The massive fleet of warships cut through the waves, advancing steadily across the Grand Line.
Inside the captain's quarters of the lead battleship, smoke curled lazily in the air.
Renn Hawk sat behind his desk, a special-issue cigar resting between his fingers. Spread out before him was a detailed dossier on the G-3 Branch.
G-3, one of the Grand Line's most important Marine fortresses.
Its former commander had been promoted, leaving with a portion of his trusted officers.
Hawk's gaze traced the lines of the report, his brow furrowing slightly. The forces were a mixture: the old veterans of G-3, soldiers loyal only to Smoker and Tashigi, and finally, the men he had brought with him from the East Blue's 16th Branch.
Too fragmented.
His own men were no concern they were loyal beyond question. But whether the veterans of G-3, or Smoker and Tashigi's subordinates, would obey him wholeheartedly remained uncertain.
Yes, he could lean on his new title as Branch Commander to issue orders. But could he trust them to put forth their full strength when it truly mattered?
Headquarters had entrusted him with this immense fleet. Such power could not be squandered.
The cannons of G-3 had to thunder across Paradise.
And Hawk knew better than anyone: strength alone wasn't enough.
He had lived two lives, and he understood well the art of command required both intimidation and reward.
To win the loyalty of unruly soldiers, he needed to show overwhelming force first, then follow with tangible benefits. That was the same formula he had used in the East Blue's 16th Branch.
Only then could the entire G-3 Branch echo with a single voice his. Only then could it be forged into the sharpest blade in his hand.
Hawk's fingers slid across the dossier, searching for the perfect target. Someone who could serve as a clear example, a warning, a display of power the moment he stepped into G-3.
His finger stopped on a photograph.
A man clenched two cigars between his teeth, his eyes sharp and defiant.
The White Hunter Smoker.
A notorious troublemaker within the Marines.
The corners of Hawk's mouth lifted.
"Sorry, Smoker. There's no better choice to set an example than you."
East Blue, Cocoyasi Village
Silver moonlight bathed the orange grove, gilding every leaf with a faint, holy glow. The breeze carried both the fragrance of blossoms and the salty tang of the sea.
Inside a small wooden house, Nami lay awake in bed, unable to sleep.
She stared at the moonlit window, her thoughts adrift.
Arlong was dead. The crushing weight that had pinned her heart for seven years was finally gone.
She had cried her fill and begun a new life. Two weeks had passed in a blink.
Every day, fresh fish from Officer Genzo's deliveries graced their table. Every day, she and Nojiko tended to the orchard together. Every day, she saw the villagers smiling freely again.
And yet, despite all this, her heart felt strangely empty.
What now?
What was she supposed to do next?
It felt as if she had become a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly at sea.
"Can't sleep?"
Her sister's gentle voice came from the neighboring bed. Nojiko, too, was awake.
Nami rolled over to face her. "Sis… that Marine who killed Arlong. What kind of man is he?"
Nojiko's lips curved into a smile, her eyes reflecting fond memories. A figure in a Marine uniform grew clearer in her mind.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hawk? He's a true Marine," she said warmly. "And… he's very handsome too."
"Who asked if he was handsome?!" Nami shot back, flustered, her cheeks flushing faintly. She only wanted to know about the man strong enough to destroy Arlong Park so easily. Why was her sister talking about appearances?
"Oh my, are you blushing?" Nojiko teased. "Looks like our Nami is finally old enough to start wondering about men."
"I am not!" Nami buried her face in her pillow, her muffled voice trembling. "I just… I don't know what to do with my life anymore…"
"No, Nami." Nojiko sat up, her face soft under the moonlight as she looked at her sister's lost expression. "Arlong is gone. You're free now. You don't need to carry the burden of this village any longer."
"Go chase your own dream. Isn't it to draw a map of the entire world?"
Nami froze.
Yes. That had been her first and purest dream.
But…
"To go out to sea?" she whispered, her voice dry.
At the thought of leaving, Arlong's monstrous face and the cruelty of pirates flashed in her mind.
"I hate pirates…" she said bitterly.
"Who said you had to become a pirate to sail the seas?" Nojiko smiled. "You could be a Marine, just like Bellemere."
The name struck Nami like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the fog in her heart.
Yes. Bellemere had once been a Marine.
If she joined the Marines… she could travel the world, see every corner, and draw her maps.
A new, radiant purpose rose within her, chasing away the emptiness and doubt.
"I've decided."
Nami's eyes burned with hope.
"Tomorrow, I'll go to the 16th Branch!" She sat upright, her orange hair shimmering in the moonlight. "And I'll see for myself if this Lieutenant Colonel Hawk is really as impressive as you say!"
"You won't be disappointed," Nojiko replied, smirking as she propped her chin on her hand. "He's strong, manly, and has an amazing build."
"What are you even talking about, Nojiko?!" Nami's face turned scarlet as she hurled her pillow across the room. "I'm not going to check if he's handsome! I'm going for serious business!"
"Hehehe. Sure. Business… like checking out a handsome Marine," Nojiko teased.
"You're impossible!"
The sisters' laughter carried warmly into the night.
The next morning, at the 16th Branch
The newly appointed Branch Commander raised an eyebrow at the orange-haired young woman standing before him. His gaze dropped from her face to the file in his hand.
Nami. Adopted daughter of the late Marine Bellemere. Forced into the Arlong Pirates to protect Cocoyasi Village.
Recently freed, after Hawk annihilated Arlong's crew.
Now, she had come to enlist in the Marines, specifically requesting transfer under Hawk's command.
The commander's heart stirred faintly. So this was what Hawk's "Slaughter Justice" had brought not only the end of evil, but also new life and hope for people like her.
"Nami," he said decisively. "Your case is already filed in our records. I can process your enlistment immediately. You may serve here at the 16th Branch, close to your village, or wait for the next ship bound for G-3."
Nami bowed gratefully. "Thank you, sir. But I won't need an escort."
"Just give me a Log Pose to G-3."
Her voice rang clear and determined.
"Because I am a navigator. A genius navigator."
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