When throwing punches became instinct, Roldy felt as though his entire body was rejoicing.
The more he struck, the freer he became.
His mind gradually emptied.
No calculation.
No restraint.
Just pure, unfiltered instinct—punching however he pleased.
Carnivores were among the most fascinating creatures in the world.
To survive, they evolved sharp claws. Hidden in their bones was an innate gift for battle.
Sometimes, overthinking only became a hindrance.
Let go.
Follow instinct.
Unexpected gains might follow.
"This… is my ultimate form!"
For a moment, Roldy's aura turned almost theatrically intense—his grin wide, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, eyes blazing with exhilaration.
A decommissioned large-scale Marine warship lasted less than five minutes under his fists.
It was catharsis in its purest form.
Only when the rising sun "kicked" the full moon from the sky did exhaustion finally crash over him.
He didn't care how filthy the scrapyard was.
He simply collapsed where he stood.
Snoring thunderously within seconds.
Absurdly—
Even in his dreams, he kept punching.
In his fifteen years of life, Roldy—half Mink by blood—had only experienced Sulong twice.
The first time had been shortly after joining Marine Headquarters, when he tried to resist Zephyr's fists.
The second was tonight.
There were many full moons each year.
But in the past, Zephyr had clearly suppressed his instinctual urges.
Instinct accelerated growth—that was its advantage.
But it had its dangers.
To live purely by instinct was to risk becoming isolated from society.
Roldy lived in a structured world. He served within an organization.
Unrestrained instinct might lead to irreparable consequences.
Wild freedom was exhilarating.
It was also deadly.
Later That Morning — Fleet Admiral's Office
"What?! You're taking Roldy to hunt that bastard Roger?!"
"Garp, have you stuffed your brain full of senbei?! I absolutely refuse to let him participate in a mission like that!"
Zephyr and Garp were already at each other's throats.
Fleet Admiral Kong, Sengoku, and Tsuru sat behind a brand-new desk, calmly observing the spectacle like seasoned bystanders.
"Bullshit! With the brat's current strength, how many people on these seas could actually hold him down?"
"The Moa Moa no Mi's speed isn't a joke!"
"And don't forget—he's already learned everything he can from you!"
"You've got nothing left to teach him!"
"Real combat—that's what will make him transform!"
Zephyr's concern was understandable.
Garp's argument was equally valid.
Neither would budge.
"You bastard! Are you saying my teaching isn't good enough?!"
"It never was! Your style only works on snot-nosed rookies!"
"You wanna fight?!"
"Bring it! You think I'm scared of you?!"
The two pressed foreheads together like enraged bulls, ready to explode.
"I swear, you two…"
Kong rubbed his temples and set down the oddly shaped teacup in front of him.
Every time these two started shouting, his head felt like it might split.
Truth be told—
He leaned slightly toward Garp's position.
Roldy's potential was too great.
Wasting him as a mere Deputy Chief Instructor was excessive.
Clashing with the sea's strongest—that was where he belonged.
Real combat forged true warriors.
"Fleet Admiral, don't try to stop me! Today I'm crushing this idiot's fists!"
"Oh? With that soft Armament of yours? You heard him, Kong—it was him who provoked me! Don't worry though, I'll pay for Zephyr's wrist treatment!"
And just like that—
They began wrestling.
Two of the Marines' greatest figures—
Now brawling like village children.
Their coats, symbols of countless soldiers' dreams, were dragged and wrinkled without mercy.
"Fleet Admiral Kong," Tsuru suddenly interjected calmly, "perhaps Roldy could study under me for a while."
"He learns quickly. If we strengthen his administrative and strategic capabilities…"
"He may one day become the perfect Admiral."
The room fell silent for half a second.
Even Zephyr and Garp paused mid-grapple.
This—
This was a miracle proposal.
Zephyr and Garp had ignored even Fleet Admiral Kong's earlier attempts to calm them down.
But at Sengoku's single sentence—
They stopped fighting in perfect sync.
The two exchanged a subtle glance.
Some kind of silent agreement was reached.
"Ahem. Well… letting Roldy follow Garp for a while isn't impossible. I just have a few conditions."
"Don't worry, old friend! The brat's half my disciple too. I'd stake my life before letting anything happen to him!"
The two men—faces still flushed from yelling—suddenly threw arms over each other's shoulders, grinning like long-lost brothers.
Let Sengoku take advantage?
Over their dead bodies.
Since arriving at Marine Headquarters, Roldy's daily life had been managed by Zephyr, while his combat training had been shared between Zephyr and Garp.
No matter how much they bickered, they were still co-mentors.
There was no way they'd hand their prized student over to an "outsider."
And Sengoku?
That guy was sly.
If Roldy spent too long under Sengoku's guidance, who knew what kind of ideological influence he might absorb?
To put it crudely—
This was like a dramatic love triangle, with Roldy as the coveted prize.
But the moment a fourth party entered the scene, the original rivals would instantly unite to eliminate the new threat.
"You two are unbelievable…"
Kong sighed.
He chose not to comment further and instead focused on the bizarre contraption in front of him.
It was, for lack of a better word, a distilled tea apparatus.
Why?
Because the tea Tsuru had brought him had already been crushed into powder.
Under her "gentle insistence," he still had to drink it.
And he refused to swallow a mouthful of tea dust.
Thus—
Innovation was born.
After what could generously be described as "friendly negotiations," Garp and Zephyr reached an agreement.
Garp promised Roldy would not face life-threatening danger.
In exchange, he paid a price:
Ten boxes of premium black tea.
And ten crates of top-tier cigars.
Roldy had officially been… temporarily rented.
Sengoku's protests were completely ignored.
"Wahahaha! Excellent! From today onward, Roldy is my aide!"
Garp was positively gleeful.
"Don't ignore me!"
Sengoku was clearly reluctant to give up.
A powerful aide could drastically reduce the burden of commanding a mission.
"Relax. Once the first Officer Training Camp ends, I'll personally select a top-tier aide for you."
"Guaranteed to be perfectly suited."
With Zephyr's solemn assurance, Sengoku finally relented.
"But shouldn't we at least ask whether Roldy agrees to this?" Tsuru added calmly.
"Hahaha! Don't worry. The brat will definitely agree!"
"I'll go have a proper talk with him—using fists as my sincerity!"
Garp waved off the concern, already lost in excitement.
He was imagining his next encounter with Gol D. Roger—
Opening with a strike powerful enough to erase an island.
Once the discussion wound down, Kong cleared his throat.
"In that case, effective immediately—"
"Rear Admiral Roldy of Marine Headquarters is hereby appointed as Vice Admiral Garp's aide."
"He will participate in operations against the Roger Pirates."
And thus—
The gears of the old era began to turn.
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