"We are pests!"
"We are scum!"
"The great Vice Admiral has saved us!"
"He has allowed us to become true Marines! Marines who serve the people!"
"We are pests..."
Early in the morning, the 2nd, 4th, and 6th units undergoing special training had already begun shouting the slogans they had been taught during their warm-up exercises.
From their initial embarrassment to now roaring them out because they were no longer the only ones making fools of themselves, this change was also related to the shift in how the civilians within their jurisdiction treated them.
Sometimes moral pressure was not just a one-on-one form of manipulation.
When these guys were lifted up by the enthusiasm of the masses, many things began changing deep within their hearts.
At the very least, after nearly three months, training no longer required Smoker to chase behind them with a knife and stab them in the rear.
They could feel themselves growing stronger, and they could also feel the change in the civilians' attitudes. In the past, people had treated them like snakes and scorpions whenever they appeared. Now, they were greeted warmly wherever they went.
One month earlier, a town famous for producing fruit had been attacked by pirates. Unit 01, which was on patrol, had fought desperately for the bounty money after calling G-5 Branch for reinforcements. By the time Rowan arrived, it took less than half an hour to completely wipe out the pirate crew.
The pirate captain had a bounty of 98 million Beli.
The twenty-something members of Unit 01 each received more than one million Beli.
On top of that, there were the savings found aboard the pirate ship. In total, each Marine received three to four million Beli afterward, not including their regular Marine salary.
Beyond that, they experienced the enthusiasm of civilians for the first time.
Baskets filled with all kinds of fruit, dried fish, preserved fruits, and other gifts. As a show of gratitude, the villagers insisted they accept them.
In the past, they could have gotten such things through force and intimidation.
But this was the first time villagers had offered them with smiles and gratitude, insisting they take them.
Yet no one dared to accept.
According to G-5 Branch's new regulations, no Marine was allowed to accept civilian property under any circumstances.
And "property" here didn't just mean Beli. It meant any form of property.
During G-5's first month after its transformation, a private accepted a basket of fruit.
When he returned, the two million Beli he had earned was confiscated, and he was nearly skinned alive during training.
The fact that he wasn't trained to death was already considered good luck.
Under those circumstances, everyone within G-5's patrol area came to recognize the change in these Marines.
Of course, the biggest reason people accepted the change so quickly was because nearly half of the Marines who had blood on their hands had been personally executed by Rowan.
At the training ground, Rowan continued his sword practice alone, endlessly repeating his slashes.
Nearby, Smoker and Hina were also carrying out strength training.
After working up a sweat, Rowan sat down cross-legged, placed his Asauchi across his lap, and began what he referred to as meditation.
He had known from the beginning that Ryūjin Jakka's release command was different from the one in his memories.
And ever since hearing the Zanpakutō's voice once at Sabaody Archipelago, he had never heard it again.
After finishing their training, Smoker and Hina looked toward the soldiers of Units 2, 4, and 6.
Nearly fifty Marines from the three units were still desperately pushing their bodies to the limit.
"The old Unit 06, which was reduced to a single survivor by Vice Admiral Rowan, used to be the strongest unit in G-5," Smoker said.
He looked toward Leelton among the ranks.
"All of them had mastered both Observation and Armament Haki."
"The ones who survived never awakened Haki. Ironically, all the ones who died had already mastered it."
"Over the past few days, besides Leelton, eight more people have reached the physical standards required."
Hina brushed her pink hair back.
"Vice Admiral Rowan once said that the awakening of Haki depends on the firmness of one's will. That will itself has no distinction between good and evil. Murder, arson, robbery, and plunder can also count."
"The people in G-5 who used to deceive their superiors, hide the truth, and oppress ordinary civilians alongside pirates were, in a sense, carrying out their own will."
"As for those who survived, aside from Leelton, who occasionally stepped in to help, most of them simply went with the flow."
"When a person's actions do not align with their heart, then naturally Haki will not awaken. Even if they once possessed it, under such circumstances it would gradually fall apart."
Smoker tightened his grip on his jitte.
Armament Haki spread across it, turning the weapon black.
"But how are we supposed to get stronger now? We've kept up basic training all this time, but the results are becoming negligible."
Hina felt the same way.
When Armament Haki was used to reinforce her Cage-Cage Fruit restraints, increasing the area covered caused the cages themselves to become less durable.
As for her physical strength, its growth felt painfully slow.
"Combat."
A voice sounded behind them.
Rowan stood up, Asauchi in hand, brushing dust from his pants.
"For people at your stage, there's only one way to improve Haki: combat."
"You can learn the method of projecting Haki outward, but the strength of that projected Haki can only be developed through battle."
The technique of emitting Haki to damage an enemy internally was known by many.
Sentomaru's Ashigara Dokkoi and Kaido's Thunder Bagua were clearly not on the same level.
But if someone asked whether Sentomaru could use Armament Haki emission, the answer would unquestionably be yes.
Rowan walked behind the two of them.
"Do you know why the pressure on the Marines has been increasing year after year?"
Smoker replied, "Because of Pirate King Roger's final words in Loguetown? That's the reason every Marine knows."
Hina frowned slightly.
"Because pirates fight more often."
Snap.
Rowan snapped his fingers.
"The pink-haired one is smarter."
"Since Haki grows through combat, there's a huge difference between Marines and pirates."
"The Marines are an organization. Most of the time, even vicious pirates won't attack a Marine ship on sight."
"After all, they don't know whether the warship is carrying a Headquarters Vice Admiral or someone of even higher rank. If it is, they've just kicked an iron plate."
"Under those circumstances, Marines stationed in the Four Blues are forever dealing with low-level riffraff, while Marines stationed in New World branches often face pirates far stronger than themselves."
"But pirates fight from the moment they leave the Four Blues."
"They fight other pirates."
"They fight town militias."
"They fight local Marine branches."
"Then they cross Reverse Mountain into the first half of the Grand Line and continue fighting all over again."
Smoker's eyes lit up.
"This is a perfect leveling route!"
"It's like grinding monsters and leveling up. Just like the fishing game at Sabaody Archipelago the net keeps getting bigger and bigger."
Hina shook her head slightly.
"No. Calling it a leveling route is an appropriate analogy."
"But more importantly, traveling from the Four Blues all the way to the New World means that most of their battles are evenly matched."
"And if a pirate isn't evenly matched?"
She paused.
"No one remembers them. Because they're already dead."
"The base number is enormous. Those who eventually stand out and survive long enough to enter the New World are all strong."
Once the two of them fully understood what he meant, Rowan smiled.
"So from now on... the battles within our patrol territory will be handled by the two of you."
"Nearby incidents will be Hina's responsibility."
"Long-distance ones will be handled by you, Smoker."
"After all, your ability to turn into smoke makes you much faster."
(Д)(Д)
Both of them looked completely stunned.
Although they had graduated from Marine Headquarters' elite training camp, the truth was that neither of them was very old.
Smoker was only sixteen.
Hina had only turned fifteen a few months ago.
After all, the first time Rowan beat Smoker into the ground, Smoker hadn't even awakened Haki yet.
His elemental transformation had been completely useless as Rowan grabbed his real body and proceeded to beat him senseless.
"Also, don't worry. If you can't win, I'll rush over and collect your corpses."
→_→ →_→
Shouldn't he be rushing over to help instead?
Rowan still wore a gentle smile.
"One of you followed me here because you keep wanting to challenge me every day, and the other was sent by Vice Admiral Tsuru to keep an eye on me."
"If you die, then won't this little patch of land called G-5 Branch belong entirely to me?"
"Hmm... when that time comes, opening an entertainment city on some island should be quite profitable. There are lots of beautiful ladies in the New World too. I could even take a trip to Dressrosa. The dancers there are all stunning."
Smoker chuckled and tightened his grip on the jitte.
"Once you waste yourself away enjoying life, I'll finally be able to beat you."
Meanwhile, Hina felt a little nervous.
After all, what she thought was a secret had just been exposed directly.
And she was beginning to dislike this man somewhat.
Not only had he invited her on a date, but he was also talking about the dancers of Dressrosa at the same time.
"Burururu... Burururu..."
The emergency Den Den Mushi in Rowan's coat began ringing.
After answering, the snail mimicked the anxious expression of the commander of Unit 01.
"This is Sector 01! The Glider Pirates are approaching Apple Town! Naval bombardment is ineffective, and they've already begun landing!"
"The enemy captain is a Paramecia Devil Fruit user! We've already lost three men! All ranged attacks are ineffective, and the enemy's speed is too fast!"
Rowan calmly reassured him.
"Reinforcements will arrive soon. Don't worry."
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, he looked toward Smoker.
"Apple Town Harbor in Sector 01."
"Set sail, Smoker."
"You can choose your own support personnel, but make it quick."
Smoker didn't hesitate.
Smoke erupted beneath his feet as he transformed into his elemental form and shot toward the Marines training across the field.
"Unit 03! Emergency assembly at the harbor!"
"Destination: Patrol Sector 01! Reinforcement mission!"
After three months of special training, the remaining Marines of G-5 Branch already understood exactly what an emergency assembly meant.
For them, deployment represented Beli.
It also meant that if they were slow, their share of the profits from the mission would be reduced.
After each operation, rewards were distributed according to performance rather than equally among everyone.
Under such a system, competition naturally emerged.
"Sometimes Hina still finds it unbelievable."
Hina looked at Rowan.
"It's only been three months."
"The habits of these people have completely changed."
"In matters concerning the human heart, Vice Admiral Rowan is truly exceptional."
"Just experience."
Rowan answered calmly.
"In this world, because of inherited wills, there may indeed be people who are born evil."
"But most people are forced to change because of what they experience."
"Especially here, in the New World."
"The second half of the Grand Line that pirates call paradise."
"In this place, kind people can only exist at the very bottom, where they are exploited and enslaved."
"In an ordinary town, there are farmers, merchants, mayors, hoodlums, and freeloading drifters."
"Were the hoodlums and drifters born that way?"
"Were the mayors and merchants born that way?"
Rowan looked at the pink-haired woman beside him.
"Hina... the one thing people can never choose is the circumstances of their birth."
Their birth?
Hina fell silent.
Tsuru's words from three months ago were still fresh in her mind.
Yet now, Vice Admiral Rowan seemed nothing like the Marine scum described in the rumors at Headquarters.
Instead, he possessed a unique understanding of both the world and the human heart.
The one thing people can never choose is their birth...
"Hina, what was your dream when you first became a Marine?"
"Hm? My dream?"
Hina thought for a moment, then nodded firmly.
"To make sure there are no more pirates on these seas!"
"Yes! That's Hina's dream."
"The New World is a gathering place for pirates, but the pirates of the New World come from all across the seas. The Four Blues, the first half of the Grand Line, the New World... why do you think there are always endless numbers of people becoming pirates?"
"Umm... Hina doesn't know. Maybe... because of the treasures on the sea?"
"Do you know the best reason to stop a young man from setting sail?"
"Hmm..."
"It's his mother." [Note: Oda's original words]
"Eh?"
Hina froze for a moment before seriously considering the answer.
In the end, she realized that the answer seemed correct.
Being free and unrestrained also meant having no attachments.
A person born under such circumstances had no choice in the matter, and life was often difficult.
After enduring a difficult life, becoming a pirate sometimes seemed like the only path left.
Rowan continued:
"Then what do you think causes there to be so many people on these seas who have no home? So many people who have no mother?"
No home.
No mother.
For a moment, Hina thought of the reason this Vice Admiral had originally been labeled a Marine scoundrel at Headquarters: the South Blue Incident.
Ordinarily, an operation carried out by the World Government in the South Blue was not something a mere Headquarters Captain like her would ever know about.
However, thanks to Vice Admiral Kuzan's act of justice, the South Blue Incident had become widely known, and those pregnant women had been spared.
Furthermore...
She had also heard many rumors circulating among the Marine middle ranks over the years.
Eventually, Hina arrived at an answer in her heart:
The World Government.
"Systems and laws are the foundation of the world's order."
Rowan's calm voice sounded once more.
"What the law permits may be done."
"And this world is simply too vast."
"So vast that, in some cases, even what the law forbids can still be done."
At that point, Rowan stopped speaking.
After all, the person standing beside him was not a member of the Revolutionary Army.
She was someone Vice Admiral Tsuru had sent to keep an eye on him.
He was merely planting a seed on a whim.
There was no need to win this pink-haired girl over today.
There was no rush, nor was it necessary.
At only fifteen years old, Hina was still at the stage where her values and worldview were being shaped through experience and education.
Her background was also representative of a large portion of the Marine middle ranks.
In fact, ever since he had accidentally entered Marine Headquarters years ago because of Spandine, Rowan had already begun considering how to deal with the Marines as a force.
The Marines were not the Celestial Dragons.
There were certainly many among them who failed to meet the Revolutionary Army's standards.
But there were just as many within the middle ranks who did.
Hina and Smoker.
Kuzan and Borsalino.
Even Tsuru, Zephyr, and Garp.
----------
Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com/OneFic