Thud
The office door closed softly. Dane returned to the training grounds, while Hawk resumed the train of thought that had been interrupted.
Interesting…
Just moments ago, he had been strategizing about the Marineford War, envisioning the complete annihilation of Whitebeard's crew.
And now, the "MVP" of that very war was about to arrive.
In the original history, the Navy gathered every elite from Headquarters and the branches for that climactic battle. And yet, it had still been an uphill struggle.
Why? At the heart of it, the Navy's three greatest powers had failed to fight in unison. One had slacked off, another drowned half the battlefield in ice, and only Akainu had gone all out.
But this time… things would be very different.
Because he would be there.
"Sorry, Admiral Akainu," Hawk thought, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips. "This time, the stage won't be yours alone."
Which meant one thing: he had to ensure the Marineford War happened.
He stroked his chin, lost in thought.
The truth was, the war was inevitable. Teach had already killed Thatch and stolen the Dark-Dark Fruit. Ace, Thatch's sworn brother, would never let that go unanswered. Whitebeard himself would never allow such a betrayal of his code.
Even Shanks, with all his influence and charisma, had once gone personally to Whitebeard's ship to dissuade him and still failed.
If even Shanks' "face" couldn't change Whitebeard's mind, then there was no reason for Hawk to try.
Better to focus on strengthening himself.
When Akainu arrived, Hawk would request reassignment away from the East Blue. The North or South Blue would do. Even a branch in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line, would be acceptable.
Anywhere but this "rookie village."
He needed a bigger stage, a harsher battlefield to hone his power. Then, he would wait silently, patiently for the great war to begin.
"Phew—"
Hawk ground the last of his cigar into the ashtray, his gaze falling back to the paper on his desk.
At the bottom, a single word was written: Goal.
When he had first arrived in this world, he hadn't thought about goals. His only thought had been survival.
Kill pirates, gain Justice Points, trade them for more days to live.
Later, once he had secured his survival, instinct drove him to grow stronger because strength meant safety, freedom, and a chance at a better life.
But now…
Now that survival was no longer a desperate struggle… now that his strength steadily climbed… and now that he had the freedom to observe this world more clearly…
His true goal was beginning to take shape.
In the last six months, he had seen firsthand that most people in this world were simple and sincere. They knew who truly protected them, and who exploited them.
When Headquarters Captain Smoker had shown up brimming with suspicion and hostility, the villagers of Cocoyashi had stood before Hawk without hesitation.
Those angry, determined faces; those voices shouting from the heart, "Protect Vice Colonel Hawk!" they still echoed in his ears.
Perhaps…
Perhaps, while purging evil and harvesting Justice Points, while growing ever stronger…
He could also begin to change this twisted world, little by little.
He could let the oppressed stand tall again beneath the sun.
And he could make sure that the wicked who thrived on cruelty and corruption would have nowhere to hide perishing wherever his shadow fell.
Step
Hawk rose and walked to the window, looking down at the training grounds.
Under the bright sun, the soldiers of the Sixteenth Branch drilled in perfect formation, their chants rising like thunder.
He remembered how these same men had once stood before him, ready to shoulder the blame for killing Nezumi.
"Ha—"
A surge of confidence welled in his chest.
He was certain of one thing: if he ever threw up his arm and roared
"I quit the Marines! Who's coming with me?!"
Every single one of these brothers-in-arms, who had fought and bled beside him, would tear off their uniforms without hesitation and follow him into the storm.
Just like Instructor Zephyr of old, once hailed as the "Admiral Who Wouldn't Kill," whose disciples had followed him into exile when despair drove him from the Navy.
If it came to that… Hawk knew his men would follow him too.
"..."
So this… was the bond of blood and fire?
He clenched his fist, joints popping faintly.
"This feeling… is pretty damn good."
Meanwhile…
Whoosh
A disguised vessel cut silently through the waves of the East Blue. Its hull bore no Marine insignia, painted instead to look like an armed merchant ship.
On the bow, the air was heavy with tension.
Arms folded across his chest, Admiral Akainu scowled, face like stone.
He had been brooding for half a day already.
Half a day without so much as the shadow of a pirate ship.
Where in hell had the East Blue pirates gone?
"..."
His men didn't dare breathe too loudly, even softening their footsteps as they patrolled the deck.
Everyone could see it: their admiral was simmering with fury.
For the love of god, East Blue pirates, show yourselves!
If not, they knew the admiral's "training" would triple in severity.
Finally, Akainu snapped. "Check."
"Yes, sir!"
Encrypted lines opened to Marine Headquarters, intelligence relays moving swiftly.
Minutes later, the messenger returned to the deck, pale-faced. He handed Akainu a report with trembling hands.
"Admiral… during the investigation of former Sixteenth Branch Captain Nezumi's case, Intelligence reviewed all recent anti-pirate reports in the East Blue."
"The findings are… unusual."
"Every single registered pirate crew of any significance including all with bounties over ten million has already been eliminated."
"All of them… by Vice Colonel Renn Hawk of the Sixteenth Branch."
"At this point, Admiral… the East Blue no longer has any pirates of real consequence."
"..."
"What?!"
The Headquarters soldiers on deck gawked at one another in disbelief.
The East Blue was Vice Admiral Garp's home turf. Everyone knew the old hero made a habit of wiping out pirates there whenever he visited. That was why the East Blue had always been the weakest of the four seas.
But Garp hadn't been on leave lately.
And yet… the East Blue was clean.
And the one who did it was none other than Renn Hawk, the very officer now under review.
A single branch vice colonel… and his garrison… had purged an entire sea.
Was that even possible?!
Even Smoker, a full Headquarters captain, had never done anything like that.
"Hmm…"
Akainu took the report, and to the shock of everyone present, his anger melted away.
"Renn Hawk…" he muttered.
"You cleaned the entire East Blue?"
His lips curved into something rare for him almost a smile.
"Interesting. Very… interesting."