Marine Headquarters.
Griffin awoke after being unconscious for a week.
In a hospital room by the window, he leaned against the hospital bed, reading the latest issue of the World Economic Journal.
...
Kari's bounty had been updated.
Special bounty, capture alive only.
Once captured, after completing the relevant procedures, permission was granted to escort them to the Holy Land to claim 3 billion Berries or treasures of equivalent value.
This was the information in the second edition.
At the strong request of the World Government, the front page was occupied by the highly accomplished Marine rising star.
...
Marine Headquarters omitted the information about Griffin's failure to properly protect Luo, emphasizing that Griffin had voluntarily taken on the task of protecting the World Nobles while reporting for duty at Headquarters.
Just like repelling the Red Hair Pirates in the West Blue, this Marine rising star had once again completed his mission.
The zero casualty rate provided a great sense of security to the various affiliate nations and nobles.
It was said that several small countries had even voluntarily applied to join the World Government because of this battle, willingly offering Celestial Tribute.
...
With Sengoku assuming the position of Marine Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki and Borsalino being promoted to Admirals, and the legendary hero Garp and monster-level Kuzan among the Vice Admirals...
Griffin's emergence demonstrated that the new generation of Marines also had formidable fighters to showcase.
Whether a large organization has worthy successors is crucial.
Like military and political institutions during wartime, a qualified successor is key to uniting people's hearts.
Originally limited by the Marine recruitment model and training periods, the Marine new generation wasn't expected to produce any notable figures.
Even those like Akainu and Kizaru only began to show their talents in their twenties, earning the title of "monsters" during the Officer Training Camp.
This gave people on the seas an impression.
Among those of the same age, pirates were far stronger than Marines.
This would lead some ignorant young children to admire young, powerful pirates, thus embarking on a life of crime.
Well, this specifically refers to a certain child with the surname Monkey.
...
They wouldn't consider that although the Marines didn't have many who became famous at a young age, the Marines' period of dominance far exceeded that of pirates.
The late Roger, Shiki who escaped Impel Down after cutting off his own feet and disappeared, Whitebeard who started relying on medication...
Sengoku and Garp, who competed with them in the same era, hadn't declined much in capability.
This was the difference between wild growth and systematic cultivation.
...
Thus, Griffin's value was even more prominent.
While Sengoku valued Griffin's appearance on one hand, if Griffin only had a handsome face without any real strength, he wouldn't have considered promoting him so vigorously.
Beauty and strength combined make a trump card, but either alone is a losing game.
Ultimately, what matters most on the seas is power.
...
In the original timeline, when Akainu assumed the position of Fleet Admiral, why could he tolerate Koby who prevented him from executing pirates?
Even considering Garp's influence, the more important reason was...
Among Marines of the same age, there really wasn't anyone stronger than Koby.
No matter how dissatisfied Akainu was with Koby, he could only grudgingly accept it, promoting Koby as a hero for the sake of the bigger picture.
The Marines desperately needed a young powerhouse.
This was the way of a faction leader—one couldn't act solely on personal preferences, but had to prioritize the bigger picture.
Even if...
It meant ordering the execution of one's own mentor, or going against a brother's wishes by making him kill his closest friend.
——
——
According to newspaper records, this incident could entirely be described as Griffin's solo performance.
He single-handedly rescued the Celestial Dragons and effortlessly suppressed the rioters.
His Conqueror's Haki forced the Beasts Pirates' executives to retreat, leaving them too terrified to move.
He drove the murderer of the Celestial Dragons to such desperation that the culprit had to self-destruct to escape, ending in utter disgrace.
Due to the subsequent investigation into Boa Hancock, even Hawkeye's appearance was omitted from reports, downplaying the influence of the Seven Warlords of the Sea in this incident.
Even Kizaru's actions in protecting everyone were credited to Griffin instead.
...
Kizaru probably didn't care—he was already a Marine Admiral with no ambition for further promotion, so merits were meaningless to him.
Perhaps he only cared about when he could retire.
The Marines' reporting wasn't exactly twisting the facts, at most it was polished with some "unimportant" details omitted.
For example, the critically injured Griffin was sent back to headquarters by Kizaru, where doctors determined he needed at least three months of bed rest.
This diagnosis already accounted for his extraordinary recovery ability—an ordinary person would have died multiple times over from such injuries.
——
——
The impact of this incident began spreading with the News Coos.
New World · Uncharted Waters.
A Red Force Ship sailed slowly.
Over half a month earlier, the Red Hair Pirates had concluded their excursion in the East Blue and returned to the grand stage of the New World.
The difference was...
Shanks had lost an arm, officially joining the ranks of "one-armed warriors".
Holding a newspaper in his single hand, he raised an eyebrow.
"HAHAHAHA! Come look at this! That kid's really made a name for himself!"
"Conqueror's Haki... truly remarkable!"
...
"A Marine awakening Conqueror's Haki? Interesting..."
Beckman glanced at the newspaper with a cigarette in his mouth, grinning: "Heh, news about us being driven back by him made the papers again."
Hearing this, Shanks pouted: "That was ages ago, do they have to keep bringing it up?"
"No! Next time we meet that guy, I'm definitely punching him into the sky to vent!"
"Haha, the captain's angry, how scary~"
"Don't think of it that way. This just proves how formidable you are, Captain. The best way for the Marines to build reputation is by riding on your fame!"
...
Shanks' expression immediately brightened as he laughed heartily: "You're right! I'm the great pirate, Red-Haired Shanks!"
"HAHAHAHA, crew! Join me..."
"In charging toward the throne of Pirate Emperor!!"
His single arm raised high, the newspaper was crushed to dust by his formidable Haki, scattering in the wind.
——
——
Uncharted Waters, Unknown Island.
This was one of the Revolutionary Army's bases.
...
"Kuma, are you worried about him?"
Dragon walked over to where Kuma sat cross-legged reading the newspaper, his gaze falling on the pages.
"Iya iya~~"
A pink-haired baby girl crawled energetically across Kuma's shoulder.
Closing the newspaper and carefully tucking it into a book, Kuma turned with a light smile.
"He's not a man who needs my worry."
Dragon nodded, frowning slightly: "But... that Marine troubles me."
"I can tell—your benefactor is wary of that Marine."
"I have a strong premonition that he will be a major obstacle on our path to greatness!"
...
Kuma's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly behind his glasses as he tentatively asked, "Dragon, what do you plan to do?"
Dragon pondered for a moment before shaking his head helplessly.
"I won't do anything. Despite our differing positions, he is a good Marine."
"Taking action to protect slaves under those circumstances proves he's different from the others."
"If possible... I'd actually like to recruit him to join us."
Kuma secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was the only one who knew about the connection between Griffin and Kari. If Dragon were to target Griffin because of Kari, it would put him in a difficult position.
...
"Let's discuss this later..."
Dragon's gaze shifted to the open space ahead, where a boy was brandishing a steel pipe with impressive skill.
This was a child they had coincidentally rescued during their mission at the Goa Kingdom Rubbish Heap, who only remembered that his name was Sabo and that he had once been a noble.
"How is this child doing?"
Kuma smiled slightly. "Sabo has excellent talent and works very hard. He will definitely grow to become a pillar of the Revolutionary Army!"
Dragon looked into the distance, his smile genuine.
"Yes... Once these children grow into pillars, the wind that will overturn the 'World' can begin to blow."
——
——
Marine Headquarters, Griffin's hospital room.
A woman dressed in white with a red tie, wearing a pink half-face fox mask, sat by the hospital bed.
From her visible skin and lower face, one could tell she belonged to the category of beautiful women.
Lucci stood nearby and began the introduction.
"This is an agent from the World Government's direct confidential department, named... sorry Griffin, I can't say."
...
"It's alright to tell him, little Lucci."
"This is someone even the Five Elders have taken notice of~"
Her voice carried a magnetic, seductive quality that could stir desire in ordinary people just from hearing it.
Removing her mask revealed the expected delicate and beautiful face, with dazzling golden hair.
"My apologies for wearing the mask earlier - it's just inconvenient to be seen by too many people."
"Cipher Pol Aigis Zero, Stussy. Pleased to meet you."
"Mr. Griffin."
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