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 Hammer is waiting for you there."
The messenger'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 some kind of superhero?"
After leaving Marineford, Hammer 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 Hammer, 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, Hammer 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 come 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 something more, but Hammer raised a hand to stop him.
"Just focus on recovering."
"I'm going to get something to eat."
"I'll wait for the dog to come back before we talk."
With that, Hammer headed toward the base cafeteria.
Among all Marine branches, G-5 was considered one of the larger ones.
An entire medium-sized island had been transformed into a steel fortress.
As he walked, Hammer 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 me."
Several hours later, Sakazuki finally returned to G-5.
The moment he disembarked, he headed straight for the headquarters building.
"Vice Admiral Morris, where's Hammer?"
Veteran Vice Admiral Morris was another notorious troublemaker.
His strength was around the middle tier among vice admirals.
His personality was extremely radical, a pure hardline hawk.
"Oh, Sakazuki, you're back."
"Vice Admiral Hammer should be in the cafeteria or the lounge."
"By the way, what does he want with you?"
"As far as I know, Vice Admiral Hammer 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.
"Hammer?"
"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 someone.
But Hammer was one of his closest friends.
After all, Hammer 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 time around him."
"Otherwise, he might influence you."
Sakazuki frowned slightly.
Not because Morris was criticizing Hammer.
But because, deep down, he felt Morris had a point.
Sakazuki knew exactly how powerful Hammer 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 me."
Without giving Sakazuki a chance to respond, Morris effectively dismissed him.
Sakazuki turned and left the office.
He began searching the base for Hammer.
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 Hammer, he was rendered speechless.
'Hammer.'
'Hammer.'
'You really are a hammer.'
'Everywhere you go, you're hammering something.'
'You simply can't stay away from a forge.'
Sure enough, Hammer was inside the armory's workshop, hammering 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 something 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 Hammer's rhythmic forging.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
The hammering echoed continuously.
The moment Sakazuki heard it, a strange sense of confusion washed over him.
But as a battle-hardened veteran, he immediately sensed something 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 same path.
Leaving the workshop, he immediately began issuing orders.
"Men!"
"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 immediately 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."
"Hammer 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 times already."
The moment Morris heard those words, he realized the situation was serious.
Inwardly, he immediately began cursing.
'That damned Hammer really is a walking disaster.'