Year-end Assessment

The year-end assessment had arrived.

The assessment venue was arranged at Marineford's central plaza—the future battlefield of the Marineford War.

On the morning of the assessment, the grounds were already buzzing with voices, while the headquarters' senior officers sat on the raised platform.

Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, Gion, and several other Vice Admirals were among them.

Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru had also come to the assessment site today.

Akainu sat in his seat, coldly watching the noisy crowd below, seeming somewhat out of place amid the surrounding atmosphere.

Ordinarily, given his status and temperament, he would never have attended a year-end assessment for recruits like this. Since becoming a Marine Admiral and gradually emerging as the leader of the Marines' hardliners, his mind had been filled with carrying out his justice. His attendance rate was arguably the highest among the Admirals, making him a model worker of the Marines.

Yet even someone as powerful as him felt stretched thin, because there were simply too many pirates. He also knew that he could not wipe them all out by himself.

This batch of recruits was likely the last batch personally taught by Instructor Zephyr. Although Akainu fundamentally did not approve of Zephyr's justice of refusing to kill, he absolutely acknowledged Zephyr's teaching ability. That was why he had come this time as well, hoping to pick out a few outstanding prospects to join his ranks.

Especially a recruit named Uchiha Senga. He had heard that name more than once, whether from his subordinates or the higher-ups.

Glancing at Kizaru and Aokiji on either side of him, he slowly spoke.

"I didn't expect you two to come as well. It's just a recruit assessment. Are you that interested?"

Kizaru had his legs crossed as well. He was currently trimming his nails with a nail clipper, looking utterly bored as he lazily said, "I've been sitting in the office for too long. It's good to come out and enjoy some excitement now and then."

Aokiji was the only one not sitting with his legs crossed. He propped up his chin and said blandly, "You two came, so there's no problem with me coming too, right?"

Akainu snorted and said nothing more. However, the temperature around him began to rise continuously. Aokiji sat quietly to Akainu's right, completely unfazed by the changing temperature.

From afar, the space occupied by the two appeared split into red and blue.

Sengoku sat in the middle and naturally noticed the discord between them. Frowning, he lightly tapped the armrest of his chair a few times. Only then did the two quiet down, as though nothing had happened.

Sengoku sighed softly. He knew that Akainu and Aokiji had grown mutually displeased because of the Buster Call launched against Ohara.

It had not been much of an issue at first. Although Aokiji was not particularly fond of the matter, he had merely been following orders. The problem was that Akainu had ordered the shelling of the ship packed with civilians. Aokiji had watched helplessly as that ship sank, and with his personality, there was no way he could simply stand by.

On the way back, the two had remained at each other's throats and had even nearly come to blows. It was only because he had personally intervened that the matter was temporarily suppressed. Afterward, Akainu's actions had earned the favor of the World Government and became an important qualification in his promotion to Marine Admiral.

Aokiji later became a Marine Admiral as well. The two Admirals carried different forms of justice, and that had only deepened the rift between them. If it could not be repaired, it would certainly cause trouble in the future.

But how could such a fracture be easily mended? Thinking of this gave Sengoku a headache.

The friction above did not affect the enthusiasm below. Not only had the students participating in the assessment come today, but many headquarters officers and soldiers had also arrived to watch. They were all discussing the assessment.

"Did you hear? This assessment's rewards include Great Fast Swords and even Devil Fruits!"

"I heard! Devil Fruits are treasures of the sea. One costs over a hundred million Berries! I couldn't afford one even if I served in the Marines my whole life!"

"Exactly! If I'd known this year's assessment rewards included Devil Fruits, I would've joined the Training Camp too!"

"Give it a rest. Everyone who gets into the Training Camp is a genius, and those in the elite Training Camp are geniuses among geniuses. You think you can get in just because you want to?"

"Enough with the nonsense. Do you know who the favorite to win this time is?"

"Uchiha Senga, of course. I've heard that name so many times my ears are getting calluses!"

"Not necessarily. Because of the rewards this time, many upperclassmen who have already gone out to sea for real combat have returned to participate. No matter how strong Uchiha Senga is, he's still a flower raised in a greenhouse. He lacks experience!"

"Upperclassmen are participating too? Isn't that a little unfair to students who have only been training for a year?"

"Who knows? Headquarters approved it. Maybe this year's students are much stronger overall."

"Ah, whoever gets the rewards in the end has nothing to do with us anyway. Still, it's not bad to broaden our horizons by watching these geniuses."

"True. The fights are sure to be spectacular!"

"The groups are out. The assessment is about to begin, so focus on the matches."

Today, Senga wore his favorite black robe bearing the Uchiha Crest. This assessment allowed participants to wear whatever clothes they found most comfortable.

He had already received the information on his first opponent. After glancing at the information sheet in his hand, Senga casually tossed it into the trash.

Seeing what Senga had done, Bridge leaned over and asked curiously, "Boss Senga, who's your opponent?"

Senga shrugged and said, "Don't know him. I only know his name is Chris."

Seeing Senga's unconcerned expression, Bridge immediately began flattering him.

"As expected of Boss Senga! You don't care at all who your opponent is!"

Graves immediately chimed in from the side, "Indeed. Just now, someone looked that lousy sheet over from top to bottom more than ten times. He probably even knows what color underwear his opponent is wearing today!"

Steam practically rose from Bridge's head in anger. He glared viciously at Graves and said, "What the hell do you know? That's called being cautious. Do you understand caution? Pray you don't get grouped with me. This time, I'm definitely going to show you why flowers are so red!"

Ever since Senga had filled him with a big bowl of motivational talk in the dormitory last time, Bridge had trained with renewed vigor. He was currently in the overconfident beginner phase and respected no one but Senga.

Graves raised a brow, a mocking smile squeezing onto his rugged face as he said disdainfully, "Fine, I'll be waiting. But let me make this clear first—if you lose, you'll light my cigars for a whole year. And every time you do, you have to say, 'Boss, your humble servant is lighting it for you!'"

Bridge refused to back down, declaring that if Graves lost, he would have to do the same—and Graves would have to provide the cigars!

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