Months have passed since I escaped that green hell.
Under Bogard's tutelage, I've been cramming my brain with navigation, East Blue geography (some of it felt strangely nostalgic), helmsmanship, and sail-rigging.
All of this, of course, punctuated by the occasional: "It's training time!" from Vice Admiral Garp as he launched me into the sea to swim back.
The verdict on the Genkotsu Meteor (Fist Meteor)? I failed. Miserably.
"Why are you throwing it over there?! No! Not at your own feet! Now it's too high!!" Garp would roar.
Turns out, my long-range accuracy is nonexistent. I can swing a five-ton stick with surgical precision, but as soon as I try to throw something, my coordination goes on vacation. Back on the island, I thought it was just a lack of practice. No. I'm just a terrible shot.
Whatever! If they're within fifty meters, I'll hit 'em! And besides, why throw things when I can just close the distance?
Speaking of which, I've been searching every port for Gin or Pearl. No luck. (I haven't realized yet that Gin is currently one year old and Pearl isn't even born). But hey, I got promoted to First Lieutenant! Small wins.
A Marine's Perspective
"Oh, Lieutenant Krieg? Yeah, he's down at the beach doing swings. Why the beach? Well, his weapon is... unique. It just weighs five tons. It took twenty of us to load it onto the ship, and he just carries it like a lunchbox."
"He has to practice away from the barracks because the shockwaves from his swings keep shattering the windows. As for his personality? He's a good guy.
People get intimidated by the 'gorilla face,' but he's actually soft-hearted. The other day, he spent an hour trying to soothe a lost toddler.
The kid kept crying even harder because Krieg's soothing face looked like he was deciding how to season a steak, but he was really trying his best. He's just... socially awkward."
A Pirate's Perspective
"That bear-man?! I still see him in my nightmares! He... he ran across the ocean! We saw water pillars approaching our ship and thought it was a broadside. Then this massive guy in grey armor leaps onto our deck and growls: 'Who's the head of this tub?'"
"Our captain yelled, 'I don't know what Fruit lets you run on water, but you're dead!' And that Marine just looked at him and said, 'Devil Fruit? If you step with your other foot before you sink, you can walk on water.
It's basic logic!!' Then he started swinging that iron club. Our bullets bounced off his chest plate, and then he punched a hole through the deck so deep it hit the keel. He's a monster!"
Lieutenant Krieg's Conversation
"Huh? A talk? Who are you... Oh, Rear Admiral? I mean—YES, SIR! SECOND LIEUTENANT KRIEG, CONDUCTING SELF-TRAINING, SIR!"
"You want to... hold it? Sir, it's really heavy... Woah! Careful! I told you, sir, it's five tons. You thought I was joking? Sir, there are people out there who can lift battleships; I'm just a guy with a heavy stick."
"Promotion? Well, it took me eight years to reach Lieutenant. I'm in no rush."
Marineford: Personnel Meeting Room
"This concludes the evaluation for Lieutenant Krieg," Vice Admiral Ketagari announced to the board. "He has mastered Rokushiki and Haki.
Despite having no Devil Fruit, his combat prowess is easily at the General-Officer level. He has a strong work ethic and, despite his 'rough' exterior, is well-regarded by his subordinates."
"The recommendation for his promotion to the field grades comes with signatures from Instructor Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp, and the 'Three Captains' (Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan)."
Ketagari looked around the room. "All in favor of his promotion to Commander?"
A sea of hands went up.
"Very well. Upon his return, Krieg will be promoted to Captain, undergo field-grade officer training, and then be commissioned as a Major. Now, regarding his callsign..."
The board began scrolling through suggestions.
"The Marines call him 'The Bear,' 'Iron Bear,' or... 'Gorilla-Krieg.' The pirates call him 'Steel Man' or 'The Beast.' The civilians near the barracks call him 'Big Bro' or 'The Guy who looks like he likes bananas.'"
"A lot of Bear and Gorilla motifs," one Vice Admiral noted.
"How about 'Donguma' (The Dull Bear)?" one officer suggested. "He wears that dull grey armor, uses a dull iron mace, and his hulking size makes him look slow—which will make pirates underestimate him until he's already crushed them."
"I like it. It fits the 'Dull Grey' of his equipment and his 'unmoving' nature."
"Agreed. The callsign is decided: 'Dull Bear' Krieg."
Back at Marineford
I stepped off the ship to be met by my three "peers" who had already outranked me.
"Fits you perfectly, Donguma," Sakazuki grunted, handing me the promotion orders.
"Dull Bear... It's quite poetic, isn't it?" Borsalino drawled, leaning against a pillar.
"Better than 'Gorilla-man,' isn't it, Senpai?" Kuzan added with a lazy smirk.
"Don't call me Senpai like that, Kuzan! It sounds fake as hell coming from you!" I snapped, though I was secretly relieved.
At 19 years old, I officially became a Marine Major. My callsign: "Dull Bear" Krieg. My Justice: "Justice to Protect."
I'm still not a "Don," and I'm definitely not a pirate. But as I looked at my new officer's coat, I realized I was far away from the scavenger I used to be.