Promoted to Rear Admiral

The New World, Glosha Island.

This was the headquarters of the Flying Pirates.

At present, the Flying Pirates were the greatest power in the New World.

Unless Golden Lion ordered a full-scale sortie,

there would be at least twenty pirate ships in Glosha Island's harbor every day.

In Golden Lion's mind, as long as he could join forces with Roger and make Roger his right-hand man, he could dominate the world and become its king!

At this moment, Golden Lion had only recently woken up and was reading the newspaper.

The headline on the front page caught Golden Lion's attention.

Navy Colonel Victor had captured Count Red alive.

"What a ridiculous joke."

Golden Lion snorted. He had encountered Count Red once before.

At that time, Rocks had invited Count Red.

But Count Red had refused.

Count Red's strength was not weak. However, Golden Lion was confident that he could defeat Count Red in a one-on-one fight.

It would just take a considerable amount of time and come at a certain cost.

Yet a monster like that had actually been captured by a twenty-year-old Navy Colonel.

That was simply impossible!

"Boss, this is a lie fabricated by the Marines, right?"

One of the captains under Golden Lion spoke up.

"This isn't the first time the Marines have done something like this. Isn't that how Garp got his title of hero?"

Golden Lion would never believe the story published in the newspaper.

"The Marines want to create another hero."

"They didn't even say how many casualties there were."

"Maybe Kong and Sengoku helped out too."

In the hall, the Pirate Executives voiced their opinions one after another, all sharing the same view as Golden Lion.

Birds of a feather flocked together.

The pirates willing to follow Golden Lion shared certain traits in their personalities.

Moreover, they were extremely loyal to Golden Lion and trusted his judgment.

"Forget about him. Our target is Roger."

Golden Lion tossed the newspaper aside and spoke dismissively.

Branch G5's Commander-in-Chief's office.

Knock, knock, knock.

Victor knocked repeatedly on the office door.

"Come in."

After hearing Nunn's voice, Victor walked inside.

Nunn gestured for Victor to sit down.

"Uncle Nunn, I heard you wanted to see me?" Victor asked as he sat down.

Nunn handed Victor the fax from Headquarters and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Rear Admiral Victor."

Although Nunn was usually a very stern man, he was genuinely happy that Victor had captured Count Red and successfully been promoted.

Nunn believed that the Andersons would be proud of Victor as well.

Victor took the fax and read it. A faint smile appeared on his face.

Rear Admiral.

That was within his expectations.

At the same time, Victor had also been appointed commander of Headquarters' directly subordinate Special Operations Unit.

The Special Operations Unit at Branch G5 had been renamed the Headquarters' directly subordinate Special Operations Unit.

This was not merely a name change. Its authority had also expanded.

Although Nunn was a Vice Admiral, after the name change, he could no longer command Victor.

Victor was now deployed by Headquarters. To put it more bluntly, he was under the command of the Admirals and Fleet Admiral.

Nunn said to Victor, "Go and celebrate properly for a day."

"Yes!" Victor saluted before turning and leaving.

Victor returned to the Special Operations Unit's barracks.

At this moment, all the Marines in the barracks stopped what they were doing and fell silent.

"I have three things to announce."

Victor waved the fax in his hand as he spoke to everyone.

Eric, Kennard, and the others all looked at Victor.

Victor said, "The first thing is that I have been promoted to Rear Admiral at Headquarters, and the Special Operations Unit has become directly subordinate to Headquarters."

After hearing this, excited expressions appeared on Eric, Kennard, and the others' faces.

As the saying went, when one man attained enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascended to Heaven.

Because of Victor's promotion to Rear Admiral, the Marines who had followed him from the beginning now all had opportunities to be promoted.

"The second thing." Victor raised his hand and held up two fingers. "Everyone is being promoted by one rank."

Eric and the others were stunned at first, then shouted loudly.

"Long live Rear Admiral Victor!"

"Long live Rear Admiral Victor!"

"Long live Rear Admiral Victor!"

The cheers and shouts of fewer than a thousand people resounded throughout Branch G5.

"What is the Special Operations Unit doing?"

"No idea."

"Let's go take a look."

Some curious Marines came to the area near the Special Operations Unit's barracks.

At this moment, Victor clenched his fist.

The instant Victor clenched his fist, the barracks fell silent.

Victor continued, "The third thing."

"Starting tonight, we'll celebrate. I'll cover all the expenses!"

Victor spoke calmly.

"Long live Rear Admiral Victor!"

"Long live Rear Admiral Victor!"

"Long live Rear Admiral Victor!"

The Marines erupted in cheers once again.

"Wright, Connor." At this moment, Victor called out to Wright and Connor.

Wright and Connor came to Victor's side.

Victor patted them both on the shoulders and said, "Starting today, you are promoted to captain and will temporarily serve as staff officers of the Special Operations Unit."

Wright and Connor were dumbfounded.

They had actually been directly appointed as captains!

"Now I need you to do me a favor." Victor spoke to Wright and Connor.

Under Wright and Connor's expectant gazes, Victor said, "Prepare the promotion list for me. Don't leave out a single person."

"Yes!" Wright and Connor nodded at the same time.

Eric was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and Kennard was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

Although the Special Operations Unit had not increased in size, everyone had been promoted by one rank.

A promotion meant a pay raise.

Who would turn down better treatment?

Especially Wright and Connor, who had been appointed as captains by Victor.

Wright and Connor had only begun their internships a few months ago this year, yet they had been directly promoted to captain.

Why had everyone else only risen by one rank?

Wasn't it because they called Victor "senior" and had a closer relationship with him?

Eric, Kennard, and the others began to entertain other thoughts as well.

They needed to maintain a closer relationship with Victor.

Or rather, they had to let Victor see their loyalty.

That way, they could rise through the ranks faster.

The news that Victor had been promoted to Rear Admiral soon spread throughout Branch G5.

Although Sakazuki, Borsalino, and the others had also been promoted,

they had only risen by one rank.

They had gone from Lieutenant Commander to Lieutenant Colonel.

In terms of promotion speed, they lagged behind Victor.

Among the military academy students who had interned alongside Wright, Connor, and the others, some were still senior sergeants or warrant officers.

Just look at Wright and Connor—they had been directly promoted to captain by Victor!

Moreover, Victor was already a Rear Admiral.

He had become a Rear Admiral at the age of twenty and had captured Count Red, whom even an Admiral would have struggled to deal with.

Victor's future was utterly brilliant!

As a result, more and more officers and military academy students who had just begun their internships started entertaining thoughts of their own and drawing closer to Victor.

Only by following a powerhouse like Victor could they have a bright future!