75. Luffy's Reward, All Members Soar

"What?"

"Just about strength?"

"Admiral title?"

Sengoku's words really shook things up.

The Marines, as a military force, have been around for ages with their own system of promotions.

Unlike pirates who can climb to the top with sheer strength, Marines can't just muscle their way into high positions. Even if they're strong, they need the right qualifications and contributions.

Take Admiral Kizaru, for example. He was a powerhouse before he even joined the Marines at 26. Now, as a Marine, he's practically unstoppable. But even with his strength, he had to start as a recruit.

It took him nearly a decade to climb to the rank of Admiral. A pirate with Kizaru's strength could've reached such heights much quicker.

That's just how the Marines work. Justice is all about order and structure.

But now, it seems like they're shaking things up, challenging the very system they've built.

Strength over qualifications? It's like they don't care about character anymore.

Sure, the current Marines aren't all saints. Some Vice Admirals play dirty, and higher-ups turn a blind eye.

But promoting someone straight to Admiral just because they're strong? That's not fair to all the hardworking Marines who've earned their stripes, like Vice Admirals Gion and Chaton.

When Sengoku was questioned about it, Tsuru, a top Marine officer, voiced her concerns. She knows this could boost their strength in the short term, but it could mess up the whole system.

Garp stayed silent, sipping his tea. He trusts Sengoku and Tsuru to weigh all the options.

Zephyr, lost in thought, hadn't considered these matters in a long time. He used to be in the loop, but after losing his arm and seeking revenge, he distanced himself from high-level affairs.

Aokiji, always considerate, opposed the idea. He worried it would overshadow the hard work of lower-ranked Marines who've been fighting tooth and nail.

He knows firsthand how much they've sacrificed, and promoting outsiders could erase their efforts.

But Akainu, fiery as ever, saw it differently. He believed the failed war revealed the Marine's weakness. To combat pirates, they need more power, plain and simple.

His fists clenched, his passion burning. He couldn't forget the humiliation of being defeated by a mere boy with a straw hat.

Pirates can't keep running wild. It's time for Marine to step up.

"What do you think, Kizaru?"

Sengoku turned to Kizaru, who was gazing upwards, his mouth twisted in a smirk.

"Me?"

Kizaru was taken aback by the question, then quickly put on a sheepish expression. "I think they both have valid points," he replied. "Aokiji's concerns about the lower-ranked Marines' interests and Sakazuki's idea of expanding our power both hold weight."

"It's a tough call."

Upon hearing Kizaru's response, Sengoku couldn't help but rub the space between his brows, feeling a headache coming on.

This guy always plays both sides.

Kizaru was originally brought in by Sengoku himself. Zephyr acted as his mentor, guiding him much like Garp did with Aokiji.

So Sengoku knew Kizaru well.

He had no issues with intelligence or strength. It was his personality that was the problem—vague, aloof, and detached.

Despite being a Marine Admiral, those who knew him well saw him as more of a mercenary within the ranks.

While others worked, he'd go fishing. While others fought, he'd watch movies. Punch in, punch out.

Aside from Garp, Kizaru was the most lackadaisical guy in the Marines.

"Forget it. I'll report your stance on this matter," Sengoku sighed. "But it seems likely that the World Government will push for a mass promotion. We suffered a heavy loss in the recent war."

"Anything else? If not, I'll be setting sail."

Zephyr calmly opened his eyes.

He still had pirates to hunt, and the Summit War had kept him grounded for days.

Sengoku waved his hand in resignation.

"Oh, one more thing, Kizaru. Get prepared to head to Egghead."

Sengoku suddenly remembered something and addressed Kizaru.

"Did the old man unearth something dangerous again?" Kizaru asked.

But it was no secret. He was originally tasked with guarding Vegapunk but got reassigned due to the recent conflict.

In truth, he rather liked the job of Vegapunk's bodyguard.

Vegapunk wasn't like those snobbish Celestial Dragons, and Egghead had its comforts.

Plus, the fishing was top-notch.

Vegapunk was usually busy with research, and Egghead's defences were solid. Kizaru hardly had to lift a finger.

"Almost. The government plans to transfer a load of resources to Egghead for Vegapunk's experiments, and you're in charge of escorting them."

"Got it. I'll get ready right away."

Kizaru rose slowly, swaying as he made his way out, a spring in his step.

"After the escort mission, I'll stick around Egghead, Chief Sengoku."

"No, you're heading straight to the New World. You're on standby for actions against the Four Emperors," came Sengoku's voice from behind.

Kizaru visibly tensed, then let out a soft sigh and departed.

Sabaody Archipelago, playground.

The Straw Hat Pirates gathered around a newspaper, cheering.

"Luffy, you're famous!"

Nami pointed to a photo of Luffy in the paper.

As the hero of the war, Luffy was front and centre.

"The captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy, the boy who faced an Admiral head-on. Behind him stood several giants."

"According to our sources, the straw hat Luffy wears once belonged to Pirate King Gol D. Roger, then it passed to Shanks, and now it's on Luffy's head."

"Given the achievements of these three, it's safe to say this hat holds immense power. Anyone who wears it sees a huge boost in strength."

"Also, Luffy, the Straw Hat Kid, has blood as prestigious as Fire Fist Ace. His father is none other than the infamous leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon, making him heir to the most notorious lineage."

"With such a background, the Straw Hat Boy managed to rise to the top of the sea and take down Admiral Sakazuki before he even hit twenty."

"Sounds a bit over the top," Zoro chuckled.

The World Economic News Office had dug up quite a bit of dirt. They even uncovered Gol D. Roger, the original owner of the Straw Hat, and Dragon, Luffy's father, painting a vivid picture of Luffy's heritage.

In essence, the World Economic News report aimed to highlight two key points: First, Luffy had inherited the power and legacy of many formidable figures, explaining his strength. Second, it attributed Marine's recent failure to Luffy's power and the emergence of two Emperors.

It was an attempt to shift blame from the Marine's shortcomings to the Straw Hat Pirates' strength, aiming to instil fear in the public and mitigate the fallout from the Summit War.

"Luffy's bounty..."

"5.1 Billion Berries?"

"Is that for real?"

Nami squinted at the newspaper, rubbing her eyes to make sure she read it correctly. It was indeed 5.1 billion Berries—a staggering amount.

To Nami, it was like seeing a mountain of gold. They had scored big on Sky Island, selling only 300 million Berries' worth of gold. Now, Luffy's bounty alone was seventeen times that.

"There's more," Usopp pointed to a paragraph below Luffy's bounty and read aloud. "The Five Elders, the world's most powerful figures, set Luffy's bounty. Interestingly, it surpasses even Whitebeard's, second only to Gol D. Roger's. This solidifies Straw Hat's position above the Emperors."

"Wow, Whitebeard's bounty is crazy high," Usopp remarked.

"5.1 billion Berries... It's grown quite a bit," Luffy chuckled, adjusting his straw hat.

For pirates, bounties were like badges of honour, and seeing his own climb so high was both thrilling and humbling.

"Yeah, it's quite the bounty."

Nami stared at Luffy with wide eyes as if she were looking at a walking treasure trove.

"Hey, Nami, your gaze is kinda intense," Usopp teased. "You're not thinking of selling Luffy, are you?"

"What are you talking about, Usopp? You crack me up," Nami chuckled, giving Usopp's shoulder a playful pat.

But then her expression turned serious as she grabbed Luffy's shoulders firmly. "Why are you worth so much money, Luffy?"

"Hey now, don't go saying stuff like that," Usopp sighed, shaking his head. "Our captain's got a heart of gold."

"Look, our bounties," Zoro and Sanji grabbed the newspaper and scanned it.

"What? Mine's way lower than Luffy's," Zoro grumbled, though a grin tugged at his lips. Two billion Berries was nothing to scoff at.

Sanji, on the other hand, was over the moon. "Yes! Finally, a bounty that does justice to my looks!" he exclaimed, dropping to his knees in excitement.

"Hey, Sanji, there's another bounty list here, and you're on it twice," Usopp pointed out, flipping through the paper.

Sanji's previous abstract portrait-style bounty was on one side, while his latest, showcasing his true handsome self, adorned the other.

"NO!" Sanji groaned, holding his head. "Just give me the old amount."

"You wish, stinky cook. Your pretty face ain't worth half as much as the second one," Zoro taunted.

"You wanna fight, you shitty swordsman?" Sanji retorted, stomping on Zoro's blade. "If it weren't for you guys, I'd have a bounty of two billion!"

"Enough with the bickering, you two," Usopp interrupted. But his laughter turned to shock as he reached his own bounty.

"Why's mine only 1.5 billion Berries?" Usopp exclaimed, his face draining of colour. "I'm gonna get hunted down by bounty hunters!"

And why was his bounty so high anyway? While Sanji and Zoro were negotiating with Admirals during the Summit War, he was just taking potshots at the Moby Dick. Yet his bounty was almost on par with theirs.

What Usopp didn't realize was that his pivotal sniper shot, deflecting Sengoku's attack at a crucial moment, etched him firmly in Sengoku's memory.

It's safe to say that if Usopp and Fire Fist Ace hadn't fallen, Marine's defeat at the Summit War wouldn't have been as pronounced.

With that in mind, Sengoku decided to boost Usopp's bounty higher than the defeated Chopper's.

Soon enough, Nami joined Usopp, her head in her hands, looking as grey as ever. Though her bounty wasn't as high as Usopp's, it had still skyrocketed to 500 million.

That hefty sum left her feeling a bit uneasy.

"Heh, quite the jump," Robin remarked, glancing at her own bounty. Hers had shot up to 800 million Berries simply for being a Straw Hat Pirate and a surviving scholar of Ohara.

"No more fifty Berrys," Chopper muttered, almost on the verge of tears as he looked at his new bounty.

Back in Enies Lobby, he'd held his own pretty well. But he ended up with a mere fifty Baileys, labelled as a pet.

This time around, however, the Summit War had washed away that humiliation. Finally, he was recognized for more than just a cute face.

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