The Examination!

Time passed quickly, especially when you were focused on doing something.

The day of this year's Naval Academy Training Camp examination had arrived.

In the eyes of the Training Camp cadets, Morito was still the same good-for-nothing who did as he pleased and ignored the Academy's rules.

But so what?

Why should I, Ōtsutsuki Morito, care what a bunch of nobodies think?

On the plaza, the Training Camp cadets stood in several neat columns.

Solemn and composed.

It had to be said: in terms of bearing and discipline, the Training Camp cadets were better than some of the regular Marines in the Four Seas branches.

This year's Training Camp examination was a lively affair, with many serving officers from Marine Headquarters in attendance.

Many cadets in the Training Camp had parents or grandparents who were Marines. They had come to watch, hoping their younger generations would achieve satisfactory results.

That way, they could enter the Naval Academy's preparatory program and become Reserve Navy officers for Marine Headquarters.

Though they were only Reserve Navy officers studying at the Naval Academy, even the lowest-ranked graduates of Marine Headquarters started as noncommissioned officers.

If assigned to the Four Seas, they could even be commissioned officers.

The examination was only for a group of boys and girls, none older than eighteen, but those who excelled would surely become Marine officers and form the backbone of the Navy's future.

Today, they would be the focus of Marineford.

The center of everyone's attention!

Zephyr, the Naval Academy's chief instructor and a former Marine Admiral, would also be there today. Perhaps one of the cadets would become his student.

"Look over there! The three most talked-about cadets in this year's Training Camp examination have arrived!"

"Onigumo and Doberman are both exceptionally talented. They're always fighting for first or second place in the monthly tests."

"Kazan's combat ability is just as impressive, and he always ranks first in the written exams."

"Those three are practically guaranteed a place in the Elite Class."

Everyone buzzed with discussion. Even the townspeople knew the Training Camp cadets well.

That showed just how influential the Naval Academy was in Marineford.

After all, this was the Navy's highest institution!

Morito stood among the crowd. This was his first time attending the examination. He had skipped every previous one without even showing up.

His expression wasn't as serious as everyone else's, but that didn't mean he was indifferent.

It felt a little like the college entrance exams.

After settling himself, Morito stood quietly among the crowd.

In a tall building beside the plaza, two burly Marine officers sat by a window, watching the scene below.

"That's the kid you brought back nine years ago, isn't it?"

Zephyr, the Naval Academy's chief instructor, spoke up. "I heard he skips the examination every year. Why did you bring him back in the first place?"

Morito skipped the examination every year and spent much of his time training alone. Most people had only heard of him, but had never seen him.

This was Zephyr's first time meeting Morito.

His first impression was that the boy was skinny, pale, and prettier than a little girl!

Could this kid really cut it?

With those spindly arms and legs, could he even carry a rifle?

If not for Garp, Zephyr wouldn't even have remembered the name Ōtsutsuki Morito.

In truth, that was simply the impression Zephyr had formed because he already disliked Morito.

Morito had a well-proportioned build, with his muscles kept compact. He didn't have the bulky, explosive physique of someone covered in muscle, which had to do with his Gentle Fist training.

Gentle Fist was different from Steel Fist.

Besides, Morito had a normal East Asian complexion. Compared with the dark-skinned cadets around him, he did look rather "pale."

"He's an interesting kid."

Garp wolfed down his doughnuts. A couple of days ago, he'd heard Gion mention that Morito planned to challenge Onigumo at the examination.

Garp had found it interesting, so he'd come.

Others thought Morito spent all day slacking off and cutting corners, but Garp knew better. He understood just how hard Morito worked.

"Interesting?"

Zephyr frowned, displeasure flashing in his eyes.

That wasn't the kind of answer he wanted.

The Training Camp received a huge share of Marine Headquarters' resources, and the cadets were trained from a young age. Naturally, they couldn't afford to waste those resources on failures.

The unqualified kids in the camp had long since been kicked out.

Morito had only been allowed to stay because of Garp.

Out of respect for Garp, Zephyr had already shown plenty of consideration by letting someone like Morito—who had skipped the examination nine times—remain in the camp.

Garp grinned broadly, unconcerned. "He won't disappoint you."

He had talent and worked hard.

His strength was considerable, and he was willing to patiently build a solid foundation, one step at a time. He wasn't hotheaded just because he was young; he knew how to bide his time and keep a low profile.

How could someone like that be ordinary?

On the surface, Garp seemed like a carefree fool with nothing between his ears. In reality, he was one of the Navy's rare examples of someone who hid great intelligence behind a foolish appearance!

He was sharp as a tack!

Garp had taught Morito how to train in the Marine Six Styles five years ago.

He had taught Morito how to train in Observation and Armament Haki three years ago.

Garp didn't know exactly how strong Morito was now, but he thought Morito was at least as strong as the so-called top three in the Training Camp.

"He'd better be!"

Zephyr finished speaking, folded his arms, and sat silently to one side.

He hadn't come here for Morito. He was mainly here to see how Onigumo, Doberman, and Kazan performed.

The three were practically guaranteed a place in the Elite Class.

The cadets were already in position on the plaza.

The examination covered many areas, with the written test, practical combat, and Doriki test carrying the most weight.

Reserve Navy officers who graduated from the Naval Academy started as officers. The written test was the most basic requirement. Even if they had assistants to handle paperwork later, they still needed to be able to read it themselves.

The practical test assessed their combat ability. Marines were promoted based on strength and service record, and the stronger they were, the faster they could rack up service records.

The final Doriki test determined entry into the Elite Class, screening for talented and capable cadets.

Graduates of the Elite Class became senior officers as soon as they completed the program.

"That blind guy actually showed up!"

"Doesn't he skip the examination every year? What made him come this time?"

"I heard the blind guy challenged Onigumo."

"Seriously?"

"I thought the blind guy would chicken out at the last minute. Can't believe he actually came."

He's going to come in last anyway. Wouldn't showing up just make him look even worse?

Countless eyes settled on Morito. The contempt and disgust in their gazes were completely undisguised, as if they were afraid he might not notice.

Morito sat calmly in his seat. Wasn't being handsome all about giving people something to look at?

They could stare their eyes out, and it still wouldn't make a flower sprout on his face.

Doberman and Onigumo walked over together. Their seats weren't far from Morito's, just diagonally ahead of him on the left.

"So the blind guy really challenged you? Isn't he afraid of embarrassing himself?"

"What's left for him to be embarrassed about?" Onigumo sneered coldly. He deliberately raised his voice, drawing the attention of the cadets nearby.

"Fair point!" Doberman agreed.

Morito glanced at the two of them, then turned his gaze to the platform.

The instructors had already begun unsealing the examination papers.

That immediately made everyone even more annoyed. They could mock and look down on Morito because he was a useless blind man.

But now this useless blind man dared to ignore them?

Where did he get the nerve?

"Onigumo and Doberman are already guaranteed spots in the Elite Class. Once the examination's over, they'll become Zephyr's students. What gave a good-for-nothing who comes in last every year the courage to challenge Onigumo?"

"What a poser. Shameless, too."

"Let's see if he still has the nerve to stick around after the examination. Let him keep pretending for a little longer!"