Chapter 29
"But old man, there's one thing you haven't promised me yet," Raion said.
Garp removed his dog-head cap."What's that?"
"My 13 million bounty—you still haven't paid me," Raion replied seriously.
Garp's head seemed to grow larger, his teeth sharpening as he roared at Raion:"Hey! You're a marine now! What bounty are you still talking about?!"
Raion crossed his arms confidently."Master, you have to remember—when I defeated Klick, I wasn't a marine yet. I was a pirate hunter. So, the navy still owes me the money."
What Raion said made sense, leaving Garp speechless."Alright, alright… you win this one…"
"Then, I'll thank you in advance, old man," Raion said with a smirk.
Even though Raion had been defeated by Garp, the Vice Admiral's respect and recognition made him feel anything but defeated. After all, how many people across these seas could even stand toe-to-toe with 'Iron Fist' Garp?
I must become stronger, Raion vowed to himself silently.
Now that Raion had officially joined the navy, there was no reason for Joseph and Johnny to keep following him.
A day later, Raion gave his boat to the two brothers. They were overjoyed and stood on the deck—Joseph on the left, Johnny on the right—looking as coordinated as ever with machetes strapped to their waists and fists pressed under their chins.
Joseph: "Brother… we've known each other only a short time, but you've taken such good care of us."Johnny: "We've never admired anyone before, but you're the first."Joseph: "Next time we meet, we hope we'll be as strong as you, big brother."
Raion smiled at them."Well, by the time we meet again, I might already be the Marshal of the Navy Headquarters. You two better work hard and get stronger!"
Johnny: "We will."
Tears streamed down both of their faces as they cried."Brother, take care of yourself! We'll be leaving now…"
Watching their emotional farewell, Raion chuckled softly."Until we meet again. If I ever hear you're in trouble, I'll definitely come to help."
After bidding them farewell, Raion collected his 13 million bounty from the 153rd Branch.
Once alone, he activated the Hokage System again. A notification popped up, filling him with excitement:
Your ninja rank has reached Chunin (Intermediate). You can now perform your first Bloodline Limit draw. The first draw costs 10 million Beli.Confirm draw?
Raion didn't hesitate and pressed "OK."
Ten cards with glowing orange "Nin" symbols appeared before him. He selected the fifth card from the right. Slowly, the card flipped over—revealing its secret.
Sharingan: A powerful dōjutsu, the bloodline ability of the Uchiha Clan, descendants of Indra, the elder son of the Sage of Six Paths. It has the potential to evolve further.
The card dissolved into a warm orange light and merged into Raion's body.
The system then prompted:
Since Bloodline Limits drastically enhance a host's power, the costs will escalate. The first draw costs 10 million Beli, the second 100 million, the third 1 billion, and so forth. Multiple bloodlines can be obtained if you have enough resources.
Sharingan… is this real?
Everything felt like a dream.
"Let's test it…" Raion muttered.
Sharingan—activate!
He found a nearby mirror and stared into it. Two crimson tomoe spun in each of his eyes.
"Double tomoe Sharingan?!" Raion was stunned.
Looking at his reflection, he felt an overwhelming surge of ambition. He could almost envision a future filled with the legendary powers of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Kamui… and even Susanoo!
But for now, he wasn't fully adapted to the Sharingan. His chakra was draining rapidly, so he deactivated it, returning his eyes to normal.
The surprises didn't end there.
After acquiring the Sharingan, Raion still had 3 million Beli remaining. Adding the 1.8 million he had saved before, he now had over 4.8 million Beli.
He opened the Ninjutsu System and performed two C-rank draws, obtaining:
Lion Combo (C-rank): A taijutsu move that kicks the enemy into the air before striking them with a finishing blow.
Wind Style – Great Breakthrough (C-rank): A gust of wind released from the mouth to push enemies away. Its damage is limited, but its utility is high.
With his newly awakened Sharingan and these additional techniques, Raion's personal stats updated as follows:
Raion
Gender: Male
Age: 16
Ninja Rank: Chunin (Intermediate)
Bloodline Limit / Tailed Beast: Sharingan (currently 2-tomoe)
Ninjutsu:
Lightning Style – Chidori Stream (A-rank)
Lightning Sword – Chidori Blade (B-rank)
White Blade (D-rank, custom)
Rasengan (A-rank)
Giant Rasengan (A-rank)
Fire Style – Fireball Jutsu (C-rank)
Water Style – Water Turbulence (C-rank)
Lightning Style – Earth Walk (C-rank)
Flying Thunder God Slash (B-rank)
Lion Combo (C-rank)
Wind Style – Great Breakthrough (C-rank)
Inventory (ninja gear/weapons): 2 Sealing Scrolls, 10 Kunai
Summon Beast: None
Sage Mode: Not unlocked
Chakra Reserve: 67,507,200
Reading through his "resume," Raion nodded in satisfaction.
Now that he had officially joined the navy, he waited for Garp's assignment.
To be fair, there was nothing wrong with joining the marines—especially under Garp's command. This would give him direct access to Marineford, the Navy Headquarters, and allow him to see the New World up close.
Given Raion's strength—enough to crush a seasoned lieutenant colonel—many of the 153rd Branch marines assumed he would be given a rank of at least Lieutenant or even Major upon entry.
But Garp shocked everyone by giving Raion… the rank of Third-Class Seaman.
153rd Branch – Colonel's Office
Raion's jaw dropped."Old man, is this a joke? With my skills, this rank is ridiculous!"
But Garp only laughed heartily."Brat, you're still too young. If I take you straight to Marineford and hand you a high rank, it'll stir up jealousy. People will doubt your loyalty. You're still an unknown face."
Raion narrowed his eyes."Wait, are you saying I'm just a Third-Class Seaman… but at Headquarters level?"
Garp grinned."Exactly. I'm sending you to Loguetown for training first. Once you've proven yourself, I'll personally take you back to Headquarters."
Despite his carefree demeanor, Garp was sharp and calculating. He recognized Raion's potential but also understood the political risks of elevating him too quickly. If Raion ever defected, it would reflect badly on the marines.
By assigning him to Loguetown, Garp could test Raion's resolve, let him adapt to marine life, and ensure that when he did arrive at Marineford, he would be both respected and accepted.