Marineford, Marine Central Hall.
Borsalino donned a brand new Headquarters commissioned officer uniform. The crisp, pure white coat featured black trim, a navy blue Marine logo emblazoned across the back of the cloak, and a belted uniform that accentuated her tall, straight, and sharp silhouette. Dressed in formal military attire, she exuded the aura of a true powerhouse, calm yet formidable.
Marine Headquarters officers of field grade and above were all present, filling the grand hall with a solemn, dignified atmosphere.
High on the platform, Fleet Admiral Kong publicly declared Borsalino's achievements, his voice booming and clear.
"Zephyr's squad achieved great results during this patrol, among which Borsalino's military accomplishments were the most outstanding. Setting out to sea with Zephyr for her very first mission, she heavily injured Kaido and captured the veteran pirate Wang Zhi. Her accomplishments are remarkable, and the strength she displayed was exceptionally outstanding."
"By special resolution, Ensign Borsalino of Headquarters is hereby promoted to Lieutenant Commander of Headquarters!"
As his resounding declaration echoed, silence washed over the room for a second before orderly, solemn applause erupted across the hall.
Borsalino took half a step forward, standing perfectly straight as she saluted with a calm expression. Her voice sounded solemn and sincere.
"This subordinate will strictly uphold Marine justice and devote herself body and soul to the cause of the Marines until death."
Kong and Zephyr nodded with satisfaction, while Garp stood off to the side, casually picking his nose.
The hearts of all the officers present were far from calm.
Having enlisted just a month ago, promoting directly from recruit to Headquarters Lieutenant Commander was an unprecedented speed. Even the previous Logia genius, Monkey D. Dragon, had served in the Marines for five or six years before accumulating enough military merit to reach the rank of Captain. A Headquarters rank carried immense weight; a Headquarters Lieutenant Commander held enough actual power and authority to rival a Rear Admiral of the Four Seas, effectively elevating her three ranks above standard officers.
Yet no one questioned the honor conferred upon her.
To be capable of heavily injuring Kaido in battle meant her strength vastly surpassed that of a Rear Admiral, and likely few Vice Admirals could stand against her. If anything, the rank of Lieutenant Commander was actually too low.
Following the ceremony, Marine Headquarters intentionally launched a widespread publicity campaign. Working through the World Economy Newspaper, they downplayed Zephyr's role and attributed the core credit for defeating Kaido and securing victory to Borsalino. This was a calculated strategy devised by the top Marine brass, one that Zephyr fully endorsed and was pleased to see. The Marines urgently needed a symbol of inspiration, a foundation upon which the new generation could be built.
In an instant, Borsalino's title as the Marine Logia Supernova echoed across the Four Seas and sent shockwaves through the New World.
Deep in the New World, inside a giant ancient castle standing on a desolate island, a crowd of pirates knelt on the stone floor, silent as mice.
A massive shadow sat on the main throne, surrounded by human shaped decorations embedded into the stone walls: their former captain and vice captain, who had now passed on to the next world.
Kaido leaned back against his throne. His body was wrapped in blood soaked bandages with a fresh, unhealed wound running deep across his chest, yet he paid the injury no mind. In his massive grip, he held a newspaper, staring intently at the report featuring Borsalino.
On the front page, a striking portrait displayed the stunning young girl with cool, aloof features wearing her crisp Marine uniform.
"Hahaha! So that woman's name is Borsalino!"
Kaido laughed wildly, though a chilling coldness lurked in his eyes, killing intent surging beneath his grin.
"A Glint Glint Fruit user is indeed troublesome..." This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Beside him, King wore a dark, heavy expression. He faced his defeat squarely, yet his pride refused to accept it. "Lord Kaido, I was defeated this time because I underestimated the enemy. Next time we clash, I will wash away this disgrace."
"It matters not." Kaido restrained his laughter and looked off into the distance, turning his mind toward a new base of operations. "First, we must establish a new stronghold. I hear that place called Wano Country is quite promising, easy to defend and hard to attack."
"I heard that fellow Linlin established something called Totto Land. We cannot afford to fall behind either."
From that moment on, Wano Country became Kaido's target, destined to endure a terror filled reign spanning decades.
Meanwhile, in another calm sea area of the New World, within Whitebeard's domain, the massive Moby Dick glided steadily across the water like a lion patrolling its territory.
Whitebeard sat tall and proud on the deck in his prime, his wild blonde hair flowing and his immense physique completely unburdened by the ailments of old age. Exuding the majestic aura of the absolute strongest man in the world, his Haki, physical constitution, and Tremor Tremor Fruit abilities were all at their absolute peak.
Holding the newspaper in his hand, he glanced indifferently at Borsalino's name and record, his deep voice carrying a trace of genuine surprise and amusement.
"Interesting. A young Logia user has emerged in the Marines, actually capable of hurting that brat Kaido."
He looked toward his division commanders and chuckled softly. "My sons had better power up quickly and not let the Marines pull ahead. These old bones of mine will not last forever."
Marine Headquarters, Marine Staff Headquarters.
Borsalino looked around the room, her heart filled with helplessness.
She had come to visit upon Vice Admiral Tsuru's invitation, only to find herself immediately swarmed by a crowd of female officers, all competing to question her.
Asking about training methods was understandable enough, but asking what cosmetics she used, what kind of question was that? Did she look like someone who needed cosmetics?
"Hey, why is someone actually measuring my three sizes? Talk about a complete lack of personal boundaries!"
The legendary Marine supernova had been reduced to a rare display animal for everyone to stare at.
Before long, Vice Admiral Tsuru stepped in to rescue her, dispersing the crowd.
"Do not mind them. Your rise was far too sudden, so everyone is naturally curious," Tsuru said with a gentle smile, before gesturing to the young woman standing beside her. "This is my sister, Gion."
Borsalino looked over. Gion was tall, sporting a high, spirited ponytail, bright, sharp eyes, and an exceptional temperament that combined heroism with grace. Her appearance hit right on Borsalino's personal aesthetic preferences from her past life, though entertaining such thoughts right now was completely absurd.
Gion greeted her with immense enthusiasm, continuously asking for details regarding her battle with Kaido. To be honest, the fight had consisted of a brief exchange followed by two minutes of stacking speed enhancements; there was hardly anything to brag about. Gion, however, assumed she was simply being modest.
Tsuru had already mentioned to Gion that Borsalino's strength was vast enough that, were it not for her lack of seniority, she would have already been granted the rank of Vice Admiral.
Looking at Gion acting like an eager fangirl before her, Borsalino's mind began to churn. Gion was a future Admiral candidate, completely reliable in strength and upright in character. If she could recruit her when building her own crew in the future, it would be pleasant on the eyes and save an enormous amount of trouble, meaning she might not even need to step onto the battlefield herself. Follow the newest chapters on novelping(.)com.
Afterward, Tsuru exchanged various perspectives with Borsalino concerning the state of the world's oceans. Armed with knowledge of future events, Borsalino spoke with a god's eye view, fluently discussing upcoming developments. From the future standoff among major pirate powers to the strategic countermeasures the Marines could adopt, she spoke with effortless eloquence.
Much of what she said resonated deeply with Tsuru, who grew increasingly convinced that Borsalino was a peerless genius. This young woman possessed the genuine potential of a Fleet Admiral!
Night fell completely over Marineford.
Bidding farewell to Tsuru and Gion, Borsalino strolled alone through the illuminated streets. The night air blew cool as the streetlights flickered to life one by one. Passing Marines offered crisp, solemn salutes, their eyes filled with admiration. Under Headquarters' deliberate promotional push, she had become a true beacon of inspiration for the rank and file.
Just as she approached her dormitory, Borsalino paused, her focus instantly sharpening.
A unique aura lingered in the air around her quarters. It was a subtle shift in the wind: someone was waiting inside her dormitory.
The intruder made no attempt to conceal his presence. Sensing her return, the aura unfolded openly.
Surprise flashed through Borsalino's eyes as she sensed the presence further, quickly identifying the visitor.
Monkey D. Dragon.
She grumbled internally. Why was Dragon coming to join the chaos tonight? And was it really appropriate for Dragon to sneak into a young woman's quarters so late at night? Wasn't this straight up perverted behavior?
If she bound him in chains and dragged him straight to Garp and Sengoku, that guy would probably be beaten to tears, right? The thought of the future Revolutionary Army leader and World's Worst Criminal getting pulverized black and blue was almost too hilarious to resist.
Suppressing her amusement, Borsalino recalled that she had barely interacted with him recently. Shaking off her doubts, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The soft lights illuminated a tall, steady figure standing quietly in the center of the room. Dragon turned to face her, his eyes clear and direct. From his candid gaze, Borsalino could tell he did not feel his actions were inappropriate in the slightest.
Before she could speak, Dragon offered a clear smile and took the initiative.
"Borsalino, in the Lulusia Kingdom, we have established an army of our own."
Hearing those words, Borsalino stood completely bewildered, her mind swirling with confusion.
"We?"
"An army?"
"When was I ever on your side? You thick eyebrowed guy, what on earth are you talking about?"
"Is this even something I am allowed to hear?"