Fifteen days later.
"Boom!"
A ten-meter-high wave crashed down from the sky. Though not a natural disaster, to Moses at this moment, it might as well have been.
With a resigned expression, he clenched his fist and swung with all his might. "Slap!" The punch only created a hollow depression in the water about a meter in diameter before he was violently slammed down to the bottom of the lake.
Lying flat on the silt in a spread-eagle position, Moses squinted his eyes, taking several seconds to recover as he floated along with the underwater currents.
A stream of tiny bubbles escaped his lips as he dug his feet into the lakebed, using his core strength to right himself against the buoyancy of the water.
With a push from his feet and coordinated movements of his arms and legs, Moses propelled himself upward.
Splash!
His head broke the surface, mouth wide open as he greedily gulped down fresh air.
Shaking the water from his hair, he scanned his surroundings, spotting Garp ten meters ahead and his two younger companions floating in the shallows nearby.
Looking at Garp, Moses gave a bitter smile. "You really don't hold back at all, do you?Hearing the formal "you" (您), Garp's face twitched slightly with embarrassment. Moses had actually managed to get within two meters of him earlier, which by all accounts should have counted as passing.
But for some reason, in the heat of the moment, Garp had impulsively pushed out a tidal wave to force Moses back, then followed up with a ten-meter "tsunami."
Technically, he'd broken the rules.
Garp quickly defended himself: "Now Moses, you can't blame your grandpa for this. I just wanted to teach you an important lesson - never let your guard down just because you think you're about to succeed. The world out there won't play fair with you."
Pleased with his quick thinking, Garp continued with mock seriousness:
"With enemies, you must completely neutralize their ability to fight back. Never lower your vigilance during battle."
"You should know that the moment you think you're about to win is often when you're most vulnerable."
"Take for example that battle about ten years ago between your no-good father and that other big-shot pirate Golden Lion."
"The 'Battle of Edd War' where your old man nearly bought the farm - that's a perfect example..."
Garp began citing historical references with increasing enthusiasm, though partly to cover his own guilt, as he hammered home his point.
Moses listened with genuine interest to Garp's stories, choosing not to press whether this was just retaliation for earlier.
Golden Lion Shiki.
A figure who had only existed in stories until now.
Through Garp's relatively objective account (minus some personal embellishments), the legendary pirate came alive in Moses' mind - from his rise to power to his eventual exit from the world's grand stage.
Cruel, cold, calculating, yet also domineering, ambitious, courageous, and even a bit comical.
Characters like these often played protagonists in stories, regardless of their morality. It was a fascinating tale, told with charisma.
Moses found himself getting fired up.
"So grandpa, where is Golden Lion now? Still in Impel Down? That world-famous undersea prison?"
From the moment Garp started speaking, Ace had come over, raising his hand with sparkling eyes full of expectation, curiosity, and excitement. Garp's vanity was unprecedentedly satisfied, and he immediately laughed while picking his nose:
"That bastard Shiki didn't stay locked up for long before he cut off his own legs and escaped. He was even the first prisoner in history to break out of Impel Down."
"As for now, I have no idea where he's hiding and scheming."
"Alright, enough about him. Just remember what I told you earlier."
Moses and the other two nodded immediately.
"So as long as they haven't succeeded, we must never let our guard down, right? And if they're enemies, we must completely strip them of their ability to resist, correct?"
Moses summarized it this way, and Garp nodded with a smile:
"Exactly! There are all kinds of bizarre Devil Fruit abilities in this world. Better safe than sorry—it'd be downright stupid to get tripped up in the gutter."
"Got it?"
Moses and the others nodded again.
Garp finally sighed in relief—he'd managed to gloss over it. As for whether Shiki's matter shouldn't be casually discussed?
Nonsense.
To Garp, none of this was a big deal. Was there anything wrong with educating his grandson about the "evils" of pirates?
Was it wrong to use real cases as examples?
Not at all.
This was just internal digestion.
Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on Garp's lips.
At that moment, Moses said flatly, "Grandpa, were you saying all that earlier because you want me to treat you as an enemy?"
Garp's face twitched at the remark, but since he didn't hear the formal "you" this time, he relaxed inwardly and replied helplessly:
"I was just teaching you life lessons earlier. We're not enemies—stop talking nonsense."
"Oh!" "Oh!" "Oh!"
Moses and the other two said in unison.
Garp rolled his eyes and glanced at the sky before turning to Ace and Sabo:
"You two better train hard. I'll check your progress next time I'm back. That's all for now."
Sabo looked puzzled, but Ace frowned. "You're leaving? Today?"
Garp nodded and spread his hands helplessly. "Yeah, it's about time. I've got a lot on my plate too."
"Mm." Ace fell silent. "Then go ahead. See you next time."
Whack!
Moses slapped Ace on the back and laughed. "It's not like this is goodbye forever. No need to be so gloomy."
He then turned to Garp. "Grandpa, leave Ace a Den Den Mushi. That way, if he misses us, he can call."
Garp smacked his forehead, slightly embarrassed.
"How could I forget? No problem. Just leave your number with Ace so you can stay in touch later."
"I'll give Bogart a call and have him deliver it to Dadan. Let's head up first."
Though the sun was bright and the temperature high, staying in the water too long would still leave their skin wrinkled and pale.
Freestyle.
Breaststroke.
Doggy paddle.
Each showcasing their skills, the four quickly made it ashore. After a brief sunbath and getting dressed, Garp took a moment to make a call using the small Den Den Mushi on him.
Since it was autumn, the afternoon sun was especially warm, bathing them in a cozy glow.
...
At the Dadan Family Home.
Moses and the other two each carried a hunt—wild boar, wild bull, and a giant crocodile—and tossed them into the yard.
With three heavy thuds, Dadan and the others emerged, their faces lighting up with smiles at the sight of the plump prey.
Dismembering, cleaning, heating the oil—they worked with bustling energy, while Moses and the other three chatted under the shade of a nearby tree.
Click! Click! Click!
Clack!
A palm-sized padlock was pried open by a slender piece of metal. Moses reattached the lock and continued playing with it.
His head bowed as if focused on the lock in his hands, Moses was actually observing the translucent panel projected onto his retinas.
Bestowed Ability Section.
[E-Rank Blessing: Lockpicking] (Can grow naturally)
[Blessing Effect: Dexterous and sensitive fingers, the ability to discern positions by sound, and a slight improvement in understanding mechanical constructs.]
[Blessing Evaluation: You think I'm just picking locks? Well, that's exactly what it is.]
A year ago, after some sporadic training, this Blessing had naturally manifested itself at a certain moment.
Moses didn't suppress it—he let it develop as it would.
Over the course of a year, whenever he had free time, he would play around with locks, and through this, the Blessing naturally grew to E-rank.
The ability itself was quite ordinary, nearly useless in combat—even if it had any utility, it was overshadowed by his other Blessings. Still, it was a Blessing nonetheless.
Moses firmly believed:
"There are no useless Blessings, only useless wielders."
"If this Blessing keeps improving, could it evolve into a conceptual ability? One where, once activated, anything that embodies the concept of a 'lock' could be opened, no matter what it is?"
"Heh!" Moses chuckled, closing the panel. "That aside, this ability has made my fingers—and my whole body—increasingly nimble and sensitive."
Not just his fingers, but his hands, feet, and all parts related to digits had become more dexterous and sharp.
Bogart arrived.
He brought a small Den Den Mushi.
Then he left—his mere presence made the mountain bandits here unusually tense.
It was a matter of professional hierarchy.
Like mice before a cat.
Bogart himself felt a bit out of place.
Before leaving, though, he glanced at Moses and Ace, who bore some resemblance to Moses.
As for Sabo, he was likely dismissed as just another bandit's kid and ignored.
Moses and Garp stayed for a meal.
Amid Ace and Sabo's reluctance, the two disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Arriving at Windmill Village,
Garp turned to Moses with a grin. "Heading to Makino's again?"
"Hm?" Moses feigned surprise. "How'd you know, old man?"
Garp's face twitched. He twisted his body away with a pout. "Never mind. Do what you want. Just don't be late."
Moses watched Garp walk off, baffled. "Weird."
No sooner had Garp left than Crow Dabao descended from the sky, claws gripping Moses' shoulders, croaking: "We… go home… now?"
Moses nodded. "Yeah, time to go home."
Chatting with Crow Dabao along the way, they turned down a few streets before knocking on a door. Seeing Moses arrive at this hour, Makino already had an inkling. "Leaving?"
Moses smiled. "Yeah, leaving. Also here to pick up some honey."
Makino: "..."
Seeing her puff up her cheeks in speechless frustration, Moses smiled. "Of course, I also wanted to say goodbye to you."
Makino's expression softened slightly, though reluctance still lingered. "Come inside first. Have some tea before you go."
Moses didn't refuse. Nodding, he followed Makino into the first-floor bar and took a seat at the counter, where a cup of black tea was soon placed before him.
He cradled the teacup, taking small sips to savor the rich, distinctive flavor.
Makino returned carrying a sealed ceramic jar.
"Here~" she said with a gentle smile, "your honey, all packed up for you."
"Moses," she asked casually, "when will you come back next? It won't be another two years, will it?"
Moses chuckled.
"Probably not that long, but I can't say for sure. It'll depend on circumstances. If it does take a while, why not come with me to Drum Island for a visit?"
"It's a winter island, covered in snow year-round, with several five-thousand-meter-high iron drum mountains. Climbing them is quite fun—you can see the entire island from the top."
"So, what do you say?"
Hesitation flickered in Makino's eyes as she wrestled with indecision.
Moses studied her—her warm yellow tank top, grayish-blue cropped pants, fair skin, and slightly chubby cheeks, now twisted in contemplation.
It was rather amusing.
"Mm!" After much deliberation, Makino finally shook her head apologetically. "I've heard the Grand Line is dangerous, so I'd better not go with you. I'm still too weak—I don't want to be a burden."
Moses looked disappointed but didn't press her. "Alright, I won't force you."
A brief silence fell between them before Makino suddenly took a deep breath and locked eyes with him.
"I'll practice the Breath technique you taught me properly. When I can punch through a wall with one hit, will you take me to Drum Island then?"
Moses grinned. "Then you'll have to work hard. The 'Effortless Breathing Technique' I taught you isn't simple—easy to learn, hard to master."
"Ah, forget it. You're in my good graces today. Before I leave, I'll help you one more time."
With that, he pulled out a needle case from his waist pouch. One by one, he swiftly inserted silver needles into the key nodes of her Breath—much to Makino's twitching eyelids.
"Couldn't you be gentler?"
Moses laughed. "The faster we finish, the sooner I can leave. Stop talking and focus on your breathing."
Makino's lips twitched as she closed her eyes.
Half an hour later, a sweat-drenched Makino saw Moses off at the door.
Clutching the ceramic jar to her chest, he soon arrived at the harbor and boarded the warship.
It seemed they had been waiting just for him—within minutes, the vessel departed the dock, sailing farther and farther into the endless sea.
...
Several days later, at noon.
Moses stepped out of the cabin and gazed at the storm clouds and rain over the waters behind the warship, punctuated by occasional thunderclaps.
Puddles had formed on the deck, where several deckhands—marked with the character "Zatsu" on their uniforms—were already busy clearing the rainwater.
"Finally out of that storm. Didn't expect to run into such heavy weather."
"Gah~ feathers... almost... moldy."
Crow Dabao fluttered up and perched on Moses' shoulder, basking contentedly in the sunlight.
With a shrug, Moses sent him airborne again.
Approaching the bulkhead, he hooked his fingers into its crevices and swiftly scaled the side, climbing up to the top of the cabin.
Leaning comfortably against the railing on the ship's deck, Moses quietly enjoyed the sunlight.
As the distant sun sank lower, gradually disappearing into the sea, Moses hopped down and landed on the deck.
By then, the rich aroma of food had begun wafting through the ship. Moses headed to the dining area, grabbed two servings of meat, and sat at an empty spot to enjoy his meal with Crow Dabao.
After going back for seconds twice more, Moses finally finished eating and left the dining area.
He returned to Garp's cabin in the
ship.
The moment he stepped inside, he heard Garp on a call, though it was already nearing its end. Within seconds, the call was over.
Garp then turned to Moses, a thoughtful glint in his eyes, and casually asked:
"Moses, I've got a sudden mission that requires me to head to the West Blue. Do you want to come along?
If you do, we'll take the Reverse Mountain to get there. If not, I'll drop you back at Drum Island first. So, what do you say?"