In the blink of an eye, a year had passed, and during this time, the New World remained in an unusual calm. Perhaps the aftereffects of the previous Navy Headquarters sweep had yet to fully subside. While new pirates could occasionally be seen appearing in the New World, they were nowhere near as frequent as a year ago.
However, the most significant change in the past year wasn't in the New World, but rather in the Navy's G8 base. Not only had Satoru's strength undergone earth-shattering changes, but the Navy personnel stationed there had also made incredible advancements.
Not only had everyone mastered the complete set of Navy Six Styles, but even the two-color Haki was now well-practiced by the entire crew. The strength of each member was now on par with that of a typical New World pirate captain. All of this, of course, was thanks to Satoru. Without his guidance, this group of Navy soldiers would have still been arrogant and overconfident, thinking that their small gains were enough.
However, despite their arrogance and domineering attitude toward outsiders, they were like obedient children in front of Satoru.
In addition to the personal improvements of the soldiers, the most visible change at the G8 base was its construction. Compared to the Navy Headquarters, the base was more impressive. The only thing it lacked was the lively atmosphere of the headquarters, which housed not only Navy personnel but also their families, a feature absent from the G8 base. The sailors at G8 were all away from their families, making the base a more solitary place, filled with determination but lacking the warmth of home.
The reputation of the Navy at G8 in the New World had become legendary. Any pirate crew encountering them would quickly vanish without a trace. No pirate group wanted to face a commander whose strength rivaled that of a candidate for a Major General, and the strength of an ordinary sailor was comparable to that of a regular Rear Admiral's warship. Engaging in a head-on confrontation was a death sentence.
Satoru himself was unsure of how strong he had become. Initially, he had expected it to take more than two years to reach his current level, but it had only taken just over a year. Now, he felt confident that, should he face Kaido again, he wouldn't be as powerless as he had been before.
Still, Satoru refrained from seeking out Kaido. If Kaido were angered and led the full force of the Beast Pirates to attack his G8 base, Satoru could bear the consequences, but the rest of the base couldn't. They had just started building, and it would be foolish to jeopardize it.
To Satoru's surprise, Kaido had not harassed him at all over the past year. In fact, the Beast Pirates had grown unusually stable, almost like they were lying low, with little activity. Whether Kaido was planning something or simply isolating himself was unclear.
Meanwhile, back at Navy Headquarters, some of the generals had grown dissatisfied with Satoru's rise. They felt that he had become a warlord in the New World, with a base comparable to the Navy Headquarters and a Navy force that was quickly becoming stronger than some of their own. While this sentiment was exaggerated, it showed how discontent some within the Navy were about Satoru's influence.
Yet, despite their frustrations, the generals were wary of challenging Satoru. His connections were too strong to be easily threatened. Aware of this, Sengoku issued a decree allowing anyone who believed they could surpass Satoru to apply for a challenge battle, which Satoru couldn't refuse. The victor would assume command of the G8 base.
This challenge quickly excited several Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals, many of whom sailed to the G8 base, hoping to dethrone Satoru. However, they severely underestimated the loyalty of the G8 Navy. Some Rear Admirals were beaten down by the sailors before even meeting Satoru.
Only a few Lieutenant Generals made it to the point where they could challenge Satoru directly, but even they stood no chance. When news of this spread back to Headquarters, rumors quickly circulated that Satoru's combat power was now on par with a Marine Admiral.
Sengoku, eager to confirm the rumors, directly inquired with Satoru. Satoru, confident in his strength, agreed to the challenge. Though he had yet to fight a Marine Admiral directly, he recalled the yellow ape's strength from a year ago. He believed that he was now stronger than the yellow ape at that time, and thus, the rumors weren't far from the truth.
"Great!" Sengoku exclaimed upon hearing Satoru's confirmation. "The position of the fourth admiral is now within your reach! Wait for the good news from the G8 base. I'll apply for it immediately. It's a sure thing now."
"Thank you, Marshal Sengoku."
It had been a month since Sengoku had told Satoru about the possible promotion, but no news had come through. Satoru had almost begun to believe that Sengoku had forgotten about it, but today, he received a call from Sengoku once more.
"Satoru, the position of Fourth Admiral has been applied for, but there's some bad news."
Sengoku's voice was solemn.
"The World Government has decided to send someone to take the position, but it's really just a way to monitor our actions. You will need to face their representative in a battle. The winner will take the position of Admiral. Are you confident?"
"Don't worry, Marshal. Whoever they send, I'll come out on top," Satoru replied confidently.
"Good. Just remember, this is a battle you cannot lose. I don't want anyone from the World Government keeping an eye on us."
"Understood."