The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

I'm not stupid, but the sadness that child showed at that moment was truly from the bottom of his heart!

"From the bottom of your heart..." The adjutant paused, pursed his lips, and said nothing more.

After reprimanding his adjutant, Zephyr looked at Gern's name again, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Interesting." The pen fell again, drawing a heavy line on the merit evaluation column.

Originally planned promotion: Corporal (the lowest rank of non-commissioned officer)

Revised to: Sergeant First Class (highest rank of non-commissioned officer)

The adjutant's eyes widened: "Lieutenant General Zephyr, this..."

Zefa closed the list, his voice low: "The Western Sea needs to be reorganized, and reorganization requires a knife."

A knife that is clever enough and sharp enough.

He stood up and walked towards the porthole.

Under the moonlight, the sea shimmered with a cold light, like some silent omen.

"As for who this knife will ultimately strike..."

Zefa's lips curled up slightly. "Then it's up to him to choose."

This child has a righteous heart... he just hasn't figured out what righteousness is.

……

After several days at sea, the soldiers' rest cabin

Gern leaned against the hammock in the corner, toying with a naval badge in his hand.

The cabin was filled with snoring, and no one noticed the subtle vibrations rippled from his fingertips.

"Looks like we're almost at the Western Sea!" Gern gazed at the small round window, a slight smile playing on his lips. "This time I should be promoted to sergeant..."

Suddenly, the hatch was pushed open, and a messenger announced loudly:

"Even if you reach the West Sea 133rd Branch, soldiers belonging to the West Sea 133rd Branch, please prepare!"

After saying this, the messenger gave a meaningful look at Gern, who was in the hammock in the corner.

"And!! Gern Reginald Sigma!"

“Here!” Gern jumped off the hammock.

"Promotion order issued. Effective immediately, Gern Reginald Sigmar is promoted to branch sergeant!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cabin erupted in chaos.

"What?! Jumped directly from Private First Class to Sergeant First Class?!"

"This...this isn't in accordance with the rules, is it?!"

Gern sat up as he looked at his new naval uniform and accepted the promotion order amidst the shocked gazes of the crowd.

The ink on the paper was not yet dry, and the signature "Ze Fa" at the bottom of the page was so strong that it seemed to penetrate the paper.

He looked up at the messenger: "Please convey my thanks to Lieutenant General Zephyr for his 'appreciation'."

……

West Sea, 133rd Branch Naval Port

After completing the handover and watching the warship depart, the branch leader of the 133rd branch, Lieutenant Asahi, turned his gaze to the thirty wounded naval personnel, including Guern, on the harbor.

"Damn it! When they issued the reinforcement order, they asked me for 2000 men... and now we only have this many left!"

Asahi looked displeased, but soon spotted Gern carrying a sword among the thirty men.

There was no way around it; although Gern was only 14 years old, he was already about 1.87 meters tall, and the long sword wrapped in bandages on his back made him stand out like a crane among chickens.

"This guy... ugh!!" Asahi's pupils contracted when he saw Gern's rank.

"You've been promoted from private to sergeant?! Guern!!"

Hearing Asahi's words, the branch chief, surprised that he knew a nobody like Private Gern, could only manage an awkward smile.

"Just lucky, Branch Manager Asahi. I never expected to have my name remembered by the branch manager..."

"You guys go first." Asahi dismissed the other marines and then walked straight to Gern.

"Warrant Lieutenant Naderic..."

"He sacrificed himself in God Valley, and the list should have been sent back to the branch long ago."

"I know he's dead! I mean, didn't you collect his pension?" Asahi chuckled and rubbed his fingers together.

"Although I don't know why he filled in your name, but..."

Gern didn't bother talking to these corrupt guys any longer.

But the thought of being promoted to senior sergeant in the branch and being able to independently command the center's missions came to mind.

If I want to be promoted back to the Navy Headquarters later, I'll definitely need a decent "pledge of allegiance," and having good connections will make it easier to transfer a warship.

Besides, now that I have the fruits of my labor, I don't care about this little bit of money. If I need money, I can just rob those mafia members who lend me money at exorbitant interest rates.

Thinking of this, Gern nodded and said...

"Before Lieutenant Derek died, he said that he had been taken care of by the branch chief of the 133rd branch, so he insisted that I give him his pension..."

"Oh dear! What are you saying?" Asahi smiled, then whispered, "Keep the money in my office, and I'll make sure you have a smooth journey on your next mission."

“Branch leader…” Guern was a little confused when he heard Asahi being so perceptive.

"What kind of expression is that?! Shouldn't we, as a branch of the Navy, be protecting the people?!"

"Really?"

"Fake... What kind of ideas do you have, a greenhorn who's just been promoted to sergeant? Sigh, I've seen too many of these!"

If some warships are damaged, it will be easier for me to apply for funding from headquarters, right?

Of course, if you sacrifice yourself, I won't be shy about the compensation, hahaha!

Chapter 7 Step by Step

Night fell, and the dormitory building of the Xihai 133 branch was quiet.

After being promoted to sergeant, Gern finally had his own private room.

At this moment, he sat quietly by the window, the silvery moonlight shining through the glass onto the table, illuminating the black sword wrapped in layers of white bandages—Bahuang.

"The Twelve Supreme Grade Swords..." Gern murmured, raising his left hand slightly. The trembling particles in the air slowly condensed, transforming into invisible shockwaves.

"And then there's this Logia-type Heaven-Shatter Fruit..." He stared intently at the black sword, his eyes deep.

Given his current status and strength, this knife must not be shown to others lightly.

After all, it was Lox's sword.

Before you have enough power, you must proceed with caution.

Guern is now very clear about his situation.

Without a system or a cheat code, every step is like walking on thin ice.

Therefore, I am very clear about my plans for the future.

He fully developed the power of the Heaven-Shatter Fruit to enhance his own combat strength.

Suppress the pirates in the Western Sea and accumulate military merits and fame.

Reconstructing the origin of the fruit using the concept of time.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, the phrase "obtained from God's Valley" was blurred to "accidentally acquired from the Western Sea".

Most importantly, at this moment, corruption was rampant in the West Sea Branch, and in this era, it was known as the Navy's "place of exile".

I must break free from the marginalized position of the branch and be promoted to the Navy Headquarters!

Only in this way can he gain the opportunity to master the domineering aura, and the good impression he left in front of Zephyr will become a key bargaining chip in the future.

"The era of Lox is over, what comes next..." After thinking for a long time, Gern sighed deeply, looked up at the night sky, and the moonlight reflected in his pupils.

"It will be a legendary era in which Whitebeard, Roger, and Shiki stand as the three powers."

There are no cheat codes, no shortcuts.

Gern withdrew his gaze, his fingertips lightly stroking the Black Blade Eight Desolations, the vibrating power flowing through his palm.

"I must proceed with extreme caution from the very beginning."

……

Time flies, and a year later, in the year 1485 of the Haiyuan calendar...

On a pirate ship in the Western Sea.

On the deck, barrels rolled over, and the aroma of burnt roasted meat mixed with the smell of cheap rum filled the air.

The pirates raised their glasses, laughed loudly, and celebrated yet another successful raid.

"Hahaha! What a load of crap, a naval branch! You can't even see a shadow of them!"

"That bunch of navy guys who only know how to collect money will turn a blind eye as long as you pay them enough."

Captain Hawk of the Golden Knife Pirates grinned, his gold teeth gleaming greasy in the firelight. "The West Blue is my domain!"

"That's right! Those useless navy guys aren't even worthy of shining our shoes!" The henchmen roared in agreement, raising their glasses for a hearty drink.

However, just as the commotion reached its peak...

"Aren't you all celebrating too soon?"

A cold voice suddenly rang out, severing the clamor of the revelry like a blade.

The pirates were startled and turned sharply to look at the source of the sound.

On the cross-shaped mast of their pirate ship, a tall figure was crouching.

The blinding sunlight outlined his shadow, and a long sword wrapped in white bandages was slung across his back.

"Who?!" Captain Hawke shouted sharply, instantly sobering up considerably.

A sharp-eyed pirate suddenly widened his eyes, his voice trembling: "That...that knife...the white bandage..."

"Could you be—'Pirate Hunter' Gern?!"

Dead silence.

The name exploded on the deck like a bomb.

The smiles of the Golden Sword Pirates froze.

"What a joke..." Captain Hawke's forehead was beaded with cold sweat as he forced a sinister smile.

"That Marine monster who single-handedly wiped out fifteen pirate crews in a year... how could he possibly be after us?!"

"Pirate hunter..." Gern covered his face. This wasn't the Great Pirate Era started by Roger, so the term "pirate hunter" didn't exist yet.

I never expected to be given this title...

"Isn't it normal for the Navy to catch pirates? Why are you calling me a hunter?"

Hearing Gern's words, Hawke swallowed hard, drew his greatsword, and shouted, "Damn it! We are the famous Golden Sword Pirates of the West Blue!"

I'm a pirate with a bounty of 23 million Berries!

He's all alone, all of you attack together!!!

"Bang bang bang!!"

In an instant, sparks flew across the deck as dozens of lead bullets tore through the air and rained down on the figure on the mast!

Gern smiled slightly, his figure becoming somewhat blurred amidst the hail of bullets.

The bullet pierced his chest, brow, and throat, but it was as if it had hit a phantom, only creating circles of transparent vibrations in the air.

"Natural type?!" Captain Hawke's gold tooth trembled and clicked loudly.

"Hey!! Are you kidding me! How could a place like the West Sea possibly have..."

Before he finished speaking, Gern slowly stood up, and the moment he took a step, a high-density vibrating particle orbit was instantly generated at the point of his footfall.