The Eve

"..."

Louis's eyes suddenly sharpened, cold sweat soaking through the back of his shirt.

"Crack!!"

Wade's hand on Dylan's shoulder suddenly tightened. Dylan's expression changed, his bones seeming to break under Wade's grip. Yet the usually perceptive Wade seemed completely unaware, his eyes sweeping over the Instructors around them. Frowning, the muscles all over his body began to tremble slightly. He was warming up.

After his initial panic, Louis quickly calmed down. He had dared to reveal that he knew Life Return not because he was truly tired of living.

He really was a genius. Everything about him was true, and he was not afraid of an investigation.

"But it's a bit of a pity."

The Instructor sighed. "The Navy has produced three monsters. Their next twenty or thirty years are already guaranteed, while we in CP have fallen somewhat behind."

Of course, Louis knew who the Navy's three monsters were. Before long, the Navy would enter its golden age. The three monsters—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—had already begun to emerge. Seniors like Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr were in their prime, with Momousagi and Chaton close behind them. Such explosive combat power was unprecedented in the Navy's history. The next time the Navy's strength would reach a new peak would be under Akainu's rule.

Of course, it was of no use. The seas would remain just as chaotic.

"So, Louis, tell me."

The Instructor stared straight at Louis, fixing his eyes on Louis's. "Are you really a genius?"

"Yes."

Louis nodded without hesitation. "I believe I've demonstrated my talent thoroughly enough over the past year of training."

Despite his young age, Louis's learning speed was undoubtedly the fastest in the entire training camp. He had been the first to master the Six Powers, and the only one who could use them in so many different ways.

"Indeed. Just as you said, I know your background inside and out, and your talent truly is exceptional."

The Instructor nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. "It would be such a waste for you to die here. And if you died—"

He glanced at Wade. "—the loss would be even greater. Ha, forget it. Let the people from CP9 worry about that problem."

"Louis, CP9!"

The decision was final.

"Yes!!"

Dylan nearly jumped up. The taut string in his heart instantly loosened. Only then did he notice the shoulder Wade was gripping. "It hurts! It's going to break, Brother Wade!"

"Oh, sorry."

Wade withdrew his hand with a bright smile. "I didn't expect you to be so fragile, Dylan."

"Hey!!"

No matter what, the work assignment meeting had ended. All the trainees who had completed their training would now head to their respective posts and create value in their lives. Of course, there would still be job training before they officially took up their positions.

The Instructor stared meaningfully at Louis for a full minute before smiling in satisfaction and turning away. No one knew what he meant by it.

Life at the South Sea Training Camp was over. Tomorrow, ships would take the trainees assigned to different posts to their respective destinations. In other words, it was time to part ways.

"Why did you hold back, Louis? That bastard Frank really wanted to kill you, right? Why did you let him go?"

While eating, Dylan was very dissatisfied with what Louis had done. Just earlier, he had seen the blood-covered Frank carried off to the hospital. As a training camp with an extremely high casualty rate, a basic facility like a hospital was absolutely indispensable, and its medical skills were quite advanced. That meant Frank, who had looked like a dead dog, would not die.

"Didn't I tell you?"

Louis ate unhurriedly, answering only after swallowing. "CP forbids private fights. Killing is even more strictly forbidden. There's nothing wrong with following the rules."

"So you're just letting him go? Fuck, are you kidding me, Louis?"

Dylan looked frantic. "That bastard wanted to kill you!"

"Alright, Dylan."

Brother Wade smiled. "Didn't Frank already suffer serious injuries?"

"What does that count for? Just a few scratches!"

Dylan clearly could not accept that outcome.

"No, Dylan. Those weren't just minor injuries."

Wade smiled at Louis.

"Huh?"

Dylan looked utterly confused.

"Mm."

Louis nodded. Since Frank was already his enemy, there was naturally no way he would let him off so easily. Even though he was only CP8, Louis absolutely did not want to watch that guy continue growing stronger. "My final attack pierced his chest, and I twisted it around inside his body. Even if he recovers, the damage to his lungs can never be repaired."

"What does that mean?"

Dylan blinked and asked.

"It means—"

Louis smiled. "From now on, he'll probably be gasping for breath after moving even a little."

"Uh..."

Dylan froze for a moment, then asked, "So what?"

"Seriously, how did I never notice you were this stupid?"

Wade laughed and patted Dylan. "Think about it. Would the Government keep raising that kind of trash?"

"Wow! You're ruthless!"

Only then did Dylan understand. This was killing with a borrowed knife. Spies like them knew many of the Government's secrets and possessed highly specialized skills after standardized training. The Government would not allow them to wander free. Louis had crippled Frank—was the Government supposed to support him for free for the rest of his life?

"I'm very merciful."

Louis emphasized it. No matter what, he had still spared Frank's life.

"You heartless bastard, stay away from me in the future!"

Dylan said dramatically.

"Don't worry. I'm going to CP9 tomorrow. That's far enough."

Louis shook his head.

"Uh..."

Dylan choked up. Only then did his thick nerves register that they were about to part ways.

"Practice Tekkai and Kami-e properly. Once you leave the training camp, there'll be fewer restrictions on you."

Like a kind old father instructing a son leaving home for the first time, Louis said, "CP5 specializes in assassination. Don't go become some cannon-fodder assassin either. Two Six Powers techniques are enough for you."

Dylan was different from Louis and Wade. He had not been given the opportunity to learn the Six Powers.

"If anyone questions how you learned them—"

Wade continued, "tell them we taught you. I doubt anyone will dare give you trouble."

Even a CP5 officer might not hold a higher position than an official CP9 member, much less CP0.

"I'll teach you the remaining techniques after I learn them."

Louis continued. One of the benefits of CP9 was access to the complete Six Powers, so he did not need to learn them from Wade. That was forbidden in the training camp. "You can also try Life Return. In any case, make sure you protect yourself. Don't charge at the front during missions, but don't fall behind either. The mission comes second. Staying alive comes first."

"That's right."

Wade nodded.

"Hey! That's enough!"

Dylan slapped the table. "Brother Wade is one thing, but Louis, you bastard, do you take me for some little brother?"

"No."

Louis shook his head.

"At least you know better!"

Dylan snorted smugly twice.

"I just see you as my son. Isn't it only natural for a father to worry about his son?"

Louis smiled.

"You bastard!"

Dylan leaped over the table, trying to tear Louis's mouth apart.

No matter what, the three of them were about to part ways until their next reunion.