One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

After parting ways with Shanks, Wright watched as the Red Force sailed into the distance.

However, there was something off—gone was the usual rowdy banter of the crew, replaced by an unnatural silence that felt almost eerie.

In truth, besides Shanks, whom Wright had respectfully roused with his purification abilities, only the navigator and helmsman remained conscious to ensure the ship's proper departure. As for the rest of the crew? They'd all remain blissfully asleep until tomorrow night.

Who told them they could mock a young man's "grandiose dream"? Not retaliating would make him unworthy of his pride. Revenge might be petty, but it sure was satisfying!

With the Red-Haired Pirates out of the picture, there was no one left in the East Blue to test his abilities against. That meant it was time to set course for the Grand Line. However, heading there without a reliable navigator would be tricky. Though he had studied some navigation skills, they were surface-level at best. Perhaps he could negotiate with the Marines for a ride?

"One day," Wright muttered wistfully, "I'll have the strength of someone like Dracule Mihawk, able to roam freely on the sea with just a small boat."

After spending the night on the island to rest and prepare, Wright planned to visit a nearby Marine base for information about Grand Line routes.

The sun was relentless—it hadn't rained in half a month, and the scorching heat left Wright drenched in sweat. Unable to endure, he dove into the sea for a refreshing swim.

"Ahh, much better."

Still, he reminded himself not to make this a habit. As far as the world knew, he was a Devil Fruit user. Swimming? That would raise all kinds of suspicions—potentially dangerous ones.

Sprawled on his small boat, Wright found himself envying the carefree mastery of Mihawk, the future World's Greatest Swordsman.

"Ugh, I'm so tired... Shanks and his crew sure had good booze," he mumbled, dozing off as the boat drifted.

"Vice Admiral Garp! You've already eaten all the rice crackers and donuts! We're really out until we return to headquarters!"

"Hmm? Is that so... No snacks left, huh? How boring. Guess I'll take a nap then... Zzz..."

"Vice Admiral Garp? Sir?"

On the tranquil sea, a massive ship with a comically oversized dog's head sailed steadily forward. The dog head even held a giant bone in its mouth, giving it a goofy, unassuming appearance.

But this "silly-looking" ship was feared throughout the Grand Line—none other than the flagship of Marine Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, the Hero of the Marines!

It had been only five years since the public execution of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. The world still vividly remembered his unparalleled power. In the process of capturing Roger, Garp was the sole Marine who could stand toe-to-toe with him.

Garp's strength was beyond question. Only his love of freedom—and, perhaps, his eccentric personality—kept him from accepting the promotion to Admiral. Strength-wise, he was a top-tier powerhouse.

The East Blue was vast, and the odds of two ships meeting by coincidence were slim to none. But sometimes, fate had other plans.

"Report! Vice Admiral Garp!"

"Zzz..."

Garp, wearing his iconic dog-head hat, sat sprawled in his chair, fist propping up his head, snoring soundly with a giant snot bubble bobbing with each breath.

"Vice Admiral Garp! Sir!?" The scout was sweating nervously. Should he wake Garp? Would he get punched into the horizon if he did? Probably.

"What's the matter?" Thankfully, Garp's dependable adjutant, Bogard, stepped in. The scout breathed a sigh of relief, saluted, and reported.

"Sir! We've spotted a small sailboat ahead with only one person aboard!"

"Oh?" Bogard glanced at Garp, still snoring away, and sighed. "Have you identified the individual?"

The scout hesitated. "Apologies, sir. The individual appears to be... asleep, with their face covered by a hat. We haven't been able to confirm their identity."

"..."

Why, Bogard thought bitterly, am I always surrounded by people who love to sleep?

Adjusting his gentleman's hat, Bogard walked to the bow to observe the slowly drifting sailboat. His sharp eyes quickly caught something unusual.

"That sword... glimmering with a golden radiance. Across the East Blue—no, even the Grand Line—there's no second blade like it."

"That's the Dawn Doctor, Wright—the famed Pirate Hunter!"

So this guy just drifts around on the ocean like this? Isn't he a Devil Fruit user? What if he fell overboard and drowned? Sure, the East Blue has mild weather, but let him try this nonsense on the Grand Line!

Suppressing the urge to grumble further, Bogard returned to Garp.

"Vice Admiral Garp, we've spotted 'Wright the Dawn Doctor,' the notorious Pirate Hunter whose name has been making waves lately."

"Pop!" The snot bubble burst as Garp woke abruptly, catching a key word. "Oh? That little monster? I hear he's a young prodigy who's already mastered a Devil Fruit, Haki, and swordsman-level techniques?"

"Crack, crack..."

Stretching and cracking his knuckles, Garp grinned. "Ah, a talented youngster from the East Blue—makes this old man proud! I should give him a proper introduction to my Fist of Love. What's he doing wasting his potential as a Pirate Hunter?"

"Boom!"

As Wright's sailboat collided with the warship, the impact jolted him awake. Reflexively, he grabbed his sword, leapt to his feet, and landed on the deck of the larger vessel just as Bogard ordered a halt.

"Hmm? What did I hit?" Wright blinked groggily, scanning his surroundings.

Marines? Wasn't the nearest base still quite far? Did his boat drift onto a strange current again?

He turned to see the massive dog-head prow of the warship. Slowly, realization dawned as he looked around. His eyes finally settled on a towering man in a dog-head hat, clad in a Marine Vice Admiral's coat, grinning at him with fists like boulders. Beside him stood a serious-looking man in a suit, also wearing a Marine coat, his gentleman's hat casting a shadow over an annoyed expression.

"Oh, uh... Vice Admiral Garp? Nice weather today, huh?"

"You know me, kid?" Garp grinned, his booming laughter shaking the deck. "Even after so long away, my name still echoes in the East Blue, eh? HAHAHA!"

Wright, Bogard, and the Marines collectively sweat-dropped. Long away? No kidding! Maybe your absence is why the East Blue is called the weakest sea...

Still, this might be the perfect chance to test his strength.

"Vice Admiral Garp, your reputation precedes you! Your deeds are, uh, legendary and all that..."

"HAHAHA! Enough talk, kid!" Garp cut him off with a laugh, leaping forward. "You've been making a name for yourself in the East Blue, but it's a waste for someone like you to stay here!

"I hear you've beaten all the Marine base commanders in the region, claiming you'll join the Marines if anyone can best you. Well, I'm always on the lookout for interesting youngsters! Let's see if you're worthy of joining under me!

"Feel the power of my Fist of Love!"

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