Chapter 53: Back to Marine HQ

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The sea breeze swept across, causing Arashi's cloak to flutter. 

He slowly turned around, looking at the towering, muscular figure wrapped in white bandages around his head and body, and suddenly smiled. 

"Too bad, I don't think I'll give you that chance!" Bullet's gaze sharpened momentarily, then he stood upright with a snap and saluted. "Sir!"

Arashi pointed behind him at Crocodile. "Go to him and get a new uniform." 

"Remember, from now on, you're a Marine trainee!" "Yes, sir!" Bullet shouted, then turned and left.

Compared to Ivan, Crocodile, and the others, Bullet possessed the discipline of a true soldier. 

After all, he had once been a battle-hardened warrior who went to war at a very young age. 

Moments later, Bullet returned, now dressed in a trainee's uniform and wearing a Marine cap as he stood before Arashi.

"I'm impressed by your physical abilities. Even I find them remarkable." 

Arashi pointed to Crocodile and the others. "From today on, you'll assist me in training them."

"Mission accepted!" Bullet grinned, revealing a fierce smile that made Rosinante, Ivan, and Crocodile all tense up slightly. 

A Marine trainee training officers like them? It sounded strange, but no one voiced any objections. 

For one, Arashi's orders were absolute, and secondly, they were all well aware of Bullet's combat prowess. 

His massive, muscular body held a strength they couldn't match. 

Very few people could compete with their commanding officer in hand-to-hand combat.

As expected, Bullet didn't disappoint. The intensity increased nearly fivefold compared to their previous training, turning their routines into pure agony—almost like hell. 

Even a short fitness session left everyone sore and barely able to move. "Too weak!" Bullet sneered.

He then turned to look at Arashi, whose body was concealed beneath the white Marine coat of justice. 

Even with the cloak on, one could see the muscular build beneath, rock-hard muscles like granite, every inch of his physique brimming with explosive power. 

This man had trained his body even more rigorously than Bullet himself!

Standing at 2.8 meters tall, Arashi's height alone gave an imposing impression. 

But judging by his age, Bullet figured he could still grow even taller. 

His bulging muscles seemed ready to burst through his Marine uniform, and the outline of his menacing back tattoo was faintly visible.

"Compared to this guy, I still have a long way to go," Bullet thought bitterly.

At that moment, Arashi wasn't paying attention to Bullet's gaze. Instead, he lifted his head to look ahead. 

Amid the rolling waves, the warship was nearing the massive Gates of Justice. 

In the distance, they could see the huge water whirlpool, its roar audible even from afar. 

Soon, the warship passed through the Gates of Justice and entered the inner bay.

"Identify the warship squadron." 

"It's Rear Admiral Arashi's ship." 

"Rear Admiral Arashi, please dock at port A8!" shouted the Marine officer directing the ships.

Moments later, the warship smoothly docked at port A8 under Sloth's control.

"Arashi!" As soon as he disembarked, a cheerful voice rang out from the side. 

"Sinbu!" Arashi turned and called out with a smile.

"Haha, long time no see! You've changed a lot—taller and more muscular!" 

Sinbu exclaimed, measuring the difference in their heights with a gesture of surprise.

"It's been two years. The food at the Marine Academy was good," Arashi laughed. 

He wasn't wrong—before joining the Academy, he had a relatively average height of about 1.85 meters, which was normal by his standards in his past life. 

But compared to the monsters in this world, it was short. People like Kuzan often had to bend to put an arm around him.

But two years at the Marine Academy, with rigorous training, good nutrition, and his natural growth spurt, had caused his height to skyrocket, reaching 2.85 meters. 

With the help of the unique skill of Life Return, which allowed him perfect control over his body, Arashi was confident he could grow past three meters. 

He was quite satisfied with this height. After all, height itself brought an aura of dominance!

"You got promoted too!" Arashi remarked.

"Haha, thanks to you!" Shinbu laughed heartily. Two years ago, they served together on the same warship and were later aboard Garp's ship. 

After returning to Marine Headquarters, Shinbu had been promoted to colonel, seemingly by chance, due to their battle against the Roger Pirates. 

That fight also cemented his connection with Vice Admiral Garp and Rear Admiral Arashi, making him part of their faction. 

With the help of some other colleagues, he stayed in Marine Headquarters, with a strong possibility of rising to the rank of admiral in the future.

Even now, many Marines regarded Shinbu as a minor legend. 

Fighting alongside the Pirate King Roger was something to be proud of, even worthy of admiration.

"Vice Admiral Garp is back at headquarters!" Sinbu added. "Kuzan also arrived three days ago."

He then looked at the group of Marines behind Arashi and couldn't help but marvel. "You've already got a group of your men now!"

"They all seem quite powerful!" Arashi smiled. 

"I handpicked each one of them. None of them are weak!" 

"I can tell!" Sinbu nodded, then quickly added, "You'd better head inside. You're the only famous officer who hasn't arrived yet!" 

He leaned closer to Arashi and whispered, "There seems to be an important meeting requiring the presence of all officers."

Arashi nodded thoughtfully at the news. The two exchanged a hug before parting ways. 

They had been comrades through thick and thin, with Shinbu once teaching Arashi valuable survival skills at sea. Their bond ran deep.

Moments later, Arashi arrived at the Marine Headquarters building and reported to a beautiful female officer on the first floor. 

"Welcome back to Marine Headquarters, Rear Admiral Arashi. Fleet Admiral Kong has instructed that you report to him as soon as you return." 

The blonde officer then glanced at the group behind Arashi. Upon seeing Bullet, Crocodile, and the others, her expression tightened with fear. 

These men were terrifying—more like pirates than Marines!

"Please take care of assigning quarters for my subordinates," Arashi said with a smile. 

"They can stay with me or somewhere nearby." Arashi noticed the fear in her eyes. 

Many officers on the first floor reacted similarly, eyeing Bullet and Crocodile with nervousness and dread.

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course!" the female officer replied hurriedly. 

Arashi nodded toward Crocodile and approached the Fleet Admiral's office.

"Am I walking straight into enemy territory?" Bullet chuckled as he watched Arashi's figure disappear, surveying the surrounding Marines with a smirk.

"We're Marines now," Crocodile replied calmly. 

"There's no need to worry, Bullet." 

"As Crocodile said, we're Marines now and soldiers under Rear Admiral Arashi's command!" T Bone added seriously.

"In Marine Headquarters, Rear Admiral Arashi is highly respected!"

Bullet glanced at the skeleton-like T Bone. "You look pretty grim, but you're surprisingly soft-hearted." Crocodile chuckled silently. 

"Sorry if I scared you," T Bone said, opening his mouth and apologising. 

Bullet was at a loss for words but eventually laughed. He certainly wasn't scared of this guy.

At Marineford, Marine Headquarters, the Fleet Admiral's office was bustling with activity. 

When Arashi arrived at the door, he saw people constantly moving in and out of the office. 

Kong sat at a large wooden desk directly in front, frowning as he pored over a mountain of paperwork.

"Rear Admiral Arashi," a young officer nearby called out in surprise when he saw him.

"Hello," Arashi nodded in greeting. 

Although he didn't know the officer personally, Arashi could tell he was a big fan from the excited, admiring look in his eyes. 

He couldn't help but be taken aback. Was this a fanboy moment at the Fleet Admiral's office?

"It's Rear Admiral Arashi!" 

"Oh my god, the one said to surpass the three monsters, the monster among monsters, Rear Admiral Arashi?" 

"Is it him?" 

"The one who fought the Dark King Rayleigh to a draw and took down the Supernova Pirate Crew like a storm?" 

"He's practically a Marine hero in the making!"

The surrounding officers all turned to look, and even Arashi was momentarily stunned. 

He quickly realised that, without meaning to, he had become a star among Marine officers—a rising young officer at the forefront of his generation. 

The eyes of many young officers around him sparkled with excitement. The glow one gets when meeting a personal idol.

"He's as towering and strong as Vice Admiral Garp. Just being around him feels so safe!" 

"I want to have his children. Our offspring would be strong!"

"Rear Admiral Arashi!"

In no time, a buzz of chatter surrounded the entrance to Kong's office. 

Officers from nearby rooms were opening their doors and peeking out to get a look at him. 

Arashi had underestimated his popularity at Headquarters. 

With Roger now declared the Pirate King, any Marine who had fought against him was shining brighter than ever. 

Alongside legendary figures like Vice Admiral Garp and Sengoku, Arashi had become one of the most prominent up-and-coming officers.

Seeing the excited, almost fanatical looks on the faces around him, Arashi was momentarily at a loss. 

In his past and present lives, he had never experienced such attention from fans.

"Arashi!" A deep voice suddenly called out. 

"Come inside!" 

"Everyone else, clear out. Don't disrupt the regular office functions!" 

Fleet Admiral Kong's stern tone instantly silenced the frenzy, and the officers dispersed, making way for Arashi.

"Close the door!"

Once Arashi entered the room, he breathed a sigh of relief and closed the door behind him, shutting out the eager stares of his newfound admirers.

"Heh." 

"Haven't experienced this kind of scene before, have you?" Kong's usually stern face broke into a smile as he teased Arashi.

"It's a little intimidating. I'd rather be fighting an enemy," Arashi sighed.

"The Headquarters hasn't publicised your achievements much, but without a doubt, you've become a role model for the young officers of this era," Kong continued. 

"A figure for them to strive toward, someone they can admire."

After a brief pause, Kong added, "The Marines need people like you among the younger generation."

Arashi shrugged helplessly. He looked at the towering stacks of paperwork beside Kong and couldn't help but feel sympathy. 

Being a Fleet Admiral wasn't easy, explaining why Sakazuki's range of activities became so limited once he took the position.

"Did the mission go smoothly?" Kong asked while sifting through more documents. 

As Fleet Admiral, he had a lot on his plate, especially with the fallout from Roger becoming the Pirate King. 

The pressure from the World Government and the numerous civilian issues were giving him constant headaches.

"It went fairly well," Arashi replied, pulling a sealed blueprint from inside his coat and handing it over.

Kong glanced at it before setting it aside. "The technology for Seastone warships is invaluable to us." 

"If the ships can cross the Calm Belt, it will break the barrier between the Grand Line and the other seas, significantly reducing the time it takes for the Marines to reach the different seas."

He exhaled and furrowed his brow, apparently disturbed by something he saw in the documents before him. 

"This technology will greatly enhance the Marines' and the Government's control over the four seas," he added, "and will play a key role in our upcoming operations."

"Upcoming operations?" Arashi asked, his curiosity piqued.

"A major anti-pirate campaign," Kong replied, lifting his head and slamming a recently reviewed document onto the pile beside him. 

"The primary target is the East Blue, currently the strongest sea and the birthplace of Pirate King Roger!"

He let out another breath. "Of course, this will take a long time to execute."

"Additionally, there's the global search for Roger and his crew," Kong added with a pained expression. 

"If we can't capture this group, the world will never be at peace!" Kong's words made Arashi thoughtful. 

He speculated that the World Government was exerting massive pressure, not to mention the recent turmoil among pirates and civilians alike. 

As long as the Pirate King was alive, he remained a symbol of defiance and ambition, much like how Arashi had become a role model for the younger Marines. 

Roger was a magnetic figure, continuously inspiring rebellious spirits and stirring chaos worldwide.

Capturing Roger and his crew had become an urgent mission for the Marines and the World Government. 

As long as they remained free, the world wouldn't settle.

"Tomorrow morning at 8:00, in the Headquarters conference room. All officers must attend and ensure you're on time," Kong said.

Seeing how busy Kong was, Arashi nodded and decided not to disturb him further. He turned and left the office.

On his way out of the Headquarters building, Arashi was bombarded with countless notes from beautiful female officers. 

"This is madness!" Arashi let out a long breath once he was outside the building. Shaking his head, he made his way toward the residential area.

When he arrived at his quarters, he found Crocodile, Bullet, Rosinante, and the others chatting casually on chairs in the courtyard.

"The Marines have a far more structured and comprehensive training system than the pirates!" Bullet said in a serious tone. 

Now that he had seen the neatly organised zones within the Headquarters, he couldn't help but be impressed by the thoroughness of their system. 

From basic training to advanced operations, the Marines had everything covered.

"This world ultimately belongs to them," Crocodile said faintly.

"What, are you planning to take the world from their hands?" Bullet laughed.

"I just want to create the world of my dreams," Crocodile replied.

At that moment, Arashi walked over, waving to interrupt them. "Enough talk about the world. Politics isn't our business!"

<End Chapter>

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