The fleet of G-3 Base warships slowly docked at the harbor.
Heavy metal gangways descended one by one.
On the pier stood a lineup that would strike terror into the heart of any pirate alive.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Chief Instructor Zephyr.
The three Admirals of the Navy: Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji.
The highest authorities of Marine Headquarters were all present, standing in silence as they waited.
Renn Hawk stepped down the gangway.
Behind him followed Zoro, Sanji, Hibari, Peacock, Nami, Robin, and several thousand soldiers from G-3 Base.
The moment their boots touched the pier, an invisible wave of blood-soaked killing intent swept across the entire harbor.
It was the aura of those who had clawed their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, utterly numb to death and slaughter.
Every Marine stationed at Headquarters felt a chill crawl up their spine. Their breathing stalled.
So this was the force that had turned Impel Down into a living hell?
This pressure was terrifying.
Renn Hawk stopped before the gathered leaders, stood straight, and delivered a crisp salute.
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral. Admirals. Chief Instructor.
G-3 Base, led by Rear Admiral Renn Hawk, has returned."
"Well done, kid!"
Zephyr strode forward and slapped a large hand onto Hawk's shoulder.
As the Navy's Chief Instructor, his eyes were sharper than most blades.
With a single glance, he could tell how frightening this unit truly was.
The soldiers behind Hawk showed no fear, no hesitation, no confusion.
Only absolute obedience to orders and an unrestrained hunger for battle.
This force, fewer than ten thousand strong, had fought nonstop in Impel Down for nearly two full months.
They had faced, and personally executed, the most vicious criminals the seas had ever known.
That killing intent, refined to its purest form.
That military soul forged by iron and blood.
Even the most elite units of Marine Headquarters would be hard-pressed to stand above them.
Worthy of being Hawk's personal army.
Yet at that moment, Zephyr felt something was off.
The sensation beneath his palm was wrong.
It felt as if he had struck an unbreakable block of Seastone.
Zephyr narrowed his eyes and studied Hawk more carefully.
Sengoku, Akainu, and the others followed his gaze.
Then, almost simultaneously, the Navy's top combatants frowned and exchanged looks.
Something was very wrong with Hawk's presence.
To their perception, Renn Hawk was no longer merely a man, but a massive stone monolith that had been hammered and tempered countless times. Solid. Seamless. Unshakable.
The density and power of that aura far exceeded what a mere Admiral candidate should possess.
It had already reached their level.
Was Impel Down's trial really that terrifying?
Sengoku suppressed his doubts.
Hawk's strength was the Navy's strength.
He stepped forward, his voice firm and commanding.
"This war will be fully commanded by you."
"Whitebeard and his division commanders will be handled by Sakazuki and the other two Admirals."
"But the overall battlefield coordination, the deployment of all Marine legions, will be your responsibility."
"Before the war begins, I will publicly announce Ace and Teach's identities to the world."
"And at the end, I will ensure the war concludes cleanly."
"This is both a test and your chance to prove your command ability to the entire Navy."
Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji nodded at the same time.
This had already been agreed upon at the highest level.
The strongest battlefield would be handled by them.
The massive, full-scale legion warfare would be entrusted to Hawk.
It was trust, and also an unprecedented large-scale trial by fire.
After all, the terrifying combat power and morale of G-3 Base had earned not only Zephyr's highest praise, but the Admirals' own recognition.
They had already informed commanders within their respective factions.
During the war, all orders from Rear Admiral Renn Hawk were to be obeyed without question.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral."
Hawk replied calmly.
Sengoku was making sure the entire Navy would remember his name.
Many had heard of Renn Hawk.
Very few had truly witnessed his methods.
This war was the perfect opportunity to build authority.
And if he commanded personally, every pirate killed by soldiers and officers alike would generate Justice Points without a single loss.
Sengoku nodded in satisfaction.
"Return to Headquarters. We will conduct final tactical confirmation."
The group turned and walked toward the towering structure that symbolized justice itself.
Along the way, each senior officer quietly observed those they cared about.
Akainu's gaze fell on his daughter, Hibari. His brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Faint arcs of lightning flickered around her.
She ate a Devil Fruit?
And didn't even bother telling her own father?
That girl…
He would interrogate her properly later.
"Hmm…"
Aokiji's attention lingered on Robin, dressed in Marine uniform, her demeanor calm and composed.
He already knew about the Navy's cultural reconstruction initiative.
Hawk always saw what others overlooked.
While the Navy pursued raw force, he had already begun shaping ideology alongside strength.
Power without values could easily lead the Navy astray.
According to Vice Admiral Tsuru, not only frontline soldiers and junior officers, but even high-ranking commanders like themselves would undergo post-war "reeducation."
"Mm…"
Sengoku glanced at Peacock, Tsuru's granddaughter.
She followed closely behind Hawk, eyes sharp, steps steady. Her growth was remarkable.
Tsuru had gone to the New World to keep an eye on Garp.
As an old comrade, Sengoku would look after her granddaughter in her stead.
He sighed inwardly.
If Rosinante were still alive, his figure would be here as well.
"Growing fast."
Zephyr, on the other hand, was watching Zoro and Sanji with great interest.
Hawk himself was already a monster beyond concern.
But these two young beasts were growing at an astonishing rate.
Very good.
When they fully matured, the Navy's overall strength would truly leap forward.
Soon, tactics and details were finalized.
All soldiers began assembling.
Marineford's central plaza transformed into a sea of white.
One hundred thousand elite Marines, drawn from bases across the world, stood in perfect formation.
Under the sun, countless seagull-emblazoned flags snapped violently in the sea breeze. The killing intent soared into the sky.
Renn Hawk stepped onto the high platform, standing at its center.
Below him surged a steel tide formed by one hundred thousand elite Marines.
Behind him stood Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Chief Instructor Zephyr, and the three Admirals.
The greatest authority and combat power of the seas now served as his backdrop.
Every soldier's gaze converged on him alone.
His voice rang clearly across Marineford, reaching every Marine present.
"Everyone, I am Rear Admiral of Headquarters…"
"Renn Hawk."