The last thing Kane remembered was the biting chill of the seawater, the crushing pressure of the depths, and the terrifying, pitch-black wave of that final slash.
"Mmm..."
Kane forced his heavy eyelids open. A glare of clinical white light hit his retinas, prompting him to instinctively lift an arm to shield his eyes. Even that simple motion felt like a monumental task. Every bone in his body seemed to groan in protest, and every inch of muscle burned with the lingering soreness of total exhaustion.
"Awake?"
A calm, steady voice drifted from beside the bed. Kane turned his head slowly, his vision gradually sharpening. He recognized the familiar, sterile ceiling of a warship's infirmary. Sitting in a chair nearby was Bogard, his face as unreadable as ever.
The adjutant, who usually moved with the silent invisibility of a shadow, was currently meticulously polishing his sword. He paused, sizing Kane up with a look one might reserve for a rare and dangerous species of animal.
"Mr. Bogard..." Kane's voice was a hoarse whisper. "Where... where am I?"
"On Fleet Admiral Sengoku's flagship."
Bogard slowly sheathed his blade, the steel sliding home with a crisp, final click.
"You have been unconscious for two days. We are currently on our way back to Marineford."
Two days? Kane's thoughts felt heavy and sluggish. He could only recall the overwhelming shockwave of Roger's Divine Departure before everything went black.
"The battle... what happened?" he asked urgently, struggling to sit up. "What about Golden Lion? And Roger?"
"Roger escaped."
Bogard's tone remained flat.
"After that Divine Departure split the sea, the Oro Jackson seized the moment of chaos to break the encirclement. Vice Admiral Garp missed the best window for pursuit because he prioritized pulling you out of the water first."
He got away... Kane sighed inwardly. It was the expected outcome. A man carrying the weight of destiny wasn't going to be taken down by a single storm.
"However," Bogard continued, his voice finally betraying a hint of genuine emotion, "Golden Lion Shiki has been captured."
Kane's heart skipped a beat.
"His grand fleet was completely annihilated. Shiki himself suffered catastrophic head trauma—serious brain damage—and has not regained consciousness. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has already ordered him to be transported directly to the underwater prison, Impel Down."
Bogard paused, giving Kane a long, piercing look.
"The ship's rudder is still lodged in his skull. The doctors didn't dare attempt to remove it. Fleet Admiral Sengoku said that piece of wood is your most brilliant medal as a Marine."
Success!
Kane had to grit his teeth to keep from bursting into laughter right in front of Bogard. To hell with medals! What he wanted were discipline points—tangible, cold, hard benefits.
By capturing the Golden Lion now, the future Shiki who would one day lay waste to Marineford was gone. He had even eliminated Luffy's future movie antagonist before the boy was even born. How much subversion was that worth? How many points would the system spit out?
Seeing that Kane was functional, Bogard stood up. "Rest for now. I will inform the Fleet Admiral and the Vice Admiral of your recovery."
The cabin door closed with a sharp click, leaving Kane in the silence of the infirmary. His eyes snapped open, glowing with a predatory cyan light.
"System! Settle the score! Get out here and show me the money!!!"
Buzz—!
A pale blue light screen flickered into existence on his retina.
[Epic Event Settlement Complete!] [Event Name: Battle of Edd War (Collapsed Version)] [Core Disciplinary Action Determinations:]
[Crime Against Humanity]: Maliciously manipulated a natural disaster, causing the annihilation of tens of thousands of pirates in the Golden Lion's grand fleet. The method was cruel, completely violating the Basic Tenets of Marine Humanitarianism.
[History Alteration]: Forcibly interfered with the outcome of the Battle of Edd War, leading to the capture of the legendary Great Pirate "Golden Lion" Shiki. The Flying Pirates have exited the stage of history prematurely, causing a fracturing collapse in the world order!
[Defiler of Destiny]: Attempted to sink the ship of the Future Pirate King, attempting to strangle the source of the Great Pirate Era. This action severely interfered with the gears of Fate!
[Calculating comprehensive reward...] [Subversion Coefficient: MAX!] [Witness Bonus: Roger, Garp, Sengoku, Rayleigh, and thousands of surviving Marines and pirates.] [Final Reward—Issued!]
[Congratulations, Host! Obtained Discipline Points: 800,000!] [Current Discipline Points Balance: 935,200.]
"Eight... eight hundred thousand?!"
Kane stared at the string of numbers, his breath catching in his throat. He had spent a fortune to survive the encounter, but now he had recovered his principal with interest that had multiplied several times over.
"Struck it rich... I've really hit the jackpot this time..."
Lying back on the pillows, the corners of Kane's mouth curled up into a wild, manic grin. He let out a strange, muffled "heh heh heh" laugh, looking for all the world like the greedy son of a wealthy landlord counting his gold. With this sum, things like Devil Fruit awakening or advanced Haki weren't just dreams—they were items on a shopping list.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed outside the door. Even before the visitor appeared, that iconic, booming voice made the door panel vibrate in its frame.
"Puhahahaha! I told you the kid had nine lives! Getting knocked out by Roger's Haki is a rite of passage! I used to get slashed by that bastard all the time back in the day!"
Kane's eyes sharpened instantly, his mental state shifting in a heartbeat. The greed and ecstasy were buried beneath a mask of professional stoicism. In their place appeared a face of feigned weakness, pale and weary, yet carrying a gaze of unwavering determination.
Oscar Mode: ON.
Bam!
The cabin door was shoved open roughly. Garp's massive frame filled the doorway, with a stern-faced, bespectacled Sengoku following close behind.
"Puhahaha! You're finally awake, kid!"
Garp reached the bedside in three massive strides, his hand—large as a stone slab—slapping down on Kane's shoulder with a heavy thump.
"Cough! Ahem..."
Kane felt his newly mended bones rattle. His face turned a genuine shade of white from the pain.
"Vice Admiral Garp..."
"Well done!" Garp grinned, his face radiating undisguised pride. "Worthy of being one of my men! You actually managed to crack the Golden Lion's skull open! Puhahahaha!"
"Garp! He's still a patient!" Sengoku scolded, walking to the bedside. He peered down at Kane, scrutinizing him through his round glasses.
Kane struggled, making a show of trying to get out of bed to salute. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, this subordinate—"
"Stay down."
Sengoku reached out, pressing a hand to Kane's shoulder. The pressure was gentle but left no room for argument. The future Fleet Admiral's face showed a rare trace of softness and a glimmer of deep appreciation.
"I have heard everything from Bogard."
"To stop the Golden Lion, you did not hesitate to drain your life force to trigger a natural disaster. To defend Marine justice, you even dared to attack Roger himself."
Sengoku took a deep breath, clearly feeling fortunate that the Marines had produced such a talent.
"Kane, you did very well. Truly excellent."
"The capture of Shiki will be the Marines' greatest victory in nearly twenty years. The World Government is giving this high priority. Fleet Admiral Kong himself has personally inquired about your condition."
Kane put on a perfectly timed "overwhelmed" expression, his eyes shining with "pure" conviction. "This was merely my duty. I only regret... that I let Roger escape. That is my incompetence."
"Puhahaha! If you took down both Shiki and Roger on your first voyage, what would us old guys be needed for?" Garp laughed, slapping the edge of the bed. "Don't be greedy, kid! What you did is enough to make this entire sea piss its pants!"
Sengoku nodded, adjusting his glasses as a glint of light flashed across the lenses.
"Kane, given that your achievements are monumental, Headquarters has decided to promote you exceptionally. Also..."
Sengoku lowered his voice, his tone turning meaningful.
"Over at the World Government, someone is very interested in your abilities. Especially that power of yours to 'manipulate the weather.' You should prepare yourself mentally."
The World Government? Kane sneered inwardly. It seemed he had indeed played his hand a bit too loudly, catching the attention of the Celestial Dragons' lapdogs. But wasn't this exactly what he wanted?
The higher his position, the more prestigious the rules he could break. If he could infiltrate Mary Geoise and give the Celestial Dragons a taste of a "righteous backstabbing," the points would be legendary.
"Yes! Understood, sir!" Kane answered with a face full of righteousness, his voice firm. "Please rest assured, Fleet Admiral! No matter where I am or who I face, the justice in my heart will never waver!"
"Good! Well said!" Garp was moved nearly to tears, patting Kane's leg vigorously. "Truly worthy of my choice! Sengoku, after we get back, I'm treating this kid to three days and three nights of senbei!"
A vein throbbed on Sengoku's forehead. "Get out!"
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion