1 Zero To hero
Explosions came and went across the vast frozen battlefield, with two enormous waves of ice enclosing the place as if it were the execution ground of God. In this field, the battle between the marines, the men who upheld world justice, and the pirates of the most powerful crew known in these times, the pirates of Shirohige and their allies, was unfolding.
While men with devastating powers unleashed all their strength on the battlefield to the point of altering its very structure, the weaker ones could only shoot or use their own bodies to try to survive in a field that could be defined as a frozen hell.
Among those poor souls who exerted all their effort to survive in such a sea of blood, there was a young man of average height for a human. He was a young man with disheveled black hair, messier than usual due to the recoil of his weapon and gunpowder. With his rifle, he tried to defend his front against Shirohige's pirates who were approaching to fulfill their objective - to save their captured commander.
This young man, with eyes that resembled those of a fish, was utterly terrified. He could only fire relentlessly, hoping to prevent himself from being killed. His name was Hachiman Hikigaya, a 23-year-old recently promoted to a first-class private in the 108th division of the marines. He had come along with his captain and several other men to fight in the war.
He was a young man without anything special, much like many of those gathered around him, who were nothing more than cannon fodder, testing whether they could even slow down the pirates' advance with their lifeless bodies. Therefore, Hachiman Hikigaya wasn't a special young man.
His story was typical of many marines. His father was a marine who had risen to the rank of lieutenant, and his mother was a regular homemaker. He had a little sister who would soon join the marines to follow in the family's footsteps, and grandparents who were simple civilian citizens.
His limited experience and life in times of peace meant that Hachiman wasn't a formidable fighter. Most of his bullets missed as he and his squad tried to shoot as quickly as possible, hoping the barrage of bullets would keep the enemy at bay.
"Fire, damn it! Those sons of bitches can't get close!" shouted a captain, or at least that's what Hachiman thought, as the sounds of the bullets had rendered him deaf.
The war was at its worst for the marines. After the false sense of security when the walls were raised to withstand the might of the powerful Yonko Shirohige, and the powerful attack of Admiral Akainu showed the pirates hell while the Pacifistas prevented their escape.
Hachiman, like many in his group who had been stationed at the rear due to orders, had breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the walls rise. They hoped that they wouldn't be drawn into the battle and that everything would unfold outside the walls during Akainu's devastating attack. However, these feelings of hope quickly dissipated because no one expected that the gates wouldn't be able to remove the giant's massive body.
He had created an opening in the flawless defense with his massive body, using his last ounces of strength to raise the massive ship and allow Shirohige, along with his main force, to enter the plaza.
What had been a moment of safety at the rear had now turned into the very same hell as the main battlefield. Hachiman observed from his position as the powerful Vice-Admirals, whom he had only seen a few times in the academy, were easily stopped by the tremendous strength of the commanders and pirate allies of Shirohige. Meanwhile, he could only provide support from the rear, firing relentlessly alongside others by his side.
Hachiman fired without caring about what was happening around him, as fear had trapped his gaze on the front. He even ignored, out of fear, how some of his comrades around him were brought down by the pirates' bullets. This focus on the front, or rather, the fear, was allowing Hachiman to survive in the midst of the inferno. However, luck always runs out in war, and Hachiman knew it when the worst monster he could face stood before him.
Shirohige had entered the battle, and his mere presence caused low-ranking individuals like Hachiman, or even some of higher hierarchical positions, to feel like fainting or vomiting. For these men, this 666-meter-tall human was the very embodiment of the devil, coming for their souls.
Hachiman, his comrades, other divisions, and even some high-ranking individuals launched themselves in desperation against the powerful man. However, it was all in vain, as a single movement from Shirohige's bison was enough to send all the men and women around soaring through the air, tossed aside as the demon stood before those who remained standing after the attack. It was as if he had merely brushed away insignificant flies, leaving those who deserved to be remembered on the battlefield.
And among those flies was Hachiman. The way he had been effortlessly sent flying became his last memory of the war before the shock of being in the air struck him, rendering him completely unconscious.
But sometimes, flies get lucky. Not long after being sent flying, Hachiman awoke in a house - one of the many houses that, luckily, had withstood Shirohige's initial massive attack that had destroyed a significant portion of Marineford.
Perhaps it was fate, or maybe luck, but Shirohige's impact had caused many pieces of furniture to shift into place, functioning as cushions that saved Hachiman's life. This prevented his body from experiencing immense pain, and amid the fatigue and the fear of having survived, a basic instinct for survival was ignited within Hachiman.
"Hunger, I'm so hungry..." mumbled Hachiman as he exerted effort to get up. Every movement caused immense pain, but adrenaline had worked the miracle of getting him on his feet. He stood and walked, almost crawling, searching around to see if there was any trace of food on the ground or near the entrance. Due to Hachiman's fall, combined with the shockwaves from Shirohige, the house had lost its first floor. Consequently, Hachiman had to dig through debris to find any food.
Hunger, like adrenaline, had driven Hachiman's badly injured body to dig through the rubble. Desperation increases the strength of search, leading Hachiman to discover something unusual.
"A chest, what's a chest doing here?" Hachiman asked aloud, using the sword he carried, specifically the hilt, to break the lock of the chest. Upon opening it, he found a strange green fruit resembling a guava.
Hachiman, wounded and in pain, didn't care because there was a fruit in the chest. He grabbed the fruit and began devouring it.
"Hmp, crunch, hmp, crunch..." were the sounds of Hachiman's bites as he struggled with the fruit. The taste was the most horrible he had ever experienced, but when one is hungry, taste doesn't matter, and Hachiman devoured the whole fruit.
"Damn, this stuff tastes awful, but it sure brings you back to life," Hachiman exclaimed, feeling lighter and renewed after consuming the fruit.
"Now I need to figure out how to get out of here," he muttered, looking around to find the exit, as well as to see if there were any companions nearby, to at least try to rescue their bodies. But then, as if lightning had struck his body, his hairs stood on end.
As if foretelling a disaster, he felt the whole place shaking again, but this time the vibration was much closer. He sensed everything beginning to tremble, and he felt everything starting to collapse.
"Oh, damn it!"
Hachiman yelled as he watched debris start to fall in his direction, and once again, he lost consciousness.
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"Ugh, I'm not liking the feeling of losing consciousness. Wait, where am I?" Hachiman asked as he woke up, staring at a concrete-colored sky and feeling the softness of pillows beneath his head. It was a comfortable softness he would have enjoyed if it weren't for the hundreds of voices that began appearing in his head, causing him a headache.
"We survived / because you had to die / it hurts / I lost a leg, but I'm still alive / pretty, what plans do you have tonight?"
"Ugh, what's going on, and where are all these voices coming from?" Hachiman asked as he covered his ears. Luckily, a man approached him and spoke to him.
"It seems another awakened Haki due to the traumas of war. Sometimes fortune smiles upon the weak, or perhaps it's destiny in your case, young one. You appeared to have gained another power at the end of this war, Corporal Hachiman, or should I say Sergeant, although I wouldn't get too used to that title. Once they learn about the powers you've gained, you'll receive another promotion."
It was the voice of an oval-shaped man who had a fishbone in his mouth as he began jotting things down in his notebook.
"Doctor, what are you talking about?"
"Why don't I show you instead..." the doctor spoke as he swiftly took a scalpel from his pocket and stabbed towards Hachiman's hand. Before Hachiman could do anything to stop the scalpel, it pierced into his hand.
"What the hell are you doing, doctor? Wait a moment, this doesn't hurt. Did I just lose my sense of pain?" Hachiman spoke, alarmed and nervous as he looked at his hand. Instead of seeing blood, he noticed his hand was translucent, as if it were a hologram.
"What's happening to my hand, doctor?" Hachiman spoke anxiously, moving his hand as if nothing was wrong. However, when it collided with the sharp edge of the scalpel, it turned translucent with a purple hue.
"Based on the investigations we conducted on your body while you were unconscious and the accounts of the rescuers who found you, your body was translucent in areas where debris would have been lethal. We concluded that your abilities stem from a Devil Fruit," the doctor explained.
"A Devil Fruit? So that weird, horrible guava of an odd color was a Devil Fruit?... Ah, damn voices, shut up!" Hachiman shouted as he felt the resonance of the voices increase in tone and frequency.
"I'd advise you to calm down so the sounds don't continue to affect you and you can rest. Regarding the Devil Fruit and the properties you've displayed, we've identified it as the Zuma Zuma no Mi."
"Zuma Zuma no Mi...wait, doesn't 'Zuma' mean plasma, doctor?"
"Exactly, and plasma is a natural element. Therefore, you've consumed a Logia-type Devil Fruit."
The doctor's words hit Hachiman hard. He never expected to encounter a Devil Fruit in his entire life, let alone a Logia-type—one of the most powerful types, rivaling even the mythical Zoan fruits.
Hachiman looked at his hand and noticed how it turned translucent at will. Then, he began to think about energy, and a purple energy ball started forming in his hand.
"It's great that you're eager to reveal your powers, but it might be better if you do it elsewhere. There are still many injured people around, and plasma can be explosive..." the doctor spoke calmly, delivering the message clearly. As he did, the energy started to dissipate.
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't worry about it. Just rest, because the headquarters will soon need your services, and life won't be as easy as it was on Bachi Island, where you were stationed as a first-class soldier, Sergeant Hachiman."
With that, the doctor began to move away to attend to other patients, but Hachiman didn't hear him. He was relaxing to avoid hearing the voices by thinking about the island where he had been stationed. Due to his relaxation, he didn't catch what the doctor said before leaving.
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Three days had passed, and Hachiman was summoned to the headquarters. For a marine of his performance, who had recently been promoted to sergeant solely for surviving the war, and whose reputation before the war was being the worst student in academy history to graduate, he was a soldier classified as a third-class soldier. Due to the machinations of corrupt high-ranking officers, he ended up fighting as a first-class soldier.
This unremarkable individual now stood gathered in the headquarters, facing the Fleet Admiral, who had the three Admirals under his command: Kizaru, Aokiji, and Akainu.
In the presence of such figures, Hachiman could only perform one action.
"Hachiman, Sergeant of the 108th division, reporting, sir!" Hachiman shouted at the top of his lungs, trembling with fear, and unintentionally becoming translucent.
"Oh ho, it seems it's true. He acquired a Logia-type Devil Fruit. This brings back memories of my..." Kizaru spoke in a calm voice.
"...," Akainu said nothing, but his gaze left Hachiman paralyzed. Thanks to his recently discovered Haki ability, Hachiman realized that Akainu executed deserters, and he was afraid he might be accused of desertion for being sent flying by Shirohige.
"Don't give the rookie that look, Akainu. You're scaring him," Aokiji said with a relaxed tone, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.
But Hachiman remained as nervous as a dog in a room full of tigers.
"Hachiman, a truly fortunate man to not only acquire Haki but also stumble upon one of the lost Logia fruits, the Zuma Zuma no Mi, all in a single day. Two abilities that can transform what was once a mediocre student into a force that can carry justice to every corner of the world," spoke Sengoku as he examined Hachiman's record.
"We've discussed this and decided that we should support your luck so that it also brings luck to the Marines. Therefore, the first thing you'll be granted is the rank of Lieutenant."
Upon hearing those words, Hachiman couldn't help but smile. He had gone from being a loser to attaining the same rank his father achieved before ending up as an instructor.
"(When my father finds out about the rank I've achieved, he'll be floored. The boy who was his disappointment is now on par with him)," Hachiman thought joyfully as Sengoku continued speaking.
"But this will be temporary, as awakening Haki and possessing the power of a Logia means you deserve an express training to become strong. That's why you'll have a year to enhance all your physical abilities with an instructor chosen by the Marines," Sengoku declared, as a beam of light appeared beside Hachiman, and the figure that was previously seated next to Kizaru was now at his side, trapping him with his arm.
"I've always wanted a paid vacation training a new recruit. Let's bring out your full potential," Kizaru spoke with a smile, his voice calm.
"(Damn, why couldn't it have been Aokiji...)" Hachiman thought with sadness. He had hoped deep down in his heart that his childhood idol would train him, but he understood that Kizaru had the fruit most similar to his own. Plasma and light were quite alike.
"Thank you very much for taking this loser under your wing, Admiral Kizaru-sama. I won't disappoint you," Hachiman shouted as he bowed toward Kizaru.
"Call me Borsalino-senpai. It would make me feel young."
"Yes, Borsalino-senpai."
"It seems you're already getting along. Well, as I was saying, after a year of training and if you meet the minimum requirements to pass, you will be promoted to Commander. You will also be given four individual missions that you must pass to be promoted to Captain."
Sengoku's words left Hachiman surprised. He was already happy with becoming a lieutenant, but he never imagined he could attain the rank his father had always dreamed of and one he had almost obsessively dreamed for himself—the position of Captain.
("(Damn, maybe now I can dream of a higher position... perhaps even become an Admiral!)") Hachiman thought as, for the first time in his life of failures and defeats, his fish-like eyes began to show life.
"And that would be all, Lieutenant Hachiman. But, due to reasons involving your family, you will only be referred to as promoted to Sergeant. You'll have to inform them that you'll be away for a year, out of all contact. You can come up with an excuse, and the Marine will support it. So, good luck with your training."
"Yes, sir. You won't be disappointed, and thank you for this opportunity," Hachiman exclaimed with joy, bowing in a respectful salute before taking his leave with the Marine salute.
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Hachiman knew his life was about to change, but he didn't expect that the last time he would smile would be in front of the most powerful individuals in the Marines and that everything would become suffering.
After sending a letter to his family that he had survived and had been promoted to sergeant, he received congratulations from his entire family for the promotion. He also received a Den Den Mushi call asking when he would return home to celebrate his promotion to sergeant.
Using an excuse of special training for sergeants with the possibility of rising in rank up to lieutenant, Hachiman was able to deceive his family. They gave him their full support and the motivation to use his abilities to pass the training for the first time.
Seeing their enthusiasm, he could already imagine how his younger sister Komachi would brag about him to her friends at the academy. "Maybe Komachi will boast about me with her friends at the academy..." Hachiman had thought with an eternal smile before returning to the inferno.
With Kizaru's personality and attitudes, he was truly a demon of light when it came to training. Hachiman had an exhausting schedule that pushed his body to its limits. For the first two months, he appeared more like a hologram than a living figure due to the exhaustive training of his reflexes and reactions as a Light Logia user.
Light-speed kicks at any given moment meant Hachiman collided with everything in his path. It didn't matter the situation; a light kick always sent him flying. Whether he was eating, sleeping, or even in the bathroom, a light kick struck him to refine his Observation Haki.
For 6 months, Hachiman endured light-speed kicks while learning how to defend against attacks. He managed to develop his first abilities:
Plasma Punch, a simple strike with high-temperature electric particles that could destroy anything in its path.
Plasma Kick, the same as above, but with a kick, which often led to his legs being injured when clashing with Kizaru's light kicks.
Cannon Plasma: A beam of high-temperature plasma energy that, while slower than Kizaru's light attack, was more destructive. These techniques meant nothing to Kizaru, but they granted Hachiman a tremendous power boost that he could never have imagined. For 4 months, Hachiman focused on learning Rokushiki and specializing in 5 of its techniques, thanks to the properties of his fruit:
Soru: The ability to move at extreme speeds.
Geppo: The ability to jump and run on air, granting him aerial mobility.
Shigan: A finger pistol attack delivered with incredible speed and force.
Rankyaku: A technique that releases incredibly fast and powerful air slashes.
Kamie-E: The ability to make his body intangible and pass through solid objects.
Using these as a foundation, he developed new techniques and improved the ones he had learned:
Hachiman Plasma Step: A combination of Soru and Geppo that allows him to move through the air in all directions as if teleporting. It almost surprised Kizaru once before he was kicked away by another light kick.
Gun Plasma: A move where he shapes his fingers into a pistol and rapidly fires plasma shots, faster but with shorter range than Cannon Plasma.
Plasma Kick: Utilizing Rankyaku, he can unleash high-temperature plasma slashes capable of cleanly cutting through trees as if they were made of light.
In the final 2 months, Hachiman practiced Tekkai and Armament Haki. He was able to perfect Tekkai, but he still struggled with Armament Haki. He realized that while he could defend with Tekkai, a strong Haki-infused blow could still knock him down.
This entire period was hellish for Hachiman, and Kizaru never extended a helping hand, forcing him to improve and become a powerful fighter. He was constantly reminded of his weakness to water, to the point where it almost became traumatic.
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At the end of the year, a new man had emerged. The once scrawny 1.75-meter-tall individual had transformed into a semi-muscular 1.82-meter-tall man. What used to convey weakness now exuded an aura of authority. This newfound sense of confidence resonated with Hachiman as he walked toward the Marine Headquarters.
Standing at the door of the Fleet Admiral's office, a bitter memory surfaced in Hachiman's mind. He recalled, through the words of his mentor, that Sengoku-sama had resigned from his position and nominated Aokiji as his successor. However, a powerful faction within the government had favored Akainu, leading to a clash between the two admirals. The confrontation ended with Akainu becoming the new Fleet Admiral, while his childhood idol Aokiji had left the Marines.
Remembering this, Hachiman experienced a period of depression. Yet, he found motivation in his determination to become an admiral himself. He aimed to demonstrate true justice, the kind of justice that might inspire his idol to return to the Marines.
With this driving force in mind, he took a deep breath and entered the Marine Headquarters.
"Lieutenant Hachiman reporting to the Fleet Admiral with training completed, sir!"
His salutation went unnoticed by Akainu, who was reading the report Hachiman had submitted. After taking a deep puff from his cigar, Akainu finally spoke.
¨It seems that your luck can now be called effort. Kizaru showed that you've made good progress, which means your promotion won't be a Marine handout. So, I'll stick with Sengoku's plan..." Akainu's tone was harsh, unsettling Hachiman, especially when he observed the scars Akainu had received in his confrontation with Admiral Aokiji.
"You are no longer a lieutenant. You are now a commander, and your mission to become a captain is next..." Akainu said, producing four papers.
"These four papers contain maps of islands and locations in the four seas surrounding the Grand Line: West Blue, North Blue, South Blue, and East Blue."
"In these three months of the Marine's global recruitment following Kuzan's departure, you will operate as a lone soldier, sailing through these four seas to seek out four pirates or bandits of your choice. The conditions are that you must find one from each sea, and their bounties must be at least the average for that sea. For instance, in East Blue, the pirate cannot have a bounty lower than 3 million berries. Capturing or killing the crew will earn you extra points, as long as you bring the captain in alive. If you kill them, you'll have to find a new one."
Akainu explained, leaving the four maps in front of Hachiman, inviting him to take them. However, just as Hachiman reached for the maps, Akainu slammed his hand on the table.
"Take this seriously, brat. If you fail to capture anyone or only capture one, you'll be demoted to lieutenant. Capture two, and you'll be demoted to lieutenant commander. If you capture three, you'll stay in your current position. The only way you'll ascend is by capturing all four within these three months. After that, forget about Marine handouts, kid. If you want to rise, you'll need to achieve great feats instead of expecting the Marine to hand you everything on a platter."
Akainu's words were fiery, expressing his disdain for the easy path Hachiman was considering. He believed that the path to promotion should be paved with hard work and overcoming challenges.
"Now, brat, take this letter and badge. This will grant you some autonomy for these three months, akin to a bastard Shichibukai. This will be the last assistance you receive, so make good use of it if you don't want to be seen as a failure. Now get out and head straight to the dock area, where you'll be provided with a launch."
Hachiman grasped the message immediately. Offering a respectful bow, he quickly left Akainu's presence.
The message was crystal clear. Instead of celebrating his promotion, Hachiman's first step was to head to the port and the designated area where the Marine would provide him with the vessel he needed to fulfill his mission.
With the help of his badge and the letter, the paperwork to acquire a sleek blue and white speedboat was expedited, to the point where Hachiman didn't even bother remembering the name of the official who processed it. When he saw the boat ready on the water, he set off immediately for his destination in the East Blue. For the second time in his life, he was determined to achieve something significant. Fueled by just his determination and a strong cup of coffee, he left without saying goodbye to anyone or giving any notice.
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And it took me two months – two months of battling against all odds – to achieve my goal and prove to my superior that I was no longer the loser of my records," Hachiman declared, seated atop what appeared to be a mound of unconscious bodies.
"The first encounter was with an arrogant bandit from the East Blue. In a bar, he boasted of a bounty worth ten million berries, using it to strike fear into the hearts of civilians. The fool locked eyes with me and sneered, 'What are you staring at, maggot?' That's when his final taste of freedom transformed into my fist shattering his teeth.
"The second was a pirate attempting to commandeer my vessel in the South Blue. She was a disheveled, overweight woman who began boasting about becoming the next infamous cat burglar. Her bounty was substantial, at fourteen million berries, so I obliterated her ship and took her captive. I left her unfortunate crew at the mercy of the unforgiving sea – I know, it was heartless, but there wasn't enough space on my boat to accommodate them all.
"But it was the third encounter that truly taught me a lesson. A colossal pirate hailing from the North Blue, towering at a staggering three meters, laid waste to an entire city. His bounty totaled twenty million, yet it felt like so much more, owing to his ability as a Zoan fruit user, transforming him into a monstrous moose. His size alone could crush even the sturdiest of captains. Providentially, he wielded the powers of a Logia fruit, oblivious to the existence of Haki. That's when the disparity between fruit abilities became the deciding factor... picture his expression as his techniques proved utterly futile against my ethereal form.
"'You cheating bastard, fight like a man!' he bellowed with every strike that reduced homes to rubble, all while failing to harm me. Swiftly, I subdued him before further destruction could ensue. I commandeered his vessel, providing a more merciful fate by transporting him and his crew to prison – a more benevolent gesture than leaving them stranded at the mercy of the elements.
"And now, here I stand, having concluded my business with you. A formidable novice pirate, with a bounty of fifty million, poised to embark on the Grand Line via the West Blue route. Your reputation and might within these waters surely granted you the audacity to traverse the Grand Line so hastily, nurturing dreams of joining the ranks of the new Supernovas. Alas, fate doesn't always align, even when you possess the knowledge of Haki.
"'You're quite the verbose scoundrel; without your fruit's power, you'd be nothing but a defeated Marine,' the diminutive woman, ensnared within a plasma prison, retorted. It was a technique Hachiman had developed to confine captives within a five-square-meter circular enclosure. Any escape attempt was met with a minor electric shock, effective only if the captive was considerably weakened.
"In this particular case, he had ensnared a girl whose seemingly unthreatening appearance bordered on that of a student. Were it not for the prowess of her Paramecia fruit, Hachiman remained puzzled by its mechanics. Nonetheless, it exhibited the peculiar ability to rewind time by ten seconds, allowing her to seize a fleeting advantage – a short span during which she could land a devastating blow to conclude the confrontation.
"Sadly, her luck faltered in the face of plasma – akin to electricity and light-infused fruits – capable of traversing time through electric charges. Thus, employing his 'Hachiman Plasma Step,' he promptly truncated the apparent ten-second upper hand, decisively toppling her.
"'I reckon the sentiment applies to me as well, but such is life. And now, the divergence between our fruit abilities has proven pivotal. As a captain should, accept the fate you've carved by treading the ill-fated path of your chosen life.'
"With these words, Hachiman embarked upon his final voyage, hopeful that his expedited mission completion might warrant a complimentary month of respite. At long last, life appeared to extend its benevolent smile his way.
"Yet, soon enough, Hachiman would confront the harsh reality that his tenure in the Marines was as tumultuous as he had anticipated."
