Chapter 24: Come On, Show

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Zephyr arrived early that morning and immediately noticed Akainu and Carl greeting each other.

This sight took him by surprise—and, to his own astonishment, made him happy.

Among his top students, both Borsalino and Akainu had… issues.

Borsalino wasn't truly bad—just an infuriating headache. But Akainu was different. Zephyr had always worried about him.

The young man was rigid—too rigid. His views on justice were absolute, his thoughts extreme. He rarely spoke, kept to himself, and rejected social interactions.

As a veteran Marine, Zephyr believed in the strength of unity. He wanted Akainu to break out of his shell and embrace the Marine family, not just as an organization but as a collective.

So, seeing Akainu willingly engage with someone—even in a small way—felt like a step in the right direction.

When Zephyr saw that the person Akainu greeted was Carl, the new recruit, his curiosity piqued.

Excited, he jogged forward, intending to pat Carl on the back. But before he could, Carl's head turned slightly—his senses keen.

In an instant, Carl had grasped Zephyr's incoming hand mid-air.

Zephyr's eyebrows lifted. *Good instincts.*

Carl immediately released his grip, straightened his posture, and bowed slightly.

"Teacher Zephyr, I am Carl. Reporting today."

Zephyr smiled and nodded in approval.

At least, compared to his other two "problem children," Carl seemed… normal.

Ginny and Kuma also stepped forward to greet him politely.

Zephyr was about to respond when a lazy, sing-song voice interrupted,

"Oh my~ It's Carl! I spotted you right away. Seems like today is going to be a good day~"

Everyone turned their heads.

Borsalino, one hand in his pocket and the other adjusting his sunglasses, strolled toward them at an infuriatingly slow pace.

Zephyr's previously good mood evaporated instantly. His expression soured as if he'd just swallowed a fly.

"Borsalino!" Zephyr snapped. "What time do you think it is? Look at what the other students are doing!"

Borsalino ignored his glare, lazily pushing up his sunglasses to survey the field.

Students were already deep into their training, sweating as they worked hard under the morning sun.

Borsalino clicked his tongue, then turned back to Zephyr, his expression changing dramatically.

"Oh~ Today is *not* a good day…"

His posture straightened ever so slightly, and he quickly added,

"Good morning, Teacher Zephyr! The students are so hardworking. Training even before the official time starts! How admirable!"

He made sure to emphasize *"before the official time starts,"* which only made the vein on Zephyr's forehead twitch.

Zephyr took a deep breath, reigning in the urge to plant his fist into Borsalino's smug face. There were new students present—he had to maintain some dignity.

"Enough! Training time has started. Get to the field and assemble—*immediately!*"

Without waiting for a reply, Zephyr vanished in a blur, heading straight for the training field.

Borsalino sighed dramatically.

"The old man's really in a mood today," he muttered before turning to Carl and the others. "You'll get used to it!"

Then, shading his eyes as if scouting ahead, he clicked his tongue.

"Sakazuki… *Why* does he start training so early? Now the old man's fired up again!"

Carl chuckled. "Maybe it's the legendary *industrious soul* at work."

"Hmm~? *Industrious soul*?" Borsalino mused. "Sounds fancy. What's that mean?"

"It just describes someone who works really hard."

Borsalino nodded sagely. "Ahh, I see, I see." Then his face turned serious.

"But… *why* work so hard? Training times are clearly set! There's nothing wrong with following the schedule! What do you think, Carl?"

Carl couldn't help but laugh. *He really is a master at avoiding extra work.*

Patting Borsalino's shoulder, Carl said, "You're absolutely right."

Borsalino's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he threw an arm around Carl's shoulders.

"I *knew* we'd get along! C'mon, let's go. If we keep standing around, the old man *will* explode."

As they walked off, Ginny pouted, hands on her hips.

"*Brother Carl better not let him lead us into trouble!*"

She pictured Carl wearing sunglasses, mimicking Borsalino's signature slouch and smug grin… and shuddered.

Kuma shook his head and said calmly, "No. Brother Carl is much more mature than us. He won't be easily influenced. Besides, Senior Borsalino isn't a bad person… He just has a unique temperament."

Ginny huffed. "Oh, Kuma, you're so serious! Don't I know Brother Carl as well as you do?"

Kuma gave a small smile. "I just think… Sister Ginny cares about Brother Carl a lot. So sometimes, you overthink things."

Ginny's face turned bright red.

"I-I care about you and Brother Ivankov too!" she stammered, twirling her toes in the dirt.

Kuma just chuckled and shook his head. "It's different, it's different…"

Ginny gasped, covered her ears, and ran ahead.

"Kuma! Brother Carl is right—you *are* a straight-laced guy! You're gonna be a bachelor forever!"

Kuma watched her go, the corners of his lips curving slightly.

At that moment, a loud bell rang, signaling assembly.

All around, students quickly gathered at the center of the field.

Zephyr stood tall, hands clasped behind his back, his sharp eyes scanning the recruits.

His gaze landed on Carl and Borsalino walking side by side—and his eyelid twitched violently.

*Great. Another one corrupted.*

But, for once, Borsalino didn't cause any trouble. He simply led Carl and Kuma to stand at the back, lining up next to Akainu.

Ginny joined the female cadet group on the other side of the field.

Once everyone was assembled, Zephyr cleared his throat and announced,

"We have three new students joining us today. Before training begins, they will introduce themselves."

A murmur spread through the ranks as students turned to look at Carl and Kuma.

A round of welcoming applause followed, with Borsalino clapping the loudest.

Kuma stepped forward first. The moment he did, whispers erupted.

His towering figure alone was intimidating enough. But when he casually mentioned that he was a Devil Fruit user, the murmurs turned to exclamations.

Zephyr remained composed. He had already read Kuma's file—he knew the truth behind the Paw-Paw Fruit. The *Battle of the Valley of the Gods* had made its origins quite clear.

Still, he didn't concern himself with Celestial Dragon politics.

As far as he was concerned, *Kuma was his student now.* That was all that mattered.

Since Kuma was a Devil Fruit user, Zephyr naturally wanted to assess his abilities.

"Kuma," Zephyr said, "demonstrate your power."

Kuma nodded. He pressed his hands together at his chest, then slowly pulled them apart.

A soft, translucent paw-shaped bubble formed between his palms.

Some of the female cadets gasped in delight.

"So cute!"

Kuma's face turned slightly red, and he lowered his head, embarrassed.

Meanwhile, some of the male students sneered.

"Tch, another flashy Paramecia. Probably useless."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes. Unlike them, *he* could feel the sheer force contained within that tiny paw.

"Everyone," Zephyr ordered, "step back."

The recruits hesitated but quickly obeyed.

"Now then, Kuma," Zephyr said, his voice firm. "Show us what you can do."

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