Luffy's meteoric rise had invisibly altered the course of history. Throughout the world, countless young people began to believe that their time had come—that extraordinary achievement was possible even in an age dominated by legends.

The day after Luffy departed from Mariejois, news of his promotion to admiral spread across the globe like wildfire. The reaction was immediate and intense, with people everywhere reacting with a mixture of awe, fear, and inspiration.

Citizens marveled at his unprecedented achievements at such a young age, while simultaneously growing more fearful of the Marine's increasingly formidable strength. Many pirates trembled at the mere mention of the new admiral's name, all too aware of his role in Emperor Kaido's defeat.

Most civilians who depended on the Marines for protection celebrated enthusiastically, viewing Luffy's promotion as reassurance that the seas would grow safer under his watchful eye. Street festivals spontaneously erupted in government-aligned nations, with revelers dancing and singing late into the night.

Perhaps most significantly, a new wave of ambitious youths felt called to adventure—some enlisting in the Marines with dreams of following Luffy's path, others setting sail as pirates to challenge the emerging world order. The already tumultuous seas gained fresh currents of ambition and daring.

On the day the announcement reached Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku personally replaced Luffy's epaulettes with new ones in a formal ceremony before the assembled officers and troops. With solemn dignity, he officially proclaimed Monkey D. Luffy as the fourth admiral of the Marine forces.

The celebration that followed exceeded all expectations. What had begun as a modest banquet evolved into a seven-day festival, with each day more spirited than the last. When it finally concluded, many participants departed with genuine reluctance, sensing they had witnessed a pivotal moment in Marine history.

The following day at noon, the newly promoted admiral enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by his devoted companions at home before strolling toward Sengoku's office with an unhurried gait. The weight of his new rank sat comfortably on his shoulders, as though he had been born to carry it.

Along his path through Headquarters, every Marine soldier and officer he encountered saluted crisply, greeting him with newfound respect and deference. Their eyes gleamed with admiration, and many of the younger recruits boldly approached him, nervously requesting autographs.

Luffy accepted each request graciously, offering encouraging words alongside his signature. His natural charisma drew people to him, and his genuine interest in their aspirations only enhanced his growing reputation.

His promotion had created ripple effects throughout the command structure. Not only had Luffy ascended to admiralty, but many of his loyal officers had received corresponding advancements in rank. Combined with his extraordinary achievement in defeating Kaido, this created an unprecedented situation where countless young Marines actively sought transfers to his G-66 branch.

Luffy naturally welcomed these talented individuals from Headquarters. He provided directions to the temporary administrative office where Ain and his other officers were processing applications, encouraging interested parties to submit their credentials for consideration.

These ambitious young Marines showed remarkable boldness, seemingly unconcerned about potential disapproval from their current commanding officers. Day after day, they delivered their applications to Ain and her team, eager for the opportunity to serve under the revolutionary young admiral.

It was inevitable that Luffy's popularity would generate resentment among other department heads, who watched helplessly as their most promising subordinates requested transfers. His reputation among senior officers would likely suffer for months to come.

Yet this hardly troubled him. Fleet Admiral Sengoku had tacitly approved the situation, routinely authorizing transfer requests without comment. The other department heads could grumble all they wished, but had little recourse against Sengoku's decisions.

Moreover, Luffy had cultivated considerable goodwill among the Headquarters leadership during his tenure in Wano Country. He had regularly sent valuable gifts and rare local specialties to influential officers, establishing cordial relationships that now served him well. These small gestures of thoughtfulness had created a reservoir of goodwill that helped mitigate the current tensions.

In Sengoku's spacious office, Luffy lounged comfortably in an elegant armchair, legs stretched out casually before him. With one hand resting on the chair's backrest and the other holding a glass of his personal reserve sake, he presented the very picture of satisfied accomplishment.

As expected, this casual display provoked Sengoku's irritation. The Fleet Admiral's expression darkened visibly as he observed his newly promoted subordinate's relaxed posture.

Bang!

Sengoku's fist struck his desk firmly, the sound reverberating through the office as he raised his voice in genuine annoyance.

"You impudent brat! Don't think your new admiral rank gives you license to behave so shamelessly. Do you have any idea how many complaints I've received about your indiscriminate recruitment tactics over the past two days? If I hadn't intervened personally, your fellow officers would have torn you apart before you'd even warmed your admiral's chair!"

Hearing this reprimand, Luffy paused momentarily, then smoothly produced a conciliatory smile. With a subtle gesture, he manipulated the nearby sake bottle to pour a generous portion into a second cup, which floated gracefully toward Sengoku.

"Come now, Fleet Admiral," Luffy responded with carefully calculated charm. "We're all serving the same Marine ideal—it seems rather harsh to characterize my actions as 'poaching.' I merely recognized talented individuals whose abilities weren't being fully utilized and helped them find positions better suited to their potential."

He took a small sip from his own cup before continuing, "While my G-66 branch has grown considerably, we still require diverse talents to function effectively. By bringing these officers into my command, I not only address my personnel needs but also provide them with opportunities to flourish and contribute meaningfully to our shared mission. From an organizational perspective, this arrangement benefits everyone involved."

With a faint smile, he added pointedly, "And you yourself didn't object, Fleet Admiral."