Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Six Months of Madness
Six months had passed since Vulcan had first set foot on the training grounds of Marineford. During that time, Garp had pushed him to his absolute limit—and then some. Every day was a new challenge, a new test of strength, balance, and endurance, all wrapped in Garp's signature style of training that teetered between bizarre and brutal.
On any given day, Vulcan could be found balancing on a single foot atop a wooden pole while Garp hurled random objects at him—boulders, cannonballs, fish, anything that Garp could get his hands on. "Balance is key!" Garp would shout between fits of laughter. "You're no good to the Marines if you fall over every time someone throws a punch!"
When Vulcan wasn't balancing on poles or dodging cannonballs, he was running grueling obstacle courses set up by Garp, each one more dangerous than the last. There were spiked pits to jump over, walls of fire to sprint through, and pools of water filled with giant, snapping turtles that Vulcan had to swim across while keeping his head above water. "Toughen up! A real Marine doesn't shy away from danger!" Garp would say, watching with his arms crossed as Vulcan narrowly avoided the jaws of another turtle.
But the strangest of all was Garp's infamous cracker training. For hours, Garp would sit on a wooden crate, munching on his favorite snack, rice crackers, while Vulcan was forced to do one-handed push-ups with rocks balanced on his back. The crumbs from the crackers would fall into the dirt, and Vulcan wasn't allowed to finish until Garp had eaten the entire box.
"That's enough for today!" Garp would say after devouring his last cracker, wiping his mouth with a grin. "Now go and lift those boulders again."
Vulcan's body had toughened up considerably over the last six months. His muscles had grown leaner, his stamina had increased, and his reaction time had sharpened. Though Garp's training was absurd, it was undeniably effective. Vulcan could feel the difference in himself—he was stronger than he had ever been.
A New Challenge
One afternoon, after another brutal day of training, Garp sat on the edge of the training field, devouring yet another box of crackers. Vulcan, covered in sweat and dirt, finished his last set of push-ups and stood, breathing heavily.
"That's enough for now, brat," Garp said through a mouthful of crackers. "You've worked hard these past six months, and I think you're ready for a little change of pace."
Vulcan wiped the sweat from his brow, looking up at Garp with a mixture of curiosity and exhaustion. "Change of pace?"
Garp nodded, crunching another cracker. "You've been training hard, and you've built a solid foundation. Now it's time to see how you stack up against your fellow recruits."
Vulcan's eyes widened. He had sparred with other recruits before, but it had always been part of Garp's training. Now, it sounded like Garp wanted him to take it to the next level.
"I want you to challenge two of the top recruits," Garp said, finishing his crackers and wiping his hands on his shirt. "It'll be a good test to see how far you've come."
Vulcan nodded, excitement bubbling up inside him. He had been working hard, and now was his chance to show just how much he had grown. But as he turned to head to the sparring ring, Garp's voice stopped him.
"Don't get cocky," Garp warned, his tone serious. "These recruits are no slouches. They've been training just as hard as you have."
Vulcan nodded again, steeling himself for the challenge ahead. "I won't."
The Sparring Ring
Vulcan made his way to the sparring ring, his heart pounding with anticipation. The training grounds were buzzing with activity as usual, but as word spread that Garp's grandson was going to challenge two of the top recruits, a small crowd began to gather around the ring.
Vulcan stepped into the center of the ring, rolling his shoulders as he mentally prepared himself. He knew this wouldn't be easy—Garp wouldn't have chosen just anyone to face him.
Two recruits stepped into the ring opposite Vulcan. The first was a tall, muscular Marine named Tatsuo, with short black hair and a scar running down his cheek. Tatsuo had a reputation for being one of the strongest recruits at Marineford, his physical strength rivaling even some of the instructors.
The second recruit was Ren, a shorter but lean and agile fighter. His speed was legendary among the recruits, and he often used it to overwhelm his opponents before they could react.
Vulcan sized them up, knowing he was in for a tough fight. But he wasn't afraid. He had trained too long and too hard to back down now.
The Fight Begins
The tension in the air was palpable as the three recruits squared off in the center of the ring. Garp stood off to the side, his arms crossed, watching intently as the crowd murmured in anticipation.
Without warning, Tatsuo charged forward, his heavy footsteps pounding the ground as he closed the distance between himself and Vulcan. His fist flew toward Vulcan's face with brutal force, but Vulcan had been prepared. He sidestepped the punch, feeling the rush of air as Tatsuo's fist narrowly missed him.
But before Vulcan could counter, Ren was already on him. The smaller recruit moved like a blur, darting around Vulcan's side and aiming a quick kick at his ribs. Vulcan barely had time to block, raising his arm just in time to deflect the blow, though the force of it sent him stumbling back.
The two recruits were relentless, attacking from both sides in a coordinated assault. Tatsuo's raw power and Ren's speed made them a dangerous combination, and Vulcan quickly found himself on the defensive.
Tatsuo swung again, this time aiming a powerful punch at Vulcan's midsection. Vulcan dropped low, dodging the attack and planting his hands on the ground. With a burst of strength, he kicked upward, aiming for Tatsuo's chest. The impact sent Tatsuo stumbling back, but Ren was already there, his fist flying toward Vulcan's jaw.
Vulcan barely had time to raise his arm in defense, blocking the punch just as it connected. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through his arm, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward, using his other hand to deliver a sharp elbow to Ren's side.
Ren winced, the blow knocking him off balance, but Tatsuo had recovered and was already charging at Vulcan again. This time, Tatsuo swung with both fists, aiming for Vulcan's torso. Vulcan dodged to the side, but Tatsuo was quick, following up with a sweeping kick that caught Vulcan in the legs and sent him sprawling to the ground.
The crowd gasped as Vulcan hit the dirt, but Garp remained silent, his eyes focused on his grandson.
Rising to the Challenge
Vulcan lay on the ground for only a second before rolling to his feet, his eyes burning with determination. He had trained too hard to let this fight slip away. He wouldn't lose.
Tatsuo and Ren were already closing in on him again, but this time, Vulcan was ready. He had been defending too much—now it was time to take the fight to them.
Tatsuo lunged forward with another heavy punch, but instead of dodging, Vulcan stepped forward, ducking under Tatsuo's arm and driving his shoulder into the larger recruit's chest. The force of the impact knocked Tatsuo off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground.
Before Ren could react, Vulcan spun around, his leg flying through the air in a sharp roundhouse kick aimed at Ren's head. Ren barely managed to duck, but the momentum of Vulcan's kick carried him forward. Using the momentum, Vulcan planted his foot on the ground and swung again, this time aiming a powerful punch at Ren's midsection.
Ren blocked the punch with his forearm, but the force behind it sent him stumbling back. Vulcan didn't let up, charging forward with a series of quick strikes. Ren did his best to dodge and deflect the blows, but Vulcan's relentless assault was too much. With a final punch, Vulcan caught Ren in the ribs, sending him sprawling to the ground, gasping for air.
Now it was just him and Tatsuo.
The Final Blow
Tatsuo, still reeling from Vulcan's shoulder charge, pushed himself to his feet, his face twisted in anger. He let out a roar and charged at Vulcan with everything he had, swinging his fists like sledgehammers.
But Vulcan was in the zone now. He sidestepped Tatsuo's wild punches with ease, his movements fluid and controlled. When Tatsuo threw another punch, Vulcan ducked low and spun behind him, grabbing him around the waist.
With a grunt of effort, Vulcan lifted Tatsuo off his feet and slammed him to the ground, the impact shaking the ring. Tatsuo groaned in pain, but before he could recover, Vulcan had already pinned him down, his arm locked around Tatsuo's neck in a chokehold.
Tatsuo struggled for a moment, but it was no use. He tapped the ground, signaling his surrender.
Victory
The crowd erupted in cheers as Vulcan stood, panting heavily but victorious. Ren was still catching his breath on the ground, and Tatsuo lay groaning at his feet, but the fight was over. Vulcan had won.
Garp approached the ring, his usual grin plastered on his face. "Not bad, brat! You've come a long way."
Vulcan wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. He looked down at the two recruits he had just beaten, a mixture of exhaustion and pride washing over him.
Garp clapped him on the back, nearly sending him stumbling. "You've still got a lot to learn, but you're getting there. Keep it up."
Vulcan nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He had come a long way, but he knew there was still much further to go. The path ahead was still filled with challenges, but he was ready for whatever came next.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone