Paradise, G-3 Branch.
"Hey——!"
"Ha——!"
The thunderous shouts of thousands of Marine soldiers rumbled across the training grounds like rolling thunder, shaking the still air of the early morning.
Sweat had already soaked through every uniform, yet not a single movement was sloppy or lazy.
To follow in Commodore Hawke's footsteps…
To purge the pirates plaguing the entire Paradise…
They had to become stronger!
Stronger than ever!
Just then—
"——Report!!!"
A Marine stationed at the lookout tower bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"A massive battleship has been spotted approaching the docks! It's… it's Commodore Hawke's ship! He's back!"
"!!!"
For a brief moment, the movements of every soldier froze.
And then, the restrained silence shattered into uncontainable cheers.
He's back!
Commodore Hawke is back!
"Huuh——"
At the very front of the formation, Acting Branch Commander Dane took a deep breath.
He spun on his heel and roared with all his strength, facing the entire G-3 garrison.
"All hands, form up!"
"Head to the docks!"
"Prepare to welcome the Commodore's return!"
"Yes, sir!"
Within barely a dozen seconds, thousands of Marines had perfectly reassembled into orderly formations.
Then, like a roaring gray-and-white tidal wave, they surged toward the docks.
"Vmmmmm——"
A massive shadow fell over the pier as the colossal battleship slowly approached the harbor.
At the bow, Hawke stood tall, his coat billowing in the wind.
Behind him were Zoro, Sanji, Smoker, Hina, Hibari, and Kujaku—each radiating an aura sharper, heavier, and far more dangerous than before.
Dane strode forward quickly, stopping at the base of the gangway to salute sharply.
"Commodore Hawke!"
"Acting Branch Commander Dane, along with the remaining officers of G-3, welcome you back!"
"You've done well, Dane."
Hawke nodded lightly as he descended the gangway.
His calm gaze swept over the thousands of soldiers before him, collecting every pair of eyes burning with loyalty and fervor.
Without a word, his Observation Haki rippled outward like liquid mercury, silently enveloping the entire base.
Every corner, every heartbeat, every flicker of emotion—clear as day in his mind.
Good. No abnormalities.
G-3 was his fortress, his domain—there would never be any World Government spies here.
Storing the gold here and inviting Fleet Admiral Sengoku to come directly was indeed the best plan.
Having confirmed his thoughts, Hawke's deep voice rang out steadily.
"Dane, pass down my orders."
"Move every single item from the battleship's cargo hold into Confidential Warehouse No. 1."
"Also, notify everyone to prepare for the highest-level reception."
Hawke paused briefly, then added,
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku will be here shortly."
"Yes, sir!"
...
"Wooooo——"
The massive cargo hold of the battleship slowly creaked open.
The soldiers stationed at the base immediately rushed forward, preparing to begin unloading supplies.
However…
When the cargo doors fully opened and the contents were revealed, every single soldier froze on the spot.
Golden light.
Blinding golden light.
The hold was packed full—mountains upon mountains of gold artifacts crammed tightly together, filling the enormous space from floor to ceiling.
"I…"
One soldier gaped, his jaw falling slack as his eyes widened in disbelief, staring blankly at the ocean of gold before him. His brain seemed to short-circuit.
A soldier tasked with unloading cargo slowly turned his head, eyes wild, frantically signaling to his buddy—one of those who had returned with Hawke.
"What in the world is this?!"
The returning soldier smirked proudly, raising his eyebrows.
"What's what?"
"This gold! This entire shipload of gold—what the hell is going on?!"
"Oh, the gold, huh."
The soldier who came back casually stretched, his grin reaching ear to ear, his eyes gleaming with superiority.
He strolled forward, pretending to be indifferent.
"You're losing it over just this little bit of gold?!"
"You should really learn from me—keep calm no matter the situation!"
Completely forgetting how his own jaw nearly fell off back on Skypiea when he first saw golden pavements.
"Commodore Hawke rode a Knock Up Stream to the sky."
"Then, he casually defeated some guy calling himself 'God,' a Logia-user."
"Then, without meaning to, he claimed control over the entire Sky Island."
"After that, we stumbled upon a golden city."
"And finally, we just… casually brought back this tiny little portion of gold."
"See? Simple."
"..."
The soldier left behind at the base completely froze.
His mind buzzed, overwhelmed by the sheer impact of those words.
An entire cargo hold.
And you call this a tiny little portion?!
Also… what's with that tone of yours? Acting all nonchalant, huh?!
If I'd gone to Skypiea with the Commodore, I'd be the one acting cool right now!
The stationed soldier lowered his voice, gritting his teeth.
"You bastard! You're showing off, aren't you?!"
"Don't make me bring up how you shat your pants that time on—"
"Shh shh shh!"
The returning soldier panicked instantly, lunging forward to clamp his hand over the other's mouth.
"Yes, yes, yes! My bad, brother! Stop, don't say another word! I give up, alright?!"
But it was too late.
The surrounding soldiers had already heard the key words.
"What?! The Commodore defeated a Logia-user?!"
"Sky Island?! You're saying the legendary Sky Island actually exists?!"
"And all this gold—this is only a part of it?!"
Shockwaves exploded across the dock as chaos rippled through the soldiers' hearts.
"!!!"
One particularly quick-witted Marine glanced between the warehouse and his own hands.
His breathing grew heavier; his pupils lit up like stars.
Gold.
So much gold.
And knowing Commodore Hawke's usual style, this could only mean one thing…
Wuhu!
Raises incoming!
Better rations incoming!
New equipment incoming!
"What are you standing around for?!"
That Marine snapped back to reality and roared,
"Move it, now!"
"Would the Commodore ever shortchange us?!"
"!!!"
"That's right!"
"Go! Go! Go!"
That single shout instantly ignited the enthusiasm of everyone present.
Soon, the entire dock rang with the clattering and clanging of gold being unloaded.
Within a short time, the battleship's entire cargo hold was emptied, and Confidential Warehouse No. 1 was stuffed full to bursting.
Then—
"Vmmmmm——"
A deep, rumbling engine roar rolled across the sea's surface.
Another colossal battleship, far larger than Hawke's, slowly cut through the waves toward G-3.
The massive flag of the Navy's supreme commander flapped wildly in the sea breeze.
"Quick! Notify Commodore Hawke!"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku has arrived!"
...
G-3 Branch Docks.
Hawke stood at the very front of the formation, with Hibari, Kujaku, Smoker, Hina, Zoro, Sanji, and the rest of his core subordinates lined up behind him.
They quietly watched as the massive flagship—the Fleet Admiral's personal warship—slowly pulled into harbor like a fortress on the sea.
"Clack——"
The gangway lowered.
A towering, broad-shouldered figure appeared at the top.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
He strode down the steps with heavy, powerful strides, booming laughter echoing across the docks.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Hawke, you brat! That mess at Mock Town… you've caused quite a stir!"
...
A/N: Alright, alright, feedback noted loud and clear!
Everyone's opinions make sense!
Final adjustment—since Devil Fruits choose their own masters, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit goes to Hibari, who discovered it!
This vote concludes perfectly—thank you all!
Meeting adjourned!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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