Luffy's presence in Marineford was nothing short of a storm.
A few weeks had passed since his arrival, and rather than assimilate into Marine life, he carved out his own path, much to the dismay of the higher-ups. His days were spent at the Warship Graveyard, a scrapyard of decommissioned warships, where he trained in the most brutal way possible—by using the battered metal hulls of old warships as his punching bags.
Every strike left dents in the hardened steel, the resounding clang! echoing throughout the graveyard. His fists bled, but he didn't stop.
Every moment of pain was just another stat point earned, another inch closer to absolute dominance.
While Luffy crushed steel with his bare hands, Kuina was making a name for herself in the Marines. She had risen rapidly, pushing her sword skills to an unbelievable level under Vice Admiral Gion or more popularly known by her alias Momousagi.
Day after day, she trained relentlessly, absorbing everything Gion taught her. But it wasn't just learning—she was perfecting every move, making even experienced swordsmen uneasy.
And in just a few days, she was sparring against Gion herself.
Their blades clashed, steel ringing through the air. The impact sent small shockwaves through the ground, making the onlookers tense.
Senior officers could only watch in disbelief.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
"She's still just a kid…" One muttered, his grip tightening on his own sword. "How can she fight at this level?"
"She's fast," Another whispered, sweat on his brow. "If this keeps up, she might surpass even the best Marine swordsmen in a few years."
But Kuina wasn't paying attention to their words. Her cold, focused eyes stayed locked on Gion.
Not enough.
Her movements quickened. She adjusted her stance, her grip tightening. Then—she disappeared.
Gion's eyes widened.
She's gone?
A blur of motion—Kuina reappeared behind her, her sword swinging down.
Gion barely turned in time—CLANG! Their blades met, the impact sending a gust of wind through the training ground.
For a moment, silence filled the area.
The gathered officers exchanged nervous glances.
Did she force Gion to defend seriously?
The Vice Admiral looked at the young girl in front of her, then smirked. "You're not holding back anymore, are you?"
Kuina's voice was quiet but firm.
"I never was."
Gion chuckled. "Good."
The battle was far from over.
----
On the other side, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was battling the worst headache of his life.
No, scratch that. This wasn't just a headache—it was a full-blown disaster.
And at the center of it all?
Monkey D. Luffy.
With a furious growl, Sengoku slammed his fist onto his desk, cracking the wood beneath his hand.
"GARP! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU BRING INTO MY MARINES?!"
Across from him, Garp sat comfortably, munching on a rice cracker as if the world wasn't falling apart. He let out a loud, carefree laugh.
"What? My grandson's amazing, isn't he?"
Sengoku's eye twitched so hard it hurt.
"Amazing?! AMAZING?!" He practically roared, veins bulging on his forehead. "He beat the crap out of four captains, two Rear Admirals, and even fought a Vice Admiral to a standstill!"
He slammed a stack of reports onto the desk, pages flying everywhere. "And those ridiculous conditions he gave you—how did you even let this happen?!"
Garp shrugged, still chewing.
"Luffy doesn't listen to anyone, y'know? He's just like me!"
"THAT'S THE PROBLEM!"
Sengoku's scream shook the office walls.
He pointed a trembling finger at Garp, his breath heavy.
"The Marines have a monster on their hands—a monster with no leash!"
Sengoku buried his face in his hands, groaning.
"And the worst part?" His voice was muffled but filled with despair. "We have no way to control him."
Garp just laughed again.
"Don't worry about it, Sengoku! He's got a good heart!"
Sengoku lifted his head slowly, giving Garp a deadpan glare.
"A good heart?" His voice was dangerously calm. He grabbed the nearest teacup and hurled it at Garp's face.
----
No matter how defiant, reckless, or outrageous Luffy was, no one could deny his raw talent.
Even the Admirals had started paying attention. Especially two, in particular, found themselves drawn to him—Kuzan (Aokiji) and Borsalino (Kizaru).
Aokiji often watched Luffy train from a distance, leaning against a pile of wrecked warships, his usual bored expression in place.
Luffy was covered in sweat and blood, his knuckles cracked from punching steel.
Aokiji sighed, rubbing his neck. "Yo, Luffy… You ever take a break?"
Luffy grinned, wiping the blood off his fist.
"And waste my time? Hell no."
"Sheesh… You're worse than the old man." Aokiji let out a long breath. "Garp would be proud."
Luffy snorted. "That old man? He has always treated me as a punching bag. He does not look like a teacher at all."
Aokiji chuckled but didn't argue.
One day, their usual silence was broken by a deeper conversation.
Aokiji took a sip of coffee, then glanced at Luffy. "You talk about justice a lot… but what if your own allies are the criminals?"
Luffy barely hesitated. "I'll beat the shit out of them, obviously."
Aokiji raised a brow. "Even if it's your grandpa?"
Luffy grinned wider. "Especially if it's my grandpa. That old bastard deserves a beating. He had tortured me so much, almost killing me a few times. If he commited a crime, I'd the first to throw him into Impel Down myself."
Aokiji nearly spit out his coffee.
Coughing, he wiped his mouth, half-amused, half-horrified.
"…You're serious?"
Luffy cracked his knuckles. "Dead serious."
Aokiji stared at him for a long moment.
"...And what if the Marines call you a criminal for it?"
Luffy laughed like it was the dumbest question in the world.
"Then I'll be the strongest criminal they've ever seen."
Aokiji went quiet.
He had met many men who spoke of justice.
Some were arrogant. Some were blind.
But this kid?
He was different.
He wasn't just strong. He was unshakable...
Unlike Aokiji, Kizaru didn't take things so seriously.
He simply found Luffy… entertaining.
One day, Kizaru sat back, sipping tea, watching Luffy defeating a Marine Captain into the dirt.
"Ohhh~~ soooo scary~~" He drawled lazily. "You really don't fear anything, huh, kid?"
Luffy grinned, dusting off his hands.
"Nope. But you don't seem like the scared type either, Uncle."
Kizaru smirked, adjusting his sunglasses. "Ohhh~~? Maybe we should spar sometime?"
Luffy's eyes lit up like fire.
"Hah! You sure, old man? I don't go easy on fossils."
Kizaru chuckled, shaking his head.
"Heh~~ You've got a sharp tongue, boy." He slowly stood up, rolling his shoulders. "I like you."
Then he grinned, his eyes gleaming behind his shades.
"But let's see if you can keep up… with the speed of light."
----
Luffy's impact on Marineford was already undeniable. He was too strong to be ignored, too stubborn to be controlled, and too charismatic to be hated.
While some saw him as a blessing, others saw him as a ticking time bomb.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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