*Hey, guys. Sorry for not updating a lot of my other stories throughout the summer. I wanted to write more, but I got a lot busier IRL than I expected. However, throughout all of August, I did manage to read all 1,124 chapters of the One Piece manga and now, I'm officially a huge fan of the series! I liked it so much, in fact, that it gave me the inspiration to come up with this new, highly ambitious Dragon Ball/One Piece crossover. This will be the last fanfiction I ever write due to how many ideas I've come up with for this story. So from now on, I'll continue to write my other crossovers and this one for the foreseeable future.
I hope you the enjoy the first chapter. Like I said, I came up with a lot of story arcs and ideas, so I put a ton of effort into this. I wanted to do the concept of a One Piece/Dragon Ball crossover justice and hopefully, it'll work out that way.
Also, I have to give a big shoutout to my friend, Dontus - not Donut - Powerus. He helped me come up with a lot of new ideas and character interactions for this story, so I'm really grateful for his help. Thanks a lot as always, man!
The Light of the New World
Chapter 1: Light in the Darkness
Wealth, fame, power; Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates, had achieved it all on his years long voyage across the entire globe. Right before he was executed for his crimes as the legendary Pirate King, Roger challenged a new generation of pirates to find his hidden stash of treasure, the One Piece.
"My treasure?" He chuckled with a large smile on his face. "Why, it's right where I left it. It's yours if you can find it… but you'll have to search the whole world!"
It was then that, with his final beheading at Loguetown, the Great Pirate Era was born. Hundreds upon thousands of new pirate crews would follow in the Roger Pirates' footsteps and enter the Grand Line in search for adventure, greed, or, in some odd cases, fun.
For nine long years, the World Government would have their hands full apprehending this new generation of plundering criminals. They dispatched the Marines, military officers trained with the express purpose of maintaining peace and order along the high seas.
Unfortunately, not everything was as black and white as the government's leaders made it out to be. Corruption, violence, and slavery, in fact, were quite commonplace around the entire world. Anyone who stood up against these inhumane acts either became pirates or joined the illusive Revolutionary Army that began to form not too long ago. Either option, however, did not always bring forth as much change as the downtrodden would prefer.
Nevertheless, a sense of hope did still exist. To some slaves, it was the mysterious Sun God, Nika, who they prayed would sound the Drums of Liberation for them, but there also existed another… similarly influential being.
They did not originate from this world per se, but their presence, at some point, would cast a light upon the world's innermost darkness, much like the Moon did every night.
Sailing across the empty, vacuous seas of outer space, a single gray pod presided. It was circular in shape and had a red window situated in its center. The being in question was a young infant with spiky black hair and a bushy brown monkey tail wrapped around his small legs. He gurgled a little, barely being able to keep his eyes open as the Attack Ball kept flying to an unspecified location.
The baby could vaguely recall the last words his parents said to him, but it was a fleeting memory at best. It wouldn't be long before he forgot what the two even looked like or how their voices sounded.
If Bardock is overthinking the matter, we'll come and get you right away, okay? His mother said with tears in her eyes.
Listen, you survive, no matter what! You have the blood of a strong revolutionary flowing through you, Kakarot! Make us proud.
Be brave! We'll see you later.
KAKAROT!
He reached out his hand, attempting to touch the loving parents who were no longer there… and never would be. Tears streaked down the baby's puffy cheeks as he began to cry in sadness.
"WAAAAAAH!"
These cries fell on deaf ears. They continued to go on until the Attack Ball entered Earth's upper atmosphere and prepared to land somewhere in its vast, incredibly massive ocean. Multiple islands of varying sizes were strewn about the surface, either being part of the East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, or South Blue. East and West were separated from the other two sections by a ring-like continent known as the Red Line, making it impossible for there to be one, all-encompassing body of water, or All Blue. It had been this way for centuries, yet no one knew where this piece of red earth even came from. It was likely yet another mystery being covered up by the World Government and those who ruled it on the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Rocketing through some clouds and a few miscellaneous sky islands, young Kakarot's pod plummeted toward a small island in the West Blue called Paozu Island. Located due north of the infamous island, Ohara, it was a mostly tropical environment home to Mt. Paozu and a slew of different prehistoric creatures, including dinosaurs, sabretooth tigers, giant fish, and more. In a way, its habitat was somewhat similar to the Grand Line's Little Garden, but with a few notable differences here and there. The general climate and cycle of seasons were two of them.
Stationed close to Paozu's shore was an old Marine Ship that had been through its fair share of intense naval battles. It was dark green with two masts that had large white sails attached to it and a third mast with a lateen sail near the back. Six cannons were also located on either side of the ship's hull. Multiple other cannons were placed above the bow as well. Each sail was additionally painted with the blue, wing-like symbol for the Marines on it and, of course, the actual word, 'MARINE', written in bold lettering.
A unique feature that made this cruiser stand out from the others, however, was its immense size and the white, foxlike creature that was its figurehead. It had pointy ears, red eyes with circular black pupils, and a small snout with whiskers on its cheeks. A set of paws were also placed near the bottom of the ship's bow. These animalistic features were reminiscent of a mask its owner once wore into battle.
His name was Vice Admiral Son D. Gohan, an elderly seventy-nine year old man known to many as the great Hero of Heroes and, in more extreme cases, the God of the Marines. His skill in combat was impressive enough to take down many dangerous pirates in his heyday, including Rocks D. Xebec himself during the infamous God Valley Incident of 1486. He was asked to take on the role of Admiral or even Fleet Admiral many times over, but Gohan would always decline such offers. He preferred to not be made into a puppet for the Celestial Dragons to control. They had already caused enough sorrow and destruction in this world, and he wouldn't be made into a blind supporter of those acts no matter what orders were given out. Justice could not be properly held if that were the case.
Wearing a tattered white coat along his sleeves, he was a short, yet quite muscular individual standing at 5'2 and weighing 112 pounds. He had beady, almost fierce black eyes and had a bushy white mustache that sat above his upper lip. His main outfit comprised of a navy blue suit with a fedora of the same color on his head and small black slippers. This was the set of clothing he usually wore when going on missions as a Vice Admiral, but those days, sadly, were long past him now.
He had retired in 1502 after witnessing indescribable horrors take place on Ohara. It had been a year since that dreaded incident, yet the deaths of Professor Clover, Nico Olvia, and the other innocent archaeologists living there did not escape his mind. He was grateful that Olvia's eight-year-old daughter managed to survive, even if a target was now placed on her back by the Five Elders.
He could only begin to wonder what an innocent young girl could do to warrant such cruelty and malintent. Nevertheless, despite what his pupils said to convince him otherwise, Gohan took a more hands-off position and focused on training new recruits after that day. He still retained the rank of Vice Admiral, but would no longer be seen in the line of duty anytime soon.
Since retiring, Gohan set up a little hut for himself on Paozu Island and spent most of his downtime living there. Sometimes he'd take a few students to train there per Fleet Admiral Sengoku's permission, but more often than not, he paid visits to Mt. Paozu by himself.
Yawning aloud, he held his trusty bo staff, the Nyoibo, in one hand and used it as a walking stick of sorts. While red in color, the aptly named 'Power Pole' had seen so many battles over the years that it began to turn black from the effects of his Armament Haki. It could even become comparable to a Black Blade at this rate, even if it wasn't a sword at all.
"Hmph. A bit boring, but I suppose it's as good of a retirement home as any." Gohan muttered to himself. He continued walking, traversing the rocky cliffsides of Mt. Paozu at a steady, even pace. "Wonder how Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru will fare without me around. I'm not worried about Tsuru per se, but the other two…"
The old Marine then froze, sensing an unknown object with his Observational Haki. Seeing a brief glimpse of the future, he could tell it was going to crash straight into Mt. Paozu any moment now.
What could it be? It's falling from the sky, yet… this Haki doesn't feel like anything that would originate from Skypiea or any similar location…
Keeping his eyes focused on the sky and nothing else, Gohan finally caught sight of the object in question. The metallic spacecraft rocketed straight into the ground, emitting a massive explosion of energy that roughly shook Paozu Island from side to side. He dashed straight toward it as soon as the resulting smoke cleared.
There was now a deep crater in the ground, which contained nothing, but some shattered pieces of rock and the spherical flying machine of sorts. It was somewhat damaged from the crash, yet pretty much fully operational, nonetheless.
"Hm. Could it be one of Dr. Vegapunk's experiments perhaps?" Gohan wondered, referring to the Marines's current head scientist and a close friend of his.
This presumption would be proven wrong as soon as the Attack Ball's hatch popped open. To his growing astonishment, a baby with spiky black hair and a monkey tail slowly crawled out of it.
"A little boy? With the tail of a monkey of all things?!"
The mysterious child looked around before beginning to cry their eyes out once again. Being an infant, he was scared, tired, hungry, and lonely all at the same time. Gohan sympathetically gazed at the boy and walked up to him with a small grin on his face.
"How'd you end up in a place like this, little fella?" He gently scooped up the boy in his arms and took a better look at the monkey tail. Oddly enough, he also appeared to have faint traces of Haki flowing through his body. "You're a strange one, alright. No Devil Fruit in sight, yet you still have a tail attached to your body. But don't worry, kiddo. I've been called a little odd myself, believe it or not."
The Vice Admiral wasn't certain what to do. This child obviously had no home, family, or even people to call his own, so something needed to be done to help him. He'd rather die than let the Celestial Dragons get their greedy hands on him, at least. They'd either sell him into slavery or experiment on him due to his odd, alien characteristics alone.
Considering how lonely living on this island could be at times, Gohan finally came to a decision. He'd help raise and train this boy, much like what he did for all sorts of young, promising Marines in the past.
"Looks like you're staying with me, little one. How does that sound?"
The young boy's tail twitched about as he giggled happily at Gohan's smiling face. The old Marine couldn't help, but join in and laugh the same way.
"Hoho. I'll take that as a yes then." He said. "Now, what should I call you? Gohan Jr.? No, that's not right…"
He then thought back to his former student, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and suddenly came up with an idea. They didn't always agree on everything, but he did care about him, Garp, and Tsuru much more than any one of them realized. Those three might as well have been his children in all, but blood, to be honest.
"How about… Son D. Goku? Or Goku for short?"
The boy started to laugh even louder in response to his new name, much to the old man's sheer delight.
"Oh, you like that, huh? Alright then! Goku, it is! Hahaha! Goku! What a good little boy!"
It was then that a void in Gohan's heart was slowly, but surely filled. This child, whatever or whoever he was, may not erase all the atrocities Gohan had witnessed in his life, but he could definitely bring some much-needed hope for the future. That's what he wanted to keep in mind when raising Goku, anyway.
Holding the boy in his arms, the old man took another look at the Attack Ball in puzzlement. It was likely a piece of advanced, extraterrestrial technology, so Dr. Vegapunk was really the only person he could call to deal with it. He'd need to contact him on his Transponder Snail before anyone else, namely the other Marines, caught wind of Goku's sudden arrival.
"Alright, Goku. Let's get you inside now. Grandpa's gonna need to talk with an old friend of his."
Right as he resumed climbing up Mt. Paozu, a massive orange Tyrannosaurus Rex leapt out of the jungle in a blind rage. It would have bitten down on Gohan's head if not for him glaring directly at the beast, sending out a powerful shockwave of Haki that knocked it out cold. All the poor T. Rex could do now was foam at the mouth and remain unconscious for who knows how long.
"Hmph. My Conqueror's Haki must be getting a bit rusty…"
Goku then roughly tugged down on Gohan's mustache while he wasn't paying attention.
"Yowch!"
"HAHAHAHA!" The monkey-tailed boy giggled in amusement.
"My goodness. You're quite a handful, aren't ya?"
After about another half-hour of walking, Gohan finally made it to his hut. It was a small, one-room building with a triangular blue roof and red-white bricks. Its doors were also green and made from some special type of wood.
He looked down at the child, who was now fast asleep in his arms. After everything that just happened, he couldn't believe how calm and peaceful Goku looked.
"Poor little guy. You must have been through quite a lot today."
He then quietly walked into his home and set Goku down on the bed. Apart from that, there was a table, a blue countertop with drawers, and a single vase in the corner. There was also an orange ball with four red stars on it, but even Gohan himself didn't quite know what it was or what it could do. It had been on Paozu Island even before he first set foot on it.
The Vice Admiral then walked over to his own Transponder Snail, or Den Den Mushi. It was a rare white member of its species that had an exact duplicate of Gohan's eyes and mustache. He personally found this type of snail in secret, so his conversations couldn't be wiretapped by the Marines or World Government. This tactic was necessary when dealing with such confidential topics like Goku and his 'origins'.
He quickly dialed Dr. Vegapunk's number and waited for him to pick up. Once he did, the scientist's emotions and mannerisms were copied by the very snail transmitting his call.
"Well, this is a surprise. What seems to be the trouble, Gohan?"
"I was wondering if you could pay a quick visit to Paozu, Vegapunk. There's something here you may be… interested in."
Several hours later…
Standing to the side with his new grandson, Gohan watched as Dr. Vegapunk carefully examined the boy's pod in sheer awe. He was a short, eccentric-looking man with an elongated forehead that towered above everyone else's. This peculiar appearance resulted from him eating the Brain Brain Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allowed his mind to contain a near-infinite amount of knowledge and ideas. Such an ability, although problematic in certain aspects, allowed Vegapunk to be dubbed the Smartest Man in the World and create technological marvels that the world once considered impossible. Or, at least, this current version of the world, anyway.
He also had a brown mustache, bushy eyebrows, and spiky, unkempt hair that wrapped around his bulbous head. His eyes were covered by purple sunglasses and, most peculiar of all, his long tongue was almost always sticking out from his mouth, even when speaking. Wearing a black suit and pants, Vegapunk enthusiastically hopped from one place to another to get a better look at Goku's Attack Ball.
Despite his nigh-incomparable intellect, the forty-three year-old Special Science Group founder had never seen anything quite like this device before. It made him weary, yet incredibly fascinated at the same time.
"Pepepepeh! And just when I thought the world of science couldn't advance further, you bring this beauty to me, Gohan! Astounding!" Dr. Vegapunk chuckled aloud. He then crossed both arms behind his back and nodded. "It was quite wise for you to re-quasar my help."
"You have an infinitely expanding brain, my friend. No one is more qualified to deal with a contraption like this one."
Vegapunk tentatively rubbed his chin, glancing from the monkey-tailed baby to the pod in quick succession.
"A mere 'contraption' doesn't even begin to describe it. Based on the calculations I made mere seconds ago, I suspect that this transportation device was able to fly across outer space in record timing. If it were traveling at a normal speed in lightyears, this child would be much older than he appears to be."
Gohan frowned. "But how is that possible? Are you implying that Goku comes from a race of people even more technologically advanced than—"
"Than that of what was suspected to be found in the Void Century? Precisely." The scientist gravely nodded. "Which is why the Five Elders must not discover your grandson's existence. Otherwise, he could be enslaved by the Celestial Dragons like many exotic species before him… or worse…"
"End up like the denizens of Ohara…" The retired Vice Admiral scowled in dismay. He then softly brushed some hair off of Goku's forehead and smiled down at him. A new sense of determination now burned inside his very soul.
"I won't let that happen, Vegapunk. I may have failed to save Professor Clover and the others, but I won't fail with Goku. As long as I'm around, he'll be safe with me here."
Dr. Vegapunk blew out a sigh and lightly patted Gohan on the back.
"Do not place the blame solely on yourself, you old fool. The so-called Devil Child, Nico Robin, would not have survived without your efforts, correct? As long as she continues to live, the archaeologists of Ohara will not have died in vain. And their work has also been brought over to Elbaf, so that, in a sense, is a triumph for them too."
At the brief mention of Elbaf, home of the giants, Gohan felt a sense of relief wash over him. His fellow Vice Admiral and friend, Jaguar D. Saul, must have been able to survive, after all. He hoped Robin was doing alright too.
"So you promise not to reveal any information about Goku to the rest of the world?"
"Contrary to what Monkey D. Dragon said about me a few months ago, I am not a lapdog who blindly follows the government's orders. There are still good, reasonable people to be found in the Marines and you, of course, are likely the most trustworthy of them all. I have no reason to jeopardize the life of this child; mainly because his species – whatever it may be called – brings about all sorts of new discoveries to the table. And that all starts with the very device he traveled to Earth in."
Gohan gratefully beamed at the scientist and nodded his head.
"Thank you, Vegapunk. I'll make it up to you somehow."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, my friend. Pepepepeh!" The former MADS leader laughed. "All I re-quasar in return is the pod and a sample of Goku's DNA. I'd like to study them further at Punk Hazard to get a better understanding of the boy's species and what sets it apart from other species we already know about."
The old man then plucked a single hair from Goku's monkey tail and handed it to Vegapunk. The scientist deadpanned at this action, but accepted the DNA sample, nonetheless.
"That'll do, I suppose…"
Afterwards, Gohan picked up the Attack Ball and safely placed it inside the Vegatank-08, a spherical vehicle that used wheels made from Island Clouds to fly across the sky. Its cockpit was a bubble that Vegapunk could easily enter and exit with ease. He did just that and sat at the wheel, giving his friend one last handshake before heading back to Punk Hazard, the island in the New World where his current laboratory presided.
"Take care, Gohan. I'll be sure to give you any updates about my research when they come. Until then, keep an eye on the boy and make certain that he doesn't leave this island! There's no telling what could happen if the World Government catches wind of his arrival here."
"Hohoho! Don't worry, Vegapunk. He'll be right at home on Mt. Paozu."
The esteemed Marine scientist, appreciating Gohan's ever-present enthusiasm, took flight in the Vegatank-08 and began the trip back to Punk Hazard without another word. Now, Gohan and Goku were left alone with a deep, vacant crater in the ground.
Goku curiously reached his small hands out to the parting vehicle, an somewhat adorable action which his new grandpa smiled at. The little boy was already quite good at bringing out that side of him, apparently.
"I'm sure we'll see him again. He's always seeking new sources of information wherever it can be found… and that, I'm afraid, now includes you, my boy."
Goku blankly tilted his head to the side in confusion, but began to giggle once Gohan placed his blue fedora atop the child's head. He took a liking to it almost immediately.
"Let's get you back home. I'll need to figure out what you like to eat."
From that point onward, the once-acclaimed God of the Marines would take his retirement in stride and spend each day raising the alien child he chose to adopt as a grandson. They'd explore, sleep, eat, and, eventually, train together throughout all of Paozu Island's surrounding ecosystem. This would continue for the next six years thanks to some assistance from Dr. Vegapunk and Gohan's three proteges. Tsuru, in particular, took a shine to the young boy, but given her serious nature, she didn't like to show it all that often.
Unfortunately, these moments of happiness were unable to last forever. There existed a monstrous power hidden inside Goku's body that not even his own grandfather could anticipate.
And it was that very power which would change his life forever.
Six years later – May 9th, 1509
Earlier that week, Sengoku had pulled a few strings as Fleet Admiral to visit his old mentor at Paozu Island. Marineford's current Commander-in-Chief, Kong, allowed it, but only out of respect for Gohan, whom he held in high regard as former rivals and partners. Kong's upcoming birthday might have had something to do with his better mood as well.
It took several days to travel from the Marine headquarters to the West Blue, but eventually, Sengoku, Monkey D. Garp, and Tsuru all reached Paozu on their own ships. This meeting was planned ahead of time, so they traveled alone without any officers or shipmates to accompany them.
This was mainly for Gohan's benefit than their own since even Sengoku understood that Goku's identity needed to be kept top secret. Otherwise, all hell would surely break loose and the Five Elders would do everything in their power to capture him by force. The Fleet Admiral was as loyal to the World Government as they come, but he still couldn't bring himself to be that cruel to an innocent child.
Currently, he was sitting at a wooden table outside Gohan's hut with him, Garp, and Tsuru. At sixty-four years old, Sengoku was an exceptionally tall man standing at 9'1 with black spectacles, a black afro that covered his entire head, and a thin, long goatee that extended down from his neck. His light purple suit was paired with a white naval jacket that had red and yellow shoulder-pads on both sides. He kept his gaze calm, serious, and composed, yet was unquestionably happy to be in Gohan's presence again.
Garp was similar, yet different at the same time. The sixty-three year old 'Hero of the Marines' stood a bit taller than Sengoku at 9'5, and was far more muscular and bulky in terms of overall physique. He had short black hair with some gray parts growing in on the side and a black beard. Since his jacket currently hung along his seat, he wore a black and white suit with dress pants of the same color. A large, toothy grin was almost permanently placed on his lips in that moment too.
Great Staff Officer Tsuru, in contrast to her two colleagues, was sixty-one years old and stood at a marginally shorter 6'8. She had a few wrinkles on her once-beautiful, stern face and her gray hair was tied into a bun. Her main outfit comprised of a red collar shirt with rolled up sleeves, a maroon tie with white polka dots, and brown gloves. She also wore maroon pants and brown, high-heeled boots.
Each one of Gohan's students were significantly taller than him, but in terms of raw power and influence alone, he continued to remain supreme. The old man, however, was far too humble to accept such praise.
They all watched the six-year-old Goku gorge down on piles upon piles of food in sheer discomfort. Tsuru could only sigh and focus on drinking her cup of tea while Garp laughed amusedly alongside his old mentor.
"Sometimes I wonder why you named this… animal after me, Master Gohan."
Garp slapped his knee and said, "BWAHAHA! He probably got the idea from you devouring those fried rice crackers all the time, Sengoku!"
Sengoku glared at his old friend and rival in outrage.
"Ergh! Like you have any right to talk, Garp! You've been gorging on the entire assortment since you first walked in! Save some for the rest of us, you glutton!"
"Seems like you two will never change…" Tsuru, known practitioner of 'Clean Justice', grumbled in annoyance. "You're going to be a bad influence on the poor child."
Finishing off his last bowl of food, Goku set it down and let out a pleasant sigh of relief. The young boy was now wearing a blue gi with red wristbands, blue slippers, and a white sash tightly wrapped around his waist. His monkey tail poked out from behind his pants as always.
"Don't worry, Granny Tsuru. Grandpa already taught me not to act too much like Garp and Sengoku."
The two rivals stopped arguing to gawk at such a remark.
"Eh? The hell's that supposed to mean?!"
Sengoku adjusted his glasses. "You have some nerve, brat."
Tsuru smirked in amusement at Goku's naïve, carefree attitude. That type of behavior would likely get him killed one day, but she was certain he'd grow out of it sooner or later. At least, that's what she hoped if Gohan was, in fact, raising him properly.
She then noticed the amount of food staining Goku's shirt, face, and pants. Grimacing, she slightly raised her hand and held it towards him.
"You're filthy. What did I tell you about cleaning up after yourself?"
Using her Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, the Wash-Wash Fruit, Goku's body became covered in soap and water as he was laid out against his chair like a pair of freshly clean clothes. Normally, this ability would also be able to cleanse the evil in a person's heart, but due to the boy already being as pure as can be, all it did was give him a short bath. The sensation was somewhat pleasant for Goku, yet weird at the same time.
"Hehe. I like it better when you clean me, Granny. It's more fun that way!"
Seeing the almost motherly smile on Tsuru's face, Gohan couldn't help, but laugh from his seat at the table. He was eighty-five years old and showing some hints of fatigue on his wrinkled face. Nonetheless, the former Vice Admiral didn't change all that much from how he was six years prior. He just needed to take it easy here and there.
Tipping his trademark, blue fedora, Gohan addressed his former Marine proteges with a smile. "Ohohoho! I'm glad you three are getting along so well with my grandson. Truly warms this old man's heart."
Garp snorted and kicked back in his seat.
"Feh. I still think you're too soft on the brat, Gramps. You should have thrown him into the jungle for a few months like I suggested. Only then will we know how strong he can truly become."
After Tsuru's cleaning session was over, Goku sat back in his seat and looked up at the Vice Admiral in puzzlement.
"But I did that before. One time I fought this big, ugly dinosaur for a giant fish and—"
Garp narrowed his eyes and comically socked him across the face using the dreaded Fist of Love technique.
"That isn't enough, dammit!"
As a result, the young boy went flying uncontrollably into a nearby tree. Goku managed to shrug this attack off and massaged his aching cheek.
"Owwww! No fair, Garp-Pa! I wasn't ready yet."
Sengoku massaged his chin. "Goku appears to be quite resilient, at least…"
"Hmph. Resilience isn't gonna make him a powerful Marine! He needs that extra push to become the greatest sailor this world has ever seen!" Garp proclaimed determinedly. "Him and Luffy are going places. You'll see."
Goku scratched the back of his head, regarding the Vice Admiral's description with a prominent lack of interest.
"Being a Marine doesn't sound very fun, though. Grandpa said it's not the type of group he wants me to be part of…"
Hearing this disrespectful comment, Garp grabs Goku by the scruff of his shirt and glares at him dangerously.
"Lies! Your Grandpa taught the three of us everything he knows as a Vice Admiral for the Marines! Why in the hell would he not want that path for his own grandson?!"
Sighing, Gohan crossed both arms behind his back and got up from his seat.
"What the boy says is right, Garp. I do not wish for him to join the Navy."
An incredibly awkward silence permeated throughout the air. Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp were stunned speechless by what they were hearing. The latter, in particular, was absolutely pissed off. He dropped Goku onto the floor and tightly clenched his fists, struggling to hold himself back from getting even more furious.
"Have you gone senile? If not a Marine, what other path for Goku is there, Gramps?!"
"That's for Goku to decide when he's older, not you, myself, or anyone. I may have loyally served the World Government for decades, son, but… I've come to realize that it follows a flawed sense of justice. The Five Elders, Marine Admirals, Cipher Pol, the Celestial Dragons; every single one of them is corrupt and has no value for human life beyond their own flawed interpretation of it." Gohan replied in a darkly serious, adamant tone of voice. "A young, innocent boy like Goku… would be eaten alive in such an organization. I do not want the hopeful light that he represents to be extinguished by cold, bitter darkness… like mine eventually was…"
Garp scoffed. He didn't want to admit it, but Gohan was technically right. The World Government's corruption and brutality was what led to his own son, Monkey D. Dragon, forming the Revolutionary Army, after all.
Sengoku shook his head. If any other Marine had said this, active or retired, he would have had them punished almost immediately.
"Look, I hold more respect for you than even Kong, Gohan. But this? I cannot stand by it. Such a foolish, blasphemous statement would get you killed on sight! Don't you realize that?!" The current Fleet Admiral snarled. "And if Goku is not groomed into a strong, loyal Marine officer, he'll become far too dangerous to be left alive. His… unique nature can be used to achieve true justice in this world… if you don't wish to let that happen."
Goku wasn't really following along with this conversation, but for some reason, it made him feel uncomfortable. He scrunched up his face a little in concern.
"Too… dangerous?"
Tsuru walked up to the boy and softly held him in a comforting embrace. She glared at Sengoku in disapproval.
"Remember who you're talking about, Sengoku! Have you lost all sense of compassion?"
"I am the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Tsuru! I will not let this boy become a filthy, despicable pirate like Gol D. Roger! I've already gone through enough trouble trying to purge his spawn from this Earth! I refuse to do that for someone I actually hold… an attachment to."
The female Vice Admiral continued to clutch Goku's shoulders in discomfort. Garp, meanwhile, thought about Portgas D. Ace and his familial connection to the Pirate King. He'd be damned if Sengoku found about that fact somehow, so he wouldn't say anything about it for his new adoptive grandson's sake.
Tsuru then took a deep breath and broke the silence.
"The world isn't so black and white anymore, Sengoku. It'd be naïve of you to consider all pirates evil while ignoring the atrocities committed by our people in Marines. We're as guilty of causing injustice in this world as any known criminal…"
Gohan solemnly nodded in agreement. "Like the Ohara Incident…"
"You still blame yourself for that, don't you? I gave CP9 permission to trigger that Buster Call, Gohan! The blood of those people is on my hands! I just gave you orders from the World Government to follow." He scowled in a softer voice. "I never intended for it to cause your retirement. Maybe I should have done what that traitor, Jaguar D. Saul, suggested and questioned the Five Elders's specific animosity towards that place…"
"Well, you didn't, my boy. And now some poor fifteen-year-old girl has a 70,000,000 Berry bounty placed on her head… thanks to your blind complacency. The same will likely happen if the World Government sets their sights on Goku. He could be enslaved by those Celestial Dragons or worse, experimented on and turned into a weapon of some sort. That is not the life I wish for Goku to have!"
Walking over to his grandson, he affectionately ruffled Goku's hair and smiled. The young boy giggled, oblivious to the serious, downright awful topics being discussed.
"I want Goku to be free; free to explore the world, meet new people, and, of course, grow stronger as a person. And if he must become a pirate to achieve that level of freedom, then so be it. It's his choice to go down whatever path he wishes." Gohan proclaimed. "Who knows? Maybe he could even set out to find the One Piece someday. Ohohoho!"
Goku snickered at all of the things his grandpa just described.
"Hehehe! That sounds like fun, Grandpa! Not sure what a One Piece is, but I want it!"
Garp, despite the boy's clear disinterest in becoming a Marine, suddenly broke out into a loud fit of laughter.
"BWAHAHAHAHA! Yup! That's your grandson, alright!"
Sengoku bared his teeth in frustration.
"How absurd. The One Piece won't be so easily obtained, boy. You'd best gain more sense than your aging grandfather and reconsider becoming a Marine. Your freedom will be more guaranteed that way. A pirate's life does no such thing."
The spiky-haired boy stuck out his tongue at Sengoku and drooped his eyelid.
"Nyeh! We'll just see about that, Old Man!"
"Arrogant little brat…"
Goku then pumped up his fists in newfound determination. "I'm gonna become the strongest pirate in the world and find that One Piece thing one day! Just watch me, you guys! I'll make you proud, Grandpa!"
Gohan and Tsuru giggled at the young boy's confidence while the other two grunted in dismay. Sengoku was especially displeased with his similarities to the King of the Pirates himself.
Even a boy foreign to this world… has the Will of D. guiding his actions…" He thought. Gohan won't be able to protect him forever. I hope he realizes that before I have no choice, but to force my hand.
He then grimaced at the sight of Goku childishly yawning and rubbing his eyes. It was a bit past the child's bedtime.
"Grandpa… I'm getting sleepy…"
"We'll go to bed soon, my boy. I assume Tsuru, Garp, and Sengoku won't be staying much longer."
"Yes," Sengoku muttered while looking over at his ship. "A Fleet Admiral's tasks never truly stop piling up, I suppose."
"Why do you think I didn't want the job?" Garp grunted.
Tsuru glanced at him. "Because you're reckless and have no respect for authority… or even property for that matter."
"Hey! I can be serious when it counts, Tsuru! Lay off."
As they incessantly bickered with each other, Goku noticed a bright, white light coming from the sky. It was a full moon, something he was, to his knowledge, never up late enough to really see or notice. He stared straight at in sudden curiosity.
"Wow. The Moon sure looks nice and big tonight, Grandpa. Does it always look like that or—"
He then froze as a shockwave of energy entered his subconscious mind. His eyes were now glazed over as well.
"Goku?" asked Tsuru.
A chill went down Gohan's spine as he spun around to look up at the moon. He hadn't even been paying attention to what time of day it was.
"O-Oh no. Not now…"
Goku's heart then began to beat repeatedly to the rhythm of his slowly changing body.
BADUMP!
BADUMP!
BADUMP!
After collapsing onto the floor in pain, he took deep, shallow breaths and began to transform from a small child… into a giant, ape-like monster.
"What the hell is happening, Gohan?! You never mentioned anything about this!" Garp yelled.
Gohan and the three Marines jumped away from Goku to create some distance between them. Within seconds, Goku's eyes now glowed a bloodred and his enormous body was covered in brown fur. He clenched his sharp teeth and let loose a relentless onslaught of Haki with one single roar.
"GGRAAAAAAAGHHHH!"
The four Marines were almost flung back from the resulting shockwave. Anything else, in close proximity, was either knocked out from shock or crumbled into tiny pieces.
Sengoku couldn't believe what he was seeing. "The Color of the Supreme King… at only six-years-old…"
Garp stood helplessly as Great Ape Goku went on a rampage atop Mt. Paozu. He slammed his fist down on Gohan's hut first, destroying the entire building instantly.
"This is insane! Was he part-Mink this whole time?!"
"There's no way. This may resemble their Sulong forms, but… none of them have been able to achieve this level of power so suddenly!" Tsuru choked out. "It has to be something far different from that."
Gohan sadly grimaced. "You'd be right, Tsuru. This form… is what results from Goku's monkey tail. When I first witnessed him look at the full moon about a year ago from now, Dr. Vegapunk classified it as the Oozaru, meaning Great Monkey or Great Ape. It increases Goku's power tenfold whenever he transforms into this… thing. I barely survived the last time it appeared… and I'm not so sure I'll be as fortunate again."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes into slants and tracked Goku's movements via Observational Haki. His energy was above average in size, but incredibly unrefined compared to theirs. The main issue would be attempting to take him down without killing the child.
"Then we'll protect you this time, Master Gohan. Just focus on knocking that tail off, so your grandson will go back to normal."
Nodding, Gohan smiled and transferred Armament Haki into his Nyoibo. It changed from crimson red to black and gold in color.
"I intend to do just that, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Garp smirked excitedly and slammed his fists together, coating each one in a black shell of Armament Haki. Red and black bolts of lightning surrounded him at the same time.
"WAHAHAHA! Just like the good old days, eh?"
Tsuru smirked and stood in a fighting stance. "When were they ever good, Garp?"
With that last remark, the four went to attack Great Ape Goku from different directions. Gohan, with an aura of bright blue Haki, flipped into the air and directed the Nyoibo towards his grandson's monkey tail.
"Power Pole, Extend!"
The black staff grew exponentially in length within Gohan's hands. He then slammed it down like a blade, attempting to slice off the tail through force alone. Unfortunately, Goku subconsciously tapped into Observational Haki and sidestepped away from the Nyoibo's sudden strike, seeing it coming before it even happened.
"Shoot! He used the Color of Observation to dodge!"
Narrowing his eyes, Great Ape Goku clasped both fists together and slammed them down on Gohan's body. Sadly, the old man was too frail and weak to suppress the counterattack's more severe damages. He coughed up blood and was sent crashing into the ground.
"Gohan!" Tsuru cried.
Using the Wash-Wash Fruit's abilities, she waved both her hands and drenched Goku with soapy water. His anger subsided for a moment, but more so out of confusion than actual control over his emotions. His body was far too huge to experience any real changes to his appearance like earlier.
"Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Gohan suddenly struggled to breathe as he clutched his aching chest. At eighty-five years old, his age was finally starting to catch up with him… at the worst possible moment.
"My heart is giving out a little… but I can keep going, Tsuru. My grandson needs me."
Tsuru's frown deepened ever-so-slightly. "But—"
Her response was interrupted by Great Ape Goku brushing off the Wash-Wash Fruit's effects. He then opened his large mouth and gathered bright red Haki into it.
"A-A blast of Haki?!"
"Much like Admiral Kizaru's…" Gohan whispered in confirmation.
The Haki was then released as a red, dome-like field of energy. It would have obliterated Gohan and Tsuru instantly if not for it being deflected by a large golden hand at the last second.
This hand belonged to Sengoku, whom had used his rare Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit, the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha. As the name implied, the Fleet Admiral transformed into a massive statuesque version of himself known as a Daibutsu or, in other words, a Golden Buddha. He was now bare-chested and rotund with glowing white eyes that emanated an incredible amount of divine power. His afro was now comprised of multiple golden orbs too.
Narrowing both eyes in rage, he tightly grabbed onto Goku's simian wrists and forced him down with his own golden shockwave. The output of clashing energies was so immense that all of Paozu Island began to uncontrollably shake from side to side.
"Know your place, you lowly monkey! You're standing before Sengoku the Buddha himself!"
Great Ape Goku's feet caved deep into the ground, struggling to withstand Sengoku's newfound strength. He then roared in frustration and unleashed a few more bursts of red Haki from his mouth. Sengoku was pushed back a little, but still managed to shrug off the attacks without a single scratch on him, regardless. Their difference in strength and skill was just far too immense.
"Get on with it, Garp! What are you waiting for?!"
"You can't rush greatness, Sengoku, old friend!"
The Hero of the Marines sprinted up to Goku's legs from behind and let loose haymaker after haymaker against them. His knees buckled from the resulting implosions of energy, but that only served to make the young Oozaru even more furious than before.
Tapping into Conqueror's Haki once again, Goku freed his hands from Daibutsu Sengoku's strong grip and let out another, even more powerful roar.
"GGRAAAAAAAGHHHH!"
An impressive aura encompassed Goku's body, temporarily pushing Garp and Sengoku away from him by a few meters at most. He also repeatedly beat on his chest like a gorilla, projecting multiple bursts of soundwaves against the two legendary naval officers.
"DOWAAAH!"
Sengoku pushed his palm into the ground and grinded his heavier body against it. This managed to stop him from moving any further. "Dammit!"
Seeing the level of destruction Goku was causing, Gohan knew what needed to be done. He gently pushed Tsuru away from him and propped himself up with the Nyoibo. The old man then coated his chest with a sliver of Armament Haki to help alleviate the pain in his heart.
"Stay back, Tsuru. Goku's my responsibility…"
The Great Staff Officer could tell something else was off about her mentor, but didn't say a word. Her skills in Observational Haki were high enough to notice that Gohan's own energy was falling… fast. It was either due to the stress caused by this dire situation or something else entirely.
Either way, the potential outcome of this fight didn't seem too good.
"Okay. I understand."
Hiding her true emotions, Tsuru helplessly stood behind as Gohan spun the Nyoibo around and got into the Turtle School of Martial Arts fighting stance. Throughout his long life, he was the prized student of the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi, and now, he'd die as one.
"Here I come, Goku."
It was then that Gohan would show the skills that made him known as the God of Marines and the Hero of Heroes. With a single swing of his Nyoibo, a burst of highspeed wind pushed Oozaru Goku off of his feet and caused a huge chunk of the entire island's surface to spontaneously combust.
"Graaagh!"
He then flexed his fist forward, using an advanced Haki technique from Wano, Ryou, to land multiple invisible blows on the giant monkey's chest. Goku's nose and mouth gushed with blood as a result.
I'm sorry, my boy. This will all be over soon.
Directly afterwards, Gohan dashed from one area to the next using Shave, a technique that made the body vanish due to moving at exceptionally high speeds. He caught sight of Goku's tail and went in for the kill so to speak. He leapt into the air and spun his Nyoibo around, using its lengthened size to cut the tail clean in half.
Unfortunately, this plan didn't work a second time either. Goku stood back up and stamped his foot straight down onto Gohan's body. The pain was indescribable, but Gohan, miraculously, held him back before all of his bones and muscles could be crushed.
"God Bind!"
Channeling golden Haki into his own two hands, a massive ring was released from Gohan's palms and stopped Goku's entire Great Ape form in its tracks. Now, neither of them could move a single inch, much to the young boy's clear chagrin and anguish.
"GRAAAAAAGH! GRAAAAAH!"
I know it hurts. It hurts me too, Goku. More than you realize.
As blood oozed from his lips, Gohan glanced at both Garp and Sengoku in frustration.
"What are you waiting for, boys?! Take him down… before it's too late!"
Daibutsu Sengoku noticed Gohan's current position and his usage of the legendary God Bind technique. Its power was noteworthy for being used against Rocks D. Xebec and his infamous pirate crew at God Valley many years ago.
"But, Master Gohan! If your grandson moves even a single inch, you'll—"
"DON'T HESITATE! JUST DO AS I SAY! EITHER OF YOU!"
Garp toothily grins, hiding his own conflicted feelings towards the situation. "As you wish! We have to live in the moment… for the sake of the future! That's what you taught us, right, Gramps?!"
Gohan nods. "That's right, Garp! Show me what you've learned!"
Building up more and more Haki around himself, the Hero of the Marines rocketed into the skies above Paozu Island. His fist was now coated in a star-like burst of red energy as he ascended further.
"WAHAHAHAHAHA!" He laughed. "Goku, you damn brat! I'll show you the true power of the Marines… and what you could one day surpass! WATCH CLOSELY!"
The entire island was now illuminated by a blinding flash of red, fiery light. Sengoku and Tsuru had to cover their eyes just to get a closer look at it.
"THIS IS ALL FOR YOUR FUTURE! SON D. GOKUUUU!"
"GRAAAAAAAGH!"
Goku continued struggling to break out of the God Bind, but Gohan's hold was far too strong. The old man, with tears in his eyes and a heavy heart, smiled at the one thing that brought him true happiness in life.
"Don't blame yourself for what happened tonight, my boy. Until the very end, it was an honor to be your grandfather and watch you grow…"
After Garp's attack reached its zenith in the air, he gathered more Haki into his hand and seemingly became one with the night sky's many stars.
"GALAXY…"
His speed was now so fast that his entire body descended back to the Earth like a falling meteorite. However, rather than the ground, he'd be landing right on top of Goku's head as a Great Ape.
Sharing one last look at Goku, his grandfather thought about all of the times they spent together these past six years. He lived a long, sometimes painful life, but those days were, by far, the most worthwhile for him. That even included the day he fell down and hit his head.
Sadly, he wouldn't be able to say any of these things to Goku himself.
"…I love you."
…IMPACTTTTT!"
Garp's fist rocketed downward, sending out a singular, combustive burst of Haki that exploded upon direct contact with the young Oozaru. Galaxy Impact instantly shattered Gohan's God Bind as well, causing his body to be crushed underneath Goku's foot as they were both forcibly pushed into the ground without any room for resistance.
Like a nuclear warhead, the resulting shockwave exploded everything situated around Mr. Paozu and beyond. Sengoku, thankfully, stood over Tsuru in time, so neither of them would be victims of the masterful attack's power. Garp's other nickname, Garp the Fist, was unquestionably well-earned in this case.
"GRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
"GOHAAANNNN!" Tsuru screamed with some stray tears in her eyes.
"No. It wasn't supposed to end this way!" Sengoku lowly growled through his clenched teeth.
For a few moments, the entirety of Paozu Island continued to be leveled by Garp's signature move. He remained afloat, gritting his teeth with fresh tears building in his eyes. He held no sense of victory over what took place.
Dammit! Why didn't I go for the stupid tail?!
Everything at Paozu, overtime, went back to normal once a few stray clouds cast themselves over the full moon. The mountain and its surrounding jungles were ravaged beyond foreseeable repair, but nothing else was harmed. All that could be seen when the smoke cleared were Goku's small, naked body and Gohan's barely conscious form.
His arms, legs, and chest were crushed to bits due the Oozaru's excess body weight. His head, including the navy blue fedora he always wore, were the only parts that didn't experience any damage or injury.
Fresh blood trickled down his chin as he quietly tried to continue breathing. His grandson rested atop his stomach, yet he couldn't even move his body around to see if the boy was alright. He was, unquestionably, crippled by all senses of the word.
Thankfully, his Nyoibo didn't experience any notable damages either. It was far too durable to be destroyed, even by the strongest of Haki-based attacks. In fact, it might have even absorbed some of the Haki put into Garp's Galaxy Impact.
"G-Goku…" Gohan softly croaked. Although burnt to a crisp, the child's monkey tail still remained intact. "… I'm so glad… you're safe. I can… rest now…"
Garp immediately descended back to the surface and ran to his mentor's aid. Sengoku did the same after reverting back to his normal, human form. Tsuru, however, couldn't bring herself to look at the old man in such terrible condition.
"Tsk! Stay with us, Gohan! It's not your time to go yet, dammit!" The Hero of the Marines cried while powerfully slamming a fist into the ground.
"O-Ohoho. Don't you go blaming yourself too, Garp. That's Sengoku's specialty…"
"Why shouldn't I blame myself?! IT WAS MY DAMN TECHNIQUE THAT DID THIS TO YOU!"
Tsuru bit her lower lip. "Garp, you fool…"
"The only fool here is him, Tsuru!" Sengoku glowered and glared down at Gohan's face with tightly clenched teeth. "You reckless, stubborn old man! If you had just used the God Bind a few seconds earlier, Goku wouldn't have been able to crush your fragile body to this extent. Why did you hesitate?! TELL ME!"
Gohan paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. He was expecting this kind of reaction from the three, but not for this situation, in particular.
"To tell you the truth, my health was already deteriorating at a rapid rate, Sengoku. I likely wouldn't have much time left in this world… even if Goku's transformation never took place."
Garp, admittedly, looked a bit taken aback.
"What?! How could you keep that from us, you stupid geezer? We could have given you treatment! Sengoku's the Fleet Admiral and has access to those resources!"
"Wouldn't have mattered, Garp. A part of me died that day back in Ohara. I would have given up on this life a lot sooner… if not for my little boy showing up here." The old man replied with a small grin. "So what better way for a former god to go out… than in a blaze of glory involving my own student and grandson? Quite a poetic passing of the torch moment, don't you think?"
Passing… of the torch?!
Pondering over these words, Garp gripped his palms tight enough to draw blood and looked down at him in anger.
"You… You idiot!"
Gohan's heartbeat then slowed to an almost nonexistent pace. It was difficult to keep his eyes open at that point. He used what little strength was left to acknowledge his three students.
"Garp… Tsuru… Sengoku… There's not much else I can say… but…" He chokes back a bit with tears in his eyes. "… please… do everything in your power to raise Goku in my place. All I ask is that he remains free… to become a great force for good in this cruel, sorrowful world we live in. And when the time comes for the boy to set off on his own… at seventeen or a little older, make certain he does it… as a pirate!"
The three widened their eyes in shock. As marines, this final request would go against everything they stood for. It was hard not to be against it.
"A-A pirate?! You're asking us to become his enemy in the future, Gohan! How could we possibly let that happen?!" Sengoku yelled.
Tsuru then picked up Goku's sleeping form and gently cradled him in her arms.
"True freedom, as much as it pains me to admit, lies in piracy, Sengoku. Goku's life… will be under constant supervision if he joins the Navy. I do not wish for a boy this innocent, caring, and warm-hearted… to be held back by such restrictions. It may be best for us to respect our mentor's dying wishes and… wait for the future to decide his fate."
The Fleet Admiral grimaced. "What fate?! As a pirate, he'll have no future! His death might as well be preordained!"
Gohan shook his head in disagreement.
"Don't be so certain, Sengoku. You may not think much of the boy now, but with time, I know he'll achieve great things in this life and… grow far stronger than ever before. One day, he may even bring about some much-needed change to this world and become the light… shining down on a brand new one…"
The retired Vice Admiral then shared one last smile before definitively closing his eyes for good. His time on this world had reached its end.
"…a new world where everybody… can be free."
Upon collapsing onto the floor, Gohan blew out his last breath and passed away. His body looked peaceful, yet numb at the same time. A few stray tears built up in Goku's eyes as he continued to remain unconscious.
"Wake up, Gramps! We weren't done talking! GRAMPS?!" Garp yelled in a mix of rage and anguish. "MASTER GOHANNNNN!"
Tsuru couldn't bring herself to say anything at all. She used the Wash-Wash Fruit to cleanse Gohan's body of its injuries and officially laid his body to rest. She then did the same for Goku and gathered his grandfather's blue fedora for him. That single hat, along with the Nyoibo, were all the boy had left to remember him by.
The Great Staff Officer then brushed Goku's black, spiky bangs away from his forehead and frowned.
"What should we do now?"
Sengoku sighed, struggling to pull himself together emotionally. "We simply do as Gohan asked and respect his wishes. In honor of everything he's done for the Marines, we owe him that much. Keep the staff and hat with Goku, and we'll—"
"Hand him to me, Tsuru. I'll take care of him from now on." Garp interjected from the sidelines.
"You? What kind of joke are you trying to pull here, Garp?"
He boldly jerked a thumb at himself in response and stood his ground. There was a fierce glint in his black eyes.
"In case you need your ears cleaned, Gramps passed me the torch to raise and train Goku! I'm partly responsible for causing his death, so I have to make up for that fact in any way I can! And if you don't like it, Sengoku, then tough crap!" Garp fumed. "I'll be bringing him over to Foosha Village in the East Blue. My grandson's already living there, so he'll be safe… for the next several years, at least. There's plenty of spots where he can continue his training too."
Tsuru raised an eyebrow. "On Dawn Island? But that's so far."
Sengoku adjusted the position of his glasses, not even having the strength to rebuke Garp's idea. He felt tired and hollow after experiencing this whole, tragic situation firsthand.
"Do as you wish. There's nothing left for the child here. It'll only serve to be a bad memory for him." The Fleet Admiral murmured aloud. "I'll continue to keep Goku's existence unknown to the World Government. If Gohan's death gets out somehow, I'll create a bounty for… The Beast that crushed him… and leave it that. No other details will be shared. You have my word on that."
Garp clicked his tongue. He didn't expect Sengoku to act this complacent.
"And will your pride as the Fleet Admiral even allow you to do that?"
"My pride as… as…"
Sengoku's body then started to tremble as he finally broke down crying in frustration. Liquid continued to leak from his eyes and nostrils as a result.
"M-My pride as Son D. Gohan's student… is far more important now!"
Garp sported a neutral expression and closed his own watery eyes. "I see."
Afterwards, while Tsuru watched over Goku and wrapped him in a blanket, her fellow marines dug a proper grave for Gohan. It was situated next to the damaged remains of his hut. A single cross made from two thin, wooden planks was built atop it. The three gave him a moment of silence before preparing to go their separate ways.
Tsuru and Sengoku would return to Marineford in the Grand Line while Garp would take the long, tedious trek back to Dawn Island in the East Blue. Goku still hadn't woken up yet, so he'd likely still be asleep once they reached Foosha Village.
"Take care of him, Garp." Tsuru said while handing the boy over to her fellow marine. She glared at him to make her remark extra serious. "I'll make you sorry if anything happens to him!"
"Yeah, yeah. I get it already."
Sengoku then walked up to him and tossed an orange ball into his free hand. Garp looked at in confusion.
"What… is this, Sengoku? A toy?"
"Not too sure myself. But whatever this ball is, Gohan must have wanted to know more about it. It's all that remains of his home." The Fleet Admiral explained. "Give it to Goku when he wakes up. I doubt it'll have much use for the World Government, so his grandson may as well keep it… as a memento of sorts."
Garp got a closer look at the ball with four red stars on it. It vividly glowed with yellow energy for a few seconds before becoming inactive again.
"Odd-looking thing, but Gramps was an oddball himself, to be fair." He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, that whole damn speech about Goku creating a new, free world was kinda cryptic, don't you think?"
Sengoku pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Focus on what's actually important, Garp! Just get Goku to Foosha Village and resume his training as soon as possible." He ordered in an authoritative tone. "And maybe get rid of those thoughts about committing piracy if you can. Gohan may have wanted the boy to forge his own path in life, but that doesn't mean it can't be molded and changed for the better…"
"No need to state the obvious. I intend to do just that!"
Nodding his head, Sengoku and Tsuru officially set off on their own ships, and left Paozu Island behind. All that remained were Garp, the sleeping Goku, and the strange four-star ball.
He then wrapped the Nyoibo's holster around his shoulders and temporarily wore Gohan's blue fedora. They'd both be left in Goku's care once he came of age and completed his training as a Haki-user.
Garp looked over at his face in uncertainty. The boy was a completely separate species from him, yet acted just like any normal child. It made him wonder what this Oozaru form exactly was. It wasn't the result of some unknown Devil Fruit, at least.
"Ace, Luffy, and now… Goku. I'm sure as hell going to have my hands full soon. BWAHAHAHA!"
Letting out one last hardy laugh, the Hero of the Marines walked back over to his boat with Goku in tow. It was a larger than average Marine Ship with multiple snails and an obvious dog theme going on. A dog with a bone in its mouth was the figurehead, its crow nests were shaped like doghouses, and each sail has masts shaped like dog paws. The front sail also had the name, 'HQ-03', written in bold black text.
Garp carried Goku into this boat, set him on one of the beds contained inside it, and, finally, set sail for the East Blue. It would take a while to traverse the Grand Line from west to east, but by doing so, a new part of the young monkey-tailed boy's life would begin.
There, he'd inevitably meet Garp's two grandsons and find out about their own similar goals to become great, strong pirates one day.
*And that's the end of Chapter 1! As you can tell, I really love the lore of One Piece, so I wanted to include as many important characters and events in this chapter as I could. Dr. Vegapunk, of course, was one of them. Here are some details about the plot that I should point out:
1. Goku is 2 years older than Luffy, so he'll grow up alongside him, Ace, and Sabo on Dawn Island. Their bond as 'sake brothers' will mainly be shown through flashbacks in later chapters, but I will show Goku's first interactions with Luffy in Chapter 2.
2. Ki will be replaced with Haki for this story. Since Goku won't have a Devil Fruit ability, he'll mainly become a master of Haki like Shanks and Garp are. He'll also obtain more Saiyan-like abilities later on (including some transformations similar to Luffy's Gears).
3. Goku will have his own pirate crew separate from Luffy's. They'll collaborate with the Straw Hats several times throughout the crossover, but Goku will also go on his own original adventures too. This will come in the form of original story arcs based on locations in Dragon Ball.
As far as pairings go, the main pairing will be Goku/Robin for the most part. Nami and Hancock might also be additional pairings, but Robin will have the closest bond with Goku emotionally. A few other female characters may develop an interest in Goku too, but I won't spoil who those characters are. You can even suggest some if you want.
With that being said, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. I'll be updating my other crossovers alongside this one, so stay tuned for those updates when they come. I'll be writing Chapter 2 as soon as I can, so see you next time!