One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

"I say, Garp old man, why is it that every time I come back to the East Blue, you manage to tag along?"

Wright sighed helplessly into the Den Den Mushi.

This wasn't the first time this had happened.

"What do you mean 'again,' you brat?!"

The Den Den Mushi's mouth stretched wide as it roared back, "It's only been once! And that time was special! If it weren't for that Shanks, do you think I'd waste my leave chasing him all over the East Blue instead of visiting my grandson?"

At the mention of Shanks, Garp's teeth gnashed audibly, and he lamented not accidentally giving him a concussion—or better yet, amnesia—back when he clashed with Roger.

During his visits to check on his grandsons, Luffy was still stubbornly obsessed with becoming the Pirate King…

Yet Roger's actual son, Ace, had gone through significant changes.

"Right, about Sabo's situation—I told you before. That incident changed Ace. It's like he's a different person now."

Wright sighed. "When Sabo's Lightforged Beacon Crystal activated, I couldn't make it back to the East Blue in time. It was too far…"

"But Sabo was lucky. At least he managed to turn what was a near-certain death into a coin flip."

"…"

There was a brief silence on the other end before Garp's voice came through again. "Ace knows that too. But for a child, surviving something like that… the odds were just too low."

"Since then, Ace has been asking Makino to teach him manners and etiquette. It's like he's trying to imitate Sabo's behavior."

"Maybe he knows, deep down, that Sabo might never return."

"Garp old man, suddenly getting all sentimental—it's not like you."

Wright found the shift in tone unsettling. Ace and Luffy—one was Garp's foster grandson, the other his biological one. Sabo…

If Dadan or Makino had said something like this, it'd be easier to believe.

"The old man's getting on in years—can't I get reflective now and then?" Garp retorted smugly. "If you have the time, come to Foosha Village and check on these two kids!"

"I never thought I'd see the day when this old man of a grandfather would matter less to them than you—a mere few-months-long… uh, teacher!"

"They're always in my ears, yammering away. It's driving me nuts!"

"And most importantly!"

The Den Den Mushi's expression darkened as its eyes bulged toward Wright. "Bring that adorable little Kuina with you! She can give these two unruly brats a proper lesson on what it means to be a top-tier Marine recruit!"

"Let them see what true excellence looks like!"

"To hell with their Pirate King nonsense! I should've blasted Roger's head off back then!"

Wright glanced toward Kuina, standing not far away, and muttered, "No, old man, I don't think you could've pulled that off."

"…"

The Den Den Mushi choked for a moment, nearly sputtering. "Cut the crap! Get moving!"

With a resigned sigh, Wright set the Den Den Mushi down and called over the Marines. The ship he'd borrowed from Marine Headquarters for this trip to the East Blue wasn't the Lightbringer, as it had already been sent ahead to the G-5 Branch.

They were just about to set sail when Garp pulled this stunt.

Well… meeting the two kids might not be a bad idea after all.

"Change course! Destination: Dawn Island, Goa Kingdom, Foosha Village!"

"Yes, Vice Admiral!"

...

"Yo, Garp old man, that outfit of yours is… something else."

Leaving the ship docked at the port, Wright and Kuina made their way toward the Dadan family's hideout on Mount Corvo.

As expected, it didn't take long to find Garp "training" Ace and Luffy nearby.

"Wright-san!"

Ace and Luffy's faces lit up with tears streaming as they ran toward Wright. Compared to their grandfather's "abuse," Wright's training seemed like a blessing in disguise.

"Yo, Ace, Luffy, long time no see!"

"What's wrong with my outfit?!"

Garp, dressed in a loud floral shirt, beach shorts, and flip-flops while picking his nose, glared at Wright.

"Nothing… very refreshing."

"Ha! Kuina, my dear! Come, Grandpa Garp will show you the famous Mount Corvo tigers!"

"…"

Wright's face darkened. Seriously? Mount Corvo tigers? What girl would find that interesting?

"Sure!"

Kuina beamed as she cheerfully followed Garp.

And just like that… she was gone.

Wright stood there, struck like thunder, his whole demeanor crumbling.

For a long moment, as Ace and Luffy stared at him with strange expressions, Wright finally let out a wail:

"Garp old man!! What kind of ideas are you filling Kuina's head with?!"

Cough!

Garp's antics aside, Wright focused his attention back on Ace and Luffy.

With a smile, he asked, "So, how's Garp-san's training treating you two?"

"Wright-san! Just now, didn't you call Grandpa 'Garp old man'? Why are you calling him 'Garp-san' now?" Luffy raised his hand.

"… What, he's not an old man?"

"Well, he is… but something feels off. Oh well!"

Ace silently wiped the sweat from his brow. As expected of Luffy and Wright.

By now, Ace had grown taller, shedding much of his childish appearance. He looked more mature and composed, almost like a young adult.

Luffy, on the other hand… had only grown a bit taller and remained as much of a rascal as ever.

"Wright-san, who was that girl just now?" Ace asked curiously.

She seemed about his age, familiar with Garp, and carried a sword…

"Huh? Didn't Garp-san tell you? That's my junior, Kuina. She's a few months younger than you, Ace."

Wright's expression turned slightly awkward. "Garp-san specifically wanted me to bring her along so she could show you two how it's done."

"Don't be fooled just because she's a girl. Kuina graduated at the top of her class at the Marine Headquarters Academy. Soon, she'll join the Elite Training Camp under my mentor, former Admiral Zephyr."

"And I've personally trained her swordsmanship. After all the time you've spent under Garp-san, do you think you can beat her?"

"Hah?"

Ace and Luffy wore matching expressions of disdain. "If we can't even beat a girl, what's the point of setting sail?"

"Confident, huh?"

Wright nodded in satisfaction. "Garp… uh, Garp-san is a bit unorthodox, but once he brings Kuina back, you'll get your chance to prove it."

"But before that, let's see how your training has been going!"

"Alright!"

Boom!

Wham!

Ow!

Ouch!

…

Looking at the two boys sprawled on the ground, heads covered in lumps, Wright shook his head.

"Ace, a dagger doesn't really seem to suit your personality…"

"And Luffy, while your strength has improved, your Devil Fruit abilities still need refinement. Your attacks have decent base power, but there's no amplification to them!"

"Still, your foundations are solid. Garp… uh, Garp-san's chaotic methods do seem to have effectively pushed your physical potential to its limits."

A gentle glow of light enveloped the two boys as Wright healed their bruises.

"Wright-san…"

Ace hesitated before saying, "Ever since what happened with Sabo, I haven't used steel pipes anymore."

"Sabo…"

Hearing the name, Luffy's eyes brimmed with tears again.

Watching them, Wright's lips curled into a faint smile.

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