Lunch was a grand affair to welcome Tsuru.
With a girl in the house, the place felt livelier, and Garp and Sengoku were especially happy.
Garp, who usually hated washing dishes, even volunteered to do them and handle the other chores.
It was very suspicious.
He refused to let Sengoku help and did all the housework himself while Sengoku and Tsuru stood nearby with their arms crossed, quietly watching him show off.
The tragedy began that afternoon.
Tsuru looked around in confusion.
They had arrived at the foot of the mountain, where two enormous boulders sat on the torn-up ground.
Garp and Sengoku walked behind them as though they had done this countless times, leaving Tsuru standing alone with no idea what to do.
She moved behind Garp, but he turned to her.
“Tsuru, you don’t need to join us.
Just wait over there until we finish training, and then we’ll play with you.” Tsuru shook her head.
“I want to train too.
I can’t be the only one holding everyone back.” The two boys were getting stronger while she remained weak.
Tsuru refused to let that continue.
She wanted to become strong enough to beat both of them up.
It was bad enough that she couldn’t win now; she couldn’t let them bully her forever.
“If you want to get stronger, ask my dad,” Garp said.
“He’ll know what to do.” Tsuru’s eyes widened.
“Really?” She immediately brightened.
As long as she could become stronger, nothing else mattered.
Garp grinned.
“Really, but the training is very hard.” He wondered whether his father would go easier on her because she was a girl.
Surely he wouldn’t push Tsuru as hard as them.
Once she tried it, she might get scared and quit.
Sengoku stood nearby and rolled his eyes.
Damn Garp.
Tricking me wasn’t enough, so now he wants to trick Tsuru too.
“Tsuru, there’s no rush,” Sengoku said.
“You should rest for a few days.” “The training is too hard.
You’re not ready for it, so just watch us for now.” Garp quickly agreed.
“Yeah, exactly!” Tsuru clenched her fists.
“I’m not weaker than either of you.
Whatever you can do, I can do too.” She had made up her mind.
She wasn’t weak, and she wouldn’t let them look down on her.
Their attempts to discourage her only made her more determined.
Tsuru gathered her courage, walked up to Jiro, and looked at him seriously.
“Uncle, please train me.” Jiro looked down at her and instinctively softened.
Tsuru was still young, with a small frame, cute features, and a stubborn expression that made him want to pinch her cheeks.
In a few years, she probably wouldn’t be this adorable anymore.
“Can you endure pain?” Tsuru raised her head, puffed out her chest, and nodded firmly.
“Are you afraid of hard work?” She shook her head.
“Will you quit halfway through?” Jiro asked.
“I don’t like quitters.
Either don’t begin at all, or once you start, you don’t get to say no.” “Think carefully.
It would be a shame if I had to use the stick on such a cute little girl.” Tsuru suddenly became nervous.
She could be beaten too?
Garp and Sengoku immediately began provoking her.
“Tsuru, forget it.
Just give up.” “Uncle hits really hard.
See that stick?
If he hits you with it, my heart will hurt.” Garp rolled his eyes at Sengoku.
“Don’t listen to him, Tsuru.
My dad won’t hit you.” “If he dares, I won’t let him get away with it.” I’ll put something in his food and make sure he can’t sleep properly for days.
Hearing that only made Tsuru more determined.
“Uncle, I can do it.” Jiro nodded in satisfaction.
Girls in the One Piece world could be remarkably strong.
After seeing so much violence and lawlessness, they understood the danger of remaining helpless.
Without strength, others could bully and control them.
Tsuru disliked being bullied, and she hated the idea of having her life controlled by someone else.
Pirates and weapons didn’t frighten her.
Someday, she would drive away the pirates around her and help bring peace to the world.
“Very well.
Since you’ve decided, we’ll begin.” “You only just arrived, so I won’t be too harsh.
We’ll start with something lighter.” “As a father, I respect girls and know how to treat them gently.” She was still small, so Jiro intended to give her special treatment.
Tsuru immediately frowned.
“No.
I don’t want special treatment.” She pointed at Garp and Sengoku.
“I want to do the same training as them.” Jiro rubbed his temples.
Little girl, don’t make things harder for yourself.
Tsuru remained firm, and Jiro had no choice but to accept.
He found her a boulder and pointed toward it, then turned to the two boys.
“Why are you still standing there?
Start climbing.
Or do you want a beating?” He raised the stick.
Garp and Sengoku quickly picked up their boulders and started up the mountain, with Garp in front and Sengoku behind him.
Their speed was slower than it had been that morning because they were still exhausted.
Sengoku leaned closer to Garp.
“Hey, why did you provoke Tsuru?” Garp smirked.
“Don’t you want to see her looking miserable?” Sengoku almost nodded but stopped himself before Garp noticed.
“Of course not.
Do you think I’m like you?
I would never let Tsuru suffer.” Garp glanced at him mockingly.
“Give it a rest.
You think I don’t know what you’re thinking?” Sengoku lowered his head and continued climbing, refusing to argue.
Back at the foot of the mountain, Tsuru tried to move her boulder, but it didn’t budge.
She didn’t have enough strength yet.
Reaching the level of Garp or Sengoku would take time.
After more than a dozen attempts, the boulder still hadn’t moved an inch.
“All right,” Jiro said.
“We’ll begin by increasing your strength.” “Start with a thousand push-ups.
What are you staring at me for?
Get down.” “One thousand.
Not one more and not one less.” “If you don’t finish, you’ll stay here all night.
You can go home once you’re done.” Tsuru lowered herself to the ground and began moving like a machine.
Up.
Down.
Up.
Down.
Push-ups weren’t difficult at first, and she completed the first few dozen without much trouble.
Gradually, her arms grew tired and her pace slowed.
“One hundred fifty-two.” “One hundred fifty-three.” “One hundred fifty-four.” By the time she passed one hundred, sweat covered her body.
Her arms trembled, but she gritted her teeth and continued.
“Keep your form correct,” Jiro said.
“Don’t stop halfway down.
If you’re going down, go all the way.” “Keep your elbows at a ninety-degree angle.” “And stop watching those two.
Focus on your own training.” Tsuru had looked toward the mountain, only to be caught immediately and lectured.
She quickly lowered her head and continued.
A thousand push-ups didn’t sound like much, but actually doing them was another matter, especially all at once.
If she had the entire afternoon and kept moving, she might still finish.