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Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
When they were reunited, Hina was much more assertive than before. Her worry and longing transformed into a torrential downpour of affection, all of it unleashed at once.
"I've already contacted Headquarters," Jin said. "I'm going to have the Marine training base on Asuka Island expanded into a full-fledged naval base. And you will be its commander. Of course, your rank will be promoted from Lieutenant Commander to Captain."
Hina was surprised. "Even if you're a king, you can't just interfere with Marine personnel assignments, can you?"
Jin smiled. "Under normal circumstances, no. But what if that base is funded by me? Besides, you have your own connections, don't you? Like Vice Admiral Tsuru. Your past achievements are already enough for a promotion to Captain. The only reason it hasn't happened yet is because you lack seniority and... a little bit of strength. After your special training, you'll be strong enough. And with a command position at a branch base, you'll get that promotion this year, no problem."
Hina's heart skipped a beat. Smoker, who was from the same class as her, had already been promoted last year after being assigned to the branch base in Loguetown.
She was not about to be left behind.
But...
"What are your plans for Asuka Island?" she asked, her brow furrowed with curiosity.
"Asuka Island is a rare spring island," Jin explained.
"It's perfect for agriculture and for tourism. It's also a mandatory stop on one of the seven routes, which is why you have a training base there in the first place. The only reason it's not a full base is because you couldn't come to an agreement with the Asuka tribe..."
"—But now, with my intervention, an agreement can be reached. Upgrading the training base to a full base is a win-win for everyone. Fleet Admiral Sengoku recommended a few Rear Admirals for the position, but I don't know them. You, on the other hand... I know very well."
Hina wasn't a fool. She understood.
Jin wanted to develop Asuka Island, but he didn't have enough manpower. So, after consulting with the Asuka tribe, he planned to bring in the Marines to keep the pirates in check.
And among the Marines, Hina was someone he trusted.
"What do you mean, you know me well?"
"What do you think?"
Hina lowered her head, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She looked like a delicate, dew-kissed flower, just waiting to be plucked.
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The construction of the base on Asuka Island was a simple matter of upgrading the existing training facility. Marine Headquarters had no reason to object.
Hina would first return to report, receive her promotion, undergo commander training, and select her core personnel.
Jin, in the meantime, would return to Drum Island and Hannabal Island. He'd been away for three months, and there was a backlog of government affairs to attend to.
Even though he had people in place, power was only power when it was held in one's own hands. Once it was delegated, things could get complicated.
They parted ways in Hannabal Island.
The moment he disembarked, Wilson, the former boss, the giant brothers, and the rest of Hannabal Island's motley crew were already waiting at the docks.
Jin led his little secretary, Maya, followed by his crew, who, after three months of special training, now stood in a neat, orderly formation.
In the distance, a large crowd had gathered to watch—locals, and pirates who had arrived during his absence.
"So that's the king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom, the ruler of Hannabal Island? He's so young and handsome."
"Heh. Don't let his age fool you. He's the madman who bet 100 million Berries on himself in the Dead End Race."
"And that race had the great pirate Gasparde, with a bounty of 95 million Berries!"
"—In that race, Gasparde and the Fish-Man Willy both disappeared. The giant brothers surrendered. He was the only one who reached the finish line."
Shuraiya listened to their chatter, his gaze fixed on the young man. He had to ask him, face to face.
Wilson and the others escorted Jin toward the special administrative region's municipal hall. As they were passing an intersection...
Swish!
A faint sound came from the crowd.
Maya, who had been following with her head down, suddenly looked up.
Ting!
Jin stopped, his hand closing around a dagger.
"An attack!" Wilson was the first to react.
A group of pirates charged out from an alley, led by a vicious-looking man with a long scar across his face.
"Kill him and take Hannabal Island!"
"You'll have to get through me first!" Wilson roared, blocking the scar-faced man.
The other guards engaged the pirates.
Just then, another group of pirates erupted from the crowd and launched an attack.
Jin glanced over.
"Lively, aren't we?" he said with a smile. "It seems I'm not the only one who wants to be the boss of Hannabal Island."
It wasn't surprising. In three months, the reputation of Hannabal Island as a "free island" had spread, attracting a large number of pirates. Among them, there were undoubtedly some bold, ambitious types who were eyeing its wealth.
Or who wanted to follow in his footsteps and become the new boss.
He stood at the center of the chaos, calmly observing, waiting to see who else would show their hand.
It was time to feed the demonic carrier.
"Hey! You're a pretty lame king, you know that?"
Maya looked up. A young man had dropped down from a rooftop. He landed lightly, kicked a pirate away, and then adjusted his round cap.
"You're the one who killed Gasparde?"
Jin looked at him. "You want to avenge him?"
"Avenge him?" the young man scoffed. "Gasparde was my target. You killed him. You're a real busybody, you know that? Hey! Get out of here. I'll hold them off. After this is over, I'm coming for you."
He charged toward the pirates.
Jin was speechless. "I killed his enemy, and he's coming after me? Maya, you be the judge. Is he crazy or what?"
"Eh?" Maya scratched her head, confused. She hadn't been out of the forest for long. She still had a lot to learn.
"A Tsundere," Jin sighed.
He watched the fighting for a while, confirming that none of his own people were involved in the rebellion. He was relieved.
"That's enough," he said, taking a step forward.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The sound was like a thunderclap, stunning everyone into silence.
The ground shook.
No, it was Jin's footstep. Where he had stepped, a web of cracks spread out, tearing through the ground, ripping apart the nearby buildings.
"Huh?!" Shuraiya whipped his head around in shock.
That king...
An invisible aura radiated from him.
A terrifying presence, as if the end of the world had suddenly arrived. There was no sound, only an oppressive, crushing silence.
Conqueror's Haki?
No. Jin had tried to awaken it during his three months of training, and he had even taken several of Garp's Conqueror's Haki attacks, but he was still just short.
This wasn't Conqueror's Haki. It was an aura.
The Aura of a Conqueror.
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Everyone was stunned. The pirates all swallowed hard.
Jin walked past the scar-faced man. The man, fighting against his fear, raised his sword to strike.
But the sword he raised turned back on him, plunging into his own chest.
'HOW?' the man thought in disbelief, clutching at the blade as he fell to his knees.
Jin continued to walk, and wherever he passed, pirates fell, and no one could see how he had struck.
In his wake, a trail of blood and bodies.
Maya was a kind soul. She could hear the sounds of death, of pain, of resentment... She couldn't bear to watch.
"Their crimes cannot be washed away by blood," Jin said, teaching her. "Your kindness to them is just cruelty to their victims. If we were the weak ones, do you think they would show you mercy? Or would they strip you naked and have their way with you? I don't mind you being kind, Maya. But don't be a bleeding heart."
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