A Marine butcher? I’m just fighting to live with everything I’ve got. Chapter 11 11: Marineford War? Hawk Requests to Join

The mournful sound of a conch echoed.

Dawn's first light tore through the night sky over the East Blue.

At the 16th Marine Branch, a ssage from headquarters had arrived.

[Lieutenant Colonel Renn Hawk of the East Blue 16th Branch is hereby suspended in place. He is forbidden from leaving the branch.]

[A special investigator from headquarters will arrive to conduct a full inquiry into Captain Nezumi's death.]

[All matters of the 16th Branch are temporarily entrusted to Major Dane.]

The cold orders hung over the branch like a storm cloud.

The air was heavy with unease, yet out in the training grounds the soldiers carried on with their morning drills.

It was Hawk who had instilled this habit in them, and the benefits were already clear. Casualties during pirate hunts had dropped. Civilians had begun to look at them with trust and hope.

Inside an office, Hawk stood silently by the window, eyes calm as he watched the drills outside.

At the head of the formation was Major Dane, the officer temporarily placed in charge of the branch.

Hawk's sharp gaze brushed against Dane's, and in that instant Dane stiffened.

He snapped to attention.

"Clack!"

His boots struck together, and with solemn respect he raised a perfect salute toward the window.

The sun poured across his young face, filled with determination and admiration.

For a mont, Dane's thoughts drifted back to months ago.

Back then, he had been nothing more than a fisherman's son, living a quiet life in his village.

Until the pirates ca.

The black skull flag had torn through the peaceful skies. Fire. Screams. Despair.

Everything he had known was consud in a single day.

His parents lay dead in pools of blood. He himself nearly perished in the flas.

But Hawk had arrived just in ti, cutting through the slaughter and saving him.

When the battle ended, Dane's entire world lay in ruins.

No ho. No family. Only himself, standing alone among the ashes.

With nowhere else to turn, he chose to follow the man who had saved him. He joined the Marines.

He wanted vengeance, but more than that, he wanted to repay his debt.

That day, he swore silently to himself:

He would follow in Hawk's footsteps. He would send every pirate who preyed upon the seas straight to hell.

In training, his talent for swordsmanship quickly erged. The cold blade felt like an extension of his very soul.

Hawk had seen both his passion and his potential.

After one mission to wipe out pirates, Hawk spent his own share of the loot to buy Dane a real sword.

"Dane, this is a fine blade, a Grade Sword of the Fifty Skillful Works, 'Night Calm.'"

"Right now, it's just a Grade Sword. But the strength of a sword cos from the one who wields it. I believe that one day, because of you, it will rise to stand among the Supre Twelve."

From that day on, Night Calm never left Dane's side.

Where the blade was, he was.

A harsh ray of sunlight pulled him out of his mory.

Hawk gave him a faint nod from the window before turning away.

Dane lowered his salute, eyes burning brighter than ever as he shouted to his n.

"Company attention!"

Their voices roared even louder across the yard.

Back in his office, Hawk sat down. His fingers tapped lightly against the desk.

His gaze fell upon the calendar.

"Six months already…"

It had been half a year since he had crossed into this world.

In the beginning, each day was a desperate struggle just to stay alive. Then, slowly, survival beca easier.

To grow stronger, to kill pirates more efficiently, he had relied on the Justice System.

For six months, he had done nothing but kill pirates or march toward the next pirate to kill.

Monts like this, sitting quietly and thinking, were rare.

It was ti to plan his future.

He took up a pen and wrote three words: Survival. Strength. Purpose.

Survival was no longer a pressing problem. With enough Justice Points, he could extend his lifespan at will.

Strength, however, was another matter. He knew his talent. So, yes, but not much. Compared to the true monsters of this world, he was far behind.

So strength had to co from the System.

He began organizing his current abilities.

[Renn Hawk]

Observation Haki: Interdiate

Armant Haki: Interdiate

Physique: Interdiate

Martial Arts (Fist): Interdiate

Conqueror's Haki: Unawakened

Justice Points Remaining: 3,024

Remaining Lifespan: 3,650 days

Observation. Armant. Physique. Martial Arts. Conqueror's.

Four abilities were already at Interdiate. To advance them to Advanced required 10,000 points. From Advanced to Expert, 100,000. And to reach the very peak, a million.

Conqueror's Haki was a different beast altogether. As the mark of kings, its costs were tenfold.

Still, he knew he would need to awaken it eventually.

As one master once said: "Only Haki reigns supre."

Both survival and strength required Justice Points. One to extend his life, the other to sharpen his power.

If he wanted to stand at the peak of all five dinsions, if he wanted to live long and dominate the seas, he would need mountains of Justice Points.

Fortunately, there was no shortage of evil in this world.

And as long as he continued to grow steadily, Justice Points would never run dry.

He had already tested the System's chanics: Justice Points were tied directly to the bounty of a pirate.

Arlong, with a bounty of 20 million, had given him 2,000 points.

For non-pirates, the value was tied to their cris.

Which ant there were two sources: pirates, and those who hid behind the mask of order.

The so-called "World Governnt."

Those who claid to uphold justice and order while committing vile acts from the shadows.

Celestial Dragons, CP agents, the Five Elders, even the mysterious Im. Their deaths would all yield Justice Points.

But that was for the future. His power and influence were not yet enough.

As for the pirates…

It was now Year 1519. The Four Emperors had long since carved up the New World.

And one year from now, in 1520, the world would be shaken by a battle that would alter history itself.

The Marineford War.

Hawk's eyes burned as he gazed out the window.

"That feast of carnage…"

A faint, dangerous smile tugged at his lips.

"There's no way I'll miss it."