"Interesting."
Whoosh—
Akainu flipped open the brief from Headquarters.
Six months.
In just six months.
The Blood Hawk, Lieutenant Colonel Rayne Hawk, had stirred up a storm of blood in the East Blue.
The intel listed a long roll of pirate crews.
From crewmen with bounties of a few million to captains with bounties in the tens of millions.
Every name carried the same note: purged, without exception.
The report said the name Blood Hawk came from Hawk's thunderbolt methods.
Any pirate crew he marked had only one end: total annihilation.
No survivors. No surrenders accepted.
His style was so fierce and ruthless that every pirate in the East Blue trembled at the name.
"Not bad."
Akainu's fingertip stopped on the words total annihilation.
He gave the slightest nod of approval.
"Absolute Justice."
That was the justice he upheld.
Leave no room and rip evil out by the roots.
He did not care what means Hawk used, nor whether he kept to Marine regulations.
He cared about results.
The result was that East Blue pirates had been purged.
The result was that a corrupt colonel who colluded with pirates had been erased.
The result was that this weakest sea had been cleaned again by Hawk's iron hand.
Rough, direct, a little irregular.
But effective.
Very effective.
Hmph—
A faint sound of displeasure caught in Akainu's throat.
In the Great Pirate Era, with pirates rampant and evil everywhere, an officer this capable was to be reviewed over fussy rules?
A joke.
What he needed was not a review.
He needed a promotion.
A raise.
Broader authority and more troops.
Then send him to a wider stage to keep carrying out the justice of slaying pirates.
A review?
To hell with a review. The review is already passed. During his tenure, 16th Branch Lieutenant Colonel Rayne Hawk strictly upheld Marine justice.
Recommendation: promote.
"Rayne Hawk."
Akainu tasted the name again.
Good.
You did well.
If the Marines had more like you—decisive in the kill and leaving no hidden dangers—what fear would we have of not sweeping this chaotic sea clean.
This trip to the East Blue was worth it.
He turned and issued orders to the men behind him.
"Rehoist the Marine flag."
"Full speed to the 16th Branch."
"Yes, sir."
"And prepare the paperwork for my special promotion recommendation quota."
"Yes, sir."
Whoosh—
The Marine flag snapped back into the wind.
The warship split the sea, racing for the 16th Branch.
…
Marine 16th Branch, drill yard.
The sun baked the ground and heat wavered in the air.
The soldiers were in their afternoon routine training, their shouts shaking the sky.
Suddenly—
A tiny speck on the horizon arrowed closer at astonishing speed.
"Hmm?"
Akainu hovered over the 16th Branch, arms folded, looking down at the Marines still drilling below.
Their spirit was excellent.
Ranks neat, movements hard and heavy, a faint battle-honed killing edge about them.
Branch soldiers?
Not Headquarters elites?
"Interesting. Very interesting."
A curve tugged at Akainu's mouth. He was in a fine mood.
This Hawk truly had some skill.
Not only was he ruthless himself, the men he trained were worth a look.
Then let me test with my own hands what mettle this 16th Branch has.
Boom—
Akainu's right arm swelled without warning.
Deep red, boiling magma flooded down his arm with a terrifying gurgle.
The air warped in the extreme heat. A searing light burst from his fist.
"Great Eruption."
Without a moment's hesitation he punched across the air.
A magma fist three meters wide, trailing black smoke and sparks, plunged toward the center of the drill yard.
Where it passed the air caught fire with thunderous reports.
"Enemy attack!"
Major Dane's pupils pinpricked. He snapped his head up and roared.
Almost in the same instant, the Marines of the 16th Branch showed astonishing reaction speed and iron discipline.
No panic. No rout.
"First squad, defensive stance. Hold the impact."
"Second and third squads, spread to the flanks. Prepare suppressive fire."
"Medical unit, fall back and stand by."
Orders rolled from the officers and the soldiers moved like wind, crisp and orderly.
"Ha!"
The front rank slammed their custom alloy shields to the ground with a shout.
They sank their weight and formed a wall of iron.
The magma fist crashed down with annihilating force.
Bang—
The first squad's shield line warped and melted on contact, several soldiers grunting as the impact burst blood from nose and mouth and shoved them back on their heels.
But they clenched their teeth and held. Not one took a step back.
The fist's power dipped, but it still pressed with terrible heat and force.
Then—
Clang—
A clear blade cry rang across the yard.
Dane flashed out, the famed blade Yonagi tracing a cold arc through the air.
"One-Sword Style, Iai."
A gleam of steel flickered and vanished, biting clean into the magma fist whose force had already bled away.
Sizzle—
Like a hot knife through butter.
Under Dane's cut the fist split down the middle and blew apart.
Scalding chunks of magma spattered wide, punching charred pits into the ground and vomiting smoke.
Thump—
A figure dropped from the sky and landed at the edge of the drill yard.
Akainu looked on calmly at the 16th Branch soldiers who, though a bit battered, still held formation and kept their guard.
And at Dane, standing with blade in hand and breath a touch unsteady.
He nodded, satisfied. "Very good."
"…"
"This… that's…"
When the soldiers saw his face and the shoulder boards that marked one of the Marines' supreme powers, a shock ran through every heart.
"Admiral Akainu."
Dane drew a deep breath, slid his blade into the sheath, strode up, and snapped to attention.
"Admiral Akainu."
"Major Dane, under Lieutenant Colonel Hawk of the East Blue 16th Branch."
"Saluting you."
He gave a textbook Marine salute.
"Saluting you."
Behind him, every Marine of the 16th Branch saluted in unison, voices ringing.
"…"
"Would you like to serve under me?"
"Ah…?"
Dane's head jerked up, eyes full of disbelief.
The men of the 16th Branch froze on the spot.
The freshly arrived Headquarters elites turned to stone, jaws on the deck.
Admiral… weren't we here to review?
How did this turn into recruitment!