"He's so handsome..."
"His style is completely different from the previous three instructors..."
"Is this Vice Admiral Daren?"
"I really want to be his adjutant... to be by his side day and night..."
At this moment, looking at the almost perfect Vice Admiral in front of them, all the cadets had similar thoughts rushing through their minds, and they were extremely excited.
The boys' eyes sparkled with admiration and reverence, while the girls' cheeks flushed red, their breathing growing slightly heated, and some couldn't help but let their eyes turn into heart shapes.
His powerful presence, towering stature, flawless appearance, and rebellious yet gentle demeanor gave off an unparalleled sense of security just by standing there... He was exactly the image of the perfect instructor in their minds!
Especially with the "contrast" of the three instructors in front of him, Daren's image seemed even taller and more upright.
It proved that no matter what world you were in, first impressions were very important.
"Vice Admiral Daren, he's so handsome..."
Even Magellan, who was hiding in a dark corner in the distance, couldn't help but stretch his neck and stare at Daren's figure, murmuring softly.
Faced with such a scene, Sakazuki took a deep look at Daren and frowned.
Borsalino smiled slyly, seemingly unconcerned.
Kuzan, however, looked even more excited than the new students, trembling with excitement as he said,
"He's truly my opponent! He got everyone's attention and recognition as soon as he appeared... That's so cool!"
Looking at Zephyr, who was surrounded by a crowd of people, the corner of his mouth twitched.
However, thinking about the fact that Daren was his student, he couldn't help but take a step forward and proudly straighten his chest.
"It seems that everyone is enthusiastic and looking forward to the future training. I am very happy about that."
Daren was not surprised by the reaction of this group of military academy students.
He smiled gently and said,
"During the upcoming training camp, I will serve as a special instructor and teach you all how to train your physique."
His gaze swept across the faces of the military academy students, not even forgetting Magellan in the distance.
"As someone who has been there, I can assure you that your time at the military academy will be the most memorable and valuable time of your lives, without a doubt."
"And as your former senior, I will also try my best to spend time with you and help you grow faster."
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Zephyr-sensei for his guidance and encouragement."
At this point, Daren smiled at Zephyr and nodded slightly in greeting.
Zephyr was taken aback, and he could hardly control the smile on his lips as he straightened his back even more.
"Although Zephyr-sensei has a bad temper, is eccentric, extremely harsh, quite stingy, and never treats anyone to anything..."
Zephyr: ???
His smile froze on his face, and his expression became somewhat stiff.
Daren finished with a smile:
"But he is indeed a good teacher."
Zephyr: ...
You could have just said the last sentence, kid. You didn't need to say all that other nonsense.
Daren's friendly teasing immediately caused the military academy students present to burst into laughter, and the atmosphere in the hall became much more relaxed.
Not only did he have such a perfect image and powerful abilities, but he was also so humorous!
Thinking of this, they glanced at Sakazuki and the other two again, their eyes twitching slightly, and then looked at Daren with even more admiration.
"Ahem... Alright, now let's start the preliminary selection of your instructors."
Zephyr coughed twice, interrupting Daren.
He thought to himself: If I let this brat continue, even I, the chief instructor, might lose my job.
He sighed helplessly, looked up and said in a loud voice:
"Think carefully, decide on your future direction, and stand in front of the instructor you want to choose."
The four specially appointed instructors stood in a row at a distance from each other, looking imposing.
The system of specially appointed instructors was actually very easy to understand. It was equivalent to elective courses in college.
Zephyr, the chief instructor of the military academy, was the teacher of the major courses and was responsible for helping students lay a solid foundation.
The four specially appointed instructors, Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, and Daren, were equivalent to elective course teachers, allowing students to freely choose their future focus and choose voluntarily.
Less than two seconds after he finished speaking, almost all the students rushed to Daren and lined up in a long queue.
Their footsteps were so fast that they even kicked up a cloud of dust.
Zephyr: ...
He looked at the long line in front of Daren, then looked at the other three.
In front of Sakazuki... there was no one.
In front of Kuzan... there was no one.
Zephyr's face grew darker and darker.
"That kid Borsalino probably doesn't have anyone either... Huh?"
Zephyr suddenly froze, then was somewhat surprised to find that standing in front of Borsalino was a figure with a wooden demeanor.
Vergo?
...
The third phase of Officer Training Camp at Marine Headquarters had officially begun.
On the stands far from the training ground, Daren sat with his legs crossed, a lit cigar between his lips, lazily watching the heated activity on the field with a somewhat emotional look on his face.
"Run, you brats!"
"Shuzo, you're so strong, why are you moving so slow?!"
"Bone! You're too skinny! Eat more! You look like a mummy!"
"And you, Doll! This is physical training... You're not allowed to use your Long-Leg Tribe abilities!"
A series of thunderous roars echoed across the field, mixed with the sounds of bullets striking the ground and the wails of the military academy freshmen.
"Zephyr-sensei hasn't changed a bit..."
Kuzan strolled over slowly, sat down next to Daren, and handed him a bottle of sherry.
Daren accepted the bottle and smiled.
"How did you come to like this?"
Kuzan laughed.
"This is the strongest wine — and it's also Zephyr-sensei's favorite..."
He gazed toward the distant figure with purple hair, who was holding a machine gun and spraying bullets at his students.
Unexpectedly, Kuzan's usual carefree demeanor faded, and his eyes were filled with calmness and respect.
"Because of him, I also grew to like this wine..."
He withdrew his gaze and raised the bottle.
"...I want to become a man as cool as him."
Daren was taken aback, then chuckled, clinking their bottles together before taking a hearty swig.
"I'm heading off. Looks like you're going to be busy..."
Kuzan winked at Daren, stood up, patted the dust off his pants, and walked away.
Watching his somewhat dashing back, Daren was lost in thought for a moment.
It had been a year since they graduated from training camp... This guy seemed to have matured a lot.
Except, of course, when he got carried away in the heat of the moment.
Suddenly, sensing something, Daren turned his head to look toward a corner of the stands.
There, at the edge, a slightly timid figure was hiding, carefully poking out half his face to sneak a glance.
But his huge black devil wings utterly betrayed his attempt at stealth.
"Magellan? Come here..."
Daren was momentarily stunned, then smiled and waved him over.