The feast had finally come to an end.
Night had fallen deep over Foosha Village.
At the edge of the forest outside the village, Dadan’s small wooden house had long since fallen silent.
Only the occasional chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard outside.
Inside one of the rooms, faint moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating two crude beds.
On one of them, Luffy was curled up in an utterly undignified position, his mouth slightly open.
Soft snores escaped from him as he slept like a log, as though even the collapse of the world itself wouldn’t be enough to wake him.
On the other bed, Mox was wide awake.
He turned onto his side and looked at Luffy, who was sleeping like a little pig.
A helpless yet warm smile crept across his face.
This idiot captain really does have nerves of steel…
He had been howling in despair earlier that day after learning that Garp would be training him.
Yet now he was sleeping more soundly than anyone.
Mox quietly got out of bed.
He walked over to Luffy, picked up the thin blanket that had been kicked onto the floor, and carefully covered him with it.
Only after doing that did he return to his own bed.
But his mind remained restless.
Becoming Luffy’s crewmate genuinely made him happy.
Ever since crossing into this world, he had struggled alone just to survive.
Now, he finally had a goal and companions with whom he could move forward.
That sense of belonging warmed his heart.
But along with it came anxiety about his own strength.
His Trash-Trash Fruit ability was strange and potentially powerful, but its current applications were still limited.
His combat power was even more concerning.
If he wanted to keep up with Luffy, if he wanted to survive on that magnificent yet perilous ocean in the years to come, he had to become stronger.
He was filled with anticipation for the adventures ahead.
The Grand Line.
The One Piece.
Those islands, people, and events that had existed only in manga and legends would soon become reality.
He would personally experience them.
That sea was waiting for him.
Yet that anticipation was quickly overshadowed by another emotion.
A deep sense of dread toward tomorrow’s training with Garp.
Garp’s strength was unquestionably at the very pinnacle of the world.
The title of Hero of the Marines was certainly no exaggeration.
But during the voyage to Foosha Village, Mox had already experienced the old man’s “teaching style” firsthand.
Put simply, Garp had no teaching style at all.
Or rather, he simply didn’t know how to teach beginners.
His so-called training consisted of only two things:
Physical training intense enough to squeeze every last drop of strength from one’s body, and practical combat sessions that were essentially one-sided beatings.
He called it “growing through battle.”
In reality, it was simply the brutal destruction of body and will.
Mox had originally held onto a sliver of hope that he could use this opportunity to pry some information about Haki training from someone as powerful as Garp.
But now, it seemed unlikely.
He silently summoned his system panel.
The numbers were displayed clearly.
His Physical Strength was still far from the 1,000-point threshold required to unlock Armament Haki.
That seemed to confirm his suspicion.
There was likely a hard physical requirement for entering the realm of Armament Haki.
Given his current physical condition—and Luffy’s—Garp probably wouldn’t voluntarily mention Haki training.
In the old man’s eyes, what they needed most right now was to establish a solid foundation and forge their bodies until they were as tough as steel.
Sigh…
Mox quietly sighed.
He could roughly guess Garp’s training philosophy.
First, use high-intensity training and actual combat to strengthen their bodies and sharpen their combat instincts according to Marine standards.
Then, once there was an opportunity to recruit them into the Marines, gradually teach them advanced techniques such as Haki.
But there was one major problem.
He and Luffy were going to set sail in a year!
They didn’t have that much time.
Asking Garp directly for Haki training methods right now?
Mox was almost certain that the old man wouldn’t teach them.
Garp might appear carefree, but he was actually extremely shrewd.
And in certain matters, he was stubborn—especially when it came to “raising the next generation of Marine officers.”
“Looks like I’ll have to find another way…”
Mox’s eyes gradually hardened.
Directly asking was impossible.
Then he would have to take the long way around.
His thoughts slowly became clearer.
First, he absolutely couldn’t confront Garp head-on.
Directly asking for Haki training was out of the question.
Second, he had to make good use of the time ahead and obtain as much useful information from Garp as possible, even if it was merely details revealed during combat.
As for the actual method of training Haki, he could memorize whatever he learned.
Even if he couldn’t master it now, he could find an opportunity to learn it later during his adventures.
But if he could obtain the method in advance and prepare himself ahead of time, that would obviously be even better.
“Forget it.
I probably won’t be sleeping tonight anyway.”
Mox suddenly sat up, his eyes gleaming.
“If that’s the case, I’d better make some preparations and lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s ‘plan’…”
The night grew deeper.
Inside the wooden house, only Luffy’s steady snoring remained.
The following morning.
The sky had only just begun to brighten.
The first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, bathing Foosha Village in a warm golden glow.
Creak—
The wooden door of Dadan’s house opened.
Garp’s towering figure appeared in the doorway.
He carried a bulging bag in one hand and stuffed rice crackers into his mouth as he walked.
The crunching sound was especially loud in the quiet morning.
Yet the moment he stepped inside, he froze.
Mox was standing in the middle of the living room.
He wore an excessively brilliant smile, his eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
He looked like the very picture of obedience and good manners.
“Good morning, Grandpa Garp!”
Mox’s voice was bright and cheerful.
“I was just about to wake Luffy up and come meet you!”
“I didn’t expect you to arrive so early.”
“Please, sit down!”
“You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you?”
“I made some breakfast from my hometown this morning.
Please give it a try and tell me what you think!”
Garp raised an eyebrow and looked Mox up and down.
Still chewing on a rice cracker, he muttered,
“Well, well.
You’re certainly sweet-tongued today.”
“You’re definitely up to something, brat!”
Despite his words, there was no displeasure on his face.
Instead, he looked rather pleased.
He strode over and sat down at the table.
“But I don’t mind.”
“Come on, let the old man taste your cooking!”
“Coming right up!”
Mox quickly headed into the kitchen.
Before long, he returned carrying several plates and a large bowl.
He carefully arranged everything on the table.
A basket of steaming fresh pork buns came first.
Their snowy-white dough was faintly pink from the filling, with wisps of steam rising from them and an irresistible aroma of meat.
Beside them was a basket of beef and mushroom dumplings, each one neatly shaped and fragrant.
There was also a large plate of golden, crispy youtiao, their surface gleaming invitingly.
Finally, there was a large bowl of soy milk, its rich bean fragrance filling the room.
Garp’s eyes immediately widened.
He instinctively swallowed.
He might have loved rice crackers, but faced with these unfamiliar yet delicious-smelling foods, even he couldn’t resist.
“Kid, I didn’t know you could cook!”
Garp picked up a pork bun and weighed it in his hand.
“Not bad, not bad.”
“You really are Marine material.”
“Useful in battle and useful in the kitchen…”
His tone suddenly became sharper.
“But don’t think you can bribe me with food and make me go easy on you during training!”
“When training starts, I’ll still train you properly!”
“I won’t hold back!”
His mouth said he wouldn’t hold back.
His hands, however, certainly didn’t hesitate.
He stuffed half the pork bun into his mouth in one bite.
The steaming meat filling and savory juices burst across his tongue.
Garp narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.
“Mmm!”
“Pretty good!”
At that moment, a straw hat peeked out from the doorway.
A little nose sniffed vigorously.
Luffy had obviously been awakened by the smell of food.
His eyes weren’t even fully open yet.
He was still half asleep, but his body had already begun instinctively shuffling toward the table.
His hand reached directly toward the pork bun in front of Garp.
His eyes remained closed.
“Smells good…”
“I wanna eat…”
His fingers were only 0.001 centimeters away from the bun when—
“Getting pretty bold, aren’t you?”
“Sleeping in and trying to steal my buns?”
BAM!
Garp’s trademark Fist of Love landed squarely on Luffy’s head without warning.
“Gyaaah!”
Luffy instantly woke up.
His entire body spun through the air like a top before crashing into the wall with a THUD!
A clear fist-shaped mark was left on his face.
Mox had long since become accustomed to this.
He calmly directed a Cleansing Technique toward Luffy.
A barely perceptible wave of energy swept over him.
The dust and grime covering Luffy’s face and body vanished instantly.
“Wash your hands before eating.”
“There’s more in the kitchen.
I’ll get you another plate.”
With that, Mox headed back into the kitchen.
Luffy stared at him in astonishment.
“Suge!
Mox!”
He hammered the table excitedly.
“Cooking!
Breakfast!
Food!”
“And you can make things clean!”
A moment later, Mox returned with another plate and handed it to the noisy Luffy.
The instant Luffy got his hands on the food, he grabbed a pork bun and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Whoa!”
“This is SO good!”
“Whoa…
this one’s amazing too!”
“Is there more?!”
“I’m not full yet!”
He grabbed a piece of youtiao and started chewing.
His mouth quickly became covered in oil, but he couldn’t have cared less.
Garp was also enjoying himself, washing down youtiao with soy milk.
He nodded repeatedly, clearly delighted with the breakfast.
Mox stood nearby and watched the grandfather and grandson eat.
He silently nodded.
Step one: success.
He understood people like Garp very well.
When dealing with someone like him, “using both carrot and stick” was the wrong approach.
The “stick” could be ignored entirely.
If he wanted to pry information out of this old man, he needed the “carrot.”
Something Garp genuinely enjoyed.
And food was obviously the perfect opening.
“All right.”
“Time to bring out the big guns.”
A gleam flashed in Mox’s eyes.
He turned and returned to the kitchen.
This time, when he emerged, he carried a white porcelain plate covered with a lid.
He gently placed it in the center of the table.
Then, with deliberate mystery, he slowly lifted the lid.
On the plate was a uniquely shaped food.
The dough had been rolled into a circle and brushed with egg yolk, giving it an appetizing golden color.
Inside was shredded melon, finely prepared minced beef, and a mixture of fragrant spices.
The dough had then been folded over into a curved, crescent-like shape.
This was Mox’s specialty.
A Mooncake.
Before crossing into this world, he had learned how to make it while working part-time at the most popular snack shop near his school.
After being slowly pan-fried, the edges became slightly crispy, releasing an irresistible combination of aromas.
The surface had also been brushed with a special chili sauce, making the fragrance even more enticing.
“Oh, well…”
Mox deliberately looked disappointed.
He picked up the Mooncake and pretended he was about to eat it himself.
“We didn’t have many ingredients this morning.”
“So I could only make one.”
“Looks like I’ll just have to enjoy it myself.”
He deliberately slowed down.
He brought the Mooncake toward his nose and inhaled deeply.
A look of bliss spread across his face.
“Wait!”
A deep, urgent voice suddenly rang out.
Garp.
He put down his bowl of soy milk and stared fixedly at the Mooncake.
His throat bobbed.
“Brat.”
“I’m not full yet.”
“It wouldn’t be right to make an old man teach you on an empty stomach, would it?”
“I want some!”
“I want that moon-shaped food too!”
Luffy immediately stopped eating.
He raised the half-eaten bun in his hand and shouted excitedly.
His eyes gleamed with the unmistakable light of a food fanatic.
Mox had been waiting for exactly this reaction.
He put on a suitably hesitant expression.
Then, as though he had suddenly thought of something, he said,
“In that case…”
“How about we have a little competition?”
He pointed toward the open space in the yard.
“Look over there.”
“There are two fairly large metal blocks.”
“Aunt Dadan said she wanted to use them to make a super-secure safe.”
“After all, I gave her quite a bit of money earlier, so she needs somewhere secure to store it.”
“So let’s see who can punch one of those blocks and send it farther.”
“What do you say?”
Mox looked at Garp, then turned to Luffy.
“Oh, and to keep things fair, Luffy, you’ll compete against the smaller copper block over there.”
“Old man, you don’t have a problem with that, right?”
Garp stared at the enticing Mooncake.
At this point, he couldn’t have cared less what the competition involved.
He waved his hand.
“Fine!”
“Let the two of you see what the old man can do!”
Luffy’s competitive spirit was also ignited.
Especially when delicious food was on the line.
He immediately pounded his chest.
“I won’t lose to you, Grandpa!”
The three of them went outside.
Garp stood before the massive iron block, which was nearly half his height.
Luffy stood beside the smaller copper block, rubbing his fists together.
Mox stood to the side as referee.
Garp rolled his shoulders.
The casual expression on his face instantly disappeared.
His feet spread apart.
He lowered his center of gravity and settled into a firm stance.
A tremendous aura erupted from him.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Mox’s eyes widened.
He focused completely on Garp’s movements, subconsciously slowing his breathing.
The main event is here.
This was exactly what he wanted.
He wanted to lure Garp into using Haki.
Even if it was only the slightest trace, Mox could use his Observation Haki to lock onto it and analyze the formation of Armament Haki.
Even a tiny glimpse would be valuable.
Garp slowly raised his right fist.
His eyes sharpened.
In the blink of an eye, the surface of his bronze-colored fist was covered by a layer of black, glossy substance resembling polished obsidian.
An oppressive force radiated from it.
“Hah!”
Garp let out a low roar.
His right fist came down with tremendous force.
CLANG—!
A deep metallic boom rang out.
It sounded less like a fist striking iron and more like two massive boulders colliding.
Yet, to Luffy’s surprise, when Garp pulled his fist back, the enormous iron block hadn’t moved an inch.
“Eh?”
“Grandpa, you didn’t move it!”
Luffy stared in confusion.
Garp froze as well.
Then he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
He seemed to have used a little too much force.
He had forgotten that the competition was about pushing the block, not—
But then—
Something changed.
Crack…
Crack-crack-crack…
The sound came from inside the iron block.
At first it was faint.
Then it rapidly grew louder and clearer.
Mox and Luffy stared in shock.
The enormous iron block that had appeared completely intact began to fracture from the inside.
Countless cracks spread across its surface like a spiderweb.
The next instant—
BOOM!
The entire iron block collapsed.
It shattered into countless pieces of scrap metal that scattered across the ground.
Dust billowed everywhere.
“GARP!
YOU BASTARD!”
A deafening roar came from inside the wooden house.
Dadan stormed out wearing pajamas, her hair a complete mess.
The moment she saw the scattered fragments of iron, her eyes practically turned red.
“That was the material I was going to use to make my safe!”
“PAY ME BACK!”
“You damn Marine bastard!”
Mox was completely stunned.
He stood frozen in place, his mouth slightly open.
For several seconds, he couldn’t say a word.
Finally, he whispered so quietly that only he could hear:
“…Emission.”