Chapter 5: Lines in the Snow
Year 1516 - Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 35
The first Marine to attack never reached Danzo Aiko.
He froze mid-charge—literally—his body encased in ice from feet to neck in the span of a heartbeat. Not dead, but completely immobilized, his eyes wide with shock.
"Non-lethal only," Aiko commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. "These are still Marines, even if they're following illegal orders."
Snow exploded outward from his position in a massive wave, forcing Kazan's forces to scatter. Isra moved like lightning, her Armament Haki-coated fists striking with surgical precision—disabling, not killing. Koji's rifle barked once, twice, three times, each shot taking a Marine in the leg or shoulder, dropping them without fatal wounds.
"You're making this worse for yourself, Commodore!" Kazan roared, his own Armament Haki turning his fists black as midnight. "Attacking fellow Marines is treason!"
"Executing people without trial is murder!" Aiko shot back, parrying a sword strike from a Lieutenant with Yukikaze. Ice spread along the blade from the point of contact, and the Marine yelped, dropping his weapon before frostbite could set in.
The battle exploded across Grove 35.
Rear Admiral Kazan was no pushover. He'd earned his rank through combat prowess, not politics. His Tekkai—Iron Body—made him nearly impervious to conventional attacks, and his Armament Haki was second-tier at minimum. He crashed through Aiko's snow barriers like they were tissue paper, his fists leaving craters in the massive mangrove roots.
"You think you're special because you have Conqueror's Haki?" Kazan sneered, closing the distance. "I've fought Yonko commanders, boy! You're just a child playing Marine!"
His fist came at Aiko's face with enough force to shatter stone.
Aiko became snow.
The punch passed through empty air and crystalline particles. Kazan's eyes widened a fraction—Logia intangibility was always disorienting to fight against—but he recovered quickly, spinning into a kick enhanced with Armament Haki.
This time Aiko blocked, Yukikaze meeting Kazan's shin with a crystalline ring. The clash of Haki created a shockwave that sent several nearby Marines sprawling.
"Good reflexes," Kazan admitted. "But you're still holding back. Afraid to hurt your fellow Marines? That weakness will get you killed!"
He pressed the attack, a flurry of Haki-enhanced strikes that forced Aiko onto the defensive. Each blocked hit sent tremors through Aiko's arms—Kazan was physically stronger, more experienced, and fighting without restraint.
Aiko was trying not to kill anyone.
It made a difference.
"Commander!" Koji's voice cracked across the battlefield. "Four more Marines down, but reinforcements approaching from Grove 34! At least twenty!"
"Aria!" Aiko called out, dodging another devastating punch from Kazan. "Can you get us out of here?"
The mist that had been swirling through the grove coalesced partially. "I can hide you, but the Rear Admiral has Observation Haki. He'll sense you through the mist."
"Then we need a distraction," Isra said, appearing at Aiko's side. Her uniform was torn, blood trickling from a cut on her forehead, but her eyes blazed with determination. "Something big enough to cover our escape."
Aiko's mind raced. A distraction meant escalation. It meant using more power, drawing more attention. But they were already past the point of no return—he'd defied a Rear Admiral, protected a fugitive, and attacked fellow Marines.
Might as well make it count.
"Everyone, fall back to the center of the grove," Aiko ordered. "Koji, suppressing fire. Isra, defensive perimeter. Aria, be ready to provide cover the moment I give the signal."
"What are you planning?" Kazan demanded, pressing his attack. But there was something new in his expression now—wariness. He'd realized Aiko had been holding back significantly.
"Something I hoped I wouldn't have to do today."
Aiko's Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.
Not the unfocused burst that knocked out weaklings, but a focused, controlled wave of pure willpower that crashed over the battlefield like an avalanche. Twenty Marines collapsed instantly, foam at their mouths. Ten more staggered, their weapons falling from nerveless fingers. Even Kazan stumbled, his Observation Haki disrupted by the sheer force of Aiko's presence.
"Impossible," the Rear Admiral gasped. "That level of control... you're not just awakened, you've been training it!"
"I told you I was trying to avoid this," Aiko said quietly. Snow began to fall heavier, thicker, the temperature plummeting. "But you gave me no choice."
He raised Yukikaze, and for the first time since the battle began, infused it with the full extent of his Haki.
Conqueror's Haki coating—the technique used by only the world's absolute strongest. Black lightning crackled along the blade, mixed with swirling snow and ice. The air itself seemed to freeze around the sword.
"Yuki no Mai: Hakuja no Kiba." Snow Dance: White Serpent's Fang.
Aiko moved.
One moment he was ten feet away from Kazan. The next, Yukikaze was pressed against the Rear Admiral's throat, having crossed the distance faster than most eyes could follow. The Conqueror's Haki-coated blade hadn't touched skin, but Kazan's reinforced Tekkai had cracked, ice spreading across his neck from the proximity alone.
"I don't want to kill you," Aiko said, his voice barely above a whisper but carrying absolute conviction. "But I will if you force me to choose between your life and the lives of innocent people. Stand down, Rear Admiral. This operation is illegal, immoral, and I will not allow it to continue."
For a moment, everything was still. The remaining conscious Marines frozen in place, unsure whether to attack or flee. Aria's mist swirling protectively around Aiko's crew. Isra and Koji ready to act on his command.
Kazan's eyes met Aiko's, and something passed between them—a recognition of absolute resolve meeting immovable determination.
"You're serious," Kazan said, not a question but a realization. "You'd actually kill me."
"If you make me choose between you and justice? Yes."
The Rear Admiral's expression twisted through several emotions—anger, respect, frustration, and finally, a bitter kind of acceptance.
"You're throwing away your career for a traitor and some escaped slaves. The World Government will crush you for this."
"Maybe. But I'll have done the right thing." Aiko's blade didn't waver. "Your choice, Rear Admiral. Stand down and live, or continue and face the consequences."
Kazan was quiet for a long moment. Then, slowly, he raised his hands in surrender.
"Stand down," he ordered his men. "All units, disengage."
The Marines—those still conscious—lowered their weapons reluctantly. Some looked relieved. Others looked betrayed.
Aiko stepped back, but kept Yukikaze ready. "Smart choice."
"Don't mistake pragmatism for agreement, Commodore." Kazan's voice was cold. "You've made enemies today. Powerful ones. Vice Admiral Onigumo will hear of this. The World Government will hear of this. And when they send someone to deal with you, it won't be a Rear Admiral."
"I know." Aiko gestured to his crew. "Aria, we're leaving. Under my custody."
The former Marine lieutenant materialized fully, her expression complex. "You're really protecting me? Even knowing what it'll cost you?"
"I'm protecting the principle that people deserve trials, not summary executions. Whether you're guilty or not isn't for a Rear Admiral running an off-book operation to decide."
They began withdrawing, moving toward Grove 50 and the Hakusetsu. Kazan made no move to stop them, but his parting words carried across the grove:
"You can't save everyone, Commodore. And the moment you realize that, the moment you understand the compromises necessary to maintain order in this world... that's when you'll break. I've seen it happen to every idealist who's ever worn a Marine coat. You'll be no different."
Aiko didn't respond. There was nothing to say.
They made it back to the Hakusetsu without further incident, though Aiko's Observation Haki detected Marine patrols tracking them from a distance. Word of what happened would be spreading through Sabaody's Marine garrison already.
Doc Reiner met them at the gangplank, taking one look at Aria and immediately gesturing her toward the medical bay. "You look half-dead. When's the last time you ate?"
"Two days ago. Maybe three." Aria's form flickered uncertainly. "I don't need much anymore. The Mist Fruit..."
"Keeps you alive but not healthy. I know how Logias work." Doc guided her firmly inside. "You're eating a full meal and getting checked over, no arguments."
As the rest of the crew dispersed to their stations—preparing the ship for immediate departure—Isra pulled Aiko aside.
"That was close," she said quietly. "If Kazan hadn't backed down..."
"I know." Aiko looked at his hands. They weren't shaking, but he could still feel the weight of Yukikaze pressed against the Rear Admiral's throat. "I would have killed him. I was ready to."
"Does that bother you?"
"Yes. And no." Aiko was silent for a moment. "He was following orders—illegal ones, but orders nonetheless. But those orders meant executing someone without trial, hunting escaped slaves like animals. Where's the line, Isra? When does following orders become an excuse for evil?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "But I know you made the right call back there. We all do." She gestured to the crew working around them. "No one questioned your orders. No one hesitated. That means something."
"It means I've led them into potentially ending their careers."
"It means you've led them toward something worth fighting for." Isra's voice was firm. "We all knew what we were signing up for, Aiko. Marines who think for themselves don't last long in the service. But maybe with officers like you, that can change."
Before Aiko could respond, Tomás appeared, his face pale. "Commodore! Emergency transmission from Marineford. It's... it's Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself. He wants to speak with you immediately. Private channel."
Aiko's stomach dropped. That was fast. Too fast.
"Understood. I'll take it in my quarters." He looked at Isra. "Get us ready to depart. If this goes badly, we might need to leave Sabaody in a hurry."
"Aye, sir."
In his quarters, Aiko activated the Den Den Mushi. Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face materialized, and it was not pleased.
"Commodore Danzo," Sengoku's voice was carefully controlled. "I've just received a very disturbing report from Rear Admiral Kazan. Would you care to explain why you attacked thirty Marines, defied a superior officer, and harbored a known fugitive?"
Aiko had prepared for this conversation during the walk back. He knew lying would be pointless—Sengoku was too experienced, too intelligent. So he told the truth.
"Fleet Admiral, Rear Admiral Kazan was conducting an off-book operation to execute Lieutenant Aria Mizushima without trial, based on verbal orders he claimed came from Vice Admiral Onigumo. When I requested written authorization with proper codes, he admitted no such documentation existed. He then threatened to execute my crew and myself as 'casualties' for interfering."
Silence on the other end.
"At that point," Aiko continued, "I determined the operation was illegal and acted to protect both my personnel and a Marine officer being targeted for summary execution. I used minimal necessary force, resulting in zero fatalities."
"Zero fatalities," Sengoku repeated slowly. "You fought a Rear Admiral and thirty Marines and managed zero fatalities?"
"I gave explicit orders for non-lethal engagement only, sir. We're Marines. Even when fighting each other, that still means something."
More silence. Then: "You used Conqueror's Haki. Multiple witnesses confirmed black lightning on your blade."
"Yes, sir. It was necessary to end the engagement quickly and prevent further casualties on both sides."
Sengoku's sigh came through clearly. "Commodore, do you have any idea what kind of political nightmare you've just created? Vice Admiral Onigumo is demanding your immediate court-martial. Several World Government officials are claiming you've been compromised by Aria Mizushima's Devil Fruit powers—"
"That's ridiculous. The Mist Fruit doesn't have mind control properties—"
"I know that. You know that. But it's a convenient excuse for them to explain why a promising young Commodore would suddenly defy orders and protect a traitor." Sengoku's image leaned forward. "Tell me honestly, Danzo. Why did you do it?"
Aiko met the Fleet Admiral's eyes through the Den Den Mushi. "Because the orders were illegal, sir. Because summary execution without trial is murder, regardless of who orders it. Because if I'd stood aside and let it happen, I would have become the kind of Marine I joined the service to fight against."
"And you think that justifies defying the chain of command?"
"No, sir. Nothing justifies that. But I believe it was still the right thing to do."
Sengoku was quiet for a long moment. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, almost sad.
"You remind me of someone I used to know. Another young officer who couldn't stomach the compromises necessary to maintain order. He's... no longer with the Marines."
"Sir?"
"It doesn't matter." Sengoku straightened. "Here's the situation, Commodore. Officially, you're being recalled to Marineford for debriefing. Vice Admiral Onigumo wants you court-martialed immediately. Several admirals are divided on whether you acted appropriately or committed treason."
Aiko's jaw tightened. "And your assessment, Fleet Admiral?"
"My assessment is that you're either the most principled Marine I've promoted in a decade, or a dangerous idealist who'll cause more problems than he solves. I haven't decided which yet." Sengoku's expression hardened. "But I will tell you this: if you return to Marineford right now, there's a very real chance you'll be arrested, court-martialed, and at minimum stripped of rank. At worst... the World Government has ways of making problematic officers disappear."
Aiko felt ice forming on his desk. "What are you saying, sir?"
"I'm saying that your official orders are to return to Marineford immediately. That's what I have to tell you, as Fleet Admiral." Sengoku paused meaningfully. "However, communications in the Grand Line are notoriously unreliable. It's entirely possible that this message might get delayed in reaching you. And if you happened to have sailed before receiving it, well... I can't recall an officer who never received his orders, can I?"
Understanding dawned slowly.
"You're giving me a head start," Aiko said quietly.
"I'm doing no such thing. That would be inappropriate." But Sengoku's eyes held something that might have been approval. "However, if a certain Commodore decided to continue his investigation of unusual activities in the Grand Line while waiting for official recall orders that never seemed to arrive... that would be his decision as an officer with autonomous operational authority."
"How long do I have?"
"The official recall will be logged in approximately four hours. After that, any Marine who encounters you will be required to detain you for transport to Marineford." Sengoku leaned back. "But the Grand Line is vast, and a ship could disappear into it quite easily if the captain knew what he was doing."
"Thank you, sir."
"Don't thank me yet, Commodore. You've made powerful enemies today. And sooner or later, they'll catch up to you." Sengoku's expression grew grave. "When that happens, you'll have to decide: submit to their justice, or become the very thing you're fighting against. Choose carefully."
The transmission ended.
Aiko sat in the sudden silence, processing what had just happened. Sengoku had essentially given him permission to run. Not explicitly—the Fleet Admiral was too careful for that—but the message was clear.
He had four hours before he became a fugitive.
Aiko found his crew assembled in the mess hall, along with Aria, who was eating ravenously under Doc's watchful eye. They all looked at him expectantly.
"We have approximately four hours before official recall orders arrive from Marineford," Aiko said without preamble. "Once those orders are logged, any Marine who encounters us will be required to attempt our detention. We have three choices."
He held up one finger. "One: We return to Marineford immediately, submit to whatever investigation or court-martial awaits, and hope for fair treatment from a system we've just publicly defied."
A second finger. "Two: We request immediate discharge from Marine service, return to civilian life, and forfeit everything we've worked for—including any chance to change the system from within."
A third finger. "Three: We continue operating as Marines under my autonomous authority, completing legitimate missions while avoiding Marineford and any officers sent to detain us. Essentially, we become rogue Marines trying to serve justice while hunted by our own organization."
Silence filled the mess hall.
Finally, Marcus "Wall" Stone spoke up. "Sir, what happens if we choose option three and they catch us?"
"Court-martial at minimum. Prison time likely. Execution possible, depending on who's making the decisions."
"And if we choose option one?"
"Same outcomes, but we're walking into it voluntarily instead of having a chance to continue our work."
Yuki Nanami stood up. "I'm staying. Whatever happens."
"Same," Isra said immediately.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily," Koji added with a slight smile.
One by one, each crew member stood, their choices clear. Even young Maya Frost, barely twenty-two years old, rose with determination in her eyes.
"We knew what we were signing up for," Doc Reiner said gruffly. "Or we should have. Marines with consciences don't retire peacefully."
Aiko felt something tight in his chest loosen slightly. "You understand what this means? We'll be hunted. By people we trained with, served with. Friends might become enemies. And there's no guarantee we'll survive, let alone succeed in changing anything."
"Beats filing reports in an archive," Isra said dryly.
"Beats following illegal orders," Marcus added.
"Beats living with ourselves if we do nothing," Tomás finished quietly.
Aiko looked at each of them—these misfits and troublemakers who'd chosen principle over career, justice over expedience. His crew. His responsibility.
"Then we sail in two hours," he decided. "Lieutenant Chen, plot a course away from Sabaody. Somewhere in the Grand Line where Marine presence is minimal but pirate activity is high—we'll do the job we signed up for, just without headquarters' blessing."
"Aye, sir!" Akira was already pulling out charts.
"Commander Vex, full combat readiness. If they send ships after us, I want to be able to outrun or outfight them."
"On it."
As the crew dispersed to their tasks, Aria approached Aiko. Her form was more solid now, having eaten and rested.
"Thank you," she said simply. "For what you did back there. For what you're sacrificing."
"Don't thank me yet. We might all regret this decision in a week."
"Maybe. But at least you made the choice for the right reasons." She paused. "What will you do with me? I'm still a fugitive. Still wanted for killing Marines."
Aiko considered. "You'll remain in my custody, officially. When things settle—if they settle—you'll face a proper trial. Not execution without due process, but actual justice. Until then..." He met her eyes. "Can I trust you?"
"To do what?"
"To use your powers to protect people instead of just killing Marines. To be part of something that tries to fix the system instead of just destroying it."
Aria was quiet for a long moment. "I spent two months thinking the only way to stop the evil was to eliminate everyone participating in it. But you and your crew... you're trying something different. Something harder." She nodded slowly. "Yes. You can trust me. I'll try it your way."
"That's all I ask."
Two hours later, the Hakusetsu sailed out of Sabaody Archipelago's harbor, its white sails catching the wind. Behind them, Marine patrols watched from the docks but made no move to intercept—Kazan's report hadn't been officially processed yet, and technically, Aiko still had operational autonomy.
But that window was closing fast.
Aiko stood at the helm, Isra beside him, as Sabaody shrank behind them. The archipelago that had seemed so beautiful from a distance, so full of wonder, now represented something else: the moment when he'd crossed a line he could never uncross.
"No regrets?" Isra asked quietly.
"Hundreds. But none about the choice itself." Aiko looked at his crew working in coordinated efficiency—these Marines who'd chosen to follow him into the unknown. "Whatever happens next, at least we're fighting for something real."
"And what about when they send Admirals after us? When Akainu or Kizaru decides we're too dangerous to let run free?"
"Then we'll face that when it comes. For now..." Aiko smiled slightly—a rare expression. "For now, we're still Marines. Just ones operating by a different definition of justice."
The Hakusetsu sailed into deeper waters, leaving Sabaody behind. Somewhere in Marineford, officials were preparing recall orders. Somewhere in the World Government, people were deciding what to do about the troublesome Commodore who'd defied them.
But for this moment, Danzo Aiko and his crew were free.
Free to serve justice on their own terms.
Free to make a difference, even if it cost them everything.
Free to prove that being a Marine meant more than blindly following orders.
The snow fell gently across the Hakusetsu's deck—a promise and a warning, pure and cold and uncompromising.
Just like the man who commanded it.
END OF CHAPTER 5
Next Chapter: "The Wandering Marines - First Mission as Rogues"