At last, the day of Wright's promotion to Admiral had arrived.
In the 66th sector of the Sabaody Archipelago, where the Marines and the World Government were stationed, enormous display screens had been set up to broadcast the grand promotion ceremony live for the garrisoned troops.
On the opposite side of the island, in the 33rd sector's Sabaody Park, an even larger screen had been installed, drawing massive crowds.
Morgans, who had not been seen in public for quite some time, stood beneath the display screen, his large belly protruding proudly as he led his journalists to the scene.
To openly appear on Sabaody Archipelago after offending the World Government—his dedication to journalism was truly unparalleled.
"Hahaha! The moment has finally arrived! After this ceremony, I, Morgans, will have the biggest scoop of all!"
"Boss, maybe we should keep our voices down..."
His subordinates were sweating profusely. They knew their boss was headstrong, but standing this close to the World Government's base seemed reckless even for him.
"Nonsense! This is a public event! As the world's greatest media mogul, I'm perfectly safe here!"
Morgans' sharp eyes scanned the crowd.
"Unless, of course, they've completely given up all pretense of civility—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Morgans fell silent. His beak hung slightly open in shock.
"That old man... Could it be?!"
The figure he had spotted was an elderly man with long, wavy silver-white hair, a short white beard, and round glasses. A distinct scar ran vertically across his right eye. His sharp gaze and faint, knowing smile were unmistakable.
Wearing shorts and sandals, he casually made his way toward the display screen.
"'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh!"
Morgans muttered under his breath but immediately shut his mouth when he saw Rayleigh glance in his direction with an amused smirk.
Rayleigh had just left Shakky's Rip-Off Bar.
"The fourth Admiral... What an interesting young man."
He chuckled to himself. "I didn't expect the World Government to actually back down. But this will certainly add more pressure on that boy, Shanks."
"This 'Orange Horse' Admiral seems to be an old acquaintance of his. Thanks to him, the Marines have undergone some truly startling changes in recent years."
Recalling what Shanks had told him, Rayleigh shook his head with a wry smile.
"The life of a pirate is only going to get tougher from here... But maybe that's a good thing."
"Only those who can thrive under such pressure are truly worth looking forward to."
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Beneath the towering stage stood four massive golden-framed chairs—the seats of the Admirals.
Beside them were seats reserved for Marine high command and honored guests.
As the ceremony approached, Marine officers began filling the venue. Around the world, people watching the event saw the three sitting Admirals—"Akainu" Sakazuki, "Kizaru" Borsalino, and "Aokiji" Kuzan—already seated in their designated chairs.
The seat closest to them, however, was not occupied by "Hero" Garp as many had expected. Instead, sitting there was a muscular old man with short purple hair, wearing a Justice coat and gold-rimmed glasses.
"That's... the Marine Elite Training Camp's head instructor, former Admiral 'Black Arm' Zephyr!"
"He's seated before Vice Admiral Garp?!"
"This is Vice Admiral Wright's promotion ceremony! The current three Admirals were all Zephyr's direct disciples, and Wright is the fourth!"
"Wait… Does that mean… all four Admirals of this generation were trained by him?!"
"Exactly... It's no surprise he's sitting right after Commander-in-Chief Kong and before Vice Admiral Garp!"
Zephyr's name had become widely recognized since Wright's full record was made public. People were in awe—this man had not just trained four monstrous Admirals but had shaped an entire era of Marines.
Without Zephyr, would these four have reached such heights?
And beyond just the Admirals, nearly all high-ranking officers in the Marine Headquarters had once been his students!
It was no exaggeration to say that this former Admiral had single-handedly forged a Marine generation.
Following Garp were Vice Admiral "Grand Strategist" Tsuru and two Admiral candidates, "Momousagi" Gion and "Chaton" Tokikake, with the remaining Vice Admirals seated further back.
Gion and Tokikake bore no resentment toward Wright being the only one promoted.
"Even if we combined our strengths, we wouldn't warrant a second glance from the World Government, let alone an Admiral's seat."
Tokikake chuckled. "Ah, my dear Gion, since this is such a joyous occasion, why not marry me—"
"I refuse."
Gion shot him a sultry look before resting her hand on the hilt of her famed sword, "Konpira."
"Tsuru-sensei, wasn't the speech you wrote for Wright a bit too long? Will he actually read it all?"
"It'll be fine... Wright knows when to be serious. He'll read the whole thing, no matter how much he dislikes it."
Tsuru's bright eyes glimmered with amusement. "That's precisely why I made it so long—it's a harmless little prank."
"If everyone doted on him like you do, he'd get an inflated ego."
"Sigh~ Doting on him?"
Gion sighed. "That kid doesn't care for such things. To him, I'm just an older sister figure. I can tell."
"He's sealed his emotions away. If someone as outstanding as him even hinted at wanting a partner, Marineford's port would be swarmed with suitors."
"Ugh..."
Tokikake bit his lip, trying not to cry.
To face such an opponent, so strong it wasn't even a contest… What was he supposed to do? Despair...
The other Vice Admirals looked at him with sympathy but wisely stayed silent.
The promotion ceremony proceeded smoothly.
With a calm smile, Wright read through the entire five-to-six-thousand-word speech. A faint golden glow seemed to shimmer around him, adding to the spectacle.
By the time he finished, Kuzan was already nodding off.
As Wright concluded with a final wave of Holy Light, everyone in attendance felt the sheer presence of the newly promoted Admiral, "Orange Horse" Wright.
Dressed in a vivid orange suit, white shirt, black-and-gold tie, polished white shoes, and an Admiral's gold epaulets over his Justice coat with orange cuffs, Wright strode toward the vacant golden chair and exchanged nods with his three senior Admirals.
"In the name of Justice!"
Four voices rang out simultaneously—one sharp and resolute, one casual and carefree, one laid-back and lazy, and the last, a cry that seemed to cut through the firmament themselves!
As Wright took his seat, thunderous applause erupted.
Beneath Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the four Admirals now sat side by side, their overwhelming presence surging like a tidal wave!
Even for the historic Marineford, this was an unprecedented moment.
Across the world, those who believed in Justice echoed the words spoken in unison by the four Admirals.
"In the name of Justice!"
At that moment, the entire world roared in celebration of the declaration!
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