The nose was the most vulnerable part of a black bear's body. Although Damon's legs lacked strength due to his young age, a direct hit could still cause significant pain.
Seeing that his attack was effective, Damon immediately rolled away the moment his feet touched the ground, narrowly avoiding the black bear's retaliatory stomp.
The attack missed again.
With its poor eyesight, the black bear struggled to track Damon accurately.
Seizing the opportunity, Damon rolled between the bear's legs, moved behind it, and delivered a brutal kick without hesitation.
"ROOOAAAR—!!"
A heart-wrenching howl echoed through the forest. Leaves rustled violently, and a few yellowed ones drifted down.
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy instinctively felt a chill and looked at Damon with strange expressions.
When they had fought pirates earlier… hadn't Damon done something similar?
…Was this his fighting style?
The three of them shuddered.
⸻
The moment Damon landed his strike, Garp completely relaxed.
Watching Damon use every possible method to compensate for the overwhelming difference in strength, Garp's eyes lit up with interest.
To an outsider, it was just an exciting fight.
But to Garp, it revealed everything.
At the start, Damon's movements had been clumsy. But as the fight progressed, his techniques became smoother, sharper—almost as if he had years of training.
By now, his movements were clean, decisive, and efficient.
This wasn't normal.
This meant only one thing—
Damon was a genius.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
Garp applauded, then casually shoved the black bear aside.
"That's enough for today's practical lesson!"
The black bear was furious. It had been just moments away from landing a decisive blow, only to be interrupted again.
Its eyes burned with rage.
Sensing something, Garp slowly turned his head.
The moment their eyes met, the black bear froze.
Though Garp's expression was calm, the bear felt as if it were facing a terrifying monster.
Its ferocity vanished instantly.
Letting out a pitiful whine, it turned and fled back into the forest.
The human world is too dangerous…
⸻
Only after the bear had completely disappeared did Garp turn back to the group.
"I have to say… you're the worst batch of students I've ever trained."
Seeing Luffy casually picking his nose, Garp exploded.
"Luffy! Especially you! How many times have I told you—use your brain when you fight! Don't just charge in blindly!"
Then he pointed at Damon.
"Look at Damon! He's a rare talent. After just one lesson, he's already applying what he learned. You should learn from him!"
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy were stunned.
They had rarely—if ever—heard Garp praise someone like that.
All three turned to look at Damon.
Damon scratched his head modestly.
"Teacher Garp, you're overpraising me."
He knew the truth—he wasn't a genius, just someone with a slight advantage.
Still…
Being used as "the model student" was both amusing and frustrating.
What Damon didn't realize was that, in Garp's eyes, this humility only made him more impressive.
A large hand landed on Damon's shoulder.
Garp looked at him seriously.
"Damon… come with me to Navy Headquarters. Become a Marine."
Damon's heart skipped a beat.
This was an invitation.
An opportunity.
He knew the world he was in—and he knew that joining the Navy would give him the resources and position he needed.
Becoming a pirate?
That wasn't for everyone.
Not everyone had Luffy's background.
Without support, most pirates were crushed long before reaching the Grand Line.
Damon had a system—but it required time to develop.
For now, stability mattered.
He straightened his back and declared:
"Teacher Grap I'm willing to become a Marine Soldier!"
Garp broke into a wide grin.
"Good!"
At last—this one hadn't been led astray!
For a moment, Garp almost felt like crying.
⸻
After that, their relationship grew much closer.
And Garp…
Increased the intensity of Damon's training.
Dramatically.
Tied to a hot air balloon and sent into the sky.
Thrown off cliffs into the sea.
Chased by packs of wild beasts.
Every method pushed the limits of the human body.
Yet Damon never complained.
He endured it all.
Eat. Train. Sleep.
His life became simple—but fulfilling.
It reminded him of his final year in school: exhausting, yet strangely satisfying.
One challenge after another.
And each one brought growth.
With the help of the Six Treasures Immortal Thief technique, his body absorbed nutrients efficiently, converting them into Qi that strengthened and repaired him.
In just two months, Damon had grown significantly.
Taller.
Stronger.
His once frail body now showed clear muscle definition.
⸻
"Haah!"
One day, Damon lifted a massive rock—so large it would take two adults to wrap their arms around it.
It weighed over 200 pounds.
In his previous life, this would have been impossible.
Now—
"23… 46… 99… 100!"
With a final effort, he completed one hundred lifts and dropped the stone.
His arms trembled. Sweat poured down his body.
Driven by Damon's example, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy trained just as hard nearby.
They had no choice.
If they slacked off, Garp would compare them to Damon again.
And that was unbearable.
⸻
As Damon leaned against the rock, quietly circulating Qi to relieve the strain in his arms, Garp approached.
Clearing his throat, he called out:
"Alright. Time to test your progress."
The three others stopped immediately.
Garp's gaze swept across all four of them.
"I'm assigning you a mission."
A brief pause.
"Within seven days… eliminate the Bursam Pirates."
⸻
The Kingdom of Goa — Gray Terminal.
In the land of refuse and decay, sparks ignited.
One by one, they spread—
Until flames consumed everything.
Pirates moved through the fire like demons, setting blazes wherever they went.
Scavengers fled in panic, their homes reduced to ash.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Bursam lowered his pistol, a scavenger collapsing nearby.
His weapon was far superior—smuggled from the Grand Line, capable of rapid fire unlike ordinary flintlocks.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
He fired relentlessly, cutting down fleeing civilians.
Behind him, his crew spread fuel along the ground, guiding the fire forward.
For the scavengers, this place was home.
Now, it was being erased.
A leader stepped forward, shouting:
"Bursam! Do you even know what you're doing?!"
Bursam looked up, a cruel smile forming beneath his hat.
"Are you… questioning me?"
Gunfire erupted.
The scavengers, unarmed and defenseless, stood no chance.
Blood stained the ground.
Bodies fell.
Bursam stepped forward, his boot crushing the leader's head.
He spat coldly.
"Trash."
"When today ends, you'll disappear along with this place."
"And I…"
"…will enter the city as a noble."
The leader's eyes remained open—filled with anger, even in death.
Behind them, the flames spread rapidly.
Swallowing everything.
As if trying to burn away all the ugliness of the world.