Year 1516 - Marineford, The Grand Line
Marineford rose from the sea like a fortress forged by gods.
Danzo Aiko stood at the bow of the Absolute Justice as they approached the legendary Marine Headquarters, and even he—who had trained himself to show minimal emotion—felt a stirring of something close to awe. The massive complex dominated the horizon: towering walls inscribed with the kanji for "Justice," dozens of battleships docked in perfect formation, and at the center, the colossal headquarters building itself, crowned with the symbol that every Marine knew by heart.
Absolute Justice.
"First time seeing it, sir?" Lieutenant Ramos asked, joining him at the railing.
"Yes," Aiko admitted. "I've spent my entire career in the Four Blues. This is... impressive."
"Wait until you see the inside. The training grounds alone are bigger than most islands." Ramos grinned. "My cousin serves here. He says sometimes you can feel the Admirals using Haki during training—the whole building shakes."
Aiko's eyes narrowed slightly. The Admirals. The three most powerful fighters in the Marine forces, each one a monster in human form. He'd read their files, studied their fighting styles from written reports, but reading about power and witnessing it were entirely different things.
Kizaru—Borsalino—the Pika Pika no Mi user who could move at the speed of light.
Aokiji—Kuzan—the Hie Hie no Mi user who commanded ice itself, making him a natural counter to Aiko's snow abilities.
And Akainu—Sakazuki—the Magu Magu no Mi user, absolute in his conviction of justice, ruthless beyond measure.
"Captain Danzo!" A Marine officer was waving from the dock as they approached. "Please follow me! Fleet Admiral Sengoku is waiting!"
The docking procedure was swift and efficient—everything at Marineford operated like a well-oiled machine. Within ten minutes, Aiko found himself walking through corridors of polished stone, passing Marines who snapped to attention or simply stared in recognition.
The White Death had a reputation, even here.
"Is it true you have Conqueror's Haki?" one young Marine whispered to another as Aiko passed.
"At twenty-three? Impossible. That's just a rumor—"
Both Marines collapsed, unconscious before they hit the floor.
Aiko didn't break stride, but he reined in his Haki immediately. It had leaked out unconsciously, responding to their skepticism. A bad habit he'd been trying to break—Conqueror's Haki could be volatile, tied to emotion and will in ways the other two types weren't.
The escort officer glanced at the fallen Marines but said nothing. He simply led Aiko deeper into the fortress.
They passed training yards where hundreds of Marines practiced in perfect synchronization. Conference rooms where strategies were debated. A medical wing that smelled of antiseptic and determination. And everywhere, the sense of purpose—these people believed in what they were doing, believed they were making the world safer.
Aiko wanted to believe that too.
"We're here," the escort announced, stopping before a massive door marked with Fleet Admiral Sengoku's name and rank. "He's expecting you, Captain Danzo."
The door opened before Aiko could knock.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office was exactly what Aiko expected: organized, efficient, and dominated by the presence of the man himself.
Sengoku the Buddha sat behind his desk, his afro and braided beard immediately recognizable, his eyes sharp despite his age. He wore his Marine coat like a crown—a symbol of absolute authority. To his right stood a figure Aiko hadn't expected: Vice Admiral Garp the Fist, the Marine Hero, casually eating rice crackers despite the formal setting.
"Captain Danzo Aiko," Sengoku's voice carried the weight of decades of command. "Welcome to Marineford."
Aiko saluted crisply. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku. It's an honor, sir."
"At ease, Captain." Sengoku gestured to a chair. "Sit. We have much to discuss."
As Aiko sat, he noticed a third presence in the room—a tall figure standing by the window, hands in pockets, wearing a sleep mask despite being clearly awake. The laid-back posture was deceptive; Aiko's Observation Haki detected enormous power held in careful restraint.
Admiral Aokiji. Kuzan.
The ice user regarded Aiko with lazy interest. "So you're the Snow boy making waves in North Blue. Interesting Devil Fruit you've got there."
"Admiral Kuzan," Aiko acknowledged. "The Hie Hie no Mi is far superior to the Yuki Yuki no Mi. Ice trumps snow in direct conflict."
"Ara ara, modest too." Aokiji scratched his head. "Most rookies would be trying to prove themselves right about now."
"I prefer tactical honesty over bravado, sir."
Garp laughed suddenly, spewing cracker crumbs. "I like this kid! Reminds me of Kuzan when he was younger. Before he got all lazy."
"Vice Admiral Garp," Sengoku's tone carried a warning. "Please."
"What? I'm just eating crackers. Bwahahaha!"
Sengoku pinched the bridge of his nose—an expression Aiko suspected he wore often around Garp—then focused back on Aiko with laser intensity.
"Let's get to the point, Captain. Your record is exemplary. In eighteen months of active service, you've captured or neutralized forty-seven pirate crews with a combined bounty total exceeding six hundred million berries. Your crew loyalty rating is perfect—not a single complaint from subordinates. Your mission success rate is one hundred percent."
Aiko remained silent. Compliments from Sengoku were likely prelude to something significant.
"But that's not why I summoned you." Sengoku pulled out a report, and his expression grew serious. "Three weeks ago, during your engagement with the Blood Reaper Pirates, you used Conqueror's Haki. This has been confirmed by multiple witnesses and verified through video Den Den Mushi footage."
The room's atmosphere shifted.
Conqueror's Haki—Haoshoku no Haki—was the rarest form of Haki, manifesting in only one in several million people. It couldn't be learned or trained into existence; you either had it or you didn't. It was the mark of kings, of those with the potential to stand at the world's peak.
And the World Government was always very, very interested in those who possessed it.
"Is this true?" Sengoku asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral." No point in denying it. "I awakened Conqueror's Haki two years ago during a... difficult situation."
"Difficult situation?" Garp leaned forward, suddenly serious despite his casual demeanor. "What kind of situation?"
Aiko's jaw tightened. "I'd prefer not to discuss it, sir."
"Not a request, Captain."
The air grew heavy. Even Aokiji straightened slightly, his relaxed posture gaining focus. Aiko realized he was being tested—not just his abilities, but his character, his loyalty, his trustworthiness.
He met Sengoku's eyes directly. "I witnessed a Marine Captain execute civilians. A village in the East Blue had harbored a pirate crew—unknowingly, as investigation later proved. The Captain decided collective punishment was appropriate. Twenty-three civilians died, including children. When I tried to intervene..." Aiko's voice remained steady, but frost formed on the arms of his chair. "He tried to kill me. Claimed I was interfering with justice. My Conqueror's Haki awakened in that moment, and I... neutralized him."
Silence filled the office.
"Neutralized," Sengoku repeated carefully. "You mean killed."
"Yes, sir. I killed a fellow Marine in defense of civilians." Aiko's eyes never wavered. "The official report listed it as death in action against pirates. Vice Admiral Doberman handled the investigation personally. If this is a problem—"
"It's not a problem," Sengoku interrupted. "Doberman's report was very clear. That Captain was corrupt, had multiple complaints filed against him that were ignored by his superiors. You did the right thing, even though it cost you."
"Cost me, sir?"
Garp grunted. "Kid, you killed a Marine officer, even a corrupt one. That's not something the brass forgets. You think your promotions have been slow? You should be a Rear Admiral by now with your record. But certain people in the Government don't like Marines who question orders, no matter how justified."
Aiko absorbed this information without visible reaction, though internally he felt something click into place. He'd wondered why his advancement had been glacial despite his successes.
"However," Sengoku continued, "Conqueror's Haki changes things. The Marines need strong-willed warriors, especially now. The Great Pirate Era continues to grow more chaotic. The Four Emperors consolidate their power. The Revolutionary Army becomes bolder. We need officers who can stand against the world's strongest."
The Fleet Admiral stood, walking to the window that overlooked Marineford's vast training grounds.
"I'm promoting you to Commodore, effective immediately. Furthermore, you're being assigned to a new unit—a special task force designed to handle threats that normal Marine forces cannot. You'll have autonomy in selecting your crew and choosing your missions, within reason."
Aiko's eyes widened slightly. That was... significant. Extraordinary, even.
"What's the catch?" he asked, earning an approving nod from Garp.
"Smart kid."
Sengoku turned back. "The catch is simple. You'll be under scrutiny—both from those who support you and those who don't. Your actions will reflect on this decision. And..." he paused, "you'll be expected to handle missions that exist in moral gray areas. Sometimes justice isn't black and white, Captain—Commodore—Danzo."
There it was. The test.
Aiko thought of the children in Hoarfrost Bay. Of the corrupt Marine Captain. Of the faces in his nightmares—some pirates, some innocents, all dead by his actions or inaction.
"I understand justice isn't always clear, sir," Aiko said carefully. "But I need to know: if I'm ordered to do something I believe is fundamentally wrong, something that crosses the line from justice to atrocity... what then?"
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Frost crept across the windows. Aiko didn't even notice—his Devil Fruit responding to emotional intensity.
Sengoku and Garp exchanged glances. Aokiji actually smiled, a genuine expression.
"Then you refuse the order and face the consequences," Sengoku said bluntly. "I won't lie to you, Commodore. The World Government sometimes demands things that are... difficult to reconcile with personal morality. But I'd rather have officers who question orders than ones who follow them blindly into darkness."
"Even if refusing costs me my rank? My life?"
"Even then. Though I'd advise being smart about which battles you choose to fight." Sengoku's expression softened slightly. "You remind me of Kuzan when he was younger. Same questions, same doubts. Same strength of conviction."
Aokiji yawned. "Don't drag me into this, Fleet Admiral. I'm perfectly happy being lazy."
"You're about as lazy as a hurricane," Garp muttered.
"Now then," Sengoku returned to his desk, producing official documents. "Your first assignment as Commodore will be in Paradise—the first half of the Grand Line. There's been unusual activity around Sabaody Archipelago. Pirates disappearing without trace, slave traders reporting 'white shadows,' and rumors of a Logia user who isn't registered with Marine intelligence."
Aiko leaned forward. "Another snow user?"
"Unknown. Could be ice, could be mist, could be something else entirely. Your mission is to investigate, identify, and neutralize if hostile. Consider it a test of your new authority." Sengoku slid the documents across. "You have one week to select your crew from available Marines, requisition a ship, and depart. Questions?"
Dozens. But Aiko asked only the most important one: "Am I authorized to recruit from outside standard channels? Veterans who've been... overlooked?"
Sengoku's eyes gleamed. "You can recruit anyone with a Marine commission who agrees to serve under you. Even those who've been 'overlooked' for political reasons. I trust your judgment, Commodore."
That was significant permission. Aiko's mind was already racing through possibilities—Marines he'd heard of who'd been sidelined for asking too many questions, for being too honest, for not fitting the mold.
"Understood, sir. I accept the promotion and the assignment."
"Excellent." Sengoku extended his hand, and Aiko shook it—the grip firm, the commitment sealed. "Welcome to the rank of Commodore, Danzo Aiko. Try not to make me regret this."
"I'll do my best, Fleet Admiral."
As Aiko stood to leave, Garp called out: "Hey, kid!"
Aiko turned.
The Marine Hero was grinning, but his eyes were serious. "You've got Conqueror's Haki, a Logia fruit, and apparently a conscience. That's a rare combination. It'll either make you a legend or get you killed. Probably both. But for what it's worth..." Garp's grin widened, "I'm betting on legend. Don't disappoint me."
"I won't, sir."
Aokiji accompanied Aiko to the door. As they walked the corridors together, the Admiral spoke quietly: "A word of advice, Commodore. The higher you climb, the more you'll see. Things that will challenge everything you believe about the Marines, about the World Government, about justice itself."
"And?" Aiko asked.
"And when that happens, you'll have to choose what kind of man you want to be. The kind who looks away, or the kind who acts." Aokiji's usual lazy demeanor was gone, replaced by something harder, older. "Choose carefully. Once you act, there's no going back."
"It sounds like you're speaking from experience, Admiral."
"Maybe I am. Or maybe I'm just rambling. I do that when I'm tired." The lazy smile returned, but Aiko had seen beneath it now. "Good luck on Sabaody, Snow boy. Try not to freeze the whole archipelago."
"I'll restrain myself, sir."
As Aiko walked through Marineford's corridors toward his temporary quarters, his mind was already planning. A crew to recruit. A ship to requisition. A mission to prepare for.
And beneath it all, questions that wouldn't stop echoing: What would he find on Sabaody? What kind of officer would he become? And when the time came to choose between orders and conscience, which would he prioritize?
Through the windows, he could see the sun setting over Marineford, painting the fortress in shades of orange and gold. Beautiful and imposing in equal measure.
"Justice," Aiko murmured to himself, watching Marines drill in perfect formation below.
He'd fought for it his entire career. But what happened when justice wasn't what he thought it was? What happened when the organization meant to protect people became the thing they needed protection from?
Those were questions for another day.
Today, he was Commodore Danzo Aiko, and he had a crew to build.
Tomorrow, the real test would begin.
END OF CHAPTER 2
Next Chapter: "Building the White Fleet - Gathering the Misfits"