Chapter 50: Taking Command
When the last of the pirates and their broken ship vanished beneath the waves, Satoru left the area. If any of them somehow survived that, they had the luck of the devil.
When Satoru returned to the warship, the eyes of the Marines were filled with new respect. It was the respect given only to the truly strong.
While Satoru had been dealing with the pirates, the crew had already identified them: the Red Scorpion Pirates. Their captain was an Animal-Type Devil Fruit user—the Red Scorpion Fruit. His bounty was a hefty 390 million Berries. A bounty pushing 400 million was proof of his fearsome power.
And yet, in the hands of this young Rear Admiral, he and his entire crew were wiped out in less than a minute.
"How terrifying~" Kizaru drawled. "A pirate with a 400-million Berry bounty was handled so easily. I couldn't have done that at your age."
It sounded like a compliment, but coming from Kizaru, it had a strange, lazy edge to it. Still, it was true. When Kizaru was ten, he couldn't have done what Satoru just did.
"You're too kind," Satoru shrugged. "I just used a simple trick."
By destroying the enemy's ship first, he'd sent the entire crew into the sea, instantly robbing most of them of their fighting ability. Very few people could fly. He hadn't expected the captain to be a Devil Fruit user. The moment he hit the water, he was finished. That's why the fight ended so fast. If the captain had been a pure physical fighter, Satoru might have had a longer fight on his hands.
"A win is a win," Kizaru said, adjusting his glasses. "No matter the method. Even the Navy will do whatever it takes to win. That's how we keep casualties to a minimum."
Kizaru often used similar tactics. When he encountered a pirate ship, he'd bombard it with his Yasakani no Magatama from the sky, destroying their ship first. Without a foothold, over 95% of pirates lost their ability to fight. Those who could still fight were usually just the captain and a few officers. If the crew, like the Red Scorpion Pirates, relied heavily on Devil Fruit powers, it was even better—total annihilation.
So, the Navy's way of fighting wasn't always honorable. But history was written by the victors. Since they won, they could describe the battle however they wanted. The dead couldn't climb out of the sea to argue.
"Satoru, you're getting stronger and stronger," Chris said, throwing an arm around Satoru's neck with a grin. He was genuinely happy for his friend's growth.
"I've always been strong," Satoru replied, not missing a beat. "I just didn't have the chance to show it before."
"Hah! You really don't know how to be humble!"
A few hours later, a massive fortress came into view on the horizon. The Navy's G-8 base.
"Friendly warning~" Kizaru said, not looking away from the base. "The soldiers in the New World... each one has a terrible temper. They're unruly. Lots of thorns. If you want to command them well, you'd better be mentally prepared."
This was his first time at G-8, but he'd been to other New World bases. No matter the base, the soldiers were hot-headed and stubborn. They only showed some restraint in front of an Admiral. The Marines of G-8 would be no different.
"I like that kind the most," Satoru said, a wide, almost unnerving smile spreading across his face. "Training people like that should give a great sense of accomplishment."
The sudden shift in Satoru's expression made Kizaru unconsciously take a half-step back. For a reason he couldn't name, he felt a flicker of alarm.
Is this kid a little... unhinged? Kizaru wondered.
Satoru Gojo had been a teacher. That experience was part of him now. Training soldiers probably wasn't too different from training students.
As they docked at G-8, Satoru could see the base's soldiers already formed up at the port. They had to show at least some basic respect to the new commander at first. They needed to size him up. If he was weak and easy to bully... well, they wouldn't hold back.
Looking at these Marines, Satoru felt satisfied. Every one of them exuded a fierce aura. It was the aura of veterans tempered by countless battles. These soldiers were stronger than those at most other bases. They might even be better than some at Headquarters.
"Hello, everyone," Satoru called out, his voice carrying clearly without yelling. He leapt from the warship's rail and landed lightly in front of the assembled troops. "I am your newly appointed base commander. You can address me as 'Commander.'"
When they saw it was a child standing before them, expressions of scorn and disbelief flashed across many faces. They knew better than to judge by age alone, but Satoru looked too young.
"It's only polite to greet everyone properly when we first meet."
As he finished speaking, a terrifying, invisible pressure erupted from Satoru's small frame.
WHOOSH.
Every single Marine in the formation stiffened. Their eyes widened. Even Admiral Kizaru, watching from the ship, straightened up slightly.
"Conqueror's Haki...?" Kizaru murmured, his usual laziness gone. "How is that possible?"
He truly hadn't expected Satoru to possess the King's Disposition.
For Satoru, Conqueror's Haki wasn't difficult. It was just another application of spiritual energy. And when it came to mastery of the spirit, Satoru was a true expert. Back when Shanks had used his Conqueror's Haki in Windmill Village, Satoru had observed and learned it instantly. He just never had a reason to use it before—there was never anyone who needed to be put in their place this way.
Now, under the weight of that majestic, dominating will, the proud, battle-hardened Marines of G-8 felt their knees tremble. The smirk was wiped clean from their faces. They looked at the white-haired boy with new, wary eyes. The game had changed before it even began. Their new commander had just made his first, and most important, point.
(End of Chapter)
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