The instant Raleigh appeared, the reporters' cameras went into frenzied action, the relentless flashbulbs nearly blinding him.
"Commander Raleigh, look over here!"
"Just one glance, please, Commander Raleigh!"
Reporters along both sides of the red carpet madly pressed their shutters, the continuous clicking sounds echoing along the broad red carpet.
Seated in the front row, Tokikake applauded Raleigh's entrance while remarking sourly.
"This guy really gets to hog all the spotlight today!"
"Damn it! If only this were me instead! You'd definitely like me better this way, right Gion?"
Gion, sitting beside him, rolled her eyes. "Tokikake, don't make me slap you when I'm in a good mood!"
Upon hearing Gion's words, Tokikake turned around and comically shed silent tears.
The glory belonged to Raleigh—and it seemed Gion's attention did, too!
As the journalists transmitted the photographs, countless News Coos carried freshly printed newspapers to all corners of the world.
The name of Christian Raleigh, Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters, spread across the seas, marking Raleigh's first true appearance before the public.
In the newspapers, Raleigh's righteous face occupied two-thirds of the front page, with the Gate of Justice symbolizing the Marines' honor looming behind him.
The headline read:
"Seeking a balance between light and darkness—the justice of equilibrium. Balanced Justice—Christian Raleigh."
Borsalino saw it and muttered under his breath, "What's this 'Balanced Justice'? Sounds a bit like my 'Ambiguous Justice.' But his phrasing is more sophisticated... how scary. Why didn't I think of that?"
Raleigh stepped onto the central stage and, under the gaze of the thousands of spectators, bowed to all sides.
Then, Kong took the microphone from the host, cleared his throat, and said.
"Distinguished guests and colleagues, good morning. Today, it is my great honor to preside over the promotion ceremony of a young Rear Admiral in our ranks to the position of Vice Admiral. This represents the rise of a new generation within our Marines and symbolizes the further strengthening of the forces of justice."
"Now, I hereby announce the orders of the World Government and Marine Headquarters: Former North Blue Commander, Rear Admiral Christian Raleigh, is hereby promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral!"
As Kong's final words echoed, the young Marines in the audience were already brimming with excitement.
One after another, they forgot themselves and shouted, "Justice!"
Even the crews on the warships docked far away in the harbor could hear the roar clearly.
After Kong finished speaking, he handed the microphone to Raleigh and took a step back, leaving the stage to him.
Dressed in a sleek black suit paired with the Marine Justice cloak, Raleigh looked exceptionally handsome and dashing.
His expression, however, showed no trace of excitement; instead, it carried a hint of gravity as he began to speak.
"Hello everyone, I am Christian Raleigh. Today, I am deeply honored to participate in this promotion ceremony at Headquarters."
"In the past, I often imagined what it would be like to become a Vice Admiral. Back then, I had no clear understanding of pirates—only that we, the Marines, were meant to fight them."
"But during my postings in the East Blue and North Blue, I truly witnessed the threat pirates pose to the world's safety. For centuries, pirates have been a cancer on the seas, and I prefer to call them... trash."
"They never produce or create anything; instead, they draw their blades over the slightest resources. I once saw a pirate kill an entire family of four over a mere piece of bread. Countless more pirates murder civilians for their wealth and food."
"But this is precisely why the Marines exist. We will never allow pirates to run rampant on the seas—we will round them up and bring them to justice. No matter what kind of enemy we face, the Marines have only one choice: to fight!"
"Whether it's ruthless pirates or cunning Mafia families, we will ensure they face the judgment of justice! Justice will prevail!"
As Raleigh's words concluded, the already fervent younger generation of Marines felt as if they were about to explode with emotion.
Their blood boiled, and many were eager to immediately set sail to hunt down pirates just to celebrate.
Even the seasoned veterans, whose minds had been tempered and steadied through years of battle, were somewhat stirred by Raleigh's words.
If nothing else, Raleigh certainly knew how to deliver a rousing slogan.
"I've decided—this month, I'm going to capture ten pirates with bounties exceeding fifty million Berries!"
"Bragging, are you? If you can capture ten pirates worth over fifty million, I'll capture fifteen!"
"Care to make a bet?"
"Bet it is! The loser pays for three months' worth of cigars!"
Aside from the boisterous Marines, the journalists were almost completely silent.
Only the soft scratching of pens on paper could be heard.
After listening to Raleigh's speech, they had their own criteria for judgment.
Based on their assessment, they believed Raleigh's address might cause an uproar across the world.
To capitalize on the buzz, they had to publish it as quickly as possible.
After finishing his inauguration speech, Raleigh left the stage with Fleet Admiral Kong.
They left the remaining matters to the host and returned directly to the Fleet Admiral's office.
"Raleigh, now that you've been promoted to Vice Admiral, your current warship is no longer suitable for you. I'll give you a requisition slip later—go to the logistics department and get a new warship."
Raleigh knew there were benefits to being promoted to Vice Admiral, but he hadn't expected them to come this quickly.
What man wouldn't want a ship that was bigger, faster, and more heavily armed?
However, these things weren't attainable with money alone.
If not for the fear of being investigated by Headquarters, Raleigh could have easily afforded to buy even the Fleet Admiral's ship.
"Additionally," Kong continued, "you are now authorized to reasonably expand your crew to three thousand members to meet the demands of anti-piracy operations."
This was one of the Marines' internal protocols.
Some officers were naturally suited to command large numbers in battle, while others were better suited to lead elite squads for surgical strikes against powerful pirates.
This arrangement allowed Raleigh to legally maintain his own military force.
Although three thousand troops might seem insignificant compared to the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lesser foes he might face later, their quality would be far superior.
Raleigh always remembered that this was a superhuman world—where the power of the masses meant little in the face of true strength.
Whether it was Roger, Whitebeard, or the Golden Lion Shiki, for beings at their level, sheer numbers no longer posed a threat.
At most, it would just require a bit more effort to clear them out.
But one must always aim high.
What if Raleigh didn't have three thousand ordinary Marine soldiers, but three thousand Marine Captains?
What if they were three thousand Marine Commodores?!
Raleigh could fully exploit legal loopholes to legitimately control an organization that commanded the most elite force in the world.
Then again, how can one live without dreams?
If one day Raleigh truly possessed such formidable power, that would be the moment he could truly change the world.