Chapter 79: The Fourth Admiral
A year passed in the blink of an eye.
In that time, the New World had settled into an uneasy calm, likely the lingering effect of the Navy's brutal purge. New pirate crews appeared occasionally, but nowhere near as frequently as before.
The greatest change in the New World, however, was not among the pirates. It was Marine Base G-8. The transformation was staggering. Satoru's own power had grown exponentially, but more impressively, so had the strength of every Marine under his command. They had all mastered the complete Rokushiki. More importantly, they were now proficient in both forms of Haki—Armament and Observation. Individually, each Marine's combat power was now on par with a captain from a standard New World pirate crew. All of it was due to Satoru's relentless, unforgiving training. Without him, they would have remained arrogant, mediocre soldiers, content with their small strength.
Now, they were arrogant only to outsiders. In front of Vice Admiral Satoru, they were as obedient and disciplined as recruits.
The physical base had been utterly transformed. The new fortress was, in many ways, more formidable than Marineford itself. The only thing it lacked was the population. Marineford was a small city, home to families and support staff. G-8 was a pure military garrison. The men stationed here were, by and large, those with nothing left to lose—which was why they'd been willing to serve at the world's most dangerous outpost in the first place.
The reputation of the G-8 Marines now echoed across the New World. Pirate crews that spotted their distinctive ships or insignia would consciously alter course to vanish from sight. No crew wanted to face a force where the average soldier hit like a Captain, and their child commander was rumored to be a monster. Picking a fight with them was suicide.
Honestly, even Satoru wasn't entirely sure of his own current limits. He had thought it would take over two years to reach this point, but his progress had wildly exceeded expectations. He now held a firm confidence: if he faced Kaido again, he would not be nearly as powerless as he was a year ago.
He didn't go seeking a rematch, of course. Provoking Kaido could mean the entire Beast Pirates descending upon his base. He could handle himself, but his men and his hard-built fortress could not.
Surprisingly, Kaido had left him alone. The Beast Pirates had been unusually quiet all year, whether plotting something grand or simply licking their wounds. Satoru had expected constant harassment after their clash, but it never came.
This peace, and Satoru's obvious power-building, had bred quiet resentment at Marineford. Some senior officers viewed G-8 as Satoru's personal warlord domain—a base rivaling Headquarters, with troops nearing its quality. This was an exaggeration—G-8 had no Admirals—but the sentiment was telling.
Their dissatisfaction, however, was bottled up. Satoru's backing was untouchable: the Hero Garp and the legend Zephyr. Challenging him was political suicide.
Still, the murmurs reached Fleet Admiral Sengoku. A pragmatic man, he issued an order: any Marine officer who believed themselves stronger than Vice Admiral Satoru could formally challenge him for command of G-8. Satoru could not refuse.
For a brief, excited period, a stream of ambitious Rear Admirals and even a few Vice Admirals sailed to G-8, dreaming of usurping the prodigy's command.
They severely underestimated the loyalty and skill of the G-8 Marines. Several Rear Admirals were soundly defeated by Satoru's subordinates before they ever laid eyes on him. Only a handful of Vice Admirals made it through to face Satoru personally.
None lasted a single round.
When these results filtered back to Headquarters, a new rumor ignited: Monkey D. Satoru possessed combat power on the level of a Navy Admiral.
Sengoku himself called to verify.
Satoru confirmed it without boast. He hadn't fought an Admiral recently, but he clearly remembered the power Kizaru had displayed a year ago. He felt his current strength was not inferior to that, and perhaps even superior. It was a simple statement of fact.
"Excellent!" Sengoku's voice had been thrilled over the Den Den Mushi. "The position of a fourth Admiral… it's within reach! Stay put at G-8. I will apply to the World Government immediately. I am confident your promotion will be approved!"
"Thank you, Fleet Admiral."
A month of silence followed. Satoru had almost begun to think Sengoku had forgotten.
Then, today, the call came.
"Satoru," Sengoku's voice was heavy, lacking its earlier excitement. "The application for a fourth Admiral has been processed. But there is… complicating news."
Satoru listened, his expression neutral.
"The World Government wishes to appoint their own candidate directly to the position. It is a transparent attempt to insert a watchdog into the Admiralty. However, they have conceded to a contest. You are to battle their chosen agent. The victor claims the title and the position." Sengoku paused. "Tell me truthfully, Satoru. Are you confident?"
A faint, familiar smile touched Satoru's lips. "Don't worry, Marshal. No matter who they send, the victor will be me."
"Good," Sengoku said, his tone firming. "Remember, this is a battle you must win. I will not have a World Government spy sitting among my highest commanders, monitoring our every move."
"Understood."
The line went dead. Satoru lowered the receiver. A Fourth Admiral. A title that came with immense power and visibility. And a battle against a Government-made candidate. He wondered who they would dig up. Some forgotten CP-0 legend? A secret weapon?
It didn't matter. A year ago, he'd stood against an Emperor. Now, he would secure a title that would let him shape the Navy, and the world, from a far greater height. The path was set. He just had to crush whoever stood in his way.
(End of Chapter)
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