I've Got You All Figured Out!

After learning what Christa had been through, Zephyr let out a deep sigh.

"So, what do you have in mind?"

Zephyr asked Randall.

"Ummm, I definitely want her to join the Navy."

Zephyr glared at him and said:

"So you came to me because you want her in the Elite Camp?"

I'm telling you, there's no pulling strings here!"

Randall said with a smile:

"Teacher Zephyr, you've got me all wrong!

I'm not here to pull strings. I'm bringing you an outstanding student!

Little Crystal is a genius who was born with awakened Observation Haki!"

This was the decision Randall and Christa had reached after discussing it.

Although Christa wanted to stay with Randall, she wanted even more to help him, rather than be a burden.

Hearing this, Zephyr looked at the timid Christa in surprise.

"Really?"

"Of course! How could I possibly lie to you about something like this?"

Zephyr nodded thoughtfully.

"Hmm, in that case, she can be admitted as an exception even if her doriki value doesn't meet the requirement.

You really weren't kidding, kid!"

Being born with awakened Observation Haki was indeed an extraordinary gift.

Just because Randall and the others awakened Observation Haki as easily as playing a game didn't mean it was easy.

Plenty of people went their entire lives without ever awakening Observation Haki.

Seeing Zephyr agree, Randall breathed a sigh of relief.

Zephyr had the final say in the Elite Camp.

Once he agreed, even Kong and Sengoku couldn't stop it.

Just like that, the matter was settled.

"All right, now that we've discussed Christa, it's time to talk about you.

How exactly did you take him down?

Did you know that shortly after you left, that old bastard Sengoku called and said a rear admiral had just died because of that pirate?"

Randall scratched his head and said:

"Hehe, I just took care of him."

Then he told Zephyr what had happened.

Of course, Randall deliberately skipped over the troublemakers in the Town.

After listening, Zephyr sighed, his expression complicated.

As his teacher, he was certainly proud to have such an outstanding student.

The problem was that he was too outstanding.

It made him feel old.

He had the feeling that before long, Randall would be able to give him a real fight...

"What? You're saying he's already back? And he completed the mission?!"

Sengoku was so shocked that his spit nearly flew into Zephyr's face.

Zephyr nodded wistfully.

"That's right. You heard correctly, and I said it correctly.

That kid really did kill that pirate."

With Zephyr's confirmation, Sengoku sucked in a sharp breath.

"How on earth did he do it?

Wasn't he only as strong as a rear admiral?"

Seeing Sengoku so stunned left Zephyr feeling thoroughly pleased.

"He was, but according to the kid, his determination not to disgrace the Navy was so strong that he broke through during the fight and grew even stronger.

Then he finished the fight in no time."

Sengoku nearly choked to death on his own spit.

Was this some kind of joke?

Who in the Navy didn't have firm resolve?

He'd never seen any of them suddenly grow that much stronger during a fight!

Sengoku was speechless.

But once that feeling passed, he was deeply heartened.

Another pillar of strength had emerged in the Navy.

Excellent!

"By the way, where's that pirate? We've got a batch of pirates being sent to Impel Down."

Zephyr's expression turned a little strange as he replied:

"Ummm, the kid only brought back a head...

I don't think he'll need to go to Impel Down..."

Killing a pirate wasn't much of an issue.

The main problem was that the head the kid had brought back was in such a fucking gruesome state.

It didn't even look human anymore...

He'd even wondered whether Randall had some deep-seated grudge against the pirate...

Sengoku paused, then nodded without saying anything.

Then he rubbed his forehead with a headache.

"Speaking of which, now that he's finished his assessment, we'll have to give him a rank.

Zephyr, do you have any ideas?"

Zephyr answered indifferently:

"Give him whatever rank he deserves. What's there to think about?"

"But his strength is already on par with a vice admiral's, isn't it?

Are we supposed to make him a vice admiral straight away?

There's no precedent for that!"

"Hehe, that's your problem to figure out."

Zephyr chuckled and spread his hands like a shameless rogue.

"Get out of here, you old bastard!

If you've got nothing to do, stop being an eyesore!"

A little while later, at the Training Ground.

Randall and Zephyr stood in the center, with Christa and a crowd of raw recruits off to the side.

"That's Admiral Zephyr, right?"

"And the guy opposite him... damn, he's handsome!

He must be that beast who beat the Elite Camp's former number one after being there for just a month!

Randall!

"Didn't he apply to graduate early? Why's he still here?"

"Whoa, with those stances, are those two about to fight...?

Can this monster already go toe-to-toe with Admiral Zephyr?

Is he even human?"

"By the way, what's the deal with that little girl? She's adorable!"

"I know, I know! I got here early. That's Randall's little sister!"

"Whoa! My brother-in-law's little sister is that cute?"

"Holy shit! You animal! How old is she?! Drop dead, you lolicon!"

"Uh-oh, Randall's looking over here!

You're done for, bro. A moment of silence!"

"A moment of silence!"

"Seconded!"

"..."

On the field, Randall helplessly withdrew his gaze.

What a bunch of idiots.

"Hehe, ready, kid?"

Across from him, Zephyr knocked his fists together and flashed a savage grin.

"With your strength now, I can't afford to go easy on you!"

His face full of fighting spirit, Randall said:

"I couldn't ask for more! Come on, Teacher Zephyr!"

The moment he finished speaking, Armament Haki enveloped his entire body.

He instantly looked understated, luxurious, and full of substance.

The surrounding recruits watching the show all sucked in sharp breaths.

Was this the strength of the Elite Camp's number one?

Full-body Armament Haki!

To them, Armament Haki was still a powerful ability they could only imagine.

Yet Randall could already perform an advanced application like coating his entire body in Armament Haki.

We're all recruits, so why are you so incredible?

Was this the strength of the Elite Camp?

The other trainees in the Recruit Training Camp: No, no, no! Give us a break! We're not even in the same world as him!

Looking at the seemingly impenetrable Randall, Zephyr offered a word of praise:

"You've honed your Armament Haki well."

But then his tone changed:

"Full-body Armament Haki looks safe, but it actually spreads your defenses thin!

Just like this!"

The instant Zephyr finished speaking, he appeared behind Randall as though he had teleported.

His fist, as big as a cooking pot, slammed toward Randall's back.

Yet Randall seemed to have foreseen it.

He had already begun dodging.

"Hehe, Teacher Zephyr, you always have that same habit!

I've got you all figured out!"