163 With the Justice System

"Buzz—"

The fleet of the G-3 Branch slowly docked, and the heavy metal gangway was lowered.

On the pier stood a row of figures that could make any pirate tremble in fear.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Chief Instructor Zephyr.

The three Admirals: Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji.

The top brass of Headquarters, all gathered, silently waiting.

"Tap—"

Hawke stepped down the gangway. Behind him were Zoro, Sanji, Hibari, Kujaku, Nami, Robin, and several thousand soldiers of the G-3 Branch.

The moment they set foot on the pier, an invisible wave of murderous aura instantly swept across the entire harbor.

It was the killing intent of those who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, completely numb to slaughter and death.

"!!!"

All the Headquarters soldiers felt a chill run down their spines, their breathing stalling for a moment.

This was the army that had unleashed a storm of blood in Impel Down?

Such terrifying presence…?!

"Clap—"

Hawke walked up to the senior officers, standing tall as he saluted.

"Fleet Admiral, Admirals, Chief Instructor—Rayne Hawke of the G-3 Branch reporting back with my troops!"

"Good lad!"

Zephyr strode forward and clapped a massive hand on Hawke's shoulder.

As Chief Instructor of the Marines, his eyes were razor sharp.

With a single glance, he could see the terror behind the force Hawke brought with him.

In the soldiers' eyes there was no fear, no confusion—only obedience to orders and a hunger for battle.

This force of less than ten thousand men had fought nonstop in Impel Down for nearly two months.

They had seen—and personally ended—some of the most vicious criminals on these seas.

This aura of killing intent honed to its peak, this spirit forged in iron and blood—even the most elite forces of Headquarters would fall short before them.

As expected of Hawke's direct troops!

Yet at that moment, Zephyr suddenly frowned. Something felt off.

His palm, pressed against Hawke's shoulder, felt as though it had struck an unbreakable block of Seastone.

"Hm?"

He carefully studied Hawke.

"???"

Sengoku, Akainu, and the others also turned their eyes toward Hawke.

Then, almost simultaneously, the highest combat powers of the Marines furrowed their brows and exchanged glances.

Something was wrong.

Hawke's aura—something was very wrong!

The sheer density and refinement of his energy seemed… far beyond the level of an Admiral candidate.

It had even reached… their level.

Could the trial of Impel Down really have such terrifying results?!

"Hawke!"

Sengoku suppressed his doubts. The stronger Hawke became, the better for the Marines.

He took a step forward, his voice steady and powerful:

"This war will be commanded entirely by you!"

"Whitebeard and his division commanders will be handled by Sakazuki and the other two."

"But the deployment of the battlefield, the strategy of all our corps—those will all be under your command."

"My role is only to announce Ace and Teach's true identities to the world before the war begins, and at the end, to ensure its conclusion."

"This is your trial, and your chance to prove your ability to command war to the entire Marine force!"

"Mm."

Akainu, Kizaru, and Kuzan nodded at once.

This had long been the consensus among the higher-ups.

The original plan was that the battlefield of the strongest would be theirs to fight, while the massive corps battle would be given to Hawke to command.

It was both a mark of trust and an unprecedented exercise for him.

After all, the terrifying power and spirit of the G-3 army had not only won high praise from Zephyr—even they, as Admirals, had seen it with their own eyes.

Because of this, they had already notified the officers of their factions in advance.

In battle, Hawke's orders were to be obeyed unconditionally.

"Yes, Fleet Admiral."

Hawke accepted calmly.

So Fleet Admiral Sengoku wanted the entire Marine force to remember his name!

Many in the Marines had heard of him.

But those who had truly witnessed his methods were still few.

This was his chance to build his reputation.

And moreover—

If he was the one commanding, then every pirate killed by soldiers and officers would yield Justice Points that would not go to waste!

"Good."

Sengoku nodded with satisfaction.

"Let us return to Headquarters for the final tactical confirmation."

The group turned toward the towering building that symbolized Justice.

On the way, the senior officers each cast glances toward those they cared about.

"..."

Akainu's eyes fell on his daughter Hibari, his brow twitching slightly.

Faint sparks of lightning danced around her body.

She had eaten a Devil Fruit?!

And she hadn't even reported it to her father!

This girl…

He would be questioning her thoroughly later.

"Ma…"

Aokiji's gaze lingered on Robin, clad in uniform, her aura calm and steady.

He already knew about the cultural initiative in the Marines.

Hawke always saw what others missed. While the Marines focused solely on sheer strength, he had prepared to advance both power and thought together.

Truly—if strength was unmatched but lacked thought and culture as its foundation, the Marines could easily go astray.

According to Vice Admiral Tsuru, not only the rank-and-file soldiers and officers but even they, the senior Admirals, would undergo "re-education" after the war.

"Mm…"

Sengoku looked at Tsuru's granddaughter—Kujaku. The girl followed behind Hawke with sharp eyes and steady steps, her growth remarkable.

Since Tsuru had gone to the New World to watch over Garp, he himself would need to watch out for his old friend's granddaughter.

"Sigh…"

Sengoku sighed inwardly. If Rosinante were still alive, his figure would be standing here too.

"Rapid progress!"

Zephyr, meanwhile, observed Zoro and Sanji with interest.

That super monster Hawke no longer required his concern.

But these two little monsters—the speed of their growth was astonishing.

Excellent. Truly excellent.

When they matured, Marine combat power would leap forward into a new era.

...

Very soon, tactics and details were finalized.

The soldiers began to assemble.

The central plaza of Marineford turned into a sea of white.

One hundred thousand elite Marines, drawn from branches across the world, stood in perfectly aligned formations.

Under the sun, countless banners marked with seagulls snapped in the ocean wind, their killing intent piercing the sky.

"Tap—"

Hawke stepped onto the high platform, taking his place at the center.

Below him stretched the steel tide of one hundred thousand elite Marines.

Behind him stood Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Chief Instructor Zephyr, and the three Admirals.

The highest authority and might of the seas—all formed his backdrop.

In that moment, every soldier's eyes focused solely on him.

His voice rang out clear, reaching every corner of Marineford, entering the ears of every Marine soldier.

"Everyone, I am Rear Admiral Rayne Hawke of Headquarters."