𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ➳ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚 (one piece fanfic)

Chapter 15 🎄⛄

"It is..." boring, "not bad... People here are-" A few faces flashed through her mind, "There are some good people."

Garp stared at him silently before nodding his head. "You're a good seedling, I look forward to seeing you around," he ruffled his short blue-hair before getting up and walking away. "Let's talk more next time! Bwahahaha," he waved without looking back, his exuberant laugh playing in her head like a broken record.

________________

"Today, you will be training under the supervision of Rear Admiral Garp," Tsuru announced, unfazed by the presence of her long-time friend. This immediately earned whispered excitement from the young people that like many others idolized the hero. Many even joined the Marine for the sole purpose of meeting him. Konan could only stare at the feverish crowd with a hint well-hidden fear, she didn't do well with fanatics, the extent they would go to for the object of their admiration was unnerving to say the least, it reminded her of her former co-worker, Hidan.

As usual, Nanko, like everyone else was paired up and without so much as a word from him, his training partner conceded and left him alone. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of his ruthless blows.

"Hey, Nanko, want to spar?" Garp voiced out with a grin as he stared at the boy left standing alone for seemingly no reason.

Nanko tilted his head, "Yes," he couldn't help but blurt out, excitement ramming through his body, Garp was amongst the strongest out on the sea. Plus it was an opportunity to gauge the Marine Hero's strength and compare herself to him, even if she couldn't use her full strength nor would he.

The other trainees immediately stopped their fighting - having paid attention to their exchange - to give place to them, they would get to see their hero in action! Some - mostly those who fought Nanko - began to pray Nanko would get his ass handed out to him.

Only to be proven wrong when they witnessed Nanko bearing the full grunt of Garp's attacks and despite the visible bruises forming, kept receiving the attacks with a growing smirk that brought shivers down their spines. This only furthered the common belief that he was a demon in human skin.

"How is he still standing?!" a salmon-haired woman exclaimed.

Nanko adopted a strategy that made him bear two punches to be able to land one if his own. He used his body to stop Garp from dodging but even as he successfully hit him, all it ever elicited was Garp's infamous laugh.

"What a monster," they almost shouted as they shook from the aftermath of their punches. Even a dozen meters away, the blunt force waves reached them.

"You're good, lad!" Garp grinned - with a smile so reminiscent of his grandson. The vice-admiral could feel his old bones cracking delightfully.

Nanko didn't have time to answer as another fist narrowly missed his stomach. He somersaulted back, cold sweat running down his spine, that would have knocked him out. Again, another flurry of punches welcomed him and he was forced into movement.

"Fuck," he blurted out as his haki-coated arm received the full brunt of the attack. Nanko hid a wince as he kicked himself off Garp to create more distance.

The flew through the air, the ground shaking from the force of Garp's jumps. A rock shard cut through Nanko's forehead, easily slicing through his skin. He decisively pulled it out, deciding against keeping a sharp object so near to his brain when a steel hammer was attacking him.

Sweat mixed with dirt coated his body but even then, he seemed to shine under the sun, and a few female soldiers swooned.

Nanko's vision blurred, and a headache formed, but his body moved alone, on instincts. A lifetime of experience came kicking in. Blood dripped down his forehead, forming a thin curtain over his eyes and prickling at his irises. He could barely see his adversary anymore, but that didn't stop him. Slowly, his eyelids closed and just when everyone thought he would be defeated... He contorted around Garp's fists, narrowly escaping by a hair. His attacks got more vicious, his hands focusing on joints.

Garp let out a gasp as he used haki to receive Nanko's throat-aimed punch. His whole demeanor changed and his grin faded to a frown.

Tsuru who was watching on the side took a step forward as her gaze narrowed on the new recruit's movements.

Nanko as if sensing the change leaped backward and finally opened his bloodied eyes. In just a second, the whole atmosphere had changed - only the recruits didn't see anything. There was no way what he had done had escaped the sharp eyes of the two veteran vice-admirals

"I admit defeat," Nanko immediately said while gasping for breath, she couldn't allow the fight to continue.

A silence ensued, before Garp loudly laughed, "Good, very good!" He gently - harshly slapped - patted Nanko's shoulder before nodding in approval. Someone started clapping and before long, the whole arena was filled with excited shouts and cheers.

Nanko's black and blue form made for a pitiful sight but no one dared to look down upon the man that successfully bore with the full brunt of Garp's fists even as his skin was fully covered in bruises and they heard bones crack. Plus he fought without using his katana, though some guessed it was to avoid damaging it.

"Seeing as the training ground isn't in any state to hold anymore fights, you are all dismissed for today," Tsuru interrupted in a clasp voice that didn't allow any to guess her thoughts.

When only Tsuru and Garp were left, Tsuru turned to glare at the whistling Garp that was looking anywhere but at her.

"When I told you to come here," she started, her gloved hand already extending to take a hold of the giant's ear, "It wasn't to destroy the whole training ground!!" She twisted his ear, ignoring his pleas for mercy.

Meanwhile Nanko once alone in his bedroom - from which he had not so graciously permanently excluded his roommates - started bandaging his wounds.