New World
"Great Eruption!"
Terrifying magma engulfed a pirate ship, sending it to the bottom of the sea.
"Hmph. Trying to sneak into the New World while I'm not paying attention?"
"Dream on!"
On the deck of a warship stood Sakazuki, his entire body wrapped in bandages.
Yet even his injuries couldn't stop him from patrolling the waters outside Fish-Man Island and intercepting pirates.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, you should really be more careful with your injuries."
"Hmph. That damned Whitebeard."
"Once I've recovered, I'll definitely go challenge him again."
Doberman spat unhappily.
If not for the fact that he was currently supporting himself with a pair of crutches, those words might have sounded more convincing.
Earlier, they had fought a fierce battle against the Whitebeard Pirates.
Both sides had suffered casualties and injuries.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, we've received orders to return to G-5."
"Vice Admiral Hamr is waiting for you there."
The ssenger's report caused a slight change in Sakazuki's expression.
"Understood."
"All hands, return to base!"
G-5 Branch
"That damned dog really can't sit still for even a second."
"Isn't he injured? Why is he still out hunting pirates?"
"Does he think he's so kind of superhero?"
After leaving Marineford, Hamr had flown at full speed straight to G-5.
To his surprise, Sakazuki wasn't even in the base.
Aside from an old veteran vice admiral acting as the base commander, only the heavily wounded Onigumo remained.
Onigumo couldn't even get out of bed.
His battle with Whitebeard had left him covered in injuries.
"Cough... cough..."
"Vice Admiral Hamr, Vice Admiral Sakazuki is simply fulfilling his duty."
"Otherwise, more and more pirates would enter the New World through Fish-Man Island."
Looking at the mummy-like Onigumo, Hamr wanted to mock him, but held himself back.
He was genuinely afraid he might accidentally piss the man off to death.
"Alright, alright."
"You're all wonderful examples of Marines."
"Hmph. I've already sent word for him to co back."
"Honestly, I had other plans, but looking at your miserable state, I doubt that dog is doing much better."
"Life really is unpredictable."
Onigumo wanted to say sothing more, but Hamr raised a hand to stop him.
"Just focus on recovering."
"I'm going to get sothing to eat."
"I'll wait for the dog to co back before we talk."
With that, Hamr headed toward the base cafeteria.
Among all Marine branches, G-5 was considered one of the larger ones.
An entire dium-sized island had been transford into a steel fortress.
As he walked, Hamr suddenly heard a sound that instantly lifted his spirits.
Following the noise, he quickly found its source.
Sure enough, it was G-5's armory.
"Hehehe..."
"Looks like places like this really do attract ."
Several hours later, Sakazuki finally returned to G-5.
The mont he disembarked, he headed straight for the headquarters building.
"Vice Admiral Morris, where's Hamr?"
Veteran Vice Admiral Morris was another notorious troublemaker.
His strength was around the middle tier among vice admirals.
His personality was extrely radical, a pure hardline hawk.
"Oh, Sakazuki, you're back."
"Vice Admiral Hamr should be in the cafeteria or the lounge."
"By the way, what does he want with you?"
"As far as I know, Vice Admiral Hamr isn't an extremist."
"If anything, he's more of a conservative."
Morris was quite familiar with the Navy's rising generation.
In his eyes, everyone except Sakazuki was a coward.
The Navy should be killing pirates with everything they've got.
"Hamr?"
"That may be true."
"But his abilities also determine his position."
"As long as his abilities can benefit the military, that's still a contribution."
Rarely did Sakazuki speak up for soone.
But Hamr was one of his closest friends.
After all, Hamr had forged Divine Axe Rhitta for him, allowing him to dominate the battlefield.
How could Sakazuki dislike a comrade like that?
"Hmph."
"A blacksmith."
"I also heard he's been promoted to Logistics Chief."
"He clearly has the power to help control the seas, yet chooses to stay in the rear."
"Sakazuki, you should spend less ti around him."
"Otherwise, he might influence you."
Sakazuki frowned slightly.
Not because Morris was criticizing Hamr.
But because, deep down, he felt Morris had a point.
Sakazuki knew exactly how powerful Hamr was.
His Haki was formidable.
His Devil Fruit had already reached the awakening stage.
He was undoubtedly among the strongest Vice Admirals.
In fact, he already had one foot in Admiral territory.
"Fine."
"Go find him."
"If you're heading out to sea afterward, just go."
"You don't need to report to ."
Without giving Sakazuki a chance to respond, Morris effectively dismissed him.
Sakazuki turned and left the office.
He began searching the base for Hamr.
After making a full circuit of the island without finding him, he finally activated his Observation Haki and began searching through his senses.
When he finally located Hamr, he was rendered speechless.
'Hamr.'
'Hamr.'
'You really are a hamr.'
'Everywhere you go, you're hamring sothing.'
'You simply can't stay away from a forge.'
Sure enough, Hamr was inside the armory's workshop, hamring away at a large blade.
The sword glowed crimson red and emitted an unsettling aura.
Just as Sakazuki was about to call out to him, he noticed sothing strange.
No one in the armory was working.
Instead, every worker wandered around in a daze, like mindless zombies.
Throughout the enormous armory, the only sound remaining was Hamr's rhythmic forging.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
The hamring echoed continuously.
The mont Sakazuki heard it, a strange sense of confusion washed over him.
But as a battle-hardened veteran, he imdiately sensed sothing was wrong.
He violently shook his head and forced himself back to clarity.
The bizarre situation instantly put him on high alert.
The Marine Headquarters armory had exploded more than once before.
Looking at the current situation, Sakazuki genuinely feared G-5's armory might follow the sa path.
Leaving the workshop, he imdiately began issuing orders.
"n!"
"Surround the armory."
"And carry every blacksmith inside out of the building."
The soldiers were stunned.
"Carry them out?"
"Yes."
"Carry them out."
"And everyone is to wear ear protection."
"There is a serious problem inside the armory right now."
Seeing the seriousness on Sakazuki's face, the soldiers knew he wasn't joking.
They imdiately saluted and sprang into action.
Such a large-scale operation quickly alerted Base Commander Morris.
"Sakazuki!"
"What's going on?"
"What happened to the armory?"
"Vice Admiral Morris."
"Hamr is currently forging inside the armory."
"The situation in there is... complicated."
"I can't fully explain it."
"But right now, we need to place the armory under strict control."
"You know that Headquarters' armory has exploded multiple tis already."
The mont Morris heard those words, he realized the situation was serious.
Inwardly, he imdiately began cursing.
'That damned Hamr really is a walking disaster.'
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