Across the base, the tremors caused by Luffy's magnetic manipulation caught everyone off guard. One unfortunate Marine, in the middle of using the restroom, clung to the wall with one hand, his other hand gripping his pants, eyes wide with terror. His hand and pants were splashed with spilled yellow liquid, but he was too stunned to care.
"Earthquake?!" he stammered. "Sound the alarm! Everyone, evacuate in an orderly manner!"
Kibin quickly issued the order, his voice rising above the din. Moments later, the piercing alarm echoed through the base—a sound that hadn't been heard since the Jack incident. Marines rushed to follow protocol, calling for their comrades to evacuate to the open areas on the island's edge.
Meanwhile, Luffy, the unwitting instigator of the commotion, froze as he heard the alarm blare across the base. The thrill of testing his powers evaporated in an instant, replaced by a sinking feeling.
"Oh, crap," he muttered, stopping his magnetic field manipulation. "Guess I might've overdone it."
But it was already too late to avoid the consequences. Garp, who had been watching with his Observation Haki, had locked onto his location and was closing in fast.
The moment Luffy released his hold on the ground, Garp's fist came crashing down.
"Idiot!" Garp roared, swinging a fist coated in purple-black Armament Haki. "Who told you to mess around with your powers on the base? FIST OF LOVE!"
Luffy barely had time to react. The sight of Garp's iron fist approaching sent a jolt through him, and he quickly transformed his body into an electric element, teleporting out of the way just in time. The next second, Garp's fist collided with the ground where Luffy had stood, the impact creating a crater a hundred meters across, sending rocks and sand flying.
The base shook once more, this time from Garp's sheer power. His punch had caused even more tremors than Luffy's experiment, further rattling the already tense Marines nearby.
"You're a real pain, you know that?" Garp fumed, his fists clenched as he advanced on his grandson. "Messing around in my base? I'm gonna teach you a lesson!"
Luffy, who had only just reformed his body a safe distance away, raised his hands defensively, a sheepish grin on his face. "Wait, Gramps, I know I messed up! Isn't that enough? Besides, that punch of yours did more damage than I did!"
"Oh, so now you're talking back, huh?" Garp growled, lunging forward with both fists ready. "I'll show you what happens to wise-mouthed grandkids!"
With no other choice, Luffy raised his hands, coating them in Armament Haki as he blocked Garp's blows. Each impact sent jolts of pain through his fists. No matter how much he had grown, his grandfather's strength was still leagues beyond his own, and every punch left him aching.
Not far from the two, a golden light flickered as Kizaru materialized, his usual laid-back expression mixed with mild curiosity. Watching Garp chase Luffy around, he placed his hands in his pockets, his lips pursed in his signature pouting expression.
"Oh my, was it Luffy who caused all that commotion just now?" he mused aloud, feigning surprise. "I was so startled, I thought Uncle Whitebeard had dropped by, so I almost ran to the port to make my escape."
Just then, Aokiji strode up, his face less amused. He shook his head, casting a tired glare at Luffy. "Oi, Luffy, I was having a nice chat with the ladies," he muttered, crossing his arms. "If you don't give me a good reason for all this, we're going to have a little sparring match right here, with your grandpa on my side."
Hancock, Ain, and Hina arrived moments later, looking around in confusion at the scattered Marines and the debris from Garp's attack. After quickly asking what had happened, the women turned to Luffy, their expressions equal parts curious and exasperated.
Seizing the chance, Luffy dodged out of Garp's reach and teleported to their side, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Look, I'll pay for everything!" he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Any damage caused, I'll take care of it—including the crater my grandpa just dug!"
Garp, however, wasn't ready to let him off the hook. "Pay for it?" he huffed, crossing his arms and glaring down at his grandson. "You think throwing a little money around will fix this? Do you know how important a good nap is for an old Marine like me?"
Luffy tried to stifle a laugh, but Garp continued, undeterred. "What if I can't rest up today, huh? What if Kaido shows up and I'm too tired to fight him? I still haven't seen my great-grandson! You trying to send me down to see your grandma early?"
"Alright, alright, I know I messed up," Luffy replied, trying not to roll his eyes. "I get it."
Kizaru, watching the back-and-forth with mild amusement, raised a hand and tilted his head. "Luffy-san, I have a question. You've got the Lightning-Lightning Fruit, right? What exactly caused that earthquake? For a moment there, I thought Whitebeard was paying us a visit."
Garp paused, his expression turning curious as he looked at Luffy with narrowed eyes. Aokiji and the others also stared, awaiting his answer.
Luffy rubbed the back of his neck, grinning. "Oh, that's part of my deeper development of the Lightning-Lightning Fruit," he explained. "It's not just electricity. There's this connection between electromagnetism and magnetic fields, and I was just experimenting with manipulating the magnetic field around the base."
He raised his hands in excitement as he continued, "I'm thinking that if I can get this right, I might even be able to lift the entire island with my mind!"
==============================================
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
==============================================