As Marcus wolfed down freshly roasted sea king, he was glad Garp didn't go overboard in their fight. Sure he was sore and would probably feel most of his injuries tomorrow, but at least he wouldn't be bedridden for the next couple of days. Garp took a bite from a massive piece of meat before he asked as he chewed, "So how did you get out here? Did your little boat sink?"
Marcus frowned at Garp's total lack of manners as he said, "My boat should be fine, at least it was before it left the island earlier."
"Oh yeah, you're training with someone right?" Garp asked, spitting a bit of food out of his mouth as he glanced around.
"Yeah, they went to resupply and will be back in a few weeks probably."
Garp focused on Marcus as he asked, "Who are you training with?"
"A good swordsman."
Garp's eyes narrowed and he stopped mid bite as he asked, "Who?"
"Probably one of the best swordsmen still alive, who has enough free time to train someone like me."
Garp slammed his massive piece of meat onto Marcus's head as he said, "I asked who it was, you stupid brat!"
Marcus sat up in a slight daze as he said, "Rayleigh."
"Hun? He's still around?"
Marcus shook his head slightly to clear it before he said, "I thought you knew where all the Roger Pirates were hidden?"
"Only a couple… With how quiet most of them have been, I thought they were dead."
Marcus shook his head slightly before he started to shove more meat in his mouth. They chatted for another hour as Marcus stuffed himself with as much meat as possible. He didn't become a ball like Luffy liked to do, but he definitely looked a little pregnant once he was satisfied. After they finished eating, both of them passed out in the pile of leftover bones they created.
Marcus was the first one to wake up when he heard a deep, almost lazy voice as it said, "Garp-san, I came to get you. Commander Sengoku wants you back in time for the meeting."
Marcus sat up as he noticed it was almost sunset before he glanced towards the voice and found an incredibly tall and slim man. He wore a white buttoned-up vest with a popped collar over a long-sleeved navy blue shirt, with matching white trousers and a pair of black dress shoes. The rest of his normal marine attire was missing, but his black, curly hair, tanned skin and lazy nature was still there along with a sleep mask on his forehead.
Marine Admiral Kuzan slowly moved his gaze from Garp who was still asleep to Marcus. Marcus stared back at the man for a moment before he let out a yawn and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Afterwards he stood as he said, "How long till you have to be back?"
"Tomorrow morning." Kuzan said as he studied Marcus before he asked, "Are you Garp-san's grandson?"
"One of them…" Marcus said as he started to roll his shoulders and found that his body didn't hurt as much after his nap.
"Since you're here and the old man's still asleep, you can help me pass the time with a spar."
"I don't-" Kuzan said before he was cut off by Marcus who flashed in front of him and punched him in the stomach with a haki covered fist.
Kuzan staggered backwards and frowned slightly but before he could speak Marcus continued his attacks on the man as he said, "You better give me a decent fight iceman or I'll be disappointed."
Kuzan's arm looked like it moved in slow motion as it blocked Marcus's incoming attacks before he said, "Ara Ara, you're just as troublesome as Garp-san."
Marcus laughed as he continued to assault Kuzan before he said, "No way, I'm just getting a bit of exercise after having a good meal and a nap."
"Then why are you attacking me? Go run around the island or something and stop bugging me." Kuzan said in a helpless tone.
"Not as fun, now show me what you got, ice cube man."
Kuzan frowned as he easily defended himself against Marcus because he said, "You're being annoying… Ice Block!"
A wall of ice over a foot thick, ten feet tall and just as wide appeared in front of Kuzan in an instant. Marcus smirked slightly as he channeled more haki into his fist and hit the wall as hard as he could. The wall didn't shatter outright, but the spot where he hit, cracked as it blasted apart and a foot sized chunk of ice flew towards Kuzan. Marcus didn't stop though and two hits later the wall collapsed as Marcus charged through it to attack Kuzan directly.
Kuzan parried a few more attacks before he let out a heavy sigh and jumped high into the air. While flying backwards from the jump, Kuzan raised his right arm and pointed it towards Marcus as he said, "Fine, try blocking this…. Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"
A large mass of ice shot out of Kuzan's arm and quickly formed into a majestic ice pheasant. The pheasant raised its head to the sky and opened its beak as if to let out a silent screech of anger before it focused on Marcus. It then flapped its massive wings as it dove towards Marcus with single minded intent. Marcus's smile bloomed into something similar to what Garp would use when excited before he pulled back his right fist.
Kuzan's eyes quickly widened as he felt a massive blast of conqueror's haki from Marcus at the same time the boy's fist turned black with hints of purple lightning dancing on it. Marcus swung towards the pheasant with all of his strength as he yelled, "Now this is what I was talking about!"
The conqueror's haki clad fist swung forward and when it impacted the pheasant's beak there was a pause to see who was stronger. It only lasted a moment before the hints of purple lightning arc'd out through the pheasant and it exploded. If Kuzan had continued to channel the attack or added a bit of Haki before it was fully released, it wouldn't have happened. But without that, Marcus's conqueror's haki infused attack easily overpowered the attack and Marcus charged through the shattered ice towards Kuzan.
As soon as Kuzan touched the ground Marcus appeared in front of him with another conqueror's haki infused attack. Kuzan's entire arm turned black as he blocked the attack and was forced to step back while he said, "Oi, settle down already!"
"Settle down? This is just a warm up!" Marcus said before he flared his conqueror's haki to maximum and focused it all on Kuzan.
"Ice ball!" Kuzan said as he jumped backwards again and threw both of his arms forward towards Marcus.
Ice shot out towards him and quickly surrounded him in moments as Marcus attempted to cover his whole body in haki. Kuzan quickly cut off the attack once Marcus was completely covered and turned into a small ball of ice. Marcus struggled inside the ice and with the help of his conqueror's haki he slowly broke out of it after almost a minute. But he was chilled to the bone by that point and shivered uncontrollably as his teeth chattered together.
"Damn it, that's cold."
Garp's laughter filled the air before he said, "I could do better at your age."
"You always say that." Marcus grumbled as he moved back towards Garp and the bon fire that had mostly died down.
"That's because it's true." Garp said as Marcus quickly added wood to the fire as he tried to warm up.
Kuzan stepped closer as he said, "Garp-san, your grandson is a little monster."
"Bah, I was way stronger when we were the same age."
Kuzan sat down next to Garp as he said, "Maybe, but compared to most people. He's a little kid that's stronger than a captain trained at headquarters…"
Kuzan glanced towards Marcus who was still shivering as he asked, "By the way, when is he joining the marines?"
Garp frowned slightly before Marcus shook his head and said, "I'm just an explorer and musician who turns in bounties sometimes… I don't plan to be a collared dog for someone else."
Kuzan frowned this time as Garp burst into laughter before he punched Marcus into the ground and said, "Just because it's true doesn't mean you can say it out loud, brat!"
"Why not?!? Isn't that the reason for your ship's massive figurehead and the hood you wear sometimes?!?" Marcus asked in indignation as he rubbed the lump forming on top of his head.
"That's because I'm a marine so I can make fun of myself! Unless you become a marine, don't call us what we are!"
Marcus glanced at Garp before he rolled his eyes and tossed a bit more wood on the fire. Kuzan watched the whole exchange before he said, "Garp-san, we should leave soon so we can get back in time for the meeting."
"Bah, Just tell Sengoku you couldn't find me."
Kuzan let out a sigh before he held on a white piece of paper as he said, "He sent me with this…"
Garp paused in the middle of opening a package of rice crackers before he let out a huff and said, "That old goat, he really wants me for this stupid meeting…"
"It can't be helped, it's the yearly meeting where everyone above a certain rank will be in attendance."
Garp ripped open the package of rice crackers and angrily stuffed a handful into his mouth before he said, spitting some back out, "So what, it's just pointless bullshit that doesn't concern me anyways."
"It doesn't matter, we still need to attend."
Garp stood with a frown on his face before he glanced towards Marcus still warming himself by the fire and his eyes lit up as an idea formed in his head. He quickly reached over and grabbed Marcus like he was a new born kitten and lifted him up as he said, "Come on, let's go."
Marcus turned his head towards Garp with widened eyes as he said, "Are you drunk? I'm not a marine, I'm staying here to train."
"Brat, just how are you going to train? No one else is here… I'm taking you to Marineford to spar against everyone there, it will be good training for you."
Marcus grabbed Garp's arm and tried to pull himself out of his grip as he asked, "It might be a little useful, but my training here is more important. Plus do you really want me showing off controlled conqueror's haki in the middle of a marine base?!?"
Garp thought it over for a few moments before he finally tossed Marcus back onto the ground as he said, "Fine, maybe next time when you're stronger."
"That would probably make things worse Garp-san."
"Fine, fine, you two are no fun at all." Garp said before he stuffed another handful of crackers in his mouth and started to walk towards his ship.
Kuzan let out a sigh of relief as he stood, before Marcus caught his attention and said, "Yo, iceman."
Kuzan turned towards Marcus who focused his gaze on him and said in a lowered tone, "If you ever get disillusioned with the marines and decide to quit. Go ahead and do it, just don't disappoint my grandpa by becoming a pirate when you do…"
Kuzan's eyes narrowed as a deep frown formed on his face before he said, "I'll never be a pirate."
"That's good… Because if you did, I would be the first person coming for your head."
Kuzan focused on Marcus as the two stared at each other for a few moments before Kuzan turned around and started to walk away and said, "Don't get cocky, I went easy on you kid."
Marcus smirked to himself as he watched Kuzan disappear from the bonfire's light before he glanced towards the shack where his sword was stashed and thought, 'You weren't the only one…'
After Garp and the others left, Marcus ended up training alone for about a week before Rayleigh showed back up and started training him again. Before Marcus knew it, over a year had passed and while he could still use more practice, Rayleigh sat him down one afternoon and said, "Honestly, the best way for you to train now would be real combat. You should go to the New World and find strong opponents to fight."
Marcus thought it over for a little while before he asked, "What about advanced armament haki?"
"You already know the basics. It will just take practice to master it."
Marcus frowned slightly as he asked, "Can you at least teach me how to use it to remove bomb collars before we stop training?"
Rayleigh finished the alcohol in his flask before he said, "Fine, but after that we're done."