Savage Bone Noss

Over three years of constant patrols and wiping out pirates, Sakazuki's strength had improved tremendously.

With guided training, he had also become proficient in Haki.

All that remained was to hone it gradually.

By now, Sakazuki already had the imposing air of his original counterpart.

A white Marine uniform, thick, powerful muscles.

A billowing coat bearing the word "Justice."

Simply standing before him was enough to feel his oppressive presence.

Not to mention that Sakazuki never left survivors when he struck.

Now, the pirates of the North Blue trembled at the mere mention of his name.

His reputation had even begun spreading throughout the Four Blues, though that was mostly because Jorison kept calling his colleagues at the other branches to show off whenever he had nothing better to do...

A week later...

The warship Marine Headquarters had dispatched to collect the elite class recruits would arrive at the 194th Branch tomorrow.

On the evening before his departure, Jorison called Sakazuki into his office.

"Three years have passed before we knew it."

"I never thought time would fly by so quickly."

"Sakazuki, take this notebook."

As he spoke, Jorison took out a notebook.

Sakazuki accepted it and gave Jorison a puzzled look.

Jorison smiled.

"This notebook contains information I compiled about the factions within Headquarters."

"As well as some people's personalities and preferences."

"I've spent over half my life in the Marines, after all. I know a fair bit."

"Personal connections matter, too."

Hearing that, Sakazuki solemnly put the notebook away.

"Thank you, commander."

Jorison patted Sakazuki's shoulder.

"Hahaha, it's rare to hear you say thank you."

"Stop wearing such a stern face every day. Come take a walk with me!"

The next day.

After shaking hands with Jorison and saying goodbye.

Sakazuki boarded the Headquarters warship that had come to pick him up.

The ship assigned to transport them was a large warship from Marine Headquarters.

As Sakazuki boarded, gazes turned toward him one after another.

Besides the soldiers on their usual patrols.

There were dozens of young Marines on deck, barely speaking as they sized one another up.

These were all outstanding soldiers recommended to Headquarters by branches across the Four Blues.

When Sakazuki came aboard, many of them frowned inwardly.

Sakazuki's name had spread across the Four Blues, and a reputation like that carried weight.

Young people were naturally inclined to compete.

When they actually saw Sakazuki, most could not help frowning. His build alone dwarfed a great many of them, and then there was that oppressive presence...

Led by a soldier aboard the ship, Sakazuki chose a room and settled in alone.

After Sakazuki disappeared from sight.

Soldiers who knew one another began talking in small groups.

"Whoa, so that's Sakazuki? He really is just like the rumors said."

"Tch, he's just a little bigger. I don't see anything that makes him stronger than me."

"Don't underestimate him. How could he be that famous without some real ability?"

"We've never seen him fight. Who knows whether it's true?"

"Besides, this time it'll come down to actual strength."

"As long as we stand out, our futures will be limitless."

"We can't go around being scared of everything."

"Easier said than done."

"There's still a gap between us and the people from the Grand Line."

"We still have to give it a shot."

"Do you want to spend your whole life stuck in some backwater in the Four Blues?"

"..."

Over the next month, the warship finally finished collecting everyone nominated by the various branches across the Four Blues.

Then it set off for the Grand Line.

After crossing Reverse Mountain, Sakazuki thought they would travel through the Calm Belt straight to Marineford.

But instead, they sailed into the Grand Line.

It made sense. There were still forty years before the story began.

Vegapunk had yet to begin developing warships fitted with Seastone.

On their tenth day in the Grand Line.

An alarm sounded, and Sakazuki immediately dressed and left his quarters.

Wells, the Marine rear admiral in charge of their transport, wore a stern expression.

He barked an order.

"Form ranks!"

Though they were unfamiliar with one another.

They were, after all, outstanding soldiers from their respective branches.

They quickly assembled into orderly ranks.

Wells spoke.

"A pirate ship has been spotted two nautical miles ahead."

"We've confirmed that it belongs to Savage Bone Noss."

"Every one of you is an outstanding soldier recommended by your branch."

"A mere pirate with a bounty of twenty-four million should be no trouble for you, should he?"

As soon as he finished, some of the recruits could not resist whispering among themselves.

Wells roared.

"Silence!"

"I asked you, is there a problem?"

Seeing the Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral lose his temper.

Most of the recruits shuddered inwardly and shouted in unison.

"No!"

Wells nodded.

"Good."

"Pass the order. Increase speed."

"Prepare to board."

At Wells's successive orders, the warship accelerated toward the pirate vessel.

Aboard the Savage Bone.

The lookout shouted.

"Bad news, captain!"

"There's a warship chasing us from behind!"

Savage Bone had just robbed a merchant ship.

He picked up the enormous bone of some unknown beast, still dripping with blood, and laughed.

"Ahahaha! What are you afraid of? Turn us around!"

"I'm Savage Bone Noss, a mighty pirate with a bounty of twenty-four million!"

"How dare one measly warship chase me!!!"

His men cheered excitedly.

"Hahahaha! Boss Savage Bone is invincible!"

"Kill those Marine weaklings!"

"My blade is thirsting for blood!"

"Oh! Oh!"

"Charge!"

Aboard the warship, they watched the pirate ship turn around and charge toward them.

A flicker of disdain crossed Rear Admiral Wells's mind as he ordered.

"Prepare to board."

Then he adjusted his mindset, ready to rescue anyone at a moment's notice.

Although a pirate worth twenty-four million was nothing to him.

He was still a little too much for these promising young Marines.

When only a few hundred meters remained before the ships collided.

While the other recruits were tense.

A cruel smile curled Sakazuki's lips.

He walked to the bow and planted his feet, ignoring everyone's startled looks.

A heart of magma formed over his right hand, swelling and shrinking as though alive.

Magma poured into it continuously, yet the magma heart grew no larger.

When the warship was only a hundred meters from the pirate vessel.

Sakazuki hurled the molten heart in his hand with all his strength.

"Molten Flow Volcano!"

Like a meteor.

It slammed straight into the pirate ship's cabin before the pirates could react.

Boom!

Endless magma burst from the cabin, soaring skyward before raining down.

In an instant, the entire ship became a moving volcano.

"Damn it! What is this?"

"It burns!!!"

"Captain! Help!"

"Aaaah!!"

Unfortunately, no one came to save them. As for their captain.

By a terrible stroke of luck, he had been standing right above the eruption.

Without even a chance to react, he was instantly reduced to ashes.

By the time the two ships met, everyone stared at the half-sunken pirate vessel.

They fell silent, their gazes fixed on Sakazuki.

A feeling called fear flickered through every heart...

Countless pirates were engulfed in magma, their bodies melting away.

Severed limbs littered the ship, and every one of them had died with despair and terror etched across their faces...

(I recommend starting after chapter 48.)

(This is my first novel, and the early chapters are pretty rough. Mostly, I'm just too lazy to revise them. Overhauling all forty-eight chapters would be way too much trouble...)

(P.S. Chapter 50 features a fight against Roger, and chapter 67 has an alternate Summit War in which Whitebeard dies. Characters like "Ace" and "Uta" either die before they're born or meet especially gruesome ends. If you're a pirate fan, you can leave now. Don't get that far, find you can't accept it, and start complaining about this and that. This is a serious warning. Don't say I didn't tell you.)