A Promise

In the Head Instructor's office, Zephyr had also learned of Uchiha Senga's results. He looked at the number displayed in the document on his desk, then raised his head and looked doubtfully at the soldier who had delivered it, his expression plainly saying, Are you kidding me?

The soldier swallowed and once again assured him that he was serious.

Only then did Zephyr reluctantly accept the news.

"I understand. You may leave." He waved the soldier out, then rubbed his temples as he recalled the information in the document.

A sixteen-year-old Marine recruit, Uchiha Senga. No Devil Fruit. Doriki Value: 7,200. All that information combined left Zephyr feeling a little dazed.

This was the recruit Sengoku had told me had decent talent? You call this decent talent? This was a damn monster!

Zephyr felt that Sengoku had to be pulling some kind of prank on him. Ever since his wife and child had been killed by pirates, and with the quality of recruits being rather average these past few years, Zephyr had considered retiring from the Marines entirely. Sengoku had naturally tried his best to dissuade him. Since Zephyr knew the Marines had indeed been having a difficult time these past few years, he had temporarily put that thought aside.

That bastard with his terrible sense of humor! Zephyr viciously cursed Sengoku in his heart.

To be fair, Sengoku had been wronged. Heaven knew that he had only wanted Zephyr to know about such a person beforehand, so that he could properly teach Senga at the Training Camp and not waste his talent. He had also been afraid that if he praised Senga too much, it would look like favoritism, so he had put it more mildly. Who could have known Senga would be this absurdly gifted!?

"I never thought that, after Sakazuki and the other two graduated, a newcomer with this kind of talent would appear. It seems the Marines' future still has hope."

Looking at Senga's photo in the document, Zephyr resolved to give Uchiha Senga special guidance at the Training Camp. He absolutely could not let his talent go to waste—especially when it came to his personality. There could never be a second Borsalino!

With that in mind, Zephyr rose and headed straight for the Training Camp, intending to get a good look at this monstrous newcomer named Uchiha Senga.

By then, Senga had entered the Headquarters Elite Training Camp with the top admission score, completely unaware that he had caught the attention of a purple-haired old man.

As he walked, a group of new recruits discussed him.

"Look, that's Uchiha Senga, the monster with a Doriki Value of 7,200!"

"What strange eyes. Is he from some unusual race?"

"He's so handsome..."

"Stop swooning. Look at the beauty beside him, then look at yourself. Do you really think he'd be interested in you?"

"Get lost!"

All sorts of comments reached Senga's ears. He shook his head helplessly. Whether in the ninja world or the pirate world, there were always people who loved to stir things up and hopeless fangirls everywhere.

"What's with that face? So many people like and admire you, and you still look like that. You must be floating on air inside, you tsundere little pervert."

The speaker was Gion. She had followed Senga in as well, claiming that she was seeing him off at the final stop. It was absolutely not because she wanted to keep some lovestruck little girls from snatching him away. Absolutely not. M.

"Enough teasing me. You're the one who made me show off this time. Now I can forget about keeping a low profile."

"Gold will shine sooner or later. Talent can't be hidden. Stop complaining."

As they talked, the two arrived at the Training Camp dormitories. Gion stopped walking.

"I'll see you off here. I need to go too. We won't be seeing each other for quite some time now, so don't miss me too much, little brother Senga~"

"Alright, alright. It's not like we'll never see each other again. When I get out, let's have a proper meal together."

Suddenly, Gion's expression changed, and she said fiercely,

"Did you forget something?"

"Hm?" Senga was baffled.

"Where did you pinch during the test?"

"Uh..." Senga felt a little awkward. He had acted on impulse at the time, and it had indeed been rather inappropriate.

Pfft. Seeing Senga stand there with such an embarrassed expression, looking like a dumb goose, Gion covered her mouth and laughed.

"Alright, look how scared you are. It's not like I'm going to do anything to you." With that, she actually reached out and pinched Senga's cheek.

Senga failed to react in time and let Gion succeed. He quickly darted to the side, making Gion burst into laughter again.

"You really are a child. I thought you wouldn't care about this sort of thing." Gion stopped laughing and composed herself. Just as she had during the test, she straightened Senga's clothes. This time, Senga said nothing. He knew that Gion simply wanted to face their coming separation with a cheerful mood.

"When you graduate from the Training Camp, if you can become a commodore, I'll agree to one condition of yours. How about it?" Gion suddenly said.

Senga quietly looked at Gion. Everything was understood without words.

"Haha, that's practically impossible, isn't it, Senga?" As if speaking to herself, Gion stopped adjusting his clothes.

Senga stepped forward and hugged Gion, speaking softly into her ear.

"That's all? There's no challenge to it at all."

Gion's face reddened. She hurriedly pushed Senga away, threw out a "Stop bragging," and left as though fleeing.

Senga watched Gion's departing figure, the corners of his mouth lifting.

"Then let's wait and see, Sister Gion."

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