Chapter 24: Forged in Seastone
"I didn't expect it to come in handy now!" Garp rummaged in his clothes and pulled out two black "bracelets."
Ian: "!!!"
Seastone handcuffs!
...
One day later.
Ian stood panting and drenched in sweat before the warship, his fists continuously slamming against the metal with loud, percussive booms. On his wrists, he wore the "Seastone Bracelets" Garp had specially requisitioned from the Science Unit.
This material originated from Wano Country. It was said the science forces still couldn't replicate or reproduce it, as it involved the purification process of Seastone. Compared to the common Seastone handcuffs and prison bars, the special bracelets on Ian's wrists were made from lower-purity Seastone. They suppressed Ian's Devil Fruit abilities but didn't completely drain his physical strength for daily activities.
The feeling was like soaking in a hot spring for an hour and then being thrust into the scorching sun. His whole body felt weak and powerless, a great mental torture. After a full day of adaptation, Ian could finally produce impacts nearly as loud as Garp's and Kuzan's. But reaching his peak level was almost impossible. No Devil Fruit user could remain completely unaffected by Seastone.
The current training was to ensure Ian could still maintain a certain level of combat power if he ever encountered Seastone in a crisis. During a break, Ian tried using Haki. Haki could still be used, but it accelerated his physical exhaustion.
Seastone was very different from seawater. In simple terms, Seastone was high-purity, high-density seawater. Seawater didn't make ability users lose their powers; it only drained their physical strength, rendering them unable to use their abilities. It was similar to: falling into the sea won't kill you, but staying in it will. Seastone was far more terrifying—it could actually strip a user of their Devil Fruit abilities while worn!
"Water, Mr. Garp, I need some water... I'm so thirsty!" Ian wiped the sweat from his forehead, speaking weakly.
"There's still a long way to go, keep at it! Do you want to go to sea? Do you want your own unit? If you do, stand up and keep going!" Garp had transformed into a devilish drill instructor, his voice stern.
...
Several more days passed.
The sun beat down fiercely on the Fifth Training Ground of Marine Headquarters.
"Speed up! It's already two hundred and twenty-two laps! Don't slow down, Ian! Keep up with me. Can't you outrun an old man?" Garp ran with light, brisk steps, energetic as a youth.
In contrast, Ian behind him had heavy footsteps, his pace growing increasingly disordered, making him seem more like the old man.
"Are you a devil, old man? The purity of the Seastone this time... huff... is clearly... clearly higher!" Ian struggled to speed up again, barely catching up to Garp. How could he give up when the old man hadn't collapsed?!
...
Over ten days later.
BOOM!
THUMP!
...
"Not bad. Even with a medium-purity Seastone bracelet, you can still use Haki to this extent. Kid, the fastest way to improve your Haki isn't by attacking... it's by getting beaten! Ahahahaha, I'm coming back at you, prepare to die!" A fierce light flashed in Garp's eyes as he laughed like a villain from a cartoon.
"Damn old man, are you serious? Bring it on, who's afraid of who? I'm not that easy to knock down!" Ian's stubbornness flared, and he shouted back in defiance.
...
Unconsciously, the special training had lasted a full month.
One month later, early in the morning, inside Marine Headquarters.
After meeting up with Garp, Ian took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Garp, what's our training for today? The Seastone you brought back a few days ago is already the purity used for prisoner handcuffs! What new tricks do you have today? Feel free to bring them out!"
Having grown accustomed to Garp's endless routines each day, Ian began to look forward to what new training topics Garp could devise. The entire past month had been spent under the shadow of Seastone. Yet, the changes in himself were particularly significant, which excited Ian greatly.
However, Garp shed his usual devil-instructor demeanor and spoke kindly, "Stinky kid, there's no training today. Come on, I'll take you to see that old guy Sengoku. Today... is the day you form your own unit!"
Ian: "!!!"
"Really? Does that mean I can finally go to sea on missions?"
Teacher Garp is truly a man of action. He actually sprung such important news on me today. Being told so suddenly indeed gave him a feeling of multiplied surprise!
"That's right! Your progress has been far too fast. Remember the physical training methods I taught you, and the 'Justice Iron Fist' fighting style! Your future improvement is up to you!" Garp patted Ian's shoulder, a trace of reluctance in his eyes.
Over this month, apart from eating and sleeping, Garp had basically been training Ian, witnessing the birth of this Headquarters' rising star bit by bit. Today, he would personally send him to Sengoku to form his own Marine force. There was always a sense of the old era passing the torch to the new.
Ian took two steps back and bowed deeply. "Teacher Garp, thank you for your guidance these days! I will keep your teachings in mind and will not neglect my training in the future! If there ever comes a day when you need help, Mr. Garp, please don't forget your disciple!"
Garp rubbed his nose, touched. "Alright, don't be so sentimental; it's not like we're dying. Let's go see that old fellow Sengoku and check out the cadres selected for you!"
...
On the way to the conference room.
Offshore Scrapyard.
BOOM!!
BOOM!!