Shawn – First Person
As my opponent collapsed, a quiet satisfaction settled over me. This wasn't some no-name thug. He had both Armament and Observation Haki. Defeating him meant something.
It was proof—not of superiority, but of progress. My will, sharpened through isolation, forged in blood, was now being tempered in live combat.
And I was only getting started.
On the road that followed, I crossed paths with others who had awakened Haki. Some wielded it clumsily. Others had refined it over decades. Each encounter was a risk, but also a lesson. A way to measure myself against the world—and learn new ways to shape my own strength.
Third Person
With a powerful kick, Shawn launched himself back toward the village. His frame blurred through the air, his faint Haki coating resonating like tension in a drawn bowstring.
As he landed, the villagers gathered to greet him. Their fear had long since faded. Grateful smiles and warm laughter filled the air. Children ran up without hesitation. Shawn simply nodded, his expression unreadable—but something softened in his eyes.
Shawn – First Person
Helping these people… it meant something.
Stopping that pirate from leaving his mark here felt right. It wasn't about morality, not exactly. But if I was going to walk through this world, shaping it with my will, I needed to decide what deserved to stand and what didn't.
The Marines kept coming to mind. An organization of force meant to preserve stability, surrounded by a world overflowing with violence. Maybe there was purpose there.
Or maybe it was just the next battlefield.
Third Person
The air around him shifted. A heavy pressure rolled off Shawn's towering figure, slow and deliberate—like the stillness before a storm. It wasn't his full presence. Just a ripple.
Still, it turned heads. Even laughter quieted for a moment.
And then it returned, deeper this time, echoing from Shawn's chest. A laugh that wasn't just amusement—it was affirmation. He had made a decision.
Shawn – First Person
This world may have erased the name I once had. But not this time.
I am Shawn Newman.
And I've seen what the third type of Haki can do. Not just to bodies, but to minds. That kind of influence… is dangerous. Useful.
Which made my next step clear.
I would walk straight into the lion's den—and join the Marines.
Third Person
The sea churned beneath the massive carcass of a sea king, and on its back stood a man like a monument.
Shawn Newman approached the gates of a Marine island, his presence alone halting patrols. The guards stared, uncertain. Then a Rear Admiral arrived, cloaked in both authority and caution.
Rear Admiral – POV
The man was massive. Barefoot. Calm. But behind that stillness, I felt something flicker. A pulse. Subtle, but unmistakable.
Conqueror's Haki.
My fingers tensed around my saber. This wasn't just another powerhouse from the wild. This one came with a smile—and a plan.
"I'm here to join," he said. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I should've drawn steel. Should've ordered cannons loaded.
Instead, I found myself nodding.
Some men make you feel like resisting is a mistake.
Fleet Admiral Kong – POV
The report landed on my desk wrapped in uncertainty.
A rogue warrior. Four meters tall. Displayed Conqueror's Haki. Volunteered for duty. Destroyed a pirate crew solo. Trusted by villagers.
I knew what it was: opportunity.
Maybe he had his own reasons. Maybe we could use them.
I signed the approval and sent the assignment.
Let's see how far he could go.
Third Person – Time Skip
Shawn Newman was given a title—Captain, stationed in the North Blue. The rumors came fast: he was a giant, a drifter, a wild card.
Some whispered that he avoided confrontation.
Then news arrived.
He'd personally taken down some of the region's most violent pirate crews. Not just with strength, but strategy. His command style was brutal, efficient—and effective.
The nickname followed naturally: Captain Iron Blood.
Haki enveloped his body like silver-tinged iron. The glow unnerved his enemies and rallied his allies. He didn't speak often, but when he did, people listened.
In time, promotions followed.
Rear Admiral Shawn Newman.
But ambition still stirred. The three seas weren't enough.
Soldier's POV – Orders Received
"You have three years.""Complete the operation in the New World.""Then join us at the top."
– Rear Admiral Shawn Newman