Chapter 93: Admiral Candidate

****

After the battle, Zephyr, Carl, and the others returned to the podium under the awe-filled gazes of the entire audience.

The sailors looked at Carl and the others differently now. Even though they were younger than most present, after today, no one would ever treat them as juniors again.

Everyone who had witnessed the battle had the same thought: Carl and his comrades were already destined to be the future Admirals.

In their eyes, the battle had ended in a draw—but considering Carl and the others' age, it was clear that the position of Admiral was already prepared for them.

Soldiers delivered three brand-new Marine cloaks for Carl and the others. The shoulder straps in black, yellow, and red denoted their ranks as **Vice Admirals**!

After putting them on, they stood at the front of the podium at Fleet Admiral Kong's signal.

Kong looked down at the crowd and announced loudly, **"Based on the outstanding performance of Carl and the others in the assessment, Marine Headquarters has decided to award them the rank of Vice Admiral!"**

The moment he finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted. In both the Marines and among pirates, strength was respected, and Carl's performance had earned the admiration of everyone present.

Dazzling flashes, boiling magma, and endless darkness—each scene from the battle had left a lasting impression.

Carl's performance, in particular, stood out the most. Throughout the fight, he displayed physical skills, swordsmanship, Haki, and his Devil Fruit abilities—all at a level that surpassed everyone present.

This **18-year-old Marine** had no weaknesses.

The senior officers were well aware of this, and after the excitement died down, they dropped another bombshell.

**"Among the three, I believe everyone has witnessed Carl's strength. Therefore, I am officially listing him as a candidate for Admiral!"**

Kong's declaration was met with stunned silence.

Carl himself hadn't expected such a rapid promotion—Marine Headquarters had just named him an **Admiral Candidate**.

Although an Admiral Candidate wasn't an official rank, a Vice Admiral with that status held far greater influence than a regular Vice Admiral.

Moreover, Carl was now the **only** Admiral Candidate in the Marines. Even Gion and Tokikake, who were considered rising stars, couldn't compare.

Kong turned to Carl and asked, **"Since you are now a candidate for Admiral, you should have a code name. Think carefully about it."**

But Carl didn't need time to think. He stepped forward and answered, **"Fleet Admiral Kong, I have already decided. My code name will be… Black Dragon."**

**Black** symbolized his power. **Dragon** represented his identity as a Celestial Dragon.

Kong nodded. He didn't care much about code names, as long as they weren't ridiculous.

With that, he announced to the world: **"Admiral Candidate: Black Dragon!"**

Hearing this, Garp blinked in surprise, briefly wondering if his son would become an Admiral one day—with a code name related to a dragon as well…

Dragon, standing among the crowd, watched Carl, who was now the center of attention.

He wasn't sure how long Carl would remain like this—perhaps forever.

His thoughts were interrupted as Carl and the others stepped down from the stage, immediately swarmed by a flood of congratulations.

Ginny suddenly leaped onto Carl, clinging to him with joy. **"Brother Carl, you're already an Admiral! The Black Dragon Admiral!"**

Carl chuckled, patting her pink hair. **"Not yet a full Admiral, just a candidate…"**

His words, spoken so casually, hit the surrounding students like a **heavy blow**. Even Akainu's eye twitched slightly.

---

That evening, the **Marine Academy's cafeteria** hosted a grand banquet for the students, many of whom would be leaving after tonight.

At the center table, **Zephyr** sat at the head, with **Carl and Akainu** to his left and right, and **Kizaru** beside Akainu.

Zephyr allowed everyone to drink, and after the dishes were served, the entire hall—regardless of rank—raised their glasses in celebration.

After setting his glass down, Kizaru reached for a banana from the fruit plate. He had grown rapidly in recent years, and now, a single banana seemed too small for him, so he ate it in one bite.

Carl, Zephyr, and Akainu continued eating and chatting.

As they were dining, **Ginny**, her face flushed from drinking, approached and pulled Carl up.

**"Brother Carl, come sit with us at the girls' table for a while~"**

Her rosy cheeks made her look especially adorable.

Carl glanced at Zephyr, who smirked and waved him off. **"Go on. The girls adore you."**

Zephyr was more relaxed today. After a few glasses of wine, his usual strict demeanor had softened.

Ginny stuck out her tongue playfully and dragged Carl over to her table, where **Lucia** and **Gion** were also seated.

Carl looked around and asked, **"Ginny, where's your friend Jessica?"**

Ginny pulled up a chair for him, clinging to his arm as he sat down. **"Jessica is helping in the kitchen. A lot of the dishes tonight are her creations!"**

Carl nodded in understanding. No wonder the food tasted **exceptionally good**—it was Jessica's cooking.

Just as he was thinking about it, Jessica returned from the kitchen, wiping her hands.

She paused upon seeing Carl at their table, then quickly removed her apron and found a seat.

Before she could say anything, Carl spoke first. **"Jessica, your cooking is amazing. Come join my crew after graduation!"**

Jessica blinked in surprise, a faint blush creeping onto her face. **"Huh? Y-You want me on your ship?"**

Carl nodded firmly. **"Of course. You'll be the head chef!"**

Jessica hesitated for a moment before nodding shyly. **"O-Okay! I will!"**

Carl grinned. **"Great! It's settled then."**

His declaration left the girls momentarily stunned. Then, one by one, they turned to **Jessica** with envy.

Everyone knew that **Carl was a Vice Admiral and an Admiral Candidate**. Becoming the **head chef** on his ship wasn't just an ordinary job—it was an opportunity most could only dream of.

Jessica had just been handed a prestigious position, and from now on, she would be looked at with a whole new level of admiration.

As the girls at the table gazed at Carl, their eyes gleamed with **awe** and… something else.

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**+74 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg**

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