C13 Grandfather and Grandson

Rodney gazed at Ace and let out a sigh, recognizing the resolve in the man's heart. It was a trait shared by the entire Monkey family; Garp had dedicated his life to the navy, while Luffy pursued the freedom and adventure of becoming the Pirate King. And Ace—had he been lured into White Beard's fold in search of the fatherly love he lacked?

People are complex, and those in this world even more so—simple yet intricate, easy to grasp yet elusive.

Ace held deep respect for his mother, a woman of great honor who had used extraordinary means to carry him for twenty months in her womb. It was only after Garp's intervention that she was able to bring him into the world, a birth that left her spent and ultimately claimed her life.

His feelings toward his father were a tangle of hatred and respect. He despised the man for his mother's death, yet he couldn't help but admire Roger for conquering the seas and completing the unprecedented journey around the world. He aspired to claim the title of Pirate King himself, to prove his own worth and honor the legacy of his bloodline.

"Listen, I can help you," Rodney said firmly, "but you must agree to one condition—a man's promise that you must keep."

Ace met Rodney's intense gaze and replied with equal seriousness, "Name it. I will keep my word."

"When you enter the Great Voyage, if you encounter the White Beard Pirate Group, do not join them. Can you agree to that?"

"Why would I join another Pirate Group? I set out to become the Pirate King!"

"Well, we'll see if you can resist White Beard's offer to become his son."

"The title of Pirate King will be mine!" Luffy interjected boisterously.

Ignoring Luffy, Rodney nodded and produced the key to the Sea Building Stone handcuffs, freeing Ace. Feeling the liberation of his unbound power, Ace nodded back and said, "Though I'm not fond of you, Rodney, you are a principled man."

"Yeah, yeah, money talks!" Rodney tucked the Sea Building Stone handcuffs into his waist pouch, watching Ace depart in pursuit of Garp.

There was only so much he could do. Ace was chasing freedom while Garp sought justice. For an old man like Garp to witness his grandson's death, shackled by the very justice he upheld, was nothing short of torture. Rodney, with his tender heart, couldn't bear such sorrowful drama. If Ace had kept their agreement, Black Beard wouldn't have captured him, and none of this mess would have happened.

If he hadn't, he had only himself to blame. Rodney couldn't stop a man's quest for freedom and kinship.

His actions were driven by the desire to spare an old man the agony of outliving his grandson.

Garp was a good man. Rodney had come to know this through the manga and their time together—a truly kind elder.

"Hey, Rodney, hurry up and get me out of here!" Luffy called out loudly.

Rodney glanced at the softened earth next to him and said, "Figure it out yourself. It won't be long."

With a swift motion, he vanished using the shave technique, and at the harbor, flames had already begun to spread.

"Old man, I will not let you harm them!" Ace's crew had arrived, standing on the deck, calling out for their captain, intent on whisking him away.

"Hahaha! Ace, you think you can stop me? For the sake of your crew?" Garp, looking over the fiery barrier behind Ace, laughed heartily, his eyes sparkling as he asked with a beaming smile.

"Absolutely! Old man! I'm their captain!" Ace was resolute, ready to stand or fall with his crew, for he was their captain!

"You're no match for me," Garp declared, advancing with a commanding presence, his aura as imposing as a mountain. The Navy Hero, who once faced the legendary Rocks pirates, still possessed an undiminished spirit despite his age.

Ace stepped back, aware that he was outmatched by his grandfather, a man who had rivaled his own infamous father. He was no contender in this fight.

But he would not let the old man harm his crew!

Flames engulfed him as an invisible force erupted from within, causing Garp to arch an eyebrow. The navy soldiers and villagers nearby collapsed under the weight of this unseen power, with only a few managing to withstand it.

Had Ace's Haoushoku been awakened?

Garp clenched his fist and with a large stride, he appeared before Ace almost instantaneously. Ace had no time to react before he was hit squarely by Garp's punch of love!

Bang!

Ace's body was sent flying by Garp's punch, breaking through the firewall and landing straight on the Black Peach Pirate Group's ship, where he was caught by the crew.

"Captain Ace!"

"Captain, are you alright?"

"Captain!"

"Ship Doctor, quickly see if Captain Ace is okay!"

The crew's concern deeply moved Ace. Although Garp had punched him, Ace knew that Garp hadn't used his full strength. It was less of a punch and more of an act of tough love!

"Enough talk, Duke, turn the ship around! Let's get out of here!"

"Aye, Captain!" Duke, the helmsman, eagerly executed the order, turning the ship. Suddenly, the water beside them erupted, creating a massive wave that pushed the ship to speed away from the harbor.

"Tsk tsk, missed, Mr. Rodney, cannonballs! Cannonballs!" At some point, Garp had made his way onto the navy ship, with Mr. Rodney hurrying to his side.

Mr. Rodney, looking resigned, handed Garp a lead cannonball the size of an ostrich egg.

The navy ship and the Pirate Ship were only a few hundred meters apart. With Garp's strength and precision, how could he miss?

But Mr. Rodney didn't call Garp out. He assisted, watching as Garp sent his grandson off to sea in his own way.

He was just irked that Ace had slipped into the sea without saying goodbye. And while he was teasing Mr. Rodney, he hadn't expected to actually bring Ace back. But it was just as well; it gave him a chance to let his grandson go.

"Fist Bone Meteorite!"

The cannonball, as if shot from a cannon's barrel, hit the side of the Pirate Ship perfectly, aiding the Pirate Group's departure.

"Bad Boy, don't let me catch you again!" Garp bellowed with laughter as the Pirate Ship made its escape.

"Grandfather! Thank you for always looking out for me!"

Ace knelt on the deck, bowing deeply in Garp's direction.

Upon hearing Ace finally call out "Grandpa," Garp's robust frame gave a slight shudder, but he merely laughed it off, saying, "That Bad Boy is always so headstrong! I wanted him to join the Navy, yet he stubbornly aims to become the Pirate King! Honestly, I can't fathom what's so appealing about that! Mr. Rodney, you better not turn to piracy."

"I doubt I will. As long as no one pushes me into it, I think being a Pirate Hunter is quite satisfying." Rodney shrugged nonchalantly, not challenging the elder's words, and then posed a question, "Vice Admiral Garp, do you truly have no regrets?"

"Regrets? I never look back with regret! I wanted him to join the Navy, but he was against it. I can't just chain him down and deny him the chance to chase his own freedom, can I? That's something I simply cannot do."

"Really?" Rodney was aware that Garp couldn't bring himself to act against Ace. It was clear from the source material that if Garp had wanted, he could have captured Ace during the early part of his fame on the Great Voyage. But he didn't; instead, he quietly observed as his grandson navigated the vast ocean, seeking his own destiny.

"Enough of that. These new recruits were so easily knocked down; I'll have to put them through rigorous training! As members of the Navy, they can't afford to be this weak!"

Luffy offered a silent blessing for the Navy. Just then, Luffy hurried over, standing on the deck of the warship and bellowing, "Ace! Wait for me! I won't let you have the title of Pirate King!"

Garp's expression soured, "Luffy!"

Thump!

A loving punch landed on Luffy's head. Garp dragged him off the warship, declaring, "Looks like I need to put you through some serious training!"

"Ah! Grandpa, let go of me! Grandpa!"