.
"You'll see soon enough, Teacher," Ryu replied with a mysterious smile.
Garp laughed heartily and waved over his aide, saying, "Bring those two young lads over here. Let them watch as I give their senior a good thrashing!"
Ryu grimaced. If he didn't need Garp's help, he wouldn't willingly seek out this old troublemaker for a spar. Garp's strength is likely the pinnacle of the Marines, and he loves to show off. With Koby around, Ryu feared he'd be subjected to an intense lesson.
By the time Koby and Helmeppo arrived, Ryu had finished warming up, while Garp was snacking on rice crackers without a care in the world.
"Teacher! Senior!" Koby and Helmeppo greeted him respectfully.
"Mm, I've recently gained some new insights, so I thought I'd test them out with the Teacher. Watch carefully; you'll learn as much as you can observe," Ryu nodded.
"Well then, Little Ryu, show me what you've got. Let's see what's given you the courage to challenge me!" Garp chuckled, removing his Marine cloak and stepping onto the training field.
"Don't tease me, Teacher. It'll be years before I can challenge you properly. Today, I just want to demonstrate something I've developed, something I believe could help improve the Marine's combat effectiveness." Ryu assumed the initial stance of Arhat Fist and focused.
"Oh? Isn't this that old fist technique of yours? You abandoned it years ago, didn't you? Why take it up again now?" Garp immediately recognized the stance.
When Ryu had first demonstrated the Arhat Fist, Garp had been quite surprised. Despite its open and direct approach, it was a potent style against opponents without Observation Haki. However, Ryu had abandoned it for some reason and rarely used it in combat, only practicing it occasionally in training.
"That's right. I've gained new insights into the Arhat Fist, so I'm asking for your guidance!" Ryu lunged forward without using Armament Haki, intending to give Garp a taste of his newly-refined Arhat Fist.
Garp didn't use Armament Haki either, and with his Observation Haki and familiarity with Ryu, he dodged easily at first.
"Kid, your moves have become much more fluid, but they're still not enough to be a threat!" Garp laughed as he sidestepped another strike.
"Don't be so quick to judge. The real fun is just beginning," Ryu replied, taking a deep breath. That first exchange had merely been a warm-up.
This time, he infused Armament Haki into his arms and advanced on Garp.
Garp's eyes glinted, and he followed suit with Armament Haki, but soon he noticed a change. Although his Observation Haki wasn't the highest level, he found himself struggling to predict Ryu's movements.
Ryu smiled. Originally, the Arhat Fist comprised only eighteen basic moves, but now, with mastery, he could expand these into 118, invoking the symbolic power of the "108 Arhats." The essence of Arhat Fist rests on the "Three Rights"—right hand, right stance, right base—which, when mastered, integrate power and flow effortlessly, allowing Ryu to develop inner strength along with outer techniques.
If he could find the "Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic" and the "Marrow-Cleansing Classic," he could achieve peak efficiency with Arhat Fist. But those Shaolin secrets were unavailable, even in the system marketplace.
After dozens of exchanges, Garp finally grew serious. Ryu's technique had become sophisticated enough to warrant it.
"Fist of Meteor!" Spotting an opening, Garp's expression turned steely as he launched a powerful punch.
"Boom!"
Ryu, caught off guard, was sent flying outside the training grounds.
"You old man! Weren't we supposed to be sparring? That was overkill!" Ryu shouted, his figure emerging from the dust outside the hole in the training ground wall. Beyond the breach, Marines in the courtyard gawked in shock.
"Wahaha! When did I ever promise that? I don't remember!" Garp laughed heartily, picking his nose nonchalantly.
"You fossil! I'll show you the true power of the Dragon Subduing Palm! Sudden Strike!" Enraged, Ryu launched the sixth form of the Dragon Subduing Palm Technique, his strongest attack.
"Wahaha, look at this brat getting serious!" Garp guffawed, while Koby and Helmeppo watched wide-eyed.
"Roar!"
Ryu's dragon-shaped shockwave shot forward. Garp remained unconcerned; he knew that the Dragon Palm Technique grew stronger with consecutive strikes, so a single isolated move wasn't much of a threat to him.
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