Chapter 9: Rank Up

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"Instinct?" Garp blinked, clearly not buying such an unbelievable explanation. 

Yet, he couldn't help but be astounded by the young man's talent before him. 

Considering Arashi's unique trait of being seemingly immortal, Garp had to admit that he was witnessing something extraordinary. 

At just seventeen years old, Arashi had awakened Conqueror's Haki, which was impressive enough. 

But to have already mastered the advanced technique of Conqueror's Haki infusion? That was beyond belief.

What struck Garp even more was how quickly Arashi's strength increased after experiencing just one battle. 

"A monster genius, huh?" he muttered to himself. 

While there had been others in the world born with terrifying natural abilities—like Charlotte Linlin and Kaido from the Rocks Pirates—Arashi was in a league of his own. 

He looked human, but he simply couldn't be killed.

"Kid, I'll make sure to train you well. You have the potential to become the strongest!" Garp laughed heartily. 

"One day, you might even take over my position and bring about a massive change in this world." 

At first, Garp was intrigued by Arashi's immortality and rebellious spirit toward nobles and the Celestial Dragons, which resonated with his disdain for them. 

But now, Garp saw Arashi's boundless potential. With proper, systematic training, Arashi could rapidly grow into a formidable force against pirates.

Arashi, however, stood in silence, deep in thought as he compared his current strength to that of others, using Kuzan as a reference. 

He assessed their speed, power, and the destruction they caused during battle.

"Kuzan's current rank is Commander," Arashi reflected. 

"He just graduated from the Marine Academy. He's not weak after systematic training, but he hasn't yet eaten the Ice-Ice Fruit."

Arashi realized that he and Kuzan were on par regarding strength, speed, and reflexes. 

This was when he fully understood the power of his immortal ability—each death exponentially increased his strength based on his current capabilities. 

The stronger he became, the more exaggerated the boost would be, with the potential for exponential growth until he stood as the world's strongest. 

The only downside was that he couldn't exploit this by taking his own life.

"So, my power is at the level of a Marine Commander, comparable to Kuzan," Arashi concluded. "But if I factor in Conqueror's Haki..."

He glanced over at Kuzan, who was snoring on the ground. "I could take him out in a second." 

With his current strength, Arashi wielded Conqueror's Haki infusion like a child stumbling with a nuclear weapon's launch button.

Moments later, the Marines began to regain consciousness, rubbing their throbbing heads.

"What just happened?"

"Was that Vice Admiral Garp's Haki?"

The seasoned soldiers were bewildered, struggling to make sense of the situation. Kuzan quickly recovered, too. 

At first, he was confused, but then he remembered what had happened and sharply turned his gaze to Arashi. Had Arashi's Haki knocked him out?

Under Garp's orders, the veteran soldiers checked the remaining pirates, but nothing was left to find. 

After two punches that felt like nuclear explosions, any pirates who hadn't been killed outright had been knocked unconscious by Conqueror's Haki. 

The Marines swiftly dispatched those who survived without mercy.

Arashi stood quietly to the side, observing as the Marines executed the unconscious pirates. 

There was no talk of capture or mercy—any pirate still breathing was quickly finished off. 

In the end, all the pirates' bodies were piled up on the shore and set ablaze, turning to ashes in the roaring flames.

"Bogart!" Garp called out. "Count the soldiers lost in this battle."

Bogart nodded in response. 

The crew returned to the ship, and Arashi, silently leaning against the mast, reflected on everything he had learned from the recent battle.

....

The midday sun was glaring, and the sorrow of death in battle wasn't as overwhelming as Arashi had expected. 

Before long, he noticed that Garp, Kuzan, and the others on the ship were smiling again as if the recent battle had never happened. 

This made Arashi fully understand the true nature of life in this kind of warfare. 

Human life was like a coin tossed in the air, with life or death determined instantly, leaving no lasting impression on anyone's mind. 

He now grasped the harsh reality of what "death" truly meant. In this chaotic era, such things happened every day.

"The mission on Zeshir Island is over. We're heading to the New World next!" Kuzan said, walking over with a smile. 

Arashi narrowed his eyes. "That's a much more dangerous sea."

"Yeah! But that's where we truly belong." Kuzan's eyes lit up with anticipation. 

"The three major pirate crews are concentrated in that region, all vying to become the Pirate King and rule the world."

"I've heard it's a sea where only the strong survive," Kuzan added excitedly. 

"Gold Roger! The Dark King, Rayleigh. Whitebeard, Edward Newgate. Kozuki Oden. Golden Lion, Shiki. Just thinking about their names gets me all fired up."

Arashi responded coolly, "With your current strength, you'd just be sacrificing yourself if you faced those powerhouses."

"Haha, you're right," Kuzan laughed. "I'm still too weak! But one day, Arashi, I'll become a powerful figure like them—a hero like Vice Admiral Garp."

Arashi smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes, you'll become an Admiral."

"Let's work hard together!" Kuzan declared enthusiastically.

At that moment, Bogart approached, holding a brand-new Marine uniform, and placed it in front of Arashi. "This is your new outfit! And this is your rank."

Arashi looked down in surprise. 

The uniform was similar to the one he was already wearing, just newer, but the rank insignia was that of a Commander—the same as Kuzan's. 

"Impressive, Arashi. You must be the fastest to get promoted after joining the Marines!" Kuzan praised, giving him a thumbs up.

"Do I not need to go through a probationary period?" Arashi asked, puzzled.

"You're my disciple and also my subordinate. I know your strength and what position you deserve better than anyone," 

Garp said, picking his nose with a grin. 

In truth, considering Arashi's display of Conqueror's Haki, he was more than qualified to hold a higher rank, but given his weak foundation, Commander was a suitable position for now.

After a brief moment of surprise, Arashi changed from his torn clothes. 

The Commander's uniform came with the iconic white "Justice" cape. 

As the sea breeze blew, the cape fluttered behind him, exuding an invisible aura of authority and power.

Garp personally bestowed the rank on him, pinning the insignia to his uniform. 

"From now on, you're a Marine Commander! It may seem fast, but we're in wartime, and as my disciple, you've more than earned it!" 

Garp paused, looking at the handsome young man before him, and gave him a satisfied pat on the shoulder. "Not bad! You look the part!"

"We still have some time before heading to the battlefield in the New World," Garp continued. "I'll teach you hand-to-hand combat."

"Bogart will instruct you in swordsmanship," he added. "How much you learn depends on your own ability!"

<End Chapter>

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