“Aaahhh!” “Garp!” The two boys landed one after the other.
Sengoku ended up hanging from a tree, unable to get down.
His position was almost identical to where Garp had once landed.
It wasn’t dangerous, but the fall had certainly been terrifying.
Sengoku’s heart was still pounding, and he clung to the branch without daring to move.
“Garp!” “Garp, where are you?” Hearing him shout, Garp walked over and looked up.
Sure enough, Sengoku was hanging from that familiar spot.
“Sengoku, are you having fun?” Sengoku didn’t answer.
He only stared at him.
Garp had no intention of helping him down immediately.
Instead, he grinned and enjoyed the sight.
“Sengoku, I can help you down.
You just have to call me Big Bro.” Sengoku stared at him in disbelief.
You bastard!
Taking advantage of me while I’m stuck!
He refused.
Sengoku still had his pride.
“So stubborn.
I like it.” Garp waved.
“All right, then.
Bye-bye!” He turned and started walking away.
Sengoku could no longer hold on.
“Garp, give me a hand!” Garp shook his head.
“Unless you call me Big Bro, don’t even think about coming down.” Sengoku turned his face away.
Impossible.
Not in this lifetime.
As Garp continued walking, Sengoku gritted his teeth and decided to get down on his own.
It might hurt, but he couldn’t sacrifice his dignity.
Thump!
Sengoku fell to the ground.
It hurt badly.
He scrambled to his feet and rushed after Garp to settle the score, but within a few moves, Garp pinned him to the ground.
He couldn’t win.
What else could he do?
Garp looked down at him smugly.
“Give it up, Sengoku.
You’re no match for me.” Sengoku climbed back to his feet and snorted.
Maybe he couldn’t win now, but that didn’t mean he would lose forever.
As the two walked back together, Sengoku asked, “How did you survive this when you first started?” Garp didn’t want to remember those painful days.
He spread his hands.
“Just like that.
I had it even worse.” He told Sengoku what his training had been like at the time.
Every climb had felt like a fight for survival, and he had endured that terrifying month all by himself.
Sengoku was stunned after hearing the whole story.
Garp had gone through something even worse than this.
“You really had it rough.” Garp nodded.
“It was miserable back then, but now that you’re here, I don’t feel nearly as bad.” Sengoku glared at him but couldn’t argue.
He had been blinded by the promise of barbecue.
That bastard Garp had deliberately left out the most important part.
Had Sengoku known what the training actually involved, he might never have come.
“If you want to feel better, we can bring Tsuru here too.” If Sengoku needed someone else to share his suffering, Tsuru was still available.
Sengoku thought about it.
Garp was right.
He couldn’t be the only one suffering.
Sorry, Tsuru.
When the chance came, he would find a way to bring her here.
Then all three of them could share both the good times and the bad.
He couldn’t be the only one receiving this “care.” The two exchanged mischievous smiles and continued walking.
Meanwhile, Tsuru was alone in town with nothing to do.
Garp wasn’t there.
Neither was Sengoku.
Playing by herself was terribly boring.
She looked up at the sky and sighed.
“I’m so bored.” “Maybe I should go train with Garp and Sengoku.” She hadn’t planned on joining them.
How could a young girl like her handle that kind of training?
But without her friends, every day felt dull.
“Fine.
I’ll stay for a month too.” Once she made up her mind, Tsuru returned home and packed her things.
She told her parents where she was going, and they readily agreed.
Their daughter was growing up and beginning to make her own decisions.
“Be careful.
You’re a girl, so make sure you protect yourself.” “If anyone mistreats you, come back and tell Papa, all right?” “Mm.” “Pay attention to what’s happening around you, and don’t talk too much.” “Take this money too, just in case.” “Thank you, Mama.” After saying goodbye to her parents, Tsuru picked up her bundle and left.
She had visited Garp’s home several times before.
It was a distinctive place and easy to recognize.
After walking for about an hour, she found it.
The house had changed completely.
It was no longer the rundown home she remembered.
Over the past month, Jiro had repaired and expanded it until it looked far more impressive than before.
Several new rooms had been added.
With only two people living beside an entire mountain, there was plenty of space to build.
Vegetables and grain grew in front of the house, while fruit trees had been planted in a cleared area behind it.
The only thing missing was a small stream beside the door.
Then it would have been perfect.
Tsuru looked at the house happily and knocked.
“Is anyone home?” “Garp, are you there?” No one answered.
Tsuru waited by the door, found a chair, and sat down with her chin resting in her hands.
Time slowly passed, and she was almost asleep when she heard voices approaching.
“Sengoku, make sure you eat plenty later.” “You too, Garp.” Garp teased him.
“Eat more and try to catch up to me.” Sengoku clenched his fist.
“I will.
I’m not going to keep losing to you.” The two boys continued bickering as they approached, with Jiro walking behind them.
He carried a massive dead wild boar in one hand.
It would be enough for lunch.
Heavy training required plenty of meat, and Jiro had no intention of being stingy with food.
The children didn’t eat much compared to him.
His own appetite was several times larger than theirs.
His Observation Haki detected someone waiting ahead.
It was Tsuru.
Jiro smiled.
“Wait a moment.
There’s a surprise waiting for you.” Neither boy understood what he meant.
Garp looked up eagerly.
“Dad, are you finally going to teach me real combat?” Sengoku looked just as excited.
“You’ll see in a moment.” When they reached the house, a voice called out to them.
“Sengoku!
Garp!” Tsuru stood and waved.
Her movements were gentle, and she looked slightly shy.
The two boys looked up.
The moment they saw her, they rushed over and hugged her.
“Tsuru, why are you here too?” Garp asked.
“Tsuru, you finally came!” Sengoku exclaimed.
Their reactions were different, but both were genuinely happy.
With another friend around, life would be much more interesting.
“Come sit down, Tsuru,” Garp said.
“How long are you staying?” Sengoku noticed the bundle in her hands and immediately understood.
Wonderful.
One more person meant more fun.
More importantly, he wouldn’t be the only one suffering.
“A month.
I—” Before Tsuru could finish, Garp jumped up excitedly.
“A month?
That’s great!
Really great!” Now I can show off in front of Tsuru.
Once she sees how impressive I am, she’ll definitely be shocked.
Sengoku shoved him aside, already knowing exactly what he was thinking.
“Welcome, Tsuru.” Tsuru nodded softly.
“Mm.” Then she turned toward Jiro.
“Hello, Uncle.” “Good, good.
Tsuru came too.
Welcome.” She smiled.
“Thank you, Uncle.” “Please take care of me for the next month.” “Of course.
Uncle will take very good care of you.” Jiro was always happy to welcome a polite, well-behaved child like Tsuru.
[Ding!
Respect women and help them become strong enough to protect themselves.] [Train Tsuru.
Girls should be able to defend themselves when they go out.] [Mission principle: Begin gently.
Treat Tsuru with patience.] [Planning mission…] [Mission details pending.
Rewards will be determined by the final mission.] [Note: The rewards will be generous, Uncle.]