One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 46

Robin lowered his head slightly, holding his book, looking introverted and shy.

"Dadan has such a beautiful distant niece?" Garp stroked the stubble on his chin, seemingly a little incredulous.

Luffy, lying on the ground, suddenly brightened up and pointed at Kuina, shouting, "It's you?! I remember you, you punched me in the head that day! It hurt so much!"

Garp's gaze sharpened instantly as he looked at Kuina: "Oh? You hit my grandson?"

Kuina's heart tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm and said defiantly, "He provoked me first!"

Ace quickly stepped forward to interject, pointing at Luffy over there: "Old man! What are you doing here? And who is he?"

Garp glanced at Luffy, then at Kuina, and suddenly burst into laughter, slapping Ace hard on the back with his large, fan-like hand (almost shoving Ace into the ground):

"Kuhahaha! That's my grandson too, Monkey D. Luffy. Not bad, you're quite loyal, you've started to protect your own people!"

Ace winced as he was slapped, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. Looks like he'd gotten through this hurdle for now?

After Garp finished laughing, he looked at Robin and asked, "And you? Little girl, you can fight too?"

Robin raised his head, revealing a timid, harmless smile, and said softly, "I...I can't fight, I can only read books."

As she spoke, she hugged the book in her arms even tighter.

Anyone who saw her would think she was a quiet and well-behaved student.

Karp didn't ask any more questions, but muttered, "It's strange that the Dadan family has someone who likes to read."

He stopped paying attention to his two "distant nieces" and refocused his gaze on Ace and Sabo, a "kind" smile appearing on his face:

"Alright, that's enough catching up. Ace, Sabo, Luffy, I've finally come back, so let me see if you've improved!"

He clenched his fist, and his knuckles cracked.

Ace and Sabo turned green with rage when they saw Garp's fist, which was as big as a casserole dish, and Luffy behind him.

That's it... I'm afraid I can't escape today's "iron fist of love"!

The two looked at each other and saw despair in each other's eyes.

Luffy looked like he wanted to run away.

Kuina and Robin were puzzled; was this old man really that scary?

The cellar was dimly lit, and the air was filled with the mixed smells of earth and stored food.

The space was much more cramped than expected. Before Dadan and his gang went out to "do business," they had obviously used this place as a temporary warehouse, stuffing it with all kinds of cured meat, dried goods and sundries, leaving only a narrow gap in the middle, just wide enough for one person to pass through sideways.

Liu Jiu and Lu Jiu were squeezed into this gap at that moment.

In order to observe the outside situation through the tiny gaps in the cellar wooden planks, the two inevitably became somewhat... intimate.

Lu Jiu was in front, slightly bent over, her cheek almost pressed against the cold wooden wall, listening intently to the sounds outside. Liu Jiu was behind her, and because of the height difference, he had to bend even lower, his chin almost touching the top of Lu Jiu's head, just to barely see what was happening outside the gap.

In the cramped space, the two were pressed close together, able to clearly feel each other's body temperature and the slight rise and fall of their breathing. Lu Jiu could even smell the faint scent of Liu Jiu, a mixture of masculinity and metallic aroma, which made her shift slightly uncomfortably.

Liu Jiu seemed to sense her unease, and his deep voice sounded above her head, carrying a hint of barely perceptible reassurance: "Don't move, it's starting outside."

Rouge immediately stopped moving and forced herself to focus her attention outside.

Sure enough, Garp's signature loud laughter and the sound of fists cutting through the air came from the courtyard, followed by Ace, Sabo, and Luffy's bloodcurdling screams.

"Old man, are you serious?!"

"Yeah, that damn old man! Why do I have to get hit too?! It hurts... I'm already a rubber band person, why does it still hurt!"

"Kuhahaha! You brats, isn't that obvious? This is 'Iron Fist of Love'! Looks like you haven't been neglecting your training! Give it your all, and take this punch from Grandpa!"

Hearing her son and his friends screaming in pain as they were being beaten, Lu Jiu clenched her fingers so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms. She subconsciously leaned back, as if that would keep her away from the "tragedy" outside.

With this lean, his back pressed completely against Liu Jiu's firm chest.

Liu Jiu's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

Rouge reacted instantly, her cheeks flushing red. Luckily, the cellar was dark enough that she couldn't see clearly. She hurriedly tried to move forward a little, but there were only cold wooden planks in front of her, and there was nowhere to retreat.

"I...I'm sorry..." Her voice was barely audible, so embarrassed she could dig her toes out of her skin.

Liu Jiu remained silent for a moment before whispering, "It's alright."

His voice remained steady, but seemed lower than usual.

The two of them reluctantly maintained this awkward yet unavoidable posture, continuing to watch the scene outside where the grandfather was scolding his grandson.

"Sabo! To the left!"

"Ace, watch out above!"

"You damned old man, take this! My weapon is even more powerful than a bullet... a rubber band pistol!"

"You wretched brat, where did you come from? You're getting in the way, get out of the way, this is Sabo and my teamwork!"

"I don't care... I'm going to cooperate! Take this rubber band pistol!"

The battle outside was unbearable to watch. Three boys of varying ages were being unilaterally beaten by Garp in a fierce and chaotic manner, accompanied by various shouts and screams.

A subtle silence fell over the cellar. Only the sound of their breathing, so close together, contrasted with the faint noise coming from outside.

Lu Jiu could feel the slight vibrations in Liu Jiu's chest from his breathing, and the reassuring, steady aura emanating from him. This close contact in the confined space stirred a strange ripple in her heart, a mixture of worry for her son's safety and the awkwardness of their current situation.

Liu Jiu stared sharply through the crack, taking in every detail of Garp beating Ace and Sabo. He could tell that although Garp was ruthless, he avoided vital points, making it more like a... different kind of training.

However, this method of training is really tough on children.

His attention was mostly focused outside, but he couldn't completely ignore the woman's soft body in front of him and the faint scent of soap in her hair. He frowned slightly and subtly leaned back, trying to create some distance, but the cellar was too small, and the effect was minimal.

Chapter 49 Garp's Training

In the courtyard, Garp's "Iron Fist of Love" training session was still in full swing.

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy, like three monkeys being chased around in a chaotic frenzy, were fleeing in a sorry state under Garp's fists the size of a casserole dish, their screams and pleas for mercy rising and falling.

"Old man! That's enough! If you keep hitting him, someone will die!"

"Grandpa Garp! I was wrong! I'll never be lazy again!"

"Damn it! Why can't I hit him! Rubber rubber—it's useless!"

Guina stood in the corner of the yard, arms crossed, her eyes shining.

At first, she thought the old man was being unreasonable and bullying the child. But as she watched, her expression changed.

Garp's movements, seemingly wide and unrestrained, contained terrifying power and speed in every punch and kick! It was a kind of ultimate violent aesthetic that returned to simplicity and reduced complexity! Ace and the others' dodging and counterattacks, which she considered quite good, were like child's play in front of Garp and were easily dismantled.

More importantly, the aura emanating from Garp, as heavy as a mountain and as vast as the sea, made her feel a sense of unease!

She's stronger than her father! Stronger than anyone she's ever met!

If I could spar with such a powerful opponent... even if it was just to be "trained" by him...

Kuina felt her blood boiling, her clenched hands itching with desire, an instinctive yearning to clash with the strong!

She couldn't help but take a small step forward.

Robin, who was standing nearby, keenly sensed her intention, gently tugged at her sleeve, and whispered, "Kuina, calm down. Uncle told us not to cause trouble."

Kuina bit her lip, her eyes filled with struggle. She knew Robin was right, but the urge to challenge the strong gnawed at her like a kitten's claws.

Just then, Garp finally had his fill of beating people up and stopped. He put his hands on his hips, looked at Ace and the others sprawled on the ground like three puddles of mud, and grumbled, "You're already down? What a coward! I haven't even warmed up yet!"

His gaze casually swept across the courtyard, meeting Guina's incredibly bright eyes, burning with fighting spirit.

Garp paused for a moment, then grinned as if he had discovered something amusing, revealing two rows of dazzlingly white teeth:

"Oh? Little girl, you're watching with great interest, aren't you? Want to try Grandpa's 'Iron Fist of Love' too?"

Upon hearing this, Ace and the other two, who were sprawled on the ground, suddenly raised their heads and looked at Kuina in terror, frantically gesturing with their eyes: No! We'll die! We'll really die!

Sabo even mouthed a silent shout: Run!

Kuina, however, seemed oblivious to their warnings. She took a deep breath, broke free from Robin's grasp, stepped forward, head held high, and met Garp's gaze without fear, her voice clear and firm:

One word, but it carries weight.

The courtyard fell silent instantly.

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy were all dumbfounded, looking at Kuina as if she were a warrior (or a fool).

Robin rubbed his forehead and sighed helplessly.

In the cellar, Lu Jiu, who saw this scene through the crack, felt her heart jump into her throat and instinctively gripped Liu Jiu's clothes behind her.

Liu Jiu's gaze also narrowed slightly, but he wasn't too surprised, as if he had expected that Guina would be unable to restrain herself.

Garp looked at the little girl in front of him, who was clearly not tall but dared to challenge him. Instead of being angry, he burst into laughter, the sound of which shook the dust off the eaves.

"Kuhahaha! You've got guts! I like it! Come on! Let grandpa see what Dadan's distant niece is capable of!"

He casually beckoned to Guina with his finger, his posture relaxed, clearly not taking her seriously.

Kuina's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Without a word, she suddenly exerted force with her feet, and her petite figure shot towards Garp like an arrow! She had no weapon, so she could only clench her fist, concentrate all her strength into her right fist, and smash it hard towards Garp's chest, which was as solid as a city wall!

She used all her strength in that punch, which even produced a faint whooshing sound!

Garp didn't even move a step; he simply raised one hand, opened his large, fan-like palm, and casually stepped forward to meet him.

Kuina felt as if she had punched a towering, immovable mountain! All her strength vanished without a trace, like a mud ox sinking into the sea! Her fist was firmly held in Garp's rough, large hand, and she couldn't move!

The immense recoil made her entire arm go numb, and a surge of blood rushed through her chest.

Garp gripped her fist, felt it for a moment, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Huh? Little girl, you're quite strong! A bit stronger than that brat Ace was when he first started training!"

He flicked his wrist slightly.

An irresistible force surged through her, and Kuina felt the world spin. Garp swung her around like a sack of potatoes, sending her flying through the air in a graceful arc, and then—

He landed face down on the grass next to Ace and the others, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

The entire process takes no more than three seconds.

Guina lay on the ground, her mind buzzing, her body feeling like it was falling apart, and she couldn't recover for a long time.

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy looked at her landing posture, which was even more miserable than their own, and subconsciously shrank their necks. Suddenly, they felt that... the old man was actually quite gentle with them?

Robin rushed over, crouched down, and asked worriedly, "Kuina, are you alright?"

Garp clapped his hands as if he had done something insignificant, looked at Kuina lying on the ground, and grinned, "How was it? Little girl, did you feel Grandpa's 'love'?"