Chapter 19: The Devil's Tutor and the Prodigy Apprentice
"Today's lesson is... the Six Powers!" Garp announced, his voice booming across the training ground.
Ian responded with an expression of eager anticipation. "Please instruct me, Vice Admiral!"
In truth, he had already fully mastered the Rokushiki. Through repeated enhancements to his [Overall Prowess], the first physical skill he had acquired was the complete Six Powers. Subsequent random reinforcements had refined them to a level far surpassing even Rob Lucci, the so-called "strongest genius in 800 years" of CP9.
For Ian, the real challenge of today's lesson wasn't learning the techniques, but perfecting his performance. He had to skillfully cooperate with Garp, acting as if he were a novice grasping these concepts for the very first time.
Being an actor is truly difficult! he thought wryly.
"Boy, do you know the specific applications of the six moves: Soru, Tekkai, Kami-e, Geppo, Rankyaku, and Shigan?" Garp began, launching into his lecture. "The first one you'll learn is Soru, or 'Shave.' The principle is to kick off the ground dozens of times in the blink of an eye. By accumulating this explosive reactive force, you can achieve high-speed movement in an instant. To your enemy in combat, it will look like you've teleported."
"Watch closely now... SORU!"
As he spoke, the air beside Ian cracked. By the time Ian's senses caught up, Garp was already standing in a sand pit twenty meters away, having covered the distance in a literal flash.
"That's amazing, Vice Admiral Garp! It really is like teleportation!" Ian widened his eyes, his voice filled with exaggerated awe.
Nami, observing from the shade of a tree, wasn't particularly shocked. Instead, she felt a flicker of curiosity. Why is Brigadier General Ian reacting so strongly? When we were hunting pirates in the East Blue, his movement speed was about the same, wasn't it?
Garp, of course, was unaware of this. The genuine-sounding praise from his new apprentice was a rare and pleasing sound to his ears. Puffing out his chest, Garp shouted from across the distance, "Hey, Ian! Next, I'm going to use Soru to move from here to you and attack with a punch. For today's lesson, the use of Haki is strictly prohibited! Use your body's natural strength to defend yourself. Be careful now, don't get sent flying by this old man! Hehe!"
He pointed a thick finger at Ian, signaling for him to get ready.
No Haki allowed... but he didn't say anything about Devil Fruit powers, right?
Ian steeled himself and simultaneously activated his fruit's enhanced vision and hearing. The world around him seemed to decelerate, the details sharpening into crystal clarity. He could now observe the entire process of Garp's Soru. Every high-speed kick that built up power was clearly visible.
Then, the sound of compressed air exploding reached his ears.
Garp moved!
It had to be admitted that despite his age, Garp's physical prowess was still on a level far beyond most top-tier fighters. Even in Ian's slowed perception, his speed was staggering, leaving a trail of afterimages.
When Garp "teleported" directly in front of Ian, his massive fist was already driving toward Ian's face with brutal force. It wasn't coated in Haki, but its raw power was enough to shatter bone.
There's no reason to just go along with it and take a beating for no reason, Ian decided. Besides, judging by the fierce sonic booms, Garp was completely serious. He was absolutely determined to land a hit.
Being his apprentice is a genuinely dangerous occupation.
As the fist closed in, Ian's feet shifted. He bent his torso backward in a fluid, almost impossibly precise motion, his head tilting back just enough for the iron-hard fist to whistle past his nose.
Swish!
"Huh?" Garp's punch met empty air. He stood there, a dull look of surprise on his face. "Did you use your Observation Haki, you little brat?" he demanded, staring suspiciously at Ian.
Ian shook his head, his expression the picture of innocent shock. "I didn't use it, Vice Admiral Garp! You said we couldn't! You were just so fast, I was really scared! My body just reacted on instinct and dodged backward. I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to avoid it! Phew... that was a close call!"
He let out a nervous, relieved laugh. Garp studied Ian's clear, earnest eyes and found no trace of a lie. Users of Zoan-type fruits often possessed heightened animal instincts. It was plausible that foreseeing danger could trigger a reaction faster than conscious thought. He reasoned that Ian's unique Human-Human Fruit must share this characteristic.
"Boy, it seems I underestimated you," Garp conceded, a grudging respect in his tone. "Your reaction speed is quite good, to be able to dodge my punch. I was planning to knock you down with one hit, end today's training early, and send you off to recover. Miscalculated! I'm really getting old. Hahahaha!"
He scratched the back of his head and let out his signature booming laugh.
Ian: "..."
If anyone else had said that, Ian might have taken it as a joke. But coming from Garp, it sounded like his genuine plan A.
Okay, okay, so you're a devil teacher, right? Ian thought. I guess that means you need a little devil for an apprentice.
He began to recalculate his approach.
"Alright, next, start practicing from half the distance I moved," Garp instructed, his demeanor shifting back to that of the stern instructor. "Remember, it's about high-frequency kicks. Feel the explosive reactive force in your core. You're not just running fast; you're using the force to propel yourself. I'll stand over there. You come at me with Soru as fast as you can. Understood?"
Ian nodded repeatedly, a fresh wave of eagerness surfacing. "Understood! Let's begin!"
He couldn't wait.
Garp performed Soru again, this time covering only ten meters, half the previous distance. He didn't expect Ian to get it right immediately, but he needed to see the attempt to identify where the problems lay.
Meanwhile, outside the training ground's fence...
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, accompanied by Chief of Staff Tsuru and Vice Admiral Momousagi—whom Tsuru treated like a younger sister—secretly observed Garp's training session.
It had been a long time since Garp had taken on a protégé. Sengoku, knowing Garp's... unconventional methods, was deeply concerned he would employ his usual recklessness.
Tsuru adjusted her coat and commented calmly, "I told you, Sengoku. Garp is taking this more seriously than he has in a long time. This isn't your first day knowing him. Teaching the Six Powers doesn't require his personal attention, yet here he is. Doesn't that prove his dedication to this cultivation?"
Momousagi watched the scene intently, a hint of envy in her voice. "Ian's treatment is truly something to be envied, trained personally by Vice Admiral Garp. With that level of instruction, he should be able to master the Six Powers within a month."
End of Chapter