Garp's vacation in Windmill Village always ended the same way: he left satisfied but exhausted, just like his charges, Luffy and Rodney, whom he had mercilessly trained.
"Rodney's body is weak and lacking in vitality," Garp declared loudly, "so he is exposed to danger on the battlefield.
These words became the signal for the start of new, even more grueling training. Rodney trained during the day and concentrated his chakra at night, repeating this cycle until Garp's departure. His body, exhausted by the inhuman strain, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
During the day, he consumed Military Rations Pills, energy-rich foods, to replenish his strength, and spent his nights outdoors, basking in the sun and wind. Rodney's skin gradually took on the tanned hue of the Windmill Villagers, and he inadvertently began to resemble the Raikage.
"No, I must master all the Rokushiki and learn to control my Life Force as soon as possible. Otherwise, I might actually become a resident of Windmill Village," Rodney whispered, looking at his reflection in the water.
Luckily, he had the Sharingan, which allowed him to record Garp's movements while using Rokushiki. All that remained was to learn them and find a way to integrate them into his style. Mastering control over his Life Force would open up new possibilities, but for now, he needed to focus on learning Rokushiki.
"Why didn't I just use the Shadow Clone technique directly?" Rodney wondered, remembering its exorbitant cost. "Damn it, I have a mission to complete!"
[Ding!]
[Mission accomplished!] A notification sound was heard.
"Is it really that simple?" Rodney asked in surprise.
The mission read: [Assassination of pirate Clive Geza. Mission level: D+. Reward: 100 mission points].
"Clive Geza? Who is that?" Rodney asked out loud.
On the warship, as they were leaving, Rodney questioned Adjutant Bogard about this man. Before joining Garp, Adjutant Bogard had served in CP3, specializing in intelligence.
"Clive Geza is the captain of the Artillery Pirates. He has a bounty of eleven million beli, and he commands a crew of a thousand pirates. The Artillery Pirates are known for having the most powerful artillery in the East Blue. They were last seen in the village of Guerrero two months ago, where Captain Smoker attempted to capture them, but was unsuccessful," Bogard replied after a moment's thought.
"Escape from Smoker? That's impressive," Rodney commented.
Smoker's strength was renowned throughout the East Blue. With his Logia-type Devil Fruit abilities and Rokushiki mastery, he was a formidable opponent. That Clive Geza and his crew managed to evade Smoker's pursuit spoke volumes of their skill.
"What? You plan to confront him?" Bogard asked incredulously.
Rodney smiled confidently and replied, "Of course I do."
A map of the target's location appeared on the screen in front of him. Given the vastness of the sea, finding the person without assistance would have been virtually impossible, which is why the map was needed.
"For now, we'll head to the nearest naval base to gather more information. Thanks for your help these days," Rodney said, leaping off the ship and stepping lightly through the water.
"Rodney's gone?" Garp asked, putting on his dog hat and finishing his donut.
"Yes. Do you think he should have joined the Marines?" Bogard asked.
Rodney possessed the necessary qualities, mentality, and sense of justice to become a valuable member of the Marines. Garp repeatedly invited him, but Rodney always declined, declaring he didn't want to be bound by orders. Instead, he decided to pursue a career as a pirate hunter.
"Recruiting him would be pointless. Besides, isn't being a pirate hunter very profitable?" Garp replied.
"Indeed. Pirate hunters can exchange captured pirates for a reward. Exchanging a pirate worth 10 million beli for a reward would require a significant amount of time from an ordinary family," Bogard explained.
"I see. Then let's become pirate hunters," Garp chuckled, making Bogard worry. The fact that Garp was being distracted from his duties every day was giving Bogard a headache. "Vice Admiral Garp, the Marines don't offer rewards for killing pirates," he reminded him.
The patrolmen's duties included apprehending and destroying pirates, and if successful, they received a substantial reward. However, they were not entitled to exorbitant rewards for the capture of known pirates.
"Hahaha, I completely forgot about that!" Garp laughed. He glanced at Rodney, who was training the Sea King in the distance, and remarked, "That guy, if he stays on track, could become a true ally of justice."
Garp realized that there was goodness in Rodney's heart. And as long as the corrupting influence of the pirate-infested sea didn't tarnish that goodness, Rodney would undoubtedly shine as he was destined to.
Rodney knew the difference between good and evil. He was furious when pirates harmed others, and he watched with equal fury when they did something heroic.
He remained indifferent to what he couldn't see or touch, but if anyone dared to disregard his words spoken in his presence, he would surely pay for it. Violence wasn't his preferred method of dealing with violence, but in this world, it was the prevailing norm.
Even the Marines, the organization responsible for upholding justice, ultimately relied on violence.
Rodney could only care about what was within his reach, focusing on material things. As for matters beyond his immediate sphere, he struggled to cope. He was still in the early stages of his journey, alone and vulnerable.
Sitting atop the Sea King and gazing at the Sharingan, Rodney flawlessly controlled its movements with his mental power, using it as a means of transportation. The Sharingan proved incredibly useful.
The Sea King was speeding across the ocean as a seagull flew overhead, carrying a slightly battered leather bag in its hat.
Rodney patted the Sea King on the shoulder, signaling it to stop, and waved to a seagull in the sky, exclaiming: "Here, here, deliver the newspaper!"
The newspaper delivery bird descended from the sky and landed aboard the Sea King. With a surprising look, it produced a newspaper from its wings.
Rodney generously showered the bird with a hundred beli and placed them in her leather bag as a token of gratitude. "Just think, for a hundred diamonds you could buy two choppers!" flashed through his mind. Chopper, valiantly fighting millions of beli with only a few coins, evoked pity in Rodney.
As the news bird soared into the sky, Rodney, continuing his journey on the Sea King, became engrossed in the newspaper he held in his hands. "World Economic News" was renowned for its stories from all corners of the globe. Morgansa, the organization's head, was known as the number one paparazzo, always racing against fate, hunting for the biggest news stories.
The newspaper was full of stories from the New World, recounting the events that shook the first half of the Grand Line. Particular attention was paid to the Pirate Graveyard, a haven for marines, and the seven naval commanders.
"Huh? A warrant? This guy... Ace?" Rodney whispered, skimming the article. Ace's smiling face was in the photo.
**Portgas D. Ace**
**Fifty million bellies**
**{DEAD OR ALIVE!}**
"This guy's only been on the Great Line for two months, and he's already made a name for himself? That's pretty fast." Rodney shook his head, hoping Ace would honor their agreement.
The arrest warrant vanished, and Rodney immersed himself in the newspaper. Only a few pirates survived encounters with the Marines and reached the Sabaody Archipelago. Fewer still made it through Fish-Man Island. But only a few dared to penetrate the treacherous New World, where the formidable subordinates of the Four Yonko awaited them.
In the New World, the Four Yonko wielded absolute power. New pirates had two options: either submit to and serve one of the Yonko, or defy them. Submission guaranteed survival, while defying them meant certain death.
The newspaper told the story of a pirate with a bounty of 530 million beli who foolishly challenged Big Mama. He was beaten within an inch of his life with a stick, the favorite weapon of Big Mama's first mate, after accidentally eating her pie.
Of course, there were exceptions. A pirate who impresses one of the Yonko might be shown mercy. Whitebeard would adopt him as a son if he was deemed worthy. Big Mama would accept him as a son-in-law if she liked him. If he had unique and powerful blood, she might even take him as her husband. Kaido, if pleased, would accept him as a younger brother. Otherwise, he would suffer the punishment of thunder and lightning, a sentence of lifelong plunder. Shanks, if he found the pirate agreeable, would invite him to share a drink.
Having finished the newspaper, Rodney felt bored. He still had a long way to go to reach his destination, and the days ahead were monotonous. "I'll have to buy a few books when I get to the next city. I wonder what kind of novels this world has to offer. I hope they'll be more interesting," Rodney mused.