"It's true that heroes come from the young."
A slightly amused voice rang out.
To be honest, no matter who the Marine Marshal is—whether it's Sengoku, Akainu, Aokiji, or Carlos—Kizaru felt it had little to do with him.
Whether Akainu, with his radical approach and belief in absolute justice, or Aokiji, who is moderate and prioritizes civilians, takes charge, it's all the same to him.
What Kizaru values is his own ambiguous sense of justice. As long as he can get off work on time, he's satisfied.
But now that Carlos has become Marine Marshal, Kizaru feels uncertain.
In terms of strength and accomplishments, Carlos is a monster who has defeated both the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates. Judging by the recent duel with Hawkeye, his strength has likely surpassed that of a typical Admiral.
Looking at the massive crack across the sky, Kizaru couldn't help but be awed by Carlos's fighting power.
Moreover, Carlos has long expressed his ambition to completely eliminate all pirates. With such a powerful and ambitious young man in charge, it's unlikely that Kizaru, as an Admiral, will be allowed to continue his relaxed approach.
If he keeps getting defeated, he might not survive.
At this moment, Kizaru felt a severe headache. Could this be the end of the world?
"Marine is becoming increasingly difficult to deal with."
"Are you thinking of retiring?"
After sighing, Kizaru touched his chin, tilted his mouth, and pondered secretly.
There's no rule in the Marines that you have to work until you're sixty-five before retiring. When you're older and no longer wish to continue, you can gradually step back and apply for a less demanding position.
Former Marine Admiral Zephyr retired from the front lines at forty-two and became a recruit instructor, essentially retiring.
Though Garp isn't an Admiral, as a Marine hero, he began to take it easy after Roger's surrender. Despite the presence of many dangerous pirates in the New World, he mostly spends his time drinking tea with Sengoku in Marineford and occasionally visiting East Blue.
Thinking about this, Kizaru felt a bit tempted and couldn't help but ask:
"Sakazuki If Admiral retires, will the salary continue to increase?"
"What nonsense are you talking about, Porusalino?" Akainu said with irritation. "The current era isn't stable enough for an Admiral at his peak to retire."
"That's really tiring," Kizaru replied, rubbing his chin with a resigned expression, and was about to say more when he noticed Carlos glancing at him meaningfully.
It seemed like a warning.
Kizaru immediately shut up and put away his lazy demeanor.
Carlos withdrew his gaze and walked towards the high platform.
The surrounding sailors moved aside, standing at attention, and saluting vigorously.
Carlos approached the high platform where Ace was executed in the original plot and surveyed the entire square.
"Thanks to everyone's support, from today on, I, Carlos, will officially assume the position of Marine Marshal!"
After a brief silence, a wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
Everyone had witnessed Carlos's incredible display of strength. His god-like or demon-like power had completely won them over.
That enormous crack in the sky—something even the strongest Admirals might not be able to achieve—demonstrated his overwhelming power.
In these troubled times, strength is of utmost importance. The crowd felt immense pride in having such a formidable leader.
The cheers continued for a while, gradually subsiding under Carlos's watchful gaze.
"Now, I will announce a few orders."
The once noisy square fell silent.
Carlos scanned the entire audience and spoke slowly:
"Whether you're here to earn a living or to pursue fame and fortune, I don't care why you chose to join the Marines. It doesn't matter."
"Since you have chosen to become a Marine, as your leader, I have only one request: obey orders and fight bravely against our enemies!"
"Of course, if you're willing to risk your lives to defeat the pirates, then as your Marshal, I won't treat you poorly."
"Everyone—whether you're a Marine Admiral or a new recruit—will have their salaries doubled!"
The tens of thousands of marine soldiers in the square were stunned, unable to believe what they were hearing. Even Kizaru looked surprised.
In addition to doubling the salary, there would be holiday allowances, paid vacations, and a series of benefits that seemed almost too good to be true. Not to mention disability insurance and substantial compensation for the families of those who died in battle.
As long as they were willing to fight, everything they could wish for would be provided.
Naturally, some were skeptical.
Momousagi quickly approached the stage, leaned in, and whispered in Carlos's ear:
"Although your intentions are good, with the current state of the Marines, I'm afraid this won't last more than a few months before going bankrupt!"
"If the promises made cannot be fulfilled, the consequences..."
Not only did Momousagi have doubts, but the soldiers below also murmured among themselves.
"Such generous treatment? Is this even possible?"
"Not to mention the benefits, but with Marine branches stationed all around the world, how many people are there in total? At least 200,000, right? How can they afford all this? It seems unrealistic."
"That's right, this is just too outrageous."
Amidst the murmurs of disbelief, Carlos smirked slightly and waved his hand.
"Don't worry, I always keep my promises. Bring it out!"
With his command, hundreds of heavy solid wood boxes were brought to the square and stacked in front of everyone.
These boxes contained the Marine's current savings.
When the boxes were opened, a cascade of banknotes, gold coins, and jewelry was revealed. The sunlight glinted off the treasure, dazzling the onlookers.
Gasps filled the square as the crowd took in the sight.
Carlos's sharp eyes surveyed the audience.
"Look at your astonished faces. Don't forget, we are the Marines, the most powerful armed organization on this sea. What do these treasures really mean to us?"
"If you want it, give me all your energy!"
Carlos understood the situation with the Marines. Following this approach, even with the backing of the World Government, it wouldn't last long.
But there were countless pirates out there waiting to be dealt with!
Clearing his throat, Carlos continued:
"On this sea, pirates have burned, killed, and looted, staining their hands with the blood of countless innocent people and destroying many happy families."
"But these scoundrels, who commit every kind of evil, possess vast wealth beyond your wildest dreams!"
"Now tell me loudly—are you willing to fight?"
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