"Woo——"
The faint light of dawn tore through the night sky of the East Blue.
Marine 16th Branch.
The orders from Headquarters had already arrived.
[East Blue 16th Branch Commander——Rayne Hawke, suspended on the spot, not allowed to leave the branch.]
[A special envoy from Headquarters will arrive to thoroughly investigate the death of Nezumi.]
[All matters of the 16th Branch will be temporarily handed over to Lieutenant Commander Dane.]
The cold orders hung in the air like an invisible cloud shrouding over the branch.
A faint, indescribable unease lingered in the atmosphere.
But on the training grounds, the marines still carried out their daily morning drills.
This was the habit Hawke had instilled in them.
Everyone had already come to understand the benefits of morning training.
Fewer casualties when pursuing pirates, more trustful gazes from the citizens...
Inside one of the branch's offices.
"..."
Hawke stood at the window, his gaze calm as he looked outside.
On the training grounds, the soldiers were carrying out uniform formation drills.
At the head of the formation was Lieutenant Commander Dane, temporarily in charge of the 16th Branch's affairs.
"Hm...?"
He seemed to sense something, suddenly turning his head, his eyes meeting Hawke's by the window.
Dane's movements abruptly stopped.
"Snap——"
He straightened his body and, with a textbook salute, gave Hawke a solemn military gesture.
Sunlight fell upon his face, his youthful features filled with determination and admiration.
"..."
Dane's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to a few months ago.
At that time, he was just an ordinary youth from a fishing village, living a calm and monotonous life.
Until...
The pirates came!
A black Jolly Roger tore apart the peace of the village.
Flames, screams, despair.
Everything he once knew was mercilessly destroyed that day.
His parents collapsed in a pool of blood, and he himself was almost buried in the sea of fire.
It was Hawke who arrived in time and saved him.
When that massacre-like battle ended...
Everything Dane had was gone.
His home was gone, his family was gone.
Only he remained, standing alone upon the ruins, staring blankly in all directions.
With nowhere to turn, he ultimately chose to follow his savior and join the Marines.
He sought revenge, but even more, he sought to repay his debt.
From that day on, he had silently sworn to himself.
He would follow in Hawke's footsteps, and send every last piece of scum rampaging on the seas straight into hell!
During the subsequent training, he gradually displayed a talent for swordsmanship.
The cold blade seemed to become an extension of his body.
Dane fell in love with swordsmanship, with that extreme focus and power.
Hawke noticed his passion and potential.
After one pirate-clearing operation...
Hawke used his own rightful share of the spoils to exchange for a true famed blade for him.
"Dane, this is a good sword, one of the Fifty Skillful Grade Blades, 'Akubi-no-Kiba.'"
"Though right now it's only a Skillful Grade sword, the strength of a blade comes from the one who wields it."
"I believe that in the future, because of you, it will ascend to one of the Supreme Twelve Great Blades."
"..."
From that day on, "Akubi-no-Kiba" never again left Dane's side.
As long as the sword remained, so would he!
"Huff——"
The glaring sunlight pulled Dane back from his memories.
He saw Hawke nod slightly to him, then turn and walk away from the window.
Dane silently lowered his salute, the light in his eyes growing even more resolute, and turned back into the drills.
"All units——!"
The shouts grew louder.
"..."
Hawke sat back down in his office chair, his fingers lightly tapping on the desk.
His eyes unintentionally fell upon the calendar lying there.
"In the blink of an eye, six months already..."
In the blink of an eye, he had already crossed into the One Piece world for six months.
At the beginning, every morning he opened his eyes, he worried about surviving one more day.
Gradually, survival days became more secure.
In order to strengthen himself, in order to hunt pirates more efficiently...
He began using Justice Points to grow stronger.
For the past six months, he had done nothing but kill pirates, or walk the road toward killing pirates.
Moments like this, where he could sit down quietly to think, were almost nonexistent.
It was time to properly plan out his future.
"Swish——"
Hawke picked up a pen and began to write, clearing his thoughts as he wrote.
He wrote down three words: Survival, Strength, Goal!
Survival was no longer the problem pressing hardest against him.
He could accumulate enough Justice Points, exploit the ten-year bug, and steadily add more days.
Strength—he knew his own talent well.
There was some, but not much.
Compared to true monsters, he was far behind.
So in this regard, he would need the [System] to elevate his power.
Hawke continued to write, organizing his current abilities.
[Rayne Hawke]
[Observation Haki: Intermediate]
[Armament Haki: Intermediate]
[Physique: Intermediate]
[Martial Arts (Fist): Intermediate]
[Conqueror's Haki: Unawakened]
[Remaining Justice Points: 3024]
[Remaining Survival Days: 3650.]
Observation Haki, Armament Haki, Physique, Martial Arts, Conqueror's Haki.
Five abilities.
At present, aside from Conqueror's Haki, the other four abilities are all at Intermediate level.
And for these four abilities, to advance from Intermediate to Advanced requires 10,000 Justice Points.
From Advanced to Top-Tier, 100,000 points.
From Top-Tier to Peak, 1,000,000 points.
Conqueror's Haki, as the qualification of a king, requires ten times the Justice Points of other abilities in order to advance.
Once Justice Points become abundant, Conqueror's Haki is something that must be enhanced.
After all...
Kaido-sensei once said: only Haki stands above all.
Therefore, both survival and becoming stronger require Justice Points.
One is used to extend survival days.
The other to enhance strength.
If I wish to become both a Peak existence across all five dimensions and an immortal presence upon this sea...
Then I need a vast ocean of Justice Points...
Fortunately, there is no shortage of sin in these seas.
As long as I steadily develop and plan step by step,
Justice Points will never be lacking.
I have already calculated: the Justice Points granted by the [Justice System] are largely linked to the current bounty amounts issued by the Marines.
For example, Arlong's bounty was 20 million Belly, which could yield 2000 Justice Points.
If not a pirate, then it depends on the evil he has committed.
Thus, the acquisition of Justice Points can be divided into pirate and non-pirate.
As for non-pirates...
The true source of evil in these seas...
Those who stand high above, cloaking themselves in the names of "order" and "justice," while committing filthy deeds—the World Government!
They are the true root of all suffering and chaos in this world.
So-called "order."
It is nothing but the privilege and order of the Celestial Dragons, who ride upon the heads of the people, wantonly stripping others of life and dignity!
So-called "justice."
It is the violent justice that sustains this rotten rule and suppresses every voice of resistance!
Therefore, the World Government and its loyal lackeys—the CP agencies, the Celestial Dragons, the God's Knights, the Five Elders, and Imu.
To strike them down will all yield Justice Points.
However, for now my strength and influence are still insufficient. I must wait.
As for pirates...
It is currently the Sea Circle Calendar Year 1519.
The Four Emperor balance of the New World has long been solidified.
But one year later, in 1520—
A war sweeping across the world, destined to change the structure of the seas, shall erupt.
The Summit War—!!!
Raine Hawke's gaze turned toward the window.
"This grand feast..."
Deep within those pitch-black eyes, a spark called slaughter ignited.
The corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly.
"I absolutely cannot miss it!"
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