The navy member of the G8 base struggled against the overwhelming pressure, his body trembling under the weight of Satoru's Conqueror's Haki. Despite the dizziness, he held on, refusing to completely lose consciousness.
Satoru's use of Conqueror's Haki wasn't particularly intense, but powerful enough to show his dominance. His spiritual power was formidable, but he intentionally kept it at a level just to disorient and unsettle the soldiers, not overwhelm them entirely.
"You've got some real guts, kid," a voice broke the tension. Hearing it, Satoru halted the release of his Haki. Even the Yellow Ape seemed slightly surprised by the familiar voice. No one had mentioned the arrival of this person.
A middle-aged man wearing a navy justice cloak, with graying hair, strode confidently through the crowd, a Den Den Mushi in hand. He stopped in front of Satoru, a grin on his face.
"Yellow Ape, you can head out. This has nothing to do with you," the man said.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp," Yellow Ape nodded, and the warship began to leave the port of the G8 base.
"Long time no see, old man. What brings you here?" Satoru asked, surprised. Until now, his focus had been on the navy at the base, not noticing the presence of Garp. With his Six Eyes, it was strange that he hadn't detected the legendary vice admiral.
"Worried you wouldn't be able to handle things, so Sengoku sent me to back you up," Garp explained. "But it looks like you've got this well in hand."
Satoru chuckled, "I wasn't expecting this kind of power. Conqueror's Haki… Who knew you'd have it?"
"If you know the basics, it's simple to learn," Satoru shrugged, his tone casual.
"Always so confident, huh?" Garp laughed, his eyes shining with amusement. "You're something else, kid."
To the navy soldiers around them, this casual exchange was startling. They hadn't expected their new commander to be so familiar with such an iconic figure, especially the legendary Vice Admiral Garp.
They had thought Satoru might just be another high-ranking officer from a wealthy family, sent to the New World to make his name. But after seeing Garp's approval, they quickly discarded that idea. No one sent their children to the New World to "golden" their way through life—this place was far too dangerous for that.
"Let me introduce you all. Your new base commander is the grandson of Garp here," the vice admiral continued, smiling broadly. "He's also the personal disciple of the Navy's top instructor, Zefa."
The soldiers' eyes widened in shock. This "second-generation" commander had ties to not one but two of the Navy's most powerful figures. With such powerful backing, their new leader was undoubtedly someone not to be taken lightly.
Satoru understood Garp's intentions. By emphasizing his background, Garp wanted to instill respect for Satoru among the soldiers. Despite the earlier display of Conqueror's Haki, some of them were still skeptical. With Garp's backing, it would be harder for anyone to challenge his authority.
"Old man, you don't need to do that," Satoru smiled. "I've got my own ways of handling things."
He then turned to the assembled soldiers. "I know the navy here in the New World is different from other places. You follow the strong. Only those with strength deserve to lead. I may not have the talent to command, but I believe I have the strength to do so."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "If any of you are unconvinced, then come at me. Defeat me, and I'll step down. I'll hand over command without a second thought."
Behind him, Garp looked on proudly, his eyes twinkling. He had no doubt that Satoru was more than capable of handling whatever came his way.
At first, none of the navy soldiers dared to step forward. After all, Garp stood behind Satoru, and the thought of facing the wrath of the legendary vice admiral made them hesitate.
Garp, seeing their reluctance, added with a chuckle, "Don't worry. You can challenge him all you want. If you can touch him, I'll remove him from his position. And I'll also make sure a more experienced lieutenant general is sent to replace him."
This statement had an immediate effect. The soldiers, who had been unsure and intimidated by Garp's presence, now felt compelled to prove themselves. They knew that without a strong commander, they would eventually be wiped out by the pirate forces in the New World. But no one wanted to follow a child, even one with such impressive backing.
"Go ahead," Satoru encouraged, his gaze challenging. "Try your best. But remember, if you can't defeat me, or at least touch me, then you'll have to follow my orders. No complaints."
The soldiers' pride was stung, and they didn't care what background Satoru came from. They had their own pride as well, and they weren't about to bow down to anyone, even if they were Karp's grandson.
The tension in the air was thick. The soldiers knew this was more than just a test of strength—it was a matter of who would hold authority over them.
But the question remained: who would be brave enough to challenge Satoru?