The New World.
Amid a raging storm, a brutal naval battle was underway.
A lieutenant bellowed over the crashing waves.
"Private Second Class Garp! Private First Class Sengoku! Get to the port side! The men over there can't hold out much longer!"
"Yes, sir!"
Two burly youths in Marine uniforms answered in unison, only to get a mouthful of seawater for their trouble. The sky was black with clouds, the rain lashing so hard that even finding one's bearings was nearly impossible.
One misstep could send a man tumbling into the sea.
Through the roar of the storm came the defiant voice of a pirate.
"Lackeys of the World Government! You think I'd be your so-called Warlord? Your dog? Dream on!"
"I may not match that bastard Magnus, but I'll never crawl for you!"
"Kill me if you can!"
…
The battlefield of such titans was no place for new recruits like Garp and Sengoku, yet their very presence here showed their strength already far exceeded their ranks.
The warship heaved like a rollercoaster in the crashing waves. Garp and Sengoku staggered forward, barely keeping their footing.
But neither retreated.
"The pirate up ahead—leave him to me!"
"He's mine!"
It had been nearly two years since they'd joined the Marine training academy, and about a year since they'd been enlisted.
Sengoku had advanced to Private First Class. Garp was still stuck at Private Second Class.
Not because he was weaker—far from it.
But Garp's rowdy nature always got him in trouble. Whenever he earned merit, he'd lose it again for breaking rules.
Otherwise, he'd already be a Corporal or even a Sergeant by now.
"Uncle Kong said if we take down ten pirates in this battle, he'll teach us Rokushiki!"
"I'm not letting you get ahead of me!"
Garp cracked his massive fists together and grinned wide.
But as he blinked, Sengoku had already rushed to the front.
"Damn it, Sengoku, you bastard!"
"Sorry, Garp—too many hands, too little meat. I don't plan to spend another year as a First Class Private!"
As rookies, earning merit was hard. Most advancement came only through seniority:
One year as Third Class made you Second Class.
Two years as Second Class made you First Class.
Three years as First Class made you Corporal.
Without feats of valor, it could take twenty years just to become a Second Lieutenant—by then, youth was long gone.
And this was the New World.
Here, even ordinary pirates were terrifying. Most recruits would be cut down in an instant, never mind earning glory.
But Garp and Sengoku were different—brimming with talent.
And Kong, newly appointed Admiral, needed to build his own cadre.
He couldn't wait decades for these two to crawl up the ranks.
So he bent the rules, promising them Rokushiki if they could prove themselves.
Normally, only officers were allowed to learn such techniques.
This was against regulation.
But what of it?
Kong knew the Marines were running thin.
Sphinx had been bad enough.
Admiral Sebas had been nearing retirement anyway. That loss was expected.
But Elbaf had gutted the middle generation. Even an Admiral candidate had fallen there.
And now Rona's defection.
In just four years, Marine top-level power had been cut nearly in half.
The World Government still sought to restrain the Marines.
But Kong had made up his mind—he would raise Garp and Sengoku early.
He had no time to wait.
That was why the two stood here, in this storm, against one of the fiercest pirates alive.
The Mad Lion Pirates.
Their captain, "Mad Lion" Froy, carried a bounty of 270 million Berries—second only to Magnus among New World pirates.
At sixty years old, Froy still fought at his peak, close to Admiral level.
Even Kong needed effort to bring him down.
The World Government had offered him a Shichibukai title, hoping to use him against Magnus.
But Froy had refused.
Then the Government learned his location.
And so, this siege.
If they could take down the Mad Lion, it would send a message, reminding pirates who still ruled the seas.
"The Shichibukai system…"
Kong didn't admire it, but with Marine forces so stretched thin, recruiting some pirates might be the only way to maintain order.
But he refused to dwell on it.
Dwelling only dulled his fists.
He had already lost to Magnus too many times. He would not lose again.
He couldn't even let himself wonder why Rona had defected.
He could only grow stronger.
Casting aside doubts, Kong pressed his attack.
Froy's crew was already surrounded.
With nowhere to flee, the Mad Lion fought to the end, laughing even as defeat closed in.
"Hahaha! So what if you beat me? This era belongs neither to you nor to me—it belongs to Magnus!"
"Mark my words! His ambition won't stop here!"
"If he can reach Mary Geoise once, he'll reach it again—twice, thrice!"
"A new age is coming!"
Boom!
Kong's fist smashed down, driving the Mad Lion into his ship, splintering it to pieces.
His hand trembled.
Because he knew the pirate was right.
Magnus wasn't just shattering Marine and Government prestige—he was awakening rebellion.
If the Government and Marines ceased to be strong, why would anyone bow to them?
Once order collapsed, chaos would reign.
And countless tragedies would follow.
"Magnus… do you even know what you've done?"
"Or is this exactly what you wanted?"
Kong turned his gaze to his warship. Two young men laughed loudly, basking in their small victory.
The youth did not yet understand the storm of change that loomed over the world.
Magnus could not know Kong's heart.
But elsewhere in the New World—
The White Wolf Pirates' ship drew ever closer to its destination.
(End of Chapter)
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