Chapter 22: The Most Direct Confrontation Between Men
The main reason? He was a damn Logia user! There was just no way around it. Hard work could only take you so far when stacked against that kind of innate, monstrous talent.
"Admiral Kuzan."
"Admiral Kuzan!"
Ian and Nami saluted in unison. Within the strict hierarchy of Marine Headquarters, there weren't many people a Commodore needed to salute. The three Admirals were, of course, at the top of that list. For this reason alone, Ian felt a renewed urgency to climb the ranks. Saluting everyone was a pain.
"Mr. Garp, you're still the same," Kuzan drawled, scratching his head in a gesture of pure reluctance. "I am an Admiral now, you know. Could you at least let me put on a bit of a show in front of the new generation?"
Did the Navy Admiral have no dignity? Despite his internal grumbling, his actions were compliant. He'd come to the scrapyard to train anyway; showing his junior the ropes wasn't much extra effort.
"Hahaha! Ian, watch closely! This kind of demonstration is a rare opportunity!" Garp boomed, his eyes fixed on Kuzan. "If you want to become truly strong, strong enough to stand with the Admirals of Headquarters, your foundation is everything! The path to power is not built on chance! And during your training here, you are forbidden from using Haki or your Devil Fruit abilities!"
"Yes, sir, Vice Admiral Garp! I will observe carefully!" Ian responded loudly.
Warship Sandbags. The name said it all. The derelict vessels before them were to be used as punching bags for strength training. Relentless, daily, yearly pounding... The dented and deformed scars marring the armor of the two ships in front of them were the legacy of Garp and Kuzan.
BOOM!!
Kuzan stepped up to his designated "sandbag" and threw a single, devastating punch into the warship's armor. The sound that erupted was powerfully domineering, sharp enough to seem to tear the very air. The gravel on the ground trembled faintly.
An ordinary warship weighed dozens of tons. A proper command vessel could weigh hundreds. The one Kuzan was assaulting, judging by its size and specifications, was undoubtedly of Vice Admiral-grade or higher. Only a ship of this class was worthy of the title "warship." The vessel Ian and Tina had used was a mere "boat" in comparison.
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
...
Kuzan continued to punch, the force behind each blow steadily escalating until the entire shipyard was filled with the shocking, rhythmic thunder of his assault.
Nami's jaw had gone slack, her horror rendering her utterly speechless. It was her first time feeling the pressure of the Navy's ultimate combat power at such close range. To shake a massive, high-spec warship with nothing but raw, physical strength was simply inhuman.
After several dozen blows, Kuzan finally stopped. He turned, a provocative glint in his usually lazy eyes, and fixed his gaze on Ian.
"Ian, my junior," he said, his voice laced with a chill that hadn't been there before. "If you can't do this... then no matter what Mr. Garp thinks, I certainly cannot approve of you. Do you believe that just by learning Haki and mastering the Six Powers, you can truly become the Navy's 'rising star'? The pirates in the New World are not as simple as you imagine. I don't know what Fleet Admiral Sengoku is thinking, allowing you to form your own unit. You still look like a wet-behind-the-ears brat to me."
Kuzan's sarcastic, cutting words took Garp by surprise. The man was usually so reserved at Headquarters, rarely speaking more than three sentences to an unfamiliar subordinate. He never actively put others down; his nature was fundamentally calm. What had gotten into him today?
Yet, this unexpected harshness saved Garp the trouble. A prodigy like Ian, who had never tasted real failure, could easily become trapped in a cycle of complacency. Without timely, harsh reality checks, achieving a higher breakthrough would be difficult. In a way, Kuzan was doing him a favor.
Ian felt the "inexplicable hostility" radiating from the Admiral and understood the situation instantly. Garp taking the initiative to mentor him had clearly ruffled some feathers, making the senior disciple feel slighted. That was why he was lashing out so uncharacteristically.
Ian didn't take it to heart. He maintained a warm, sunny smile. Action was the most powerful rebuttal.
You want a show? Fine. I'll let you, my cheap senior brother, have a front-row seat.
"Admiral Kuzan's advice is absolutely correct!" Ian said, his voice clear and confident. "May I choose a warship to try?"
"Hahaha! I was going to have you choose one anyway!" Garp laughed, deliberately stoking the flames. "But boy, once you've chosen one, you might be keeping it company for years to come. It would be shameful to pick a petty little warship!"
He said this to provoke Ian. After their recent sparring, he knew Ian had substantial power. If the kid got lazy and chose a smaller vessel, the training effect would be negligible.
Ian spent a long time surveying the graveyard of ships, his enhanced vision analyzing every hull. Finally, he stopped before a massive warship painted a somber black.
"This one looks good, Mr. Garp! I choose this one!"
Garp's eye twitched. He exchanged a quick, meaningful glance with Kuzan, who also wore a look of surprise.
That decommissioned warship had once been the personal vessel of the former Fleet Admiral, the current Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, Kong. It was a full specification higher than the training ship Kuzan had just used.
Since arriving, Ian had been using his super vision to scrutinize every ship. The one he had chosen was, without a doubt, the largest and most robust in the entire scrapyard.
If they wanted a show, he'd give them a spectacle.
"Ian, are you certain?" Kuzan's voice was sharp. "The armor on that ship is made of a special alloy. It's significantly more difficult to make a dent in, let alone produce a resonant sound. Do you plan to stay here playing with warship sandbags for the next few years?"
He was trying to make Ian back down.
"Reporting to Admiral Kuzan," Ian replied, his tone unwavering, "I have no plans to stay here for long. The sea breeze of the Grand Line is calling me!"
With that, he casually unbuttoned his uniform jacket and tossed it behind him. Nami hurried forward and caught it neatly, holding it close.
The physical enhancement from the Human-Human Fruit wasn't a temporary boost activated with his power; it was a permanent, fundamental alteration of his physiology. The current upper limit of Ian's pure, unadulterated physical strength far exceeded anything Garp or Kuzan could imagine.
"Ah la la, Mr. Garp," Kuzan muttered through slightly gritted teeth, "this kid is far too arrogant."
"Hahaha! Young people always speak a little louder!" Garp roared with laughter, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. The stage was set for the most direct confrontation between men: brute force against legendary endurance.
End of Chapter