Three days later.
West Blue, Marine Branch 133.
Branch Chief Asahi was ecstatic.
The newspaper headline screamed:
"WEST BLUE RISING STAR!
MARINE "HEAVENLY QUAKE" GERN SLAYS 70-MILLION PIRATE"
"Gern! Do you see this?!"
Asahi slapped the desk excitedly.
"The entire West Blue is talking about you!
Headquarters must be watching!"
Gern stared out the window.
New recruits trained harder than ever, eyes burning with admiration.
He won—
but barely.
Without Haki, he'd die against real monsters.
"Just killed a pirate," Gern said flatly.
"Just?!"
Asahi gaped.
"That's Blood Spear Lugart!"
Gern ignored him.
Then—
A document.
Marine Headquarters Special Summons.
Signed by Zephyr.
Finally.
But suspicion followed.
World Government scrutiny.
Fruit similarities.
Gern smiled.
"Let them question it."
Asahi blinked.
Gern stood, blade in hand.
"Tomorrow's interview—I'll do it."
"And let them ask."
"The sharper the questions, the better."
He turned at the door.
"If we're building momentum…"
"Then let the storm come."
Gern · Reginald · Sigma.
The world would remember his name.