As Karl finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted across the entire plaza.
He stood calmly on the platform, wearing a gentle smile, gazing forward. Once the applause gradually died down, Sengoku suddenly snatched the Den Den Mushi from his hand.
Karl: …
"Let us congratulate Vice Admiral Karl once again!"
Clap clap clap—
The applause rose again, then slowly faded.
"Next, we invite the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government forces—Kong—to confer the honor upon Karl!"
Thud… thud… thud…
Heavy footsteps echoed as the long-absent former Fleet Admiral, Kong, slowly stepped onto the platform. He stood on Karl's right, with Sengoku on the left—forming a tight, imposing presence around him.
"Good heavens! It's former Fleet Admiral Kong!"
"Tch… another terrifying figure…"
After stepping forward, Kong took the Den Den Mushi and cleared his throat lightly.
"The Marines have produced another hero. As Commander-in-Chief, I am deeply gratified. This proves that the Marines have worthy successors…"
…
"Therefore, in the presence of all, I hereby confer upon Vice Admiral Karl—the Hero's Medal!!!"
He opened a pristine white box, revealing an exquisite medal inside. Its material might not have been the most precious—but it carried the highest honor imaginable.
Kong personally pinned the medal onto Karl's left chest.
Then, placing a firm arm around Karl's shoulder, he faced forward and roared:
"All Marines—salute our new hero, Karl!!!"
Whoosh—
Every seated Marine officer stood up simultaneously and saluted.
On the other side, the three Admirals—Kuzan, Borsalino, and Sakazuki—also rose to their feet, their expressions solemn as they looked toward Karl.
At that moment—
Whether those watching in person or those viewing the live broadcast across the seas, emotions surged within them.
But for pirates, the feeling was… complicated.
The sea still belonged to the Marines.
Two Marine heroes. Three Admirals. Countless officers—all fighting toward a common goal.
And pirates?
Anyone could be their enemy—even their own crewmates.
As for a shared goal?
…Well, perhaps there was one.
Finding Roger's treasure.
Maybe.
East Blue – Loguetown
Smoker watched the screen, grinning as he saw Karl wearing the Hero's Medal.
Karl… I'll catch up to you. Just wait!
North Blue – Branch 108
Karl's former superior, Commodore Charles, beamed with pride.
"See that? Karl was trained by me! He came from Branch 108!"
"Really, sir? What was Vice Admiral Karl like before? Tell us!"
"Hahaha! When I first noticed him, he was just a chore boy…"
As the broadcast ended, the conferment ceremony officially came to a close.
System Notifications
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for unlocking the special title: Marine Hero."
"Daily rewards upgraded to:
1 Advanced Attribute Enhancement Card per dayRandom rewards ×5Increased chance of rare rewards"
"Ding! Special skill acquired: Justice Bringer"
Effect:
When fighting enemies of the evil faction:
Every 60 minutes, all attributes increase by 1% (max 50%)Conqueror's Haki pressure effect +100%
Karl inhaled sharply.
An unexpected bonus?!
The daily reward upgrade didn't excite him much anymore—at his level, those boosts were minor and required long-term accumulation.
But Justice Bringer?
That was a monster skill.
At his current level, battles against equals could easily last days.
Meaning—
He could stack the full 50% boost.
A 50% increase in all attributes…
Who could outlast him now?
Even Kaido—or even Edward Newgate—would have to think twice before fighting him.
Karl couldn't help but smile brightly.
But realizing people were still watching, he quickly restrained himself and put on a serious expression.
A journalist snapped a photo with a Den Den Mushi.
A masterpiece was born.
In the image:
Karl stood tall, arms crossed, bathed in sunlight.
The Hero's Medal gleamed on his chest, while his Justice cloak fluttered in the sea breeze behind him.
The next day, the photo made headlines across the world.
A new Marine Hero had risen.
The Next Day
"Karl, wake up!"
"Mmm… why? Don't you know I have a week off?"
Ain pushed away the hand wandering across her chest and said irritably:
"You may be resting, but I'm not. Sigh… I really miss the old days."
Karl sat up, smiling.
"Oh? You miss being my little adjutant?"
"…Yeah. It was better than now. We haven't even gone on a date in ages."
Karl gently brushed her blue wavy hair.
"If that's the case, I'll talk to Sengoku and transfer you back to HQ. You can help Zephyr train recruits. How about that?"
Ain's eyes lit up—but she quickly shook her head.
"Forget it. If I still can't work with you, I'd rather stay as I am."
"Oh… I see. Then be careful. I'm… going back to sleep."
Ain sighed, got dressed, and quietly left the room.
By the time Karl woke again, the sun was already high.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Hmm? Sister Gion, what's up?"
Gion smiled.
"I heard from Ain that you're on break?"
"Yeah, but I'll be busy afterward… you know, being a Marine Hero and all."
She chuckled and handed him a golden card.
"Here. A VIP card for the Golden City. It's very popular lately. If you're bored, go have some fun."
"Golden City?"
Karl examined the card.
Perfect timing.
He still had a mountain of gold stored in his system space that hadn't been converted into Berries.
There weren't many places in the world capable of handling that much gold—but the Golden City definitely could.
"Is this yours?"
Gion shook her head.
"No. Tokikake forced it on me. I don't have time to go anyway—so why not scout it out for me?"
Karl grinned.
"That's exactly what I needed! I was just wondering where to go. Thanks, Sister Gion!"
She waved him off.
"No need to thank me. I'm off!"
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