Chapter 28: The First Day

Kuma bent down, reached out, and picked up the unfortunate pirate like a sack of potatoes before tossing him into the Paw-Paw Fruit bubble that had popped out of Borsalino's body.

The pirate, barely clinging to life, didn't even have time to scream. As soon as he made contact with the bubble, his body went limp, and he died instantly. His lifeless form was then swallowed by the darkness Carl had released.

The entire sequence played out so smoothly that the spectators were left speechless.

Borsalino, watching the Paw-Paw Fruit bubble disappear, suddenly zipped back to Carl with a flash of light and praised, **"That method was brilliant! I should definitely start catching more pirates and handing them over to you in the future!"**

Carl smirked, closing his Bible. **"Oh? Capturing pirates is a tough job. Aren't you worried about the effort?"**

Borsalino waved a hand dismissively. **"You get me, Carl~ But with Kuma's ability, stocking up on pirates doesn't sound like a bad idea!"**

The two exchanged knowing smiles. While Borsalino appeared casual, he wasn't the type to hold grudges. Losing was losing—he didn't dwell on it. Instead, the battle had strengthened his respect for Carl.

What's more, after witnessing Carl's abilities firsthand, both Borsalino and Akainu were completely convinced of his strength. They now genuinely acknowledged him as one of their own.

Though the trio had been somewhat isolated in the Marine Academy, in reality, it wasn't much of an isolation—rather, their strength simply set them apart from the rest.

When there's a massive gap in ability, forming deep connections with others becomes difficult.

As Carl and Kuma returned to the group, Akainu fixed Carl with a fiery gaze and declared, **"Carl, that was amazing! That's exactly how pirates should be dealt with! From now on, you are my friend!"**

Carl blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He had expected Akainu to demand a fight, but the man was serious about friendship.

This... actually fit Akainu's personality perfectly.

Carl, not one to waste an opportunity to strengthen ties, grinned and extended a hand. **"What are you talking about? Haven't we already been friends?"**

Akainu's expression hardened with determination, and he gripped Carl's hand firmly. **"You're right. We are friends!"**

Before Carl could even react, Borsalino dramatically raised both hands and whined, **"Hey, hey, hey! What about me? Sakazuki, we've known each other for so long, but I've never heard you say that to me! What exactly is our relationship?"**

The way he said it made Carl's eye twitch. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.

Akainu, on the other hand, visibly tensed. His face gradually turned red, and small wisps of steam began rising from his skin.

Carl immediately attempted to retract his hand. **Holy hell, this guy is getting hot!**

Around them, the other trainees took a few discreet steps back, giving the trio some space.

Just when Carl was about to activate *Kamui* to escape, Akainu finally snapped back to normal. He released Carl's hand, adjusted his Marine cap, and muttered, **"Borsalino, you are my friend too."**

Borsalino grinned and rested his hands behind his head. **"There we go! Now that's more like it."**

From the sidelines, Zephyr observed the interaction with a satisfied smile.

Carl, Akainu, and Borsalino—these three would undoubtedly rise to become the Marine's strongest forces in the future. If they could stick together, there wouldn't be a single power on the seas that could rival the Marines.

With that thought in mind, Zephyr made a quick decision.

**"Since the three of you work well together, I'll assign Carl and Kuma to your dormitory, Sakazuki and Borsalino. You two happen to have two vacant spots."**

Akainu didn't object, and even Borsalino, who often liked to challenge Zephyr's orders, nodded in approval.

The truth was, those two beds had been empty for a long time—no one had wanted to room with these monsters.

As for Ginny, she was naturally placed in the girls' dormitory. Thanks to her bright and cheerful personality—not to mention her association with Carl and Kuma—she quickly became popular.

Once everything was settled, Zephyr glanced at the time. It was getting late, so he decided to wrap up for the day. Training would officially begin tomorrow.

Besides, after such a productive day, he was in a great mood. He was already making plans to grab drinks with Sengoku and Garp that evening.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the students.

A chorus of cheers erupted.

But strangely, no one actually left the training grounds.

Instead, most of the students flocked toward Carl.

Compared to the intimidating presence of Akainu and the unpredictable nature of Borsalino, Carl seemed far more approachable.

Many of them understood the situation perfectly—Carl's future was bound to be extraordinary. Befriending him now was an investment in their own futures.

After all, this was the Marines. The path ahead was dangerous, and survival wasn't guaranteed. Aligning with powerful figures like Carl, Borsalino, and Akainu could be the difference between life and death one day.

Even Akainu and Borsalino, who had previously been somewhat distant from the other students, were now being approached more because of Carl.

Borsalino remained his usual laid-back self, responding lazily to those who struck up conversations with him.

Akainu, arms folded, radiated his usual *keep-your-distance* aura. But when it came to Carl, he was oddly enthusiastic.

Among those who approached Carl were two familiar faces—future Marine Vice Admirals Doberman and Onigumo.

Carl took special care to engage them in conversation. Noticing this, the two men stood a little taller, feeling rather pleased with themselves.

Meanwhile, Kuma, despite his impressive abilities, remained largely unnoticed.

He was a massive presence, but his quiet nature made him easy to overlook.

Besides, everyone could see that he was fiercely loyal to Carl. If they wanted to get close to Kuma, they'd have to go through Carl first.

As the youngest and most attractive of the group, Carl naturally found himself surrounded by a group of female trainees as well.

A small army of giggling young women crowded around him, their chatter filling the air.

Even Carl—who had faced death countless times—felt a little overwhelmed by the attention.

Maintaining a polite but slightly awkward smile, he responded as best as he could.

Then, suddenly—

A familiar figure pushed through the crowd and dove straight into Carl's arms.

Ginny clung to him and pouted. **"Brother Carl, I'm hungry! Let's go eat!"**