One Piece: Ulquiorra Template

Chapter 63: Buggy

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"So, did you succeed?" Ian sat across from Garp on the Marine warship, Tashigi hovering nearby, ready to assist if needed.

She was also there to apologize for her pet behavior. despite its diminutive size, had managed to bite her, and she was currently nursing the wound, wincing slightly. She was curious about Garp's attempt to recruit Fire Fist Ace.

After all, Ace was his grandson. Perhaps he was a man of strong convictions, driven by his own sense of justice, just like Ian. It was clear she was unaware of the complex history between Garp and his family, her expression a mixture of curiosity and anticipation as she awaited his answer.

"I failed." Unsurprisingly, Ian received the expected response. Due to Ace's lineage, this mission was doomed from the start.

Expecting the son of Gol D. Roger to become a Warlord, or even a Marine, was ludicrous. It was akin to asking Itachi Uchiha to become Hokage.

Birth and reputation could indeed influence one's destiny, but in this world, strength could overcome such limitations. With enough power, one could achieve anything.

This was something his previous world had lacked. A life lived according to predetermined rules, where youthful recklessness was met with harsh consequences.

The beginning often dictated the ending.

Pain was a powerful teacher, silencing even the most boisterous voices.

"But you didn't need to stay away for so long, did you?" Ian continued, drawing a black, swirling pattern in the air with his right hand. A Garganta, a portal to Hueco Mundo, opened, revealing a bottle of fine wine and two glasses. He filled them to the brim.

Marine regulations strictly forbade alcohol consumption, fearing it would impair judgment and compromise their duties.

Thus, no alcohol was readily available. However, such rules didn't apply to him or Garp. Their strength transcended such petty restrictions.

"Haha! That ability is really something. Being able to carry anything you want... Makes me want to find a Spatial-type Devil Fruit myself!"

Garp bellowed with laughter, relieved that Ian hadn't dwelled on the matter of Ace. He picked up his glass and drained it in a single gulp.

"But you can't show any weakness to your enemies at sea. And I don't need to rely on any Devil Fruit tricks. These fists are all I need."

Ian smiled without replying. The curse of the Devil Fruit didn't apply to him.

He sensed a wave of loneliness, sadness, and resignation emanating from Garp, despite the old man's jovial facade. He masked his emotions well, never letting them show outwardly.

But before Ian's soul-sensing perception, such facades crumbled, revealing the turmoil within. Even Observation Haki, with enough training, could perceive emotions. After all, Garp, like Zephyr, had endured a lifetime of tragedy, his story mirroring that of Jiraiya in the Naruto universe and Makarov Dreyar in Fairy Tail.

His family had chosen paths that opposed his own, and he was ultimately betrayed and killed by his own student, his life dedicated to justice ending in a watery grave.

"So, I went to recruit Kid. His Magnet-Magnet Fruit has similar potential to Shiki's Float-Float Fruit. But the little Kid ran off the moment he saw me, yelling about becoming the Pirate King. He's even more obsessed with the title than my grandson, Luffy!"