Chapter 174: What Do You Want To Become?
“Don’t tell Grandfather I’m here.” Luffy dove headfirst into the nearby haystack.
Meng Huaifeng looked up at Garp flying straight towards them, shook his head, was this something he wouldn’t know if not told?
“Plop.”
Garp landed heavily in front of Meng Huaifeng.
“Hello, Old Man.” Meng Huaifeng greeted with a smile.
“Windmill Village has never seen you before, kid, you’re not a pirate, are you?” Garp flexed his wrists slightly.
“Of course not, do you think I look like one?” Meng Huaifeng spread his hands, denying it.
Garp sized up Meng Huaifeng; whether in demeanor, attire, or temperament, he didn’t resemble a pirate who rolled around on the sea every day, but more like a noble.
But to Garp, nobles and pirates were equally disgusting.
Garp snorted disdainfully, ignored Meng Huaifeng, walked to the haystack, and yanked Luffy out in one go.
“Brat, why hide from Grandfather? Did that kid Shanks come tempt you to become a pirate again? I’m telling you, you’re going to be in the Navy in the future, stay away from those guys, got it?” Garp glared with bulging eyes.
“I don’t want to be in the Navy!” Luffy shouted his refusal loudly.
“Bang!”
Garp smashed a fist on Luffy’s head.
“Still thinking of becoming a pirate, have you forgotten Grandfather’s beloved Iron Fist?”
Luffy’s head was instantly smashed concave by Garp, nearly hammered into his chest!
Garp’s eyes bulged instantly, mouth agape, jaw nearly dislocated.
“No… it’s not… Grandfather didn’t use much strength, it was the same force as before. Luffy!!! It’s all Grandfather’s fault, Grandfather was wrong, come back to life, Grandfather won’t hit you anymore, waa waa waa…” Garp cried snot and tears, grabbing Luffy’s little arm and shaking it vigorously.
Luffy’s arm stretched instantly, Garp yelped ‘ow’, thinking he’d accidentally yanked off his grandson’s arm again, crying even more heartbrokenly.
“Luffy!!!”
“Pop.”
Luffy’s head bounced back into shape, he said delightedly: “Really? Grandfather, you really won’t hit me anymore?”
Garp’s wailing stopped abruptly, he stared blankly at Luffy for a moment, then shook the arm in his hand.
Luffy’s noodle-like arm contracted instantly, returning to normal.
“This is, a Devil Fruit?” Garp muttered.
“Shanks said it’s a Devil Fruit, the Rubber-Rubber Fruit. After eating it, I can’t swim anymore.” Luffy pouted.
“Brat! You dared to scare Grandfather, do you know how scared Grandfather was just now!” Realizing what happened, Garp flew into a rage from embarrassment, swinging his fist ‘bang bang bang’ to beat Luffy again.
“Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t hit me?”
“When did Grandfather say that?” Garp turned into an old rogue, denying it outright.
Even knowing this was Garp’s normal way of educating his son and grandson, Meng Huaifeng couldn’t bear to watch.
The scene was truly too horrific to behold.
Meng Huaifeng grabbed Garp’s fist, said helplessly: “Uncle Garp, that’s enough, who beats a kid like this?”
“I do, Grandfather does. Grandfather is disciplining his grandson, mind your own business, kid.” Garp glanced dissatisfied at Meng Huaifeng.
My dad taught me this way, I teach my son the same, look how promising they all turned out?
You, a young punk, think you know better than Grandfather how to raise kids?
No one understands education better than me, not even Zephyr!
“A few hits is fine, but not nonstop, I can’t just stand by.” Meng Huaifeng shook his head.
“If you can manage it, then try stopping Grandfather, haha.” Garp laughed as he threw a punch at Meng Huaifeng.
After all, it was for his own grandson, Garp was still pleased inside, found Meng Huaifeng much more agreeable, so he didn’t use Haki, just a normal attack.
Though Meng Huaifeng wasn’t very proficient in fist and foot, relying on physical body far superior to Garp’s and reaction speed, he easily blocked Garp’s attacks one by one.
Garp was somewhat surprised, gradually increasing his strength.
Luffy, beaten deformed, gradually returned to normal, scratched his head and said: “Weird, it doesn’t hurt.”
Then Luffy’s eyes lit up with excitement.
He could ignore Grandfather’s fists now, does that mean he could get revenge?
“Stinky old man, breaking your word, take this!” Luffy always acted on his thoughts without hesitation.
Swinging his fist, he joined the assault on Garp.
“Bang.”
Luffy’s fist stretched long, printing on Garp’s old face.
Garp slowly turned to Luffy, showing a kindly smile.
“Ada dada da.”
Luffy pressed on relentlessly, fists raining down on Garp.
Meng Huaifeng looked speechlessly at Luffy.
Luffy, it’s not that brother won’t help you, it’s that you’re courting death yourself.
Before, when he was blocking, Garp probably would’ve let it go if he couldn’t break through.
But now, even if he can’t break through, once he leaves, Luffy’s beating is inevitable sooner or later.
Better for him to watch, so he can go easy and end it sooner.
“Hit lighter.” Meng Huaifeng stopped, said to Garp.
“Brat, ready to feel Grandfather’s beloved Iron Fist?” Garp asked, clenching his fist.
“I’m not afraid of you anymore!” Luffy said boldly.
A thin layer of pitch black coated Garp’s fist.
“Bang!”
“Ow~”
Luffy clutched his head and screamed, his forehead visibly swelling.
“How… how, it hurts so much, it didn’t hurt before.” Tears welled up in Luffy’s eyes.
Garp punched Luffy once, then praised Meng Huaifeng: “Good kid, you’ve got skills, come join the Navy.”
“No.” Meng Huaifeng shook his head without hesitation: “You yourself don’t even want to be promoted to Admiral, why are you so eager for others to join the Navy?”
“You know quite a bit.” Garp said surprised: “No matter how flawed the order, it’s better than none. The Navy is still the greatest force for justice, when the time comes… haha.”
The greatest taboo is speaking deeply with shallow acquaintance; don’t let Garp’s brainless appearance fool you, he understood better than anyone inside.
Vague and evasive, after two sentences Garp laughed it off and skipped past.
That was enough; those who get it will, those who don’t—with that brain—don’t need to, and it’s safer that way.
Hiss, Meng Huaifeng suddenly realized.
Other D’s hide their names or mix with pirates, but you joined the Navy.
So it’s about saving the country deviously.
The World Government probably wants to play ‘a fortune for a horse bone’ for other D’s to see, actually let Monkey D join, not only didn’t interfere but let him become a Navy hero.
Thought Garp was careless and brainless, turns out he’s the smartest one.
“Uncle Garp, you’re really something else.” Meng Huaifeng sighed.
“Hahaha, flattery, flattery.” Garp scratched the back of his head, grinning widely.
Meng Huaifeng couldn’t help but wonder momentarily if his speculation was wrong.
“Brat, no becoming a pirate, hear me?” Garp said to Luffy again.
“Stinky old man, I didn’t say I want to be a pirate!” Luffy said aggrieved.
“Huh? Last few times Grandfather came home, didn’t you say you wanted to become a pirate?” Garp said surprised.
“I’ve changed my dream!” Luffy said.
“Ah haha, Grandfather was wrong, hit you without asking clearly. You’ve finally figured it out, to join the Navy with Grandfather? Tell Grandfather loudly, what do you want to become?” Garp’s old face bloomed like a flower.
“I want to be a Pioneer!”
“What-er?”
“Pioneer!”
“Open what?”
“Pioneer!”
“Bang!”
“Pioneer? What’s that? Be in the Navy for Grandfather! Who tempted you this time?” Garp, furious, smashed another fist on Luffy’s head, demanding loudly.
“Cough, Uncle Garp, think positively, being a Pioneer is way better than being a pirate, right?” Meng Huaifeng coughed dryly.
“You, kid?” Garp’s gaze at Meng Huaifeng turned dangerous.
“Not just me. And mainly, your grandson has that talent.” Meng Huaifeng said rigorously.
“Grandfather’s grandson has talent for anything! Since it’s not just you, Grandfather will beat you down first, then the others. Let this brat Luffy know, Navy is the strongest, change your mind.” Garp said.
“Uncle Garp, hope you calm down, don’t be impulsive.” Meng Huaifeng said sincerely to Garp.
“What, know Grandfather’s fame on the sea, scared? Don’t worry, you’re not a pirate, Grandfather will go easy.” Garp felt it necessary to let Luffy witness his power, maybe spark his longing for the Navy.
“I just don’t want to beat a grandfather brutally in front of his grandson, making him lose all face.” Meng Huaifeng said.
“Kid, you’re really arrogant, if you can, come at me.” Garp stopped talking, smashed a fist at Meng Huaifeng.
“Though I don’t like struggle, I’m somewhat versed in fist and foot, Uncle Garp, sorry.” Meng Huaifeng had no choice but to engage Garp in a flesh-to-flesh fistfight.
Their fists met, Meng Huaifeng stood unmoving, Garp actually retreated several steps.
“Grandfather underestimated you.” Garp said surprised, Haki began wrapping his fists.
Windmill Village was Garp’s hometown, even in combat, Garp always controlled his power not to leak out.
Meng Huaifeng even used the Power of Preservation to protect the surroundings.
Garp couldn’t overpower Meng Huaifeng, his power grew stronger, finally Armament Haki wrapped his fists, like two black iron hammers!
Without using Imaginary Energy, without Aether Editing, purely with physical body strength, Meng Huaifeng matched Garp going all out, evenly matched.
“Go Huai Feng! Beat the old man!” Luffy shouted from the side, truly grandfather kind and grandson filial.
Garp was instantly furious, but glancing at Meng Huaifeng’s pristine white fists, knew he’d lost; the opponent hadn’t even used Haki.
Was he, getting old? Garp wondered suspiciously.
Still, hadn’t fought so freely in ages, again!
“Cannonball Impact!”
In this world, tank fights could last days, Garp just getting excited, but Meng Huaifeng was already tired of it.
As he said, he didn’t like struggle, experiencing it was enough.
The flesh-to-flesh feeling wasn’t great honestly, Garp the old man’s Iron Fist really hurt.
Pioneer Power protected him, greatly boosting the preservation effect.
Cannonball Impact only made Meng Huaifeng pause slightly, then at speed even Garp’s Observation Haki couldn’t react to, a fist smashed towards Garp’s head.
Meng Huaifeng somewhat underestimated Garp’s strength, one punch didn’t knock him out.
“Sorry.” Meng Huaifeng said embarrassedly, added two more punches, then Garp passed out.
“Shukuchi!” Luffy exclaimed in awe, looking at Meng Huaifeng with adoration: “Actually beat Grandfather the Great Demon King, so strong!”
“Keep at it, you’ll be this strong too.” Meng Huaifeng had no doubt that once the two worlds connected, Luffy could autonomously step onto the Pioneer Destiny.
“Mm mm.” Little Luffy nodded repeatedly, then dashed into a Windmill Village house, dug out a charcoal lump from under the stove, and started drawing on Garp’s face.
“Snore~ Snore~”
Garp lying on the ground gradually snored, a snot bubble emerging from his nose, expanding and contracting with the snores.
Clearly he’d woken from unconsciousness, but fell asleep again right after.
A group of Navy rushed over from the sea, weapons aimed at Meng Huaifeng.
Bogard had long noticed the fight between Garp and Meng Huaifeng, just didn’t expect Garp to lose.
Didn’t know the purpose of their fight, or if he was an enemy.
Even Garp lost, they obviously weren’t opponents either.
But Bogard still decided to bring the Navy over.
Seeing Garp unharmed, just sleeping, Bogard relaxed; against truly powerful enemies, Vice Admiral Garp wouldn’t sleep.
The opponent was clearly very strong, but probably not an enemy.
Bogard waved for the Navy to put away their weapons.
Seeing this, Meng Huaifeng gave up the thought of kicking the old man Garp awake.
……
Uncertainty Terminal was piled with trash, but of extremely poor quality, few truly useful things.
Couldn’t compare to Death Song Star at all.
But this didn’t dampen Star’s enthusiasm.
Finding useful treasure amid real trash gave Star more sense of achievement.
Star never cared how much treasure was worth, the process of finding it was pioneering.
“Steel pipe, iron frame, Huai Feng said need some scrap iron as ship foundation, collect.”
“This stuffed toy seems just dirty, wash and give to March.”
“Fix this table’s other three legs, should fit well on the ship later.”
“Navigation map? Good stuff, definitely useful.”
“Mm, this clock seems only slightly broken.”
Star dug out some parts from the trash pile, repaired the clock on site, satisfiedly stored it in Ticket Space.
Quite a haul, list on the website back home, tons of people willing to buy Star’s picked trash.
These are souvenirs Nameless brought back pioneering the New World, super collectible!
No matter how much trash Star picks, not enough for trillions of fans to share.
“Leave here, this is our turf!”
A somewhat childish voice rang out, Star turned to see two kids around ten, each holding a steel pipe, glaring fiercely at her.
“Your turf? Call out, will this trash answer?” Star curled her lip.
Even I, King of Trash Cans, haven’t claimed all the world’s trash, what gives you the right to claim turf?
