Chapter 041: I'm Done Being a Ninja

Kisame felt like this world was out to get him.

Like, personally, It was so bad, he wasn't even sure he wanted to be human anymore.

Damn it all… This is just cruel!

Even Kizaru couldn't keep watching. He gave a stiff smile and helpfully added:

"Uh… Zephyr-sensei, he's right here."

Zephyr looked down. Ah, There he was. His first impression?

The kid looked a bit malnourished. But that didn't really matter. What mattered was that he was strong.

"Hard to believe someone with such a scrawny frame could go toe-to-toe with Kaido."

"Right?! Super scary!" Kizaru added cheerfully. "If I hadn't shown up when I did, Kaido might've been a goner!"

Seriously?!

Can we stop bringing that up already!? Kisame's face froze in place like concrete.

Why hadn't he noticed this sooner?

Kizaru was a natural-born bullshitter!

"There's more to the story?" Zephyr asked, eyebrows raised, clearly buying every word. He stared at Kisame with something like astonishment.

"Sengoku mentioned over the transponder that you're not a Devil Fruit user…"

"To hold your own against that monster without a fruit—honestly, just that alone is impressive!"

"Now that I see you, my fists are starting to itch!"

As he spoke, a terrifying pressure began to radiate from Zephyr's body—subtle at first, then unmistakable. It rolled off him like a tidal wave, weighty and oppressive.

Wait… is he gonna fight me?

Kisame blinked, stunned by the sheer presence radiating from the purple-haired giant.

Was this guy seriously about to throw down right now?

Sure, he wasn't afraid of a fight… but was this really necessary?

People called him the muscle monster,

But this guy?

He looked like he ate muscle monsters for breakfast. And that aura? Not one bit weaker than Kaido's.

Unless someone had a death wish or took a blow to the brain like Hidan, no one would step into that willingly.

"I don't think that's necessary," Kisame declined, calm but firm.

Zephyr paused, then seemed to realize he'd been leaking killing intent by accident. He laughed it off heartily.

"Haha! You're right. Another time, then—we'll definitely spar someday!"

"Sengoku already filled me in. You and your people will stay here for now."

"You're welcome to attend any of the courses, though honestly… with the strength to nearly kill Kaido, there's probably not much left for you to learn."

Then, as if something suddenly struck him, Zephyr added:

"Oh right—Sengoku mentioned you're a ninja. What a coincidence, we've actually got a few ninja in this year's class too."

He looked around the field, then waved over a black-haired young man.

"Jinmu, this is Captain Kisame, also a ninja."

"Captain Kisame just arrived today. Take him and his team around, show them where everything is and let them know where the private dorms are."

"Yes, Instructor Zephyr!"

The black-haired young man snapped to attention.

Then, without delay, he led Kisame and the others away. As they walked, the youth kept sneaking curious glances at Kisame.

Eventually, he couldn't hold it in any longer and asked with a mix of awe and curiosity,

"I just heard Instructor Zephyr say… you're a ninja too?"

"What about it?"

"Let me introduce myself—my name's Jinmu… I'm also a ninja!"

Kisame turned to look. Thank goodness—finally, someone with a normal height.

Was this some kind of rule in this world? Only the ninjas looked remotely human?

But the moment the guy claimed to be a ninja, Kisame instinctively tried sensing his chakra and...Absolutely nothing.

Not even a whisper.

Which could only mean, this guy was full of crap.

"You're really a ninja?" Kisame asked, eyebrow twitching.

Jinmu didn't get offended. Instead, he glanced around conspiratorially.

Then his eyes lit up as he spotted a large tree not far from the dorm entrance.

"I am a proper ninja! Watch this!"

With a flourish, he pulled three shuriken from the pouch at his waist and hurled them toward the tree.

Then…

Thud!! CLINK!

One shuriken embedded itself in the tree trunk.

Another crashed straight through a nearby dorm window.

"Where's the third one?" Kisame muttered, eye twitching hard enough to start a storm.

As if on cue—

"Who the hell threw that damn shuriken?!"

A furious roar erupted from behind them, coming from the training field.

Kisame glanced back over his shoulder.

Oh boy.

The third shuriken had somehow landed in someone's foot.

How the hell…?

This guy… was truly something else.

Standing beside him, Jinmu looked red-faced and humiliated.

Kisame couldn't help shaking his head. This guy calls himself a ninja? Even academy brats back home wouldn't throw shuriken like that!

If this was what passed for a "ninja" in this world…

Then it might be time for him to retire the title.

If it wasn't too much trouble, he'd have to let Kakuzu know too. It was humiliating.

Hell, if any of them got revived through Edo Tensei in this world, they shouldn't even be allowed to call themselves shinobi. It was that bad.

Jinmu, still scratching his head in embarrassment, led Kisame and the rest toward the special dorms.

The type of dorms usually reserved for VIPs—officers in advanced training, or people with connections.

"This is your dorm building. I'm just across the way, in that one."

He guided them inside, gave a quick tour, and explained everything to the guard on duty.

The guard looked over Kisame and the others, then went to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a key.

"It's a three-bedroom unit. Should be plenty for the four of you."

Kisame took the key, asked for directions to the room, and the group stepped into the hallway.

On the way, Jinmu casually began explaining a few of the Elite Training Camp's rules—but since Zephyr had already told him Kisame wasn't actually a trainee, he kept it brief.

Before long, they arrived at the assigned quarters.

A spacious three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, easily over a hundred square meters.

"Tch, you guys are living the life, huh? This place is huge!" Jinmu looked around with blatant envy.

Then, curiosity getting the better of him, he asked,

"You must be from one of the branch divisions, right? Transferred up after doing something big?"

Kisame shook his head. "Nope."

"No?" Jinmu blinked. "Then how are you a headquarters Captain? You don't even have to do the regular training?"

"Then why'd you even come to the training camp?"

Jinmu eyed the group suspiciously.

"We're not from any branch," Kisame replied calmly. "And we're not originally Navy, either. To be precise—we joined today."

"...Haaaaaaah?"

Jinmu's eyes went wide, jaw nearly unhinging.

What kind of people are these??

First day in the Navy and already a headquarters Captain?

Who the hell approved that?!

"Wait—who brought you in?! How is it even possible to be directly appointed a Captain?"

After all, one more rank up and you'd be a rear admiral!

"Admiral Kizaru," Kisame answered casually. "Oh, and some old guy named Garp. I signed the paperwork with Fleet Admiral Sengoku."

"...Haaaaaa—"

Jinmu's brain flatlined.

This guy is insane!

Recruited personally by Admiral Kizaru and Vice Admiral Garp, and endorsed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself?

How terrifying is this guy??

He must be some sort of hidden god-tier warrior!

"You… what were you before this?" Jinmu asked hesitantly, eyeing Kisame like he might sprout wings or explode.

Kisame saw the kid's increasingly weird expression and thought about it. There wasn't really a point in hiding anything.

"I was an unemployed drifter. She," he pointed to the girl, "was a runaway orphan."

"And that guy…"

He glanced over at the ever-silent Zeff and hesitated a moment. "He and the kid? Pirates."

"—EH?!?!?!"

"Pirates?"

Jinmu nearly shouted. His whole face scrunched up in disbelief.

Since when did the Navy start recruiting pirates??

And not just recruiting—these pirates were now standing next to a captain.

Staring at Jinmu's utterly stunned face, Kisame sighed.

Mann— if I told him I nearly beat Kaido to death, Would he just faint on the spot?

(End of Chapter)

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