Graduation Exam, Begin!

The graduation exam?

Everyone present was startled.

Even Rosinante looked stunned. "No way, Noah. We've only been recruits for a year. You're planning to graduate already?"

"Recruits? Look across all of Marine Headquarters. Is there anyone below Vice Admiral who can still beat him?"

Shiryu, unsurprised, snorted and glanced sideways at Noah. "What's the point of keeping a monster like him in the Elite Training Camp?"

Careful what you say.

My own wife just beat me up...

Noah grumbled to himself, then looked up and smiled at them both. "There's really nothing left for me to learn, so I might as well get out and see the world. What do you say? Give me a straight answer. Are you coming?"

"I'll pass..."

After a moment's hesitation, Rosinante shook his head. "I feel like there's still a lot I need to learn from Instructor Zephyr. I still don't know the first thing about either type of Haki..."

"I'm interested," Shiryu said around his cigarette, frowning thoughtfully. "If I don't apply now, I have to wait another six months?"

"Yeah." Noah nodded. "I asked. Arranging a graduation exam takes a fair amount of resources. They can't set the whole process up just for one person whenever they feel like it."

"Then there's nothing to think about," Shiryu said decisively. "I'm in!"

"No way. You're both leaving me behind at the Elite Training Camp?"

Rosinante pulled a long face, then suddenly caught on and eyed Shiryu suspiciously. "Wait. You're in such a hurry because of that girlfriend of yours at the G-6 Branch, aren't you?"

The three of them had been reunited for days now. Back aboard the warship, Rosinante and Noah had often spotted Shiryu hiding in a corner, grinning foolishly at a Den Den Mushi. A round of interrogation and a