Chapter 20: A Single Glance, A Single Blow
Outside the fence, Sengoku nodded slowly, his hands clasped behind his back. "It seems I was overthinking it. I didn't expect the old fool to be taking it so seriously this time. I wonder if he's told Ian about the final outcome of the Mary Geoise negotiations. What Ian said in that meeting... it resonated deeply with the younger version of Garp. If he knew the criminal he captured was released by order of the Celestial Dragons, his stubborn heart probably wouldn't be able to accept it."
…
Inside the training ground, Ian's internal monologue was far less noble.
Accept it? Why wouldn't I accept it?
Since when did I have such an unyielding sense of justice?
Oh, what a flattering misunderstanding!
Since entering his training state, Ian had kept his enhanced senses active. He was acutely aware of Sengoku, Tsuru, and Momousagi's arrival, their observation point, and their entire conversation. But at this moment, he had no attention to spare for their concerns. His focus was entirely on the mountain of a man before him.
Garp raised his arms, his voice a booming command. "Hey! Ian! Adjust your breathing! Remember what I just said, and pay attention to your rhythm! Run towards me as fast as you can—"
The rest of his words were choked off, lodged in his throat by sheer disbelief.
In an instant, a black shadow flickered before Garp's eyes like violet lightning. A ferocious gust of wind screamed towards his face, carrying the roar of a beast baring its fangs.
Ian? How is he so fast?
Did this brat just master Soru from a single demonstration?
He had told his disciple not to use Haki, and Garp, leading by example, naturally followed the same rule. Without his Observation Haki, he could only rely on decades of combat instinct, subconsciously stepping back and raising his arms in a cross-block in front of his face. Judging by the air pressure, Ian's attack was a mirror of his own earlier one—a straight punch from the left, aimed at his head.
What a competitive kid! Trying to pay me back in kind? But... you're still a little green! Your intent is too obvious!
What Garp didn't know was that, even without Haki, Ian's control over the human body far surpassed any normal limits. His perception and precision were on another level entirely.
Then, the shocking scene unfolded.
BOOM!
A powerful uppercut, materializing as if from nowhere, connected squarely with Garp's chin. The force was immense, lifting the Hero of the Marines clean off his feet.
"Guh—! T-This...?!"
Garp's eyes bulged, staring in utter disbelief at the young man who had seemingly teleported into his guard.
Could it be... in that split second... he feinted the obvious attack to misdirect my defense?
What monstrous composure! What razor-sharp reflexes!
THUD!
Garp flew backward, landing heavily in the sand pit and sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.
Ian spun gracefully, sliding to a halt a few meters away.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Did I go a bit too far? he wondered internally. Knocking my master flying on the very first day of training does seem a bit... abrupt.
But he couldn't help it. Seeing how seriously Garp had been trying to pummel him, the urge to retaliate had been irresistible. The restriction on Haki, it turned out, hadn't been a constraint on Ian, but a critical vulnerability for Garp. Ian's physicality, honed by years of his fruit's enhancements, existed in a realm beyond normal human comprehension. Garp had underestimated him yet again. The moment Ian closed the distance, his enhanced vision had laid bare every minute opening in the old hero's stance.
Under the shade of the tree, Nami felt a shiver run down her spine.
"W-What?! Vice Admiral Garp... was sent flying? Th-This... this... Could it be that Brigadier General Ian's strength... surpasses even a Vice Admiral's?!"
Nami didn't understand the full nuances of power levels. In her mind, the one who sent the other flying was the stronger one. And by that metric, the result was utterly staggering.
…
The three observers outside the fence were equally stunned.
Sengoku: "!!!"
Tsuru: "!!!"
Momousagi: "!!!"
It took them a long moment to process what they had just witnessed.
Momousagi gripped the wire mesh, her knuckles white as she stared at the settling dust. "That... that was the Six Powers' 'Soru,' right? Isn't this Ian's first day learning it? He mastered it after a single demonstration? What a terrifying learning rate!"
Mastering one of the Six Powers in half a day, or even an hour, would be considered exceptional talent. But to replicate it perfectly after a single viewing? Such a genius had never been seen at Headquarters.
"Sengoku, does Ian's file mention him mastering the Six Powers in the East Blue?" Tsuru asked immediately, her voice sharp.
Sengoku shook his head firmly. "It's not mentioned. And Ian never left the East Blue. It's nearly impossible to come into contact with the 'Six Styles' there."
The conclusion was inescapable. There were no external factors to consider. The only explanation was that Ian's innate talent was simply off the charts.
Sengoku wiped a bead of cold sweat from his temple. "Even if he learned Soru from one glance... the target of his attack was that old monster, Garp! Neither of them used Haki just now, correct? So... Garp's reaction speed couldn't keep up with Ian's movement? And his physical durability... how could he be sent flying by a young man's punch? It's inconceivable!"
All three of them knew Garp's true strength. No matter how much he held back, for him to be dealt with so easily was nothing short of outrageous.
"The Human-Human Fruit," Tsuru concluded, her analytical mind whirring, "it seems it isn't completely useless after all. In terms of bodily control and reaction speed, Ian appears to surpass the peak of ordinary human capability."
Exchanging a final, significant look, the three highest-ranking Marines at Headquarters turned and hurried towards the training ground entrance, the carefully maintained facade of detached observation completely abandoned.
End of Chapter