New World, Marine G-5 Branch.
Smoker had been promoted from Commodore to Rear Admiral. Since promotions at the rank of Rear Admiral and above required an official ceremony at Marine Headquarters, Smoker had already departed for Marineford.
Before leaving, he had grumbled about how "becoming a battlefield journalist" had somehow earned him a promotion—until Hina shut him up with a well-placed stomp on his foot.
Hina herself was also eligible for a promotion to Commodore. However, she felt that compared to Smoker when he was at the same rank, she still had room for improvement in several areas. So, she chose to remain a Commander a while longer to refine her skills.
After all, Commodore was already a high-ranking officer, and given that every officer under Wright's command was an elite of their rank, Hina was determined—not to let that damned Smoke Bastard surpass her too much!
For ranks below Rear Admiral, Wright had the authority to promote officers himself.
Looking at the two young women before him, Kuina and Tashigi, Wright nodded in satisfaction.
"You both performed exceptionally well during the battle against Jack's subordinates."
"The official orders from Headquarters have arrived—Kuina, you are promoted to Headquarters Lieutenant, and Tashigi, you are now a Headquarters Warrant Officer!"
Wright encouraged them, saying, "Tashigi, keep up the good work—you're getting closer to earning the right to wear the Justice Coat."
"Yes, Vice Admiral Wright!" Tashigi replied excitedly.
If not for Vice Admiral Wright transferring her to the G-5 branch, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to participate in that intense battle—let alone be promoted to Warrant Officer so soon!
For the new generation of young Marines, earning the right to wear the Justice Coat—a privilege reserved for commissioned officers—was the dream of many!
"With Marine Headquarters asserting its dominance lately, the New World may see a brief period of stability. This is your chance to consolidate your progress and push forward."
Wright took out two transfer orders and a dossier. "Unlike the New World, where the Four Emperors have established their dominance, the wave of rookie pirates that surged forth in response to their rise is now approaching the first half of the Grand Line."
"As elite recruits of Headquarters, your next mission is to engage these rookie pirates, honing your swordsmanship and fortitude!"
"This dossier contains information on the most notable up-and-coming rookies from the Four Seas."
"Understood!" Kuina and Tashigi responded in unison, stepping forward to receive the orders and study the files carefully.
"Headquarters Captain T. Bone?" Kuina asked in surprise. "Senior Brother, is this the same 'Ship-Cleaving Swordsman' T. Bone, the renowned right-angle swordmaster beloved by his subordinates?"
"Ah… I've heard of him too!" Tashigi covered her mouth in excitement. "They say he looks quite intimidating but is actually a deeply just and compassionate person who truly cares for his subordinates!"
"That's right, it's him," Wright confirmed with a smile. "Ever since I was promoted to Admiral Candidate and told Fleet Admiral Sengoku that I needed additional personnel, Headquarters practically exploded..."
Scratching his head, Wright sighed, "Too many people wanted to come—even Majors and Commanders got pushed aside by the Captains!"
The two young women chuckled—this kind of reaction was entirely expected when Wright put out a call for subordinates.
"Captain Bone was among them. While he isn't the most powerful of the Captains, his sense of justice resonates with me deeply."
"That's why I chose Captain Bone. I hope his motto, 'A Hundred Good Deeds a Day,' can serve as an inspiration to you as well."
"We will do our best!" Kuina and Tashigi answered in unison, already full of admiration for their new superior officer.
Compared to Wright, Captain Bone did not possess overwhelming swordsmanship, nor did he wield a powerful Devil Fruit ability. Yet, he remained steadfast in his convictions, upholding justice within his capabilities.
To countless ordinary Marines, he was the purest and most passionate embodiment of justice!
As Kuina and Tashigi departed with their orders, Wright fell silent for a moment before picking up a Den Den Mushi and dialing a number.
"Law, it's Wright."
"Vice Admiral Wright! I've arrived in Germa!" came an excited voice from the other end of the line.
"If not for your intel, I would have thought Germa was just a myth!"
"Ah~ this is so exciting!"
Wright held the receiver a little farther from his ear as Law continued to chatter excitedly.
That's right—when Wright's information reached the North Blue, Trafalgar Law, who had been diligently training while practicing medicine with his crewmates, immediately took notice.
He contacted Wright at once, declaring he was ready to venture into the world.
With Rosinante engaged in a secret mission, Wright was the person Law trusted most.
It had been nearly five years since Law escaped from Doflamingo's grasp and formed the Heart Pirates with Bepo and the others.
During these years, despite being a pirate, Law's main focus was studying medicine to fully unlock the potential of the Op-Op Fruit.
While traveling as a doctor, he would eliminate pirates whenever he encountered them and gather intelligence—so much so that many of Marine Headquarters' reports on the North Blue had actually come from him.
Doflamingo had long since left the North Blue, and with subtle assistance from both Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Wright, Law's Devil Fruit abilities remained a mystery to the world. People only knew that he was an exceptionally skilled doctor and a powerful rookie pirate.
Without having suffered the loss of Rosinante, Law was not as cold-blooded or ruthless as in the original timeline. However, spending every day with Bepo and the others...
He had to work hard to maintain his aloof persona and keep a clear head—otherwise, he would never be able to lead this group of goofballs!
Unfortunately for him, the moment he made contact with Wright and learned that his childhood idols—the Germa Kingdom—were real, his composure crumbled entirely.
And when Wright offered to introduce him to Germa's advanced medical research, Law was on the verge of a breakdown.
For a diehard Germa fan, what could be more exhilarating?
Without hesitation, Law and his crew followed Wright's special instructions, making their way to Germa and meeting King Vinsmoke Judge himself.
Judge, too, was in high spirits these days.
With massive funding from Gran Tesoro, Germa's research had expanded significantly. Moreover, the underground trade networks unique to Gran Tesoro provided invaluable resources to Germa.
Rare materials that had once been unattainable were now on Judge's workbench, transforming into groundbreaking scientific advancements that enriched Germa's technology vault.
As a business partner, Germa's innovations had not disappointed Tesoro. As Wright had once told him, cutting-edge medical technology was highly sought after everywhere.
Specialized medicines capable of curing rare diseases, state-of-the-art medical devices, and even experimental techniques that could repair damaged nerves and organs…
While they didn't possess the miraculous life-saving ability of a Lightforged Crystal, as a conventional medical technology, it had already saved countless lives.
In fact, even the Marines had begun incorporating a significant amount of Germa's medical technology into their ranks!
Thanks to his exceptional business acumen, Tesoro—acting as the world's sole distributor—was raking in massive profits!
It was in this context that Law arrived at Germa. With his connection to Wright, his exceptional medical expertise, and the incredible power of the Op-Op Fruit, Judge was absolutely delighted.
The Grand Lord's strength had grown yet again—bringing him another step closer to his goal!
"How's life over there in Germa? Settling in well?"
Hearing that Law's initial excitement had finally worn off, Wright brought the receiver closer to his ear and spoke:
"King Judge and I are old friends—we've got joint projects together. If you can help him crack some of his research challenges…"
"There's a chance he might gift you one of their new combat suits."
"The new combat suit?!"
A sharp intake of breath came through the receiver, followed by Law's resolute voice:
"There's no way I'm missing this opportunity!!"
Setting down the Den Den Mushi, Wright let out a helpless sigh.
That seemingly cool and detached kid… was this his true face at last?
Still, recalling the new model of Germa's combat suit he had seen not long ago… it really would suit Law perfectly.
And if Law eventually ventured into the Grand Line and later went to Drum Kingdom for further studies…
Just how strong would he become?
After all, for Law, advancing his medical knowledge was one of the greatest ways to enhance his combat power!
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