Chapter 7

Shanks POV

Thanks to the whole devil fruit fiasco I had no choice but agreed with Luffy demand, the little brat threat me with a promise of telling his Ji-chan, teaching the boy haki was a breeze, Luffy is an A+ straight student, he listens to instruction, he always on time, and never complain. It's a weird thing to see in a 7 years old boy, especially when the said boy is Garp-san grandson.

The first thing I teach him was the basic knowledge of what haki is, I figured if he understands what haki is he would give up halfway but clearly I underestimate him, Luffy already has a basic knowledge of what haki is, and he didn't mind the challenge. So I plan to scare him a little, I took him to Mt. Colubo and threw him into a starving beast nest. Don't get me wrong I'm not evil, I was prepared to rescue him in the moment of danger and hope that maybe after being scared out of his wits the boy would forget everything about haki.

Obviously, everything went south... No matter how well mannered he is, Luffy is Garp-san flesh and blood. It's evident that Luffy has received endurance and strength training, Garp-san must have trained him from an early age, I would hate to see what a wonderful marine he grow up to.

'I'm training a future enemy'

My plan to scare him end up backfire, Luffy seems to think that it was an excellent training method. The boy would jump into the fight and striving to avoid every attack, and he refuses my help when I try to save him from getting hit, I could hardly believe my ears when he said that he wants his body to remember the pain so he would try harder to avoid the next strike. An excellent method to sharpening his senses and mastering kenbunshoku haki.

'What in the seven hell did Garp-san teach this kid'

Anyway, after helping Luffy train for five days I could already see some improvement, it's barely visible but Luffy was able to utilize kenbunshoku haki now. It might be what he calls instinct but Luffy subconsciously manages to dodge every pebble I throw at him when he busy fighting, he still ends up getting distracted and get strike by the beast though.

With how much progress he made I couldn't help but wonder why the kid try so hard? I mean the way things are, it's positive that Luffy would be able to use haki sooner or later, he also has Garp-san teaching and supporting him, his future is guaranteed to be one of the strongest, why the rush? It's dangerous for a kid his age to train haki, no matter how strong they are, the stress put in the body would be too much for growing child.

One day, Beckman told me to put an end of our training, it would be bad for Luffy health and Garp-san would have my head if he knows, and I know Beckman is right, he always is. Even without using kenboshoku haki I could tell that Luffy has tremendous power sleeping inside of him, it should be impossible for such a tiny body, but Luffy is the living proof of it. It's clear now why Garp-san forbid Luffy to learn haki if that vast power awakens in such a tiny body, the boy might be crippled or worse, dying.

At first, I'm worried about how to break this to Luffy, despite his calm attitude I learn that the boy is stubborn as a mule. It would be bad if refuse and train haki by himself, I could Imagine Grap-san destroying my ship and drown us all if anything happens to the boy. But surprisingly Luffy agreed immediately, he even looks terrified which shock me in return, what could possibly scare this boy who fearlessly charging into a starving beast nest? A paralyzed body or death won't scare this kid.

I never expect I get my answer this quickly...

After explaining why the training must stop we leave the mountain and head back to the party's bar for lunch, that's when I notice something different, the village was empty when we come, I don't see anyone on the streets, right away we quickening our step toward the bar, when we get there the bar was empty, there were a broken glass and bloodstain on the floor, and Makino was nowhere to be found,

Luffy was the first one to react, he quickly bolts out the bar and ran toward the harbor, the boy probably subconsciously use kenbunshoku haki to detect the other villager whereabouts. Nodding at Beckman, me and my crew decided to follow Luffy, whoever it is that makes trouble in Garp-san village won't live to see the sun ever again and since we here its best that we help.

'That way Garp-san will owe us a favor'

Once we arrive at the harbor, a crowd was gathered and we have to make our way through it. "Loki!" Luffy yell, he wheezing from the sprint yet still looks anxious for the other person. After breaking through the crowd I could finally see what happen, it was quite a picture, a dark brown skin boy was surrounded by a group of bandits, a couple of them lay unconscious on the street, their arm and leg bent in a weird angle.

For some reason, the boy gives me a strange vibe, and I realized that I'm not the only one who feels that way, Beckman, Lucky and Yasopp was staring at the boy with confuse look in their face. "I can't feel his presence at all" Yasopp mutter and this answer our confusion, the boy's lack of presence is odd, even when haki is involved he is almost undetectable, he standing right there but we can't feel his presence at all.

Ignoring the danger around him, the teal eyes boy turn his attention to Luffy. "You finally here" the boy pout, "save me now or I kill them myself" somehow I could tell that it wasn't an empty threat, there's murderous glint in his eyes, this boy is serious.

"Loki you can't kill people no matter how much they deserve it!" Mayor yell

"be careful Loki," Makino said anxiously

"Bandit-san let Loki go if you don't want to die"

"Runaway bandit-san"

Hearing all this strange concern for the bandits I can't help but notice that the mayor and villager nervous attitude was aimed toward the group of bandit instead of the boy. It's a ridiculous situation for sure.

"Shut up" the bandit yell, he looks ready to snap. "You stupid boy is going to pay for what you did to my men" The said boy looks utterly unimpressed, crossing his arms and dismiss the bandit leader who points a blade at his face. "Please wait" Luffy shouts, "I'm sorry for what my brother did, please forgive him, I'll pay you" Luffy intervene, even now the boy still more level headed than others. "You can pay me with your brother life" as if finally lose his temper the bandit leader swung his blade toward the boy, now confirmed to be Luffy brother.

Just when Beckman was about to rescue the boy, Luffy jumps faster into action, he sprints and grabs the leader's wrist before pulls himself upward, landing a solid kick on the bandit's face. Before anyone could react Luffy grab the boy and pull him behind his back.

"I told you to stay out of troubles" Luffy scolds.

"They smack me in the head," the boy said angrily "you better make them suffer" he demands, completely unruffled. As if used to his brother's indifferent attitude, Luffy only sighs. "Just stay back where it safe, please," Luffy said

Again, ignoring his brother, the boy rush toward the bandit group in rage, he grabs the fallen blade and slashes the nearest bandit shin, the crowd was silent by the scream. "Loki no!" Luffy warns, rushing toward his brother. "Fine!" The boy, Loki yell, chancing the blade hold and hitting the bandits with the back of the blade as if it was a club.

It was quite a picture watching two children beaten up a group of bandit, unlike Luffy who disarm the bandits and avoid bloodshed, Loki makes sure every attack he gives smash the enemy joints, breaking their bones in the process, that boy was after revenge. what more incredible is that the villagers act compose like its a normal occurrence. a panic, one of the bandits pulls out a gun and aims it toward Loki's head.

"Get away from the twins!" One of the villager yell, throwing a rock at the bandit

"Get them boys"

"Leave our village"

Truly Garp-san birthplace... This villager is no pushover, they grab their tools and charge at the bandits, the table has turned and now the bandits are in trouble. In a panic, one of the bandits pulls out a gun and aims it toward Loki's head but just before it could hit the boy's head Yasopp fire his gun and the bullet collide with each other.

"Loki!" In fear the mayor runs toward the boy and check for injuries, just then I saw Loki's forehead was coated with Bososhoku haki, it was very thin almost unnoticed thanks to the boy dark skin but I'm sure this boy just used haki.

Anyway, I suppose we have to end this fight right now, any more fight would probably be bad for the mayor's poor heart. Suddenly, a heavy pressure falls into the crowd and the air cover with a thick killer intent chocking everyone in the area, immediately the villager and bandits alike faint while some of my crew managed to stay awake.

"Haoshoku haki" Beckman whisper, he stares at Luffy with wide eyes.

"This is not fair!" Loki complaint throwing the blade he held in anger. "You train for a week and suddenly haki is no big deal" his sudden outburst surprise me and my crew, Luffy obviously had no control over his haki, he releases it toward enemies and allies alike but Loki seemingly unaffected.

Meanwhile, Luffy is a mess, he was trembling, eyes unfocused, he seems to be having a panic attack. "Luffy calm down" I soothe him, rubbing his back in comforting manners. "If you don't stop now, your brother will collapse like the other" I lie but it works wonder, Luffy haki stop immediately, he slumps down and wail.

Forcing his body to move, Luffy grabs his brother in a tight hug and cry, it was odd to see Luffy who usually calm to cry like a child, all snot and tears.

"Stop, you embarrassing me" Loki whine clearly uncomfortable, he tries to break the hug but Luffy was having none of it, he smacks Loki's head and squeezing the boy harder.

"Oww! I'm sorry, let me go already, you squeezing me" looking at the two boys hugging each other making me want to coo and tease them. If only there's no unconscious villagers and bloody bandits laying on the ground. "Men" I began gaining the full attention of my crew, "help the unconscious villagers and our friends and tied up the bandits" I orders " we sail back to the new world the next morning," I said with haste if Garp-san heard of what happened here, he would kill us for not stepping in and stop it before casualty happen, right now the best course of action is to get these villagers back to their health and leave east blue forever.

"Cowards" the boy, Loki hum, a patronizing smile plastered on his face. "Whatever try facing your granddaddy on a deathmatch kid" I stick my tongue back at the brat.