One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #59

Blake felt a sudden, jolting sensation as if invisible hands were pulling him through the air. In an instant, he found himself at Vice Admiral Onigumo's side, right beside Law's severed arm. Springing into action, he wasted no time, channeling his internal energy to the tip of his index finger.

Raising his hand with precision, Blake aimed directly at Onigumo's torso. The vice admiral's keen observation Haki flared, alerting him to the impending threat. Unfazed, he chose to ignore Law completely, focusing instead on the greater danger as he twisted his body to face Blake.

Meanwhile, Law's expression twisted into a savage grin as he lowered his center of gravity, preparing to strike. With determination blazing in his eyes, he lunged forward at Onigumo, pointing the thumb of his intact hand directly at the vice admiral's torso.

"Counter Shock!" Law shouted with fierce intensity, jabbing his thumb deep into Onigumo's abdomen. A surge of electricity coursed through his body, enough to render an elephant unconscious. 

Though Onigumo's formidable resilience prevented him from being knocked out, his movements were momentarily sealed, creating a crucial opening for Blake to exploit.

A wide grin spread across Blake's face. "Got you..." he remarked, his finger glowing with a tri-colored light that soon transformed into a concentrated beam of energy, shooting straight toward the vice admiral. 

Onigumo's eyes widened in shock, but he persisted, knowing he had no time to dodge or the ability to fully shield himself. He called upon his Armament Haki, covering his body in a desperate attempt to protect it.

Despite his efforts, the beam of energy pierced through his Haki, boring a hole through his body and emerging from the other side. It continued its path, striking the main building of the marine base and causing an explosion that resulted in half the structure collapsing.

Both Blake and Onigumo faltered, one from exhaustion and the other from accumulated injuries. Yet, Blake refused to fall. Summoning the last reserves of his stamina, he coated his fist with energy, causing it to turn pitch black, adorned with colorful shiny dots akin to stars. 

With a determined push, Blake lunged forward and buried his fist into the side of Onigumo's face, sending him flying toward the main building and causing it to completely collapse.

Onigumo hit the rubble with a tremendous crash, buried beneath the remains of the base. Blake stood there, panting heavily, but a satisfied smile still on his face.

Blake scanned the aftermath, his attention drawn to Law, who lay on the ground, nursing the stump where his arm used to be. Making his way over, Blake stumbled but managed to steady himself before reaching his comrade.

"Need a hand?" he quipped, extending his arm toward Law.

A scowl creased Law's brow as he eyed Blake with a glare sharp enough to sour milk. "No," he retorted flatly, his severed arm floating back to his shoulder and reattaching itself. "Let's never do something like this ever again," he muttered, rising to his feet without assistance.

Blake shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Call me crazy, but that was a blast," he chuckled.

Law sighed, shaking his head. "Easy for you to say... you didn't lose an arm," he grumbled. "How about I call you reckless instead?" he added, the frustration evident in his tone.

Blake roared with laughter. "Bwahahahaha! Call me whatever you want, just don't forget to add 'captain'!" he quipped, giving Law's reattached shoulder a hearty slap, eliciting a wince from the latter. 

"Let's wait for the others to wrap things up, sort the loot, and get out of here," he suggested, plopping down on the ground and observing as Bepo and the rest of the crew dealt with the remaining marine opposition.

...

Two weeks later, inside the imposing Fleet Admiral's office at Marineford, the atmosphere was suffused with the rustle of papers as the Fleet Admiral diligently attended to his mountainous workload. 

Feeling the need for a brief respite, he paused with a weary sigh, reaching for the drawer of his desk.

In the monotony of his daily grind, his coveted rice crackers were a cherished indulgence, offering a fleeting reprieve from the relentless demands of command. However, as he slid open the drawer, he was met with emptiness. 

Annoyance creased the Fleet Admiral's brow, the image of a certain old man with an insatiable appetite for rice crackers flashing before his mind's eye. "Garp... you bastard," he muttered under his breath, the desire to throttle the vice admiral simmering just below the surface. 

Lost in his reverie of hypothetical retribution against Garp, he found temporary solace in the fantasy, relishing the idea of venting his pent-up stress and frustration on his old friend.

Before he could indulge further in his daydream, a sharp knock on the door shattered his reverie, pulling him back to the present moment. The Fleet Admiral adjusted his posture, clearing his throat before giving permission to enter. 

As the door swung open, Vice Admiral Dalmatian stepped in, offering a salute before approaching Sengoku's desk. "I have something to report, sir," he began, his tone tinged with a hint of hesitation.

Sengoku nodded, encouraging the vice admiral to continue. "We've re-established contact with Marine Branch 66 as per your orders, sir," Dalmatian reported, his words somewhat stiff.

Sengoku's gaze narrowed, sensing the vice admiral's unease. "Be direct, Vice Admiral. Tell me what happened," he instructed firmly.

With a sigh, Dalmatian complied. "The marine branch was attacked by pirates, sir," he stated plainly. "They overpowered our forces and set up an ambush targeting Vice Admiral Onigumo... I regret to inform you that they were successful," he continued, his words heavy with the weight of the news.

The Fleet Admiral's eyes widened in shock. "And the vice admiral...?" he inquired, his voice trailing off with concern.

Dalmatian shook his head quickly. "Miraculously, there were no casualties among the vice admiral troops, the marines stationed at the branch, or the intruders themselves," he clarified. "However, many sustained severe injuries that will take months to heal... especially Vice Admiral Onigumo," he added, his tone somber.

Sengoku rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Then there's a silver lining to this situation at least..." he muttered, his tone heavy with resignation. "And? What pirate notorious crew attacked Onigumo? For what purpose?" he inquired, regaining his composure as he sought clarity.

Dalmatian scratched his head awkwardly. "That's the thing, sir... the orchestrators of this incident are all rookies, nameless pirates," he explained. "Although, we did hear reports of them injuring Captain Daigin not long ago," he added.

Sengoku's frown deepened as he tried to recall. "You mean the same youngsters who disrupted the gangs on Spider Miles?" he clarified, to which Dalmatian simply nodded.

The fleet admiral sighed, feeling a headache creeping in. "And we're certain these so-called rookies are indeed inexperienced pirates from the Blues, not seasoned ones from the Grand Line?" he pressed, his hope waning.

"We are certain, sir," Dalmatian confirmed, his tone leaving no room for doubt, dashing any remaining hope Sengoku held. "Their captain is an enigma, and the crew comprises four locals from Swallow Island and a former gang leader from Spider Miles," he elaborated.

"According to the information provided by Captain Daigin, then their goal was to secure navigation tools Vice Admiral Onigumo was transporting..." He went on. "His source, a broker these came into contact with, informed him that these rookies intend to cross into the Grandline..." 

Sengoku's face darkened at those words. "Then it seems I'll have a new headache to worry about," he muttered, shaking his head in dismay. "Have someone send me everything we have on these rookies. And issue the appropriate bounties..." he added, tapping his finger on the desk's surface.

Vice Admiral Dalmatian nodded and retrieved a stack of papers from his coat. "I already have a detailed report of the incident, provided by Onigumo and his men," he stated, placing the papers on the desk. "Do you need anything else from me?" he inquired.

The fleet admiral shook his head. "You may take your leave," he said, prompting the vice admiral to salute, turn on his heel, and exit the office. Left alone, Sengoku let out another sigh and picked up the report papers, pausing on a segment that described Law's appearance and abilities.

"The Ope Ope no Mi... Rosinante..." he said, clenching the report papers tightly. "Is this what you gave your life for...?" he muttered reproachfully, lowering the stack and reaching toward the transponder snail on his desk. "Hello. This is Fleet Admiral Sengoku speaking. Connect me to Rear Admiral Drake..."