The dust settled in the wreckage of the Galley-La Company's main workshop. For a heartbeat, there was only stunned silence. The Straw Hat Crew, who had been moments away from a celebratory meal, now stared in disbelief at the towering figure of Marine Vice Admiral Garp. Their shock, however, was quickly replaced by instinctive, protective fury.
"LUFFY!" Usopp shrieked, his voice cracking as he fumbled for his Kabuto slingshot.
Zoro was already moving, his hand on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji, his one good eye narrowed into a deadly slit. "You've got a lot of nerve, old man," he growled, his killing intent beginning to roll off him in waves.
Nami's face paled, but her fear was overridden by her anger for her captain. "What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled, clutching her Clima-Tact.
Sanji, who had been lighting a cigarette, dropped it to the floor, his leg coiling like a spring. "You bastard! You think you can just walk in here and...."
Chopper let out a panicked "Mmph!" as he transformed into his Heavy Point, ready to charge.
Nico Robin's usually calm face was etched with a rare, cold fury. Her eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms. "You've made a grave mistake, Marine," her voice low and dangerous. "Dos Fleur: Grab!" Two large arms sprouted from Garp's broad shoulders, attempting to wrap around his neck and restrain him.
They were a whirlwind of motion and intent, a storm of outrage aimed at the man who had just breached their sanctuary. But Garp did not even glance at them. He was a force of nature, and they were nothing more than fallen leaves in his path. He walked through their attacks as if they were a gentle breeze.
Zoro's slash met empty air as Garp sidestepped with an almost lazy grace. Usopp's firebird star fizzled out against an invisible Haki coated arm before it could even launch. Sanji's powerful kick was swatted aside with a backhand that sent the cook stumbling back, his eyes wide with shock. Robin's sprouted arms, which could restrain even the strongest of foes, simply could not even find hold his body, sliding off as if he were coated in an impossibly slick oil. A flicker of genuine surprise crossed Robin's face this was no ordinary Marine no wait he is....he is Garp the marine Hero of the Marines.
Garp ignored them all. His focus was absolute, his gaze locked on the single, sleeping figure in the chair. He crossed the distance in three long strides, his heavy boots crunching on the debris. He stopped directly in front of Luffy, who was still snoring softly, completely unaware of the danger he was in.
Garp looked down at his grandson. The stern mask was back in place, but behind it was a storm of emotions. Regret, anger, duty, and a fierce, protective love all warred within him. He saw not the notorious pirate with a massive bounty, but the boy he had trained, the boy he had tossed into valleys and left in the jungle, the boy he had tried to mold into a strong Marine.
'Look at you, Luffy' Garp thought, his heart aching. 'You have become so strong. But you are still sleeping on the job, you idiot. You've no idea what's happening in the world. What people are saying about your father… what they are forcing me to do.'
He drew his right arm back one last time. This time, there was no grand, building pressure. There was no sound of cracking air. It was just a simple, straightforward punch. But it was imbued with everything he was. His frustration with the World Government, his fear for his family, and most of all, his overwhelming, grandfatherly love for the boy who had chosen the hardest path possible.
THWACK!
The powerful fist with coated in Armament Haki finally Landed into Luffy's face.
The effect was instantaneous and explosive. Luffy's chair was splintering into a Many pieces. He was blasted out of his seat, flying backward across the workshop and crashing through a second,
Luffy sat up, rubbing his now massively swollen cheek, his straw hat hanging precariously off his neck. He blinked, his vision became blurry because of powerful punch, and looked towards the figure standing in the dust cloud. The pain is sharp this is a very familiar pain. It was a pain that cut through his rubbery defenses. the a pain that carried a specific, unforgettable signature.
"Ouch…" he whined, his voice thick with sleep and confusion. "That hurts, you old geezer…"
He finally focused his eyes on the man who had hit him. The silhouette, the marine coat… the memories came flooding back. The harsh training, the shared meals, the tough love. His eyes widened, and all the sleepiness vanished, replaced by sheer, unadulterated disbelief.
The sight of this familiar figure made Luffy's blood run cold. His voice trembled with trembling voice he said "G… Gr… Grandpa?"
The single word hung in the air, silencing the entire workshop.
The Straw Hats stared, their jaws practically hitting the floor. Zoro's eye widened in utter shock. Nami clapped a hand over her mouth. Usopp looked like he was about to faint. Chopper's jaw dropped in his Brain Point form. Robin simply raised a delicate eyebrow, her mind racing at this incredible revelation. 'So that's the connection' she thought, filing away this monumental piece of information. 'The grandson of the Hero of the Marines...This family is at the very heart of the world's conflict.'
Koby and Helmeppo, who had just arrived at the scene, skidded to a halt in the doorway, their own faces mirrors of the Straw Hats' astonishment.
"G-Garp san..." Koby whispered, his voice trembling. "That... luffy san is your...?"
Helmeppo could only nod mutely, his face pale as a sheet.
"That's right, Luffy," Garp said, his voice gravelly and loud, but lacking its usual bombast. It was the voice of a grandfather, not a Marine hero. "Luffy.... Looks like you've gone on quite a rampage."