One Piece : Rise of Thunder King

You can read the advance chapters here : patreon.com/Vigilante04

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Marineford, Navy Headquarters Building

At the start of each year, the Marines hold a rank promotion ceremony. However, it doesn't usually attract much attention, except when it involves the promotion of an admiral.

In most cases, rank promotions, even to the level of vice admiral, only make the front page of the newspapers. They don't stir much excitement. This is partly because such events don't require much publicity, and partly because the Marines prefer to keep their strength under wraps.

This secrecy is understandable, as their power is seen as a threat—not only to pirates but also to the Revolutionary Army and even the World Government itself.

These ceremonies are a routine part of Marine operations. Each year, anywhere from one or two to over a dozen officers might be promoted to vice admiral. However, in some years, there are no promotions to this rank.

This year, though, is different. The Marine Headquarters has prepared to promote six officers to vice admiral, four of whom are members of a special unit called the "War Angels."

Among them is Jessica, whose Lion Fruit powers have proven invaluable to the Marines. She was previously stationed at the G-5 branch in the New World.

When Kaido attacked the G-5 branch, Jessica's Devil Fruit abilities allowed everyone to escape safely, minimizing casualties. Her contributions led the Marines to form a specialized rapid reinforcement unit centered around her skills.

While not widely known in the first half of the Grand Line or the Four Blues, Jessica's rapid reinforcement unit is highly respected among New World Marine branches.

The world may seem stable on the surface, but that's only for the powerful. Battles involving vice admirals are relatively common, and even the admirals are occasionally dispatched.

Over the years, the Marines have gradually gained control over all seas outside the New World through countless smaller, lesser-known battles.

This is especially true for the East Blue, which, despite once being a chaotic region, is now the safest of the Four Blues.

There, even Devil Fruits are considered little more than rumors—a stark contrast to their widespread knowledge elsewhere.

Returning to Jessica, her rapid reinforcement unit has supported numerous branches in the New World. Whenever there's trouble, her team responds quickly, ensuring minimal damage and even assisting with material transport during emergencies. This has significantly reduced Marine losses in both supplies and lives.

Jessica's success led the Navy Headquarters to expand the rapid reinforcement force into seven separate units, all made up entirely of War Angels. Jessica commands 66 members in her unit, while the six other commanders each lead 60 members, stationed across various New World branches.

These seven teams typically handle reinforcements within their assigned regions. However, Jessica's unit, which includes additional regular Marines, also takes on larger responsibilities. They handle tasks like escorting critical supplies and reinforcing branches facing major attacks or ambushes in the New World.

After more than six months of service, Jessica had earned the right to be promoted to lieutenant general, and there were no objections to her promotion.

The other six commanders were also promoted to major generals. Since three of the regions they were responsible for were particularly chaotic, they had accumulated enough merit to be promoted to lieutenant generals as well.

The remaining three commanders were likely only one or two years away from earning the same promotion. This was an exception, as Jessica and her teams, due to their unique abilities, played a crucial role. They could fly and were extremely mobile, making them invaluable to the Marines. Without such special talents, anyone else would have had to work their way up from the bottom.

Although their rank promotions came quickly, this also limited their chances of further advancement. Unless something extraordinary happened, reaching the rank of Admiral would be out of reach.

The award ceremony at Navy Headquarters was nearing its end.

"I hope you will carry justice in your hearts and uphold it in everything you do! For justice!" Sengoku declared, raising his hand and speaking loudly.

"For justice!" the Marines present shouted in unison.

Regardless of why someone joined the Marines or whether they truly held justice in their hearts, at that moment, their words were sincere.

With the ceremony complete, Marine had gained six new lieutenant generals, thirteen major generals, twenty-one brigadier generals, and over a hundred officers. Among them, four of the lieutenant generals were from the Angel Empire, as well as five major generals and over thirty officers of various ranks.

Though these soldiers from the Angel Empire were a small percentage of the Marine force, Arthur's influence was clearly growing within the organization.

After the ceremony, everyone had some free time.

Dressed in her new uniform, Jessica looked majestic and heroic, though her femininity still shone through.

"Congratulations, Jessica! From today, we're equals, "Gion said with a smile.

"Sister Gion, you're teasing me again," Jessica replied with a warm smile.

Since joining the Marines, Jessica had become both a friend and a mentor to Gion, and the two had grown very close. Additionally, Gion's good relationship with Lieutenant General Crane had helped Jessica form a strong bond with her as well.

"Well, well~ Jessica, you'll have to work even harder now," Lieutenant General Crane said, her eyes narrowing with a smile.

Crane, who had always taken a liking to Jessica, admired her for being well-educated and refined despite her origins in the Angel Empire. Jessica's natural independence and strong-willed character made her an interesting person, blending two almost opposite traits that made her unique and fascinating.

More than seven years ago, Jessica had run away from her noble home, causing her father a great deal of embarrassment and anger in the aristocratic circles. While he was furious, he also worried deeply about her safety.

When Jessica's father finally heard from her again, he was shocked to find out that she had already found a man. At first, he was irritated, but upon learning that her husband was Arthur, he became intrigued and wanted to meet him.

Then, he discovered that Arthur was the king of the Angel Empire, a powerful ally to the World Government, and he was satisfied with his daughter's choice. He no longer felt angry that Jessica hadn't informed him about her marriage.

As Jessica was promoted to Marine Major General and later Lieutenant General, the news continued to surprise her father, leaving him speechless.

Arthur was also pleased to hear that Jessica and the others had been appointed lieutenant generals. The Marine's strength was one of the main reasons Arthur had kept good relations with them.

Arthur believed that, even in the event of a major crisis within the World Government, the Marine would remain strong and unlikely to be overthrown.

While the Revolutionary Army would play a dominant role in the eventual war, they would not be able to inflict a serious blow to the Marines. The Marine's unique role in the world made it nearly impossible for the Revolutionary Army to defeat them.

In the end, the Revolutionary Army might help to establish a new World Government, with the Marines continuing to serve as a powerful force under this new regime.

For Arthur, ensuring Marine's support was crucial. He had intentionally cultivated a positive relationship with the Marine, offering them help when possible, and encouraging the Angels to join their ranks.

If the time came, Arthur hoped that the goodwill he had built up could help him take control of the Marine, or at the very least form an alliance, which would be beneficial for his future plans.

While the award ceremony at Navy Headquarters took place, Arthur quietly watched over Big Mom's territory in the New World, waiting for Owen, a powerful Devil Fruit user, to appear.

Unlike Blackbeard, who was known for his ruthless hunting of Devil Fruits, Arthur preferred to be discreet. The two had different goals, methods, and positions in the world.

As a pirate, Blackbeard could act without concern, but Arthur was a king and a member of the World Government. Although he was a top powerhouse, Arthur couldn't afford to make reckless moves. He had built his empire carefully and had no intention of risking it.

Arthur had always worked quietly, operating under the radar while maintaining a powerful presence. What he had already shown the world was impressive, but what remained hidden was even more terrifying.

Arthur had spent nearly a week in the New World, but Owen still hadn't appeared from Big Mom's territories.