2 Joining the Marine

"Finally, I'm a Logia Devil Fruit user now."

Brontes' voice echoed in the vast expanse of the sky, his laughter mingling with the rustling of the wind. His eyes, reflecting the azure heavens, were filled with a sense of accomplishment and newfound power.

Brontes had just acquired the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, a powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit that granted him the ability to transform into, create, and control lightning. However, his control over this newfound power was still in its infancy.

In a moment of reckless experimentation, he had inadvertently launched himself into the sky at a terrifying speed, only to plummet from the Sky Island.

His descent was a chaotic whirl of wind and fear, the ground rushing up to meet him with an unforgiving inevitability. By some miracle, he landed on an island, narrowly avoiding a watery grave.

As a Devil Fruit user, the sea was his mortal enemy, capable of draining his powers and leaving him helpless. His survival was nothing short of a miracle.

Lying on the warm, welcoming earth, Brontes felt a sense of intimacy with the land that he had never experienced before.

"Gulu!"

His reverie was interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach, a stark reminder of his physical needs. He sat up, clutching his belly, his body still reeling from the exertion of his earlier stunt.

"Where did I fall...?" Brontes mused aloud, his gaze wandering over the towering trees and the blazing sun overhead.

"Gulu! Gulu!"

His stomach growled again, louder this time, and he grimaced: "I need to find food."

He scanned his surroundings for any signs of edible flora, but his search was in vain. His stomach churned with hunger, and he sighed in frustration.

 His gaze drifted westward, where he had spotted a ship during his descent. He couldn't be sure if it belonged to the Marines or Pirates, but at this point, he was desperate.

Taking a deep breath, Brontes pushed himself to his feet, using a thick tree branch as a makeshift crutch. He began his trek towards the west coast, his mind filled with uncertainty and hope.

…..

After a grueling half-hour journey through the dense jungle, Brontes finally reached the coast.

His heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight before him. Tents dotted the beach, and the tantalizing aroma of cooking food wafted through the air. His stomach growled in response, and he winced.

"Who is there?!" A voice rang out, causing Brontes to freeze in his tracks.

A man dressed in a white hat and coat, adorned with a blue anchor symbol, stood up and stared at him warily. Brontes' appearance was far from reassuring, his clothes tattered and his body leaning heavily on a tree branch.

"Marine?!" Brontes gasped, his heart skipping a beat. The ship he had spotted was a marine warship, and the people on the beach were marine troops. He opened his mouth to explain himself, but his stomach had other plans, letting out a loud growl that echoed across the beach.

"Guluu!!!"

The Marine studied Brontes for a moment before breaking into a smile: "It's okay, he's unarmed." Then he said, his gaze softened: "You must be starving. Come here and eat something with us."

Brontes felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"Thank you, thank you very much." Brontes responded, his voice filled with gratitude.

He studied the marine, noting the coat that signified a higher rank. The man was unfamiliar, not someone he remembered from the original work.

Perhaps his current disheveled appearance and solitary status made him seem less threatening, for the marine seemed to harbor no suspicion towards him and invited him to share their meal.

The sight of the roasting meat made Brontes' mouth water.

"Take it." The marine offered, handing him a juicy piece.

As they ate, Brontes shared his story, carefully omitting his descent from Sky Island. He spoke of his origins and birthplace, details that could be easily verified by the Marine's intelligence network. He spun a tale of a shipwreck caused by a giant storm, painting himself as the sole survivor who had washed up on the island.

With no bounty on his head and a clean past, Brontes felt no fear of repercussions.

As they conversed, he learned the identity of his benefactor. The man was Burgi, a Vice-Admiral of the Marine Headquarters. A man in his fifties, Burgi held more seniority than Garp and Sengoku, serving under the same Fleet Admiral, Kong.

From Burgi's words, Brontes pieced together the timeline of his reincarnation. He was approximately thirty years before Luffy would set sail, a conclusion drawn from Burgi's boastful recounting of the Marine's victory over the Rocks Pirates and their notorious captain, Rocks D. Xebec, eight years prior.

Brontes knew that the Rocks Pirates were a formidable crew that had been defeated 38 years before the current storyline.

It was no surprise that Brontes had no recollection of Burgi. In the timeline he was familiar with, Burgi was likely either fallen in battle or a retired old man.

The seas were now teeming with legendary pirates like Edward Newgate, the Whitebeard, Shiki the Golden Lion, Byrnndi World, the World Destroyer, Don Chinjao, and Gol D. Roger.

Brontes was mentally prepared for this, having seen Enel as a child, but he hadn't expected to be thrust into such a pivotal period.

"Almost all the legendary pirates are alive, except Rocks D. Xebec..." Brontes mused, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. The prospect of witnessing these characters in their prime was exhilarating.

"You said you're from the East Sea, right?" Burgi's question snapped Brontes out of his thoughts.

"Yes." he replied promptly.

"Well, we're quite a distance from there. How did you end up in the Grand Line?" Burgi asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

The East Blue was a considerable distance away, and it seemed implausible for a storm to carry someone from there to the Grand Line.

"Our ship encountered a storm and was sucked into the Calm Belts. Then, we were attacked by Sea Kings... I-I was lucky to survive. The others on the ship..." Brontes trailed off, his face a mask of sorrow and fear.

His performance was convincing enough to dispel Burgi's doubts, as such accidents were not unheard of in these treacherous seas.

Burgi pondered for a moment before speaking: "It might be a little troublesome to send you back to the East Blue. How about this, when we return to Marineford, if there's a ship heading to the East Blue, I'll arrange for you to be on it. It would be much safer than going back alone."

Brontes lowered his head, deep in thought. After a long pause, he looked up at Burgi: "Mr. Burgi, you're a Vice Admiral of the Marine, right?"

"Yes." Burgi replied, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, can you recommend me to join the Marine?" Brontes asked, his eyes filled with hope.

Burgi was taken aback, his gaze meeting Brontes' expectant stare. He didn't respond immediately, falling into a thoughtful silence.

Brontes understood Burgi's hesitation. His origins were unknown, and recruiting someone with such a mysterious background into the Marine could potentially lead to problems down the line.

Despite Burgi's silence, Brontes was allowed to stay on the warship and accompany them to Marineford.

Brontes donned the Marine uniform and took on the role of a shiphand, cleaning the warship and blending into the background.

He found himself more aligned with the Marines than the free-spirited pirates. Without the Marine, the world would be in chaos. They were the ones who maintained law and order in the sea, protecting ordinary people from the lawlessness of the pirate world.

Moreover, joining the Marines had its perks. Their training system was renowned as the best in the One Piece World, and Brontes was eager to learn and grow under their guidance.

His journey was just beginning, and he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.