Chapter 15: Building His Own Hype
Three days later, West Blue Marine Branch 133.
Inside the Branch Commander's office, Asahi was excitedly rubbing his hands together, the fat on his face bunching up with his exaggerated smile.
"Hahaha!!"
He excitedly spread a newspaper open. Printed prominently on the front page was the silhouette of Garon's back, standing amidst the ruins of Ash Harbor. The headline was striking:
"Star of the West Blue! Marine's 'Sky-Tremor' Garon Single-Handedly Slays 70 Million Beri Pirate!"
"Garon! Did you see it?!" Asahi slammed his hands on the desk excitedly, splashing water from his teacup. Next to the main article was a smaller photo of Asahi himself being interviewed.
"The entire West Blue is talking about you! I'm sure Marine HQ has started paying attention!"
Garon leaned against the window, his gaze calmly sweeping over the paper.
Outside the window, in the branch's training yard, new recruits were training like madmen. Their eyes kept darting in his direction, filled with fanaticism.
In the year since Garon got his fruit, his own "basic training" had been just like theirs, which is why his fundamental skills hadn't improved much.
If his fruit hadn't been so powerful, he would have been the one to die at Ash Harbor.
"Garon?!"
"I just killed a pirate, that's all." Snapping out of his thoughts, Garon replied flatly.
"Just a pirate?!" Asahi's eyes went wide. "That was 'Blood-Spear' Lugart! A 69 million Beri badass who came back from the Grand Line! Do you have any idea? An accomplishment like this is enough to get promoted to a Commissioned Officer, even at HQ!"
Garon didn't respond. He just looked down at his own palm, which glowed faintly white, the vibration particles his to command like clay.
He had won that battle, but it had also exposed his fatal weakness: his lack of Haki.
Lugart's Armament Haki was only at a rudimentary level, yet it had been enough to wound him.
If he were to face a true powerhouse—like a future Admiral, a New World monster, or a pirate with a bounty over 100 million—his Logia ability would no longer be an absolute advantage.
"Garon?" Asahi saw his silence and assumed he was thinking about his promotion. He immediately leaned in, lowering his voice. "Don't worry, I've already submitted your promotion application! With your reputation and service record, there's no way HQ can refuse!"
"Right," Garon grunted, turning his gaze back outside.
"Oh, right!" Asahi suddenly slapped his thigh, remembering something. "I've already contacted a reporter from the West Blue Daily! They're coming to interview you tomorrow! This is a perfect chance to build up your hype!"
"An interview?" Garon's brow furrowed.
"Of course!" Asahi rubbed his hands, his eyes gleaming with a shrewd light. "You're the hero of West Blue now! The people need a role model, and the Marines need this kind of publicity! Especially that line you dropped..."
Here, Asahi cleared his throat and imitated Garon's low, powerful tone:
"'Belated justice... is no justice at all.'"
"Holy shit! How are you so damn smart?" Asahi grinned. "That line was absolute gold! All the civilians in West Blue are repeating it! They're saying you're the true hero of West Blue, the one who really fights for the weak!"
Garon was silent for a moment, then let out a cold laugh.
"They're wrong."
"Huh?" Asahi froze.
"I didn't kill Lugart for justice," Garon's voice was soft, but sharp as a blade. "I just needed his head as my 'letter of introduction' to HQ."
Asahi's smile froze on his face.
The office fell silent.
A few seconds later, Asahi gave a dry laugh and waved his hands. "Aiya, you can't say that stuff out loud! Anyway, the result is the same, right? You wiped out the pirates, you protected the people, that's what counts!"
Garon didn't explain further.
He knew Asahi wouldn't understand.
In the corrupt West Blue, "justice" was just a slogan. Sometimes, the only difference between a Marine and a pirate was the uniform.
But it didn't matter.
His goal was never to be some "hero" here.
"Oh, right!" Asahi suddenly lowered his voice, mysteriously pulling a document from his drawer. "Take a look at this."
Garon took the file. He scanned it, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Marine Headquarters Special Summons Order
"This is..."
"Shh!" Asahi made a hushing gesture, glancing left and right to make sure no one was listening. He whispered, "It was signed by Admiral Zephyr himself!"
"Zephyr?" Garon's pupils contracted slightly.
"That's right!" Asahi nodded excitedly. "The official transfer orders aren't here yet, but the internal news is already spreading! I pulled some strings and heard that Admiral Zephyr is very interested in your performance!"
Garon's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the document. His heart beat a little faster.
Finally... he'd been waiting for this!
If he could get Zephyr's guidance...
"But..." Asahi suddenly sighed, his expression complicating. "There's a bit of bad news."
"Speak."
"The World Government... has some 'questions' about your Devil Fruit ability." Asahi lowered his voice. "Can't blame them for being suspicious. Your 'Sky-Tremor Fruit' and the 'Gura Gura no Mi' used by Whitebeard, that remnant of the Rocks Pirates, are... well, a bit similar."
"I'm not worried about that in the slightest." Garon smiled.
He had expected this. The power of the Logia-type Sky-Tremor Fruit was too conspicuous; it was impossible for the World Government not to pay attention, especially given its similarities to Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi.
But Garon was certain his fruit wasn't one of the Celestial Dragons' prizes from God Valley. Besides, the difference between a Paramecia and a Logia was massive. And among Devil Fruits, there was always a hierarchy.
"Exactly! The World Government is just a bunch of busybodies with nothing better to do," Asahi chimed in, agreeing with Garon's sentiment, before pulling the topic back. "Right now, Zephyr has noticed you... and from what I hear, he's the top candidate to be promoted to Admiral next year. An Admiral at 38! He's noticed you, but I still think it's not enough."
Seeing Asahi's serious expression, Garon was silent for a moment, then smiled. "So?"
"Don'T laugh, Garon!" Asahi slapped his thigh. "Do you know how long it's been since West Blue produced a 'Marine Supernova'?! You're the pride of the West Blue Marines now! We have to build this hype! Go crazy with it!"
"And..." At this, Asahi, who was a full head shorter than Garon, reached up to pat Garon's shoulder. "I believe in your strength. So... I'm going to be boasting my ass off on your behalf."
Watching Asahi ramble, Garon just smiled silently.
Hype... reputation... This was the foundation for his future promotions in the Marines. It was exactly what he wanted.
"Asahi." After a long moment, Garon stood up straight, his hand on Eight Desolations. "I'll do the interview tomorrow."
"Ah? Wonderful!" Asahi said, overjoyed. "Don't you worry, I've already arranged everything. The reporter will only ask positive questions, they definitely won't..."
"No," Garon cut him off, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips. "Let them ask."
"What?" Asahi was stunned.
"Especially about my Devil Fruit ability," Garon's voice was soft, but held an unshakeable resolve. "The sharper the questions, the better."
Asahi's mouth hung open. He couldn't process this.
Garon had already turned to leave. He paused, his hand on the doorknob, and glanced back, leaving Asahi with one last sentence.
"If we're going to build hype... then let's make it a storm."
He would make the entire world remember his name.
Garon Reginald Sigma!