C5 Kid Are You Going to be a Navy?

"Hahaha, my apologies! I got a report from my men and mistook you for a pirate. Hahaha, are you okay?"

The tall and imposing elder laughed heartily as he slapped Rodney's back with his hand, which was as large as a fan.

One hit, then another!

Puff!

"Vice Admiral Garp, please stop hitting him. Mr. Joestar is spitting up blood," a medic shouted.

Navy Hero Garp chuckled sheepishly, "Oh, that won't do at all. How can a man be so frail? How is he supposed to make his way across the seas like that?"

As if anyone could withstand your slap!

Rodney wiped the blood from his lips. He was pretty tough to have survived a punch from Garp and still be alive to tell the tale!

After all, this was the man who once pummeled Pirate King Roger until his head was swollen with lumps, sending shockwaves across the seas. Garp prided himself on winning people over with his virtue, and incidentally, he liked to say his fists were named 'Virtue.'

With a throbbing head, Rodney felt a pain akin to an encounter with a Sea King Species. His palm glowed green as he applied a Healing Technique to his wound, stimulating the cells and speeding up the healing process.

"Hmm? That's quite a unique ability. Are you an Ability User, young man?"

"Sort of," Rodney mumbled, rubbing his head.

"Hahaha, that's a fantastic ability. Can it be used on others?" Garp inquired, intrigued.

"Yes, it can."

Hearing this, Garp's eyes sparkled. "What's your name, lad?"

"Joestar J. Rodney."

"Haha, I'll just call you Rodney. How about it, Rodney? Join the navy!"

Ding! Garp has extended an invitation. Do you accept?

Yes

No

"Sorry, I'm not interested in joining the navy," Rodney declined Garp's offer.

Garp looked puzzled. "Why not? Your ability could help many sailors recover quickly from their injuries. Wouldn't you want to support justice?"

"No, thanks. The navy is just too much hassle, and I'm quite content with my life as it is." The navy was overly complex, and with the World Government and the despicable Celestial Dragon People looming over him, Rodney had no desire to be at their beck and call.

The so-called justice was too often compromised by others. It was better to stay out of it and avoid the aggravation altogether.

"I believe you have the potential to be an outstanding Marine, but your body is too weak. You need training, and under my guidance, you're sure to grow," Garp chuckled heartily.

"Farewell, see you!" Rodney, upon hearing this, turned and walked away. He wasn't Luffy, with his incredible vitality. Training under Garp would surely be the death of him!

Garp's large, calloused hands clamped onto Rodney's shoulders as he offered a genial smile. "Kid, you'll be thanking me for this one day!"

"No, please! Somebody help!"

Garp was resolute, dragging Rodney off for training.

For Garp, Rodney's abilities were of great use, and he seemed to have potential. He was eager to see if Rodney could join the Navy, and besides, he was bored on the battleship.

...

"Put your back into it! Come on, Mr. Rodney, keep it up!" Garp, munching on a doughnut, sat on Rodney's back as he did push-ups in his iron vest.

By the third day of Garp's training, Rodney was dragged through grueling physical exercises daily, exhausted to the point of collapse. Yet, there were benefits; his body was rapidly strengthening.

His Chakra was depleting just as quickly.

Sweat poured off him like rain, splattering on the deck, while his Chakra was relentlessly drained, making his body feel increasingly heavy.

The iron vest weighed a thousand pounds, and with Garp's towering presence on top, Rodney's Chakra was under immense strain. Without his naturally robust constitution, he might not have lasted.

"Ah, I can't go on!"

As Rodney collapsed on the deck, Garp inquired, "How many did he do?"

The soldier, who had been keeping count, reported, "Four thousand three hundred and twenty, four hundred more than before. His physical condition is improving rapidly."

"This isn't good enough! How can he grow into an exceptional Marine like this?" Garp said, shaking his head.

"I never said I'd be a Marine! I'm a Pirate Hunter, not a Marine! Why would I have to join the Navy?" Rodney protested, stripping off his iron vest to reveal his toned upper body, feeling instantly lighter.

A sudden throb in his head reminded him that he had trained his Busoshoku Haki to the strongest level in the world. Even without imbuing his aura, his strikes were excruciatingly painful, enough to hurt even Luffy, who was normally immune to blunt force.

"What are you talking about? You have the perfect skill set to join the Navy, whether as a medic or a full-fledged sailor. Don't squander your talents!" Garp had been observing over the past few days. Initially, he thought Rodney's constitution was too weak, so he took it upon himself to train the boy as compensation for an injury. But Rodney's healing abilities and the rapid growth of his strength sparked Garp's admiration for his potential.

Yet, Rodney was as headstrong as his own grandson, fixated on the life of a Pirate Hunter.

"What's so great about being a Pirate Hunter? Has money corrupted your soul?"

"Absolutely! Money isn't everything, old man, but without it, you're nothing!"

"Vulgar! You know, you can still earn a salary in the Navy."

"Please. I can live off the bounty from one Pirate for a long time."

"The Navy provides food, lodging, and comprehensive insurance."

"Sorry, but the sea is my home, and I fear no peril. Ouch, old man, did you hit me again?!"

"It seems you're in need of some education." Garp's fists cracked ominously.

"Reeducation?"

"Special education!"

"Why? I haven't done anything wrong!" Rodney protested, standing his ground.

"Talking back? That's asking for it!"

Crack!

On the deck, Garp chased Rodney, who showed no signs of fatigue.

Bang!

With a single punch, Garp sent Rodney crashing into the deck, much to the Boatwright's annoyance. Fixing such a large hole would be quite the hassle.

"Hahaha, Mr. Rodney, it looks like the training from the past few days has paid off; you can now withstand a punch from me." That punch wasn't even Garp at full force; had it been, Rodney wouldn't have survived.

It was like... a light tap, really. The force of a light tap probably wasn't even as strong.

"Hmph, old man, even in death, as I lie in my coffin, I'll use my decaying voice to declare 'I will never join the Navy!'" Rodney got up, his face bruised and battered.

"Bad Boy, do you really love money that much?"

"Of course! I'm a Pirate Hunter, traversing the seas for the sake of wealth!" Rodney said, tending to his wounds.

"Well then, I'll hire you to help me capture someone."

"Sure, you can learn Busoshoku Haki or the Navy's Six Moves."

"You really have the nerve to ask for the moon," Garp said, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his intimidatingly muscular arms.

"Well, the person you're asking me to catch is no easy target, so my asking price isn't too steep," Rodney said with a sly grin.

Garp chuckled and retorted, "You're quite the shrewd one. Your body isn't ready for Haki yet. As for the Six Moves, I'll teach you one now, and you'll get two more after you've captured the person."

"Sounds good. Who are we talking about?"

"My grandson, Ace."

"What? Your grandson? Where is he now?" Rodney was taken aback. "Didn't your grandson set sail already?"

"That boy left three months ago and turned into a pirate instead of a navy soldier. It's infuriating. I reckon he's nearing Perversion Mountain by now. Kid, I'm counting on you to bring back my dear grandson."

Garp knew that with Ace's abilities, he would inevitably carve out a reputation for himself on the seas. Once he reached a certain level, he'd be a prime target for the World Government. With Cp's relentless operatives, if Ace's identity as the son of the Pirate King were uncovered, he wouldn't stand a chance.

The World Government would never tolerate the existence of such a tainted lineage.

Ace must never fall under the World Government's scrutiny, but Garp didn't want to crush his grandson's dreams. If he tried to capture Ace himself, he'd be too soft-hearted. So, he decided to entrust the task to Rodney.

Garp's subordinates would provide Rodney with the necessary information. When it came to capturing pirates, Rodney was ruthless, taking the entire ship as well. Yet, he was known to be kind to civilians, a man of true justice, albeit one who had a bit of a fixation on money.

It would truly be a waste for such a man not to join the navy!