"The Breath of All Things?"
Garp glanced over at his lieutenant, who, as a swordsman himself, returned a knowing smile.
Fury swelled within him. "Luffy! Why are you even asking about that nonsense?" Garp roared.
Of course, he knew what that was—just some idea swordsmen had come up with. What bothered him more was how these things were distracting Luffy, and he was certain it was all Shanks' fault!
"Don't let those weird ideas mess with your head! All you need to know is that the only power that matters is Haki!" Garp shouted.
"Seeing the future, sensing emotions, reading minds—all that vague stuff, just think of it as Observation Haki! As for cutting steel, flying slashes, those are just Armament Haki! And any of that mystical, indescribable stuff, just call it Devil Fruit abilities and keep training!"
He continued, "Train until you can punch right through all that nonsense, and you'll never have to worry about it again. Only with purity of heart can you become truly strong! Those who are lost are weak!"
Garp's words struck Luffy like a bolt of clarity. Of course! He'd been cursed by overthinking, leading him astray. He punched himself on the head, clearing his mind in an instant.
"Pure strength comes from a pure heart—I get it now, Grandpa!"
Hearing his grandson's energetic response, Garp broke into hearty laughter, the "D" smile lighting up his face.
"Yes! Just focus on eating well, training hard—that's all you need! There are too many distractions out there, which is why I didn't want you going with Shanks!"
The old man continued rambling, insisting that fists were the best weapons, far superior to any sword. Garp might have been the unbeatable powerhouse of his time, but he couldn't foresee the shifts and changes that future generations would bring. Even legends aren't immune to time's inevitable nerfs.
Luffy chatted about his training progress, excitedly sharing his journey of becoming a swordsman, mentioning Shanks' adorable daughter and her beautiful singing voice.
Garp listened, laughing even as he shook his head. Though he wasn't thrilled about Luffy's focus on swordsmanship, he was still proud to hear of his progress.
Then, sensing the timing was right, Luffy said casually, "Grandpa, being a pirate seems so much fun. I think I want to be one, too!"
Garp was initially nodding along, but he froze as the meaning of Luffy's words sank in. His lieutenant's face wore an awkward, restrained smile, knowing exactly how this would unfold.
"Luffy, WHAT did you just say?! Say that again! Don't let Shanks fill your head with nonsense!"
Garp's roar shook the sea itself, waves rising in response.
"Oh, I see it now! Shanks used his daughter to get close to you, didn't he?" Garp's voice was filled with realization. "That sneaky little Shanks!"
Ignoring his grandpa's outburst, Luffy continued, "I met a swordsman named Shimotsuki who used to be a pirate. He fought off bandits to protect the villagers, fell in love with a local girl, and then settled down. That's more than you've ever done, right, Grandpa?"
Garp clenched his fists. "What do you mean? Don't those bandits at Windmill Village buy things just like everyone else? And who's taken down more pirates than me?"
Besides, he thought, those bandits were a line of defense he'd left there intentionally. As long as they behaved and paid up at the village, he wasn't going to interfere.
"But isn't dealing with pirates the Navy's job?" Luffy asked, shrugging. "It's the mission the World Government assigned, after all. But the good deeds pirates do? Those come from their own hearts."
Garp's brow furrowed, thrown off by Luffy's logic. It made sense, but somehow felt off.
Luffy continued, recounting how the swordsman, Shimotsuki, had built the village with his beloved, creating a life of peace. But in the end, his tale wasn't a happy one. Although he was strong enough to protect the village, he still felt stifled, forced to live in hiding and unable to spread his knowledge. Pirates wanted to take him down, and even the Navy wasn't his ally.
"I think it's sad. A good person who did the right thing, yet he wasn't able to live happily. Doesn't that feel wrong, Grandpa?"
Garp drummed his fingers on his knee, not liking where this conversation was going. His fist itched to thump his grandson on the head to knock some sense into him. His lieutenant, meanwhile, had unfolded a map of East Blue, tracing his finger along it thoughtfully.
"The Shimotsuki swordsman… Luffy must be talking about that famous swordsman's pirate crew from forty-three years ago."
Garp's eyes lit up. "Oh, now I remember! That famous katana, the Wado Ichimonji." He hadn't remembered the man, but the blade was renowned, sought after by swordsmen all over the seas.
"You know about them? That swordsman's life was sad, don't you think? I wanted him to make me a famous blade, and I ended up hearing this sad story." Luffy said, sounding genuinely sympathetic.
"Keep quiet! You don't need a sword when a fist will do just fine!" Garp snapped.
Deep down, he worried that Luffy was losing his way, becoming more like a swordsman. And this was only after
spending a few months with Shanks—how much worse could it get?
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