Chapter 31: Koushirou's Decision
The next day, the front page of the World Economic Journal exploded—
[NAVY'S 19-YEAR-OLD STAR DUELS "RED-HAIR" SHANKS! BATTLE ENDS IN A STALEMATE!]
Sub-headline: Rear Admiral Roy (19) clashes with New World monster, "Red-Hair" Shanks! Entire island annihilated by Conqueror's Haki!
The world was in an uproar.
In a bar in the New World—
Pirates were gathered around, passing the paper. The photo showed the obliterated island and the black-and-red lightning of the Haki clash.
"Is this for real?! Shanks was held back by a rookie Marine?!"
"I heard the island was split in half!"
"Are the Marines insane?! Are they trying to raise a second 'Garp'?!"
"He's 19... That kid Roy is only 19!!!"
Marine Headquarters, Sengoku's Office—
A recording of the battle played on a screen.
Roy's afterimages flashed around Shanks. His Haki-coated fists clashed with the blade "Gryphon." The entire island collapsed under the force of their Conqueror's Haki.
Sakazuki (Akainu), cigar in his mouth, snorted. "If you're going to fight, you should annihilate your target. But... it was a good show of the Navy's power."
Borsalino (Kizaru), legs crossed, drawled, "Ooh~ these young people are just so~ scary. Fresh out of boot camp and he's already picking fights with a pirate worth... nearly a billion Beri~"
Kuzan (Aokiji), arms behind his head, "Ara rara... holding back was the right move. A full-on war with his whole crew would be a huge mess."
Sengoku sat at his desk, uncharacteristically quiet. "What is that brat, Roy, thinking..."
"BAM!"
Garp suddenly smashed his fist on the desk, trembling with excitement. "BWAHAHAHA! That kid's 'Fist Bone: Meteorite' hits harder than any island I ever smashed!"
Zephyr pushed up his sunglasses. "Hmph. Garp, besides teaching him how to eat rice crackers with tea, what else did you teach him?"
Garp shot back, "Bullshit! I taught him 'Fist Bone'! Your boring Rokushiki training almost ruined him!"
Zephyr slammed the table. "Nonsense! I'm the one who trained his Armament Haki!"
Garp grinned. "Oh yeah? What about his Conqueror's Haki? Can you teach that?"
A vein pulsed on Zephyr's forehead. "...That's only because you kept dragging him to the New World for brawls, you old bastard!"
The two legends got in each other's faces, noses almost touching!
"Since you won't back down," Garp yelled, "let's settle this like men!"
"Fine by me!" Zephyr retorted.
The next second—
SQUISH!
Garp shoved his index finger straight into Zephyr's nostril.
Zephyr, not missing a beat, shoved his own finger into Garp's.
They stood there, locked in a 'Nostril-Hook Fight,' glaring at each other!
Sakazuki put his head in his hand, his cigar falling. "..."
Borsalino: "Ooh~ so~ scary~ Are these really the 'Legends of the Marines'~"
Kuzan just lay back down on the sofa. "Ah... wake me when it's over..."
Sengoku's head was throbbing, his fists cracking. "WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF...!!!"
Just as he was about to explode, Tsuru calmly walked over and grabbed both men by the collar. "Take it outside. You're getting the office dirty."
Zephyr struggled. "Tsuru! Let me go! I have to teach this old bastard a lesson!"
Garp, his finger still hooked, just laughed. "Bwahahaha! Your nose is pretty flexible, old friend!"
Sengoku finally roared: "BOTH OF YOU!!!"
East Blue, Foosha Village
Shanks rubbed his hand, which had been split open by Roy's Haki. "19 years old... with that much power."
He turned to his first mate.
Beckman lit his cigarette. "His warp range is at least twenty nautical miles. Observation Haki can't track him."
Shanks sighed. "He's... a new kind of monster."
"Captain!"
Yasopp ran up, his rifle on his back. "Just got word, the Whitebeard Pirates are near our territory!"
The mood instantly turned serious.
Shanks's eyes narrowed, then he grinned. "Hahaha... Whitebeard, huh? It's just one thing after another."
He turned to his crew. "All hands—back to the New World!"
"SIR!"
Shanks stood alone on the beach for a moment, looking back at the quiet village and its peaceful windmill.
"Shimotsuki Village..." he muttered, his gaze dark.
"Since he's claimed it, the plan will have to change. An ability like that... is going to be a problem."
Shimotsuki Dojo
"Waaaaah!! Big Bro Roy, you're covered in blood!!"
Nami burst into tears, grabbing onto Roy's torn coat, terrified he was about to collapse.
Luffy was panicking, waving his arms. "A doctor! Get a doctor!"
Roy just chuckled and ruffled their hair. "Calm down, it's just a scratch."
He lifted his shirt to show the healing wound. "See?"
Nami sniffed, poked the scar, and then finally managed a teary smile. "You liar!"
Luffy, his panic gone, stared. "Whoa! How'd you do that?!"
Roy smiled. "Forgot to show you this."
FWOOSH!
His figure blurred. In the next instant, he was standing there in a pristine, new Marine uniform, his white "Justice" coat snapping in the evening breeze.
"WHOAAAA!!!" The kids' eyes went wide.
"Da-dan..."
The sound of wooden sandals approached. Koushirou walked in, followed by Zoro and Kuina. He was clutching the morning's newspaper, the edges crumpled in his grip.
Zoro's eyes were locked on the new, faint scar on Roy's waist, his grip on his bamboo swords tightening.
Kuina, seeing her father's rare unease, realized that this Marine was, perhaps, more dangerous than any pirate.
Koushirou's gaze fell on his two prize pupils, a thought clicking into place. "A 19-year-old who can go head-to-head with a New World Emperor... Maybe... maybe he really can change things."
"Mr. Koushirou."
Roy suddenly stood at attention, giving a formal Marine salute. "I'm here to make a formal request—"
The wind blew a cloud of cherry blossom petals past the door.
"Please allow Kuina and Zoro to enroll in the Marine Elite Boot Camp."
Zoro's bamboo sword clattered to the floor. Kuina's head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock.
Luffy and Nami just looked confused, but they saw Koushirou's hands begin to tremble.
"Of course," Roy added, his voice firm but kind, "only after they've mastered their fundamentals."
He stepped past them, out into the yard, toward the ancient cherry tree. He placed his hand gently on the trunk, a faint flicker of Armament Haki in his fingertips.
FWOOSH!
The entire tree exploded in a silent waterfall of pink petals, filling the courtyard with a dream-like blizzard.
Roy's voice cut through the beautiful chaos:
"If you want to cut down fate... you'll need more than a dojo's wooden sword."
Kuina's pupils shrank. That's... that's what Father said to me last night!
Koushirou stood frozen, the newspaper in his hand. He looked at the headline—"Shanks," "Conqueror's Clash"—and then at the storm of cherry blossoms.
He took a deep breath, his eyes filling with a resolve that wasn't there before. He gave Roy a deep, formal bow.
"Then... I'm entrusting them to you."
In the background, Nami was cheering at the "snow," and Luffy was yelling that he wanted to learn that trick. Zoro had already picked his swords back up, his expression grim.
Roy looked at them, a smile on his face. "From today on, your world... will no longer be just a corner of the East Blue."
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