The first half of the Grand Line.
"Bad news, Captain!"
"The Marines! That Marine warship caught up with us again!"
"What?! Hurry, speed up, speed up!"
A wave of panic swept across the pirate ship.
Just yesterday, after raiding a small town, they were throwing a banquet on board.
Then they ran into a Marine warship on patrol.
At first, they were feeling cocky, thinking it was a good opportunity to raise their bounty.
They hadn't even charged in yet...
When the Marine warship suddenly accelerated toward them.
At the same time, volleys of magma bombs rained down from the sky.
The explosions blasted the pirates into a scattered mess—half drunk, half terrified.
If it hadn't been for the sudden weather change in the Grand Line, they would've been in prison already.
They'd been fleeing all night, but that Marine warship still hadn't let up.
...
On the other side.
As the warship picked up speed, the Marine Lieutenant Commander in charge of the cannons turned to Sakazuki and asked:
"Sakazuki-sama, we're in firing range."
"Shall we open fire?"
Sakazuki's cold voice rang out:
"Fire."
"Full speed ahead. Prepare for close-quarters combat."
As the two sides closed in, both began firing simultaneously.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Half of the warship's cannonballs slammed directly into the pirate ship.
They nearly brought it to a complete stop.
The pirates' return fire, fired in panic, missed their mark for the most part.
Only a few cannonballs came close to hitting the Marine warship.
But then, a figure suddenly leaped into the air from the ship, using Geppo to fly toward the incoming shells.
A blade sliced through the air...
Several cannonballs were cut clean in half, plunging harmlessly into the sea. Not a single one touched the Marine ship.
Sakazuki gave a slight nod.
"Well done, Doberman."
Landing back on the deck, Doberman grinned as he heard Sakazuki's praise.
Doberman had been saved by Sakazuki during their Elite Class graduation exam.
Time in the training camp flew by—and it was much more intense than the later Elite Class. The world was now in total chaos, especially with the rise of the Rocks-led pirate alliance, which had become increasingly active in recent years.
Because of that, students in the Elite Class barely had time for proper training.
Once they reached the passing threshold, they were quickly dispatched to sea to fight pirates.
Doberman had been rescued during Sakazuki's graduation exam when they passed through a small town. Impressed by his potential, Sakazuki brought him back to Marine Headquarters for training.
Compared to the original timeline, Doberman joined the Marines and the Elite Class several years earlier.
This year, due to the major moves by the Rocks Pirates,
Marine Headquarters was on high alert and preparing for war.
All the instructors at the academy had been deployed.
As a result, this year's new Elite Class had no one to train them.
So Fleet Admiral Kong made a temporary decision to assign students to various warships under officers for field instruction.
When selecting students this time, Sakazuki chose several from the hardliner faction.
He immediately led them on a mission to eradicate pirates.
Over the course of a year, they'd taken down many pirate crews—but not a single prisoner was left alive.
Zephyr noticed this problem.
He spoke to Sakazuki several times, but neither could convince the other...
...
Boom!
As the warship rammed the pirate ship, the already battered vessel nearly split in two, with water flooding the lower decks.
"Finish it quickly."
Sakazuki gave the order.
Marines and students leapt onto the pirate ship and began close combat.
"Don't back down! Fight them to the death!"
"Kill!!!"
With a shout from Captain Renko, the pirates' bloodlust was ignited. Each one wielded a massive blade and charged at the Marines.
"Spring Punch!"
Renko's arm transformed into a spring, coiling tight before lashing out with devastating force. The soldier who failed to dodge died on the spot.
Though the people of the pirate world are naturally strong...
If they meet someone stronger, they're still no different from ordinary humans.
It's like tying a rock to a spring, stretching it dozens of meters,
and then letting go—smashing straight into someone's face...
"Spring Sprint!"
Compressed springs fired Renko's afterimage forward, like a spear repeatedly stabbing and smashing Marines, sending them flying, coughing up blood.
Nearby, Doberman saw what was happening and drew his blade as he charged in:
With a single slash, a blade of air shot forth.
Faintly, the shadow of a roaring beast could be seen in the slash as it tore toward Renko.
Renko turned to block, but the force still knocked him back more than ten steps.
Seizing the opportunity, Doberman pressed the attack, swinging his blade relentlessly.
Renko could only defend passively, getting cut several times in the process.
His movements remained unhindered—it seemed the attacks still weren't strong enough.
But Renko couldn't counterattack, only retreat under pressure.
This was the difference between self-taught brawlers and those trained by professionals.
He was a pirate—he never had a mentor.
Though he had strength, he was clumsy and couldn't grasp openings well.
Still, some things were commendable.
He had clearly fought his way up through life. Even though he was at a disadvantage, his physical endurance was top-notch.
Despite taking many hits from Doberman's frenzied attacks, he kept moving as if unaffected.
Suddenly!
Doberman changed tactics. He slashed again—
Renko raised his hand to block, but at that moment, Doberman extended a single finger with his left hand:
"Shigan!"
It drove straight toward Renko's eye.
Splurt!
"Ahhhhh!!!!"
His left eye burst, and Renko screamed in agony.
Covering his eye with one hand, he staggered backward.
Doberman seized the chance to decapitate him.
His blade dug halfway into Renko's neck—when Renko suddenly dropped his left hand and grabbed the blade.
Adrenaline surging.
Knowing he was finished, Renko went berserk:
"DIEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"
He gripped the blade and yanked it violently.
At such close range, Doberman had no time to dodge.
Just as Renko's spring-loaded right fist was about to smash into him—
A magma bullet shot from Sakazuki's fingertip in the distance.
It slipped between the two fighters and hit Renko directly, BOOM—exploding on impact.
The blast of lava surged over Renko's body.
"GUAAAH!!!"
With a final scream, he fell silent.
Only a pool of magma remained on the deck, bubbling with thick, acrid smoke.
At some point, Sakazuki had appeared a short distance behind Doberman.
This was a training exercise—casualties were inevitable.
But they had to be controlled. With a flick of his finger, more magma bullets shot out, wiping out over half the pirates.
The rest, terrified out of their minds, surrendered en masse.
"Treat the wounded."
With Sakazuki's order, the Marines calmly began tending to the injured. Others were dispatched to gather supplies from the pirate ship.
The remaining Marines returned to the warship on their own.
All the captured pirates were then herded onto the pirate ship.
A group of terrified pirates whispered among themselves:
"Hey... are they letting us go?"
"No way..."
"But they all went back to their ship."
"Uh... let's wait and see. We'll sail away once they leave."
After all, they'd never experienced—or even heard of—being captured and then put back on their own ship.
...
On the other side.
"Report: all prisoners have been secured."
"Also, Headquarters has issued a summons. All officers of Captain rank and above are to report to Marineford."
"Understood."
Hearing the adjutant's report, Sakazuki replied calmly.
A gathering of all senior officers... is that event about to begin?
He silently turned his cold gaze toward the pirate ship.
His right arm turned into flowing magma, forming a massive fist, shrouded in dense black smoke.
"Great Eruption!"
BOOM!
"Set course for home."
"Yes, sir!!!!"
In the year 1484 of the Sea Circle Calendar, as Rocks' ambition grew unchecked, the God Valley Incident erupted...
(Note: The God Valley Arc may contain many inconsistencies, since Oda hasn't drawn it yet… This is a fan creation.)
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