"Hang in there… just ten steps left."
Rosinante's vision was blurring. With his stamina completely drained, he was running on sheer willpower alone.
Ten… nine… eight… seven… one!
With unwavering determination, Rosinante took the final step, pulling the massive third-grade cannonball back to its starting point. And the moment he completed the task, he collapsed with a heavy thud.
Fwoosh—
Sengoku had already been waiting anxiously. With a burst of speed unlike any he'd ever displayed, he flashed to Rosinante's side and scooped him up. The boy had already lost consciousness, completely passed out.
"Rosinante… you little fool. Was it really worth it? All this just to get into the Marine Academy?"
Sengoku's voice trembled with worry. But Garp burst into harsh laughter.
"Bwahaha! That's what I'm talkin' about, Rosinante, you brat! He's ready for the man's training program I designed! If Z doesn't want him, I'll take him myself, ha ha ha!"
"In your dreams, Garp." Z folded his arms, smiling slightly. "Who said I didn't want him? Sengoku, congratulations—your Rosinante has passed the entrance assessment. He'll be admitted as an auditing student in the first class."
"Auditing student?" Sengoku blinked, puzzled.
Z nodded. "That's right. The first class has already completed a year and a half of training, only six months to go before graduation. There's no way Rosinante can catch up now. So he'll attend as an auditing student to build a solid foundation. Once the second class begins in six months, he'll officially enroll with them."
"I see… well, that's fair enough."
Sengoku looked down at his son, gently stroking his hair with a touch of tenderness. He then turned to Z and handed him the unconscious boy.
"Z, I have to head to the New World. The Navy forces stationed there are barely holding on. Without an Admiral present, they won't last against the monsters out there. I'm leaving right now, tell Rosinante when he wakes up."
"I understand, Sengoku."
Z took Rosinante from him. Sengoku then turned to his adjutant, Kalit, and received several packs of rice crackers.
"He likes these. Give them to him when he wakes up. I'm off."
Sengoku waved as he departed with Kalit and several Marine soldiers toward a distant warship—his destination, G-5 Fortress in the New World, where he would brace for pirate assaults on Marine strongholds.
"I'll be going too." Kong said to Z, turning to leave.
Garp, stuffing his final doughnut into his mouth, spoke through a grin, "When the second class starts in six months, I'll send my boy Dragon over. After that, it's all on you. Later!"
And just like that, Garp swaggered off as well.
Two hours later, in Z's office, Rosinante slowly stirred on the couch.
"You're awake?"
He turned his head toward the voice and saw Z sitting at his desk, writing something.
"Mister Z…"
"Still calling me Mister?" Z quirked a brow. "It's Master, not 'mister.'"
"Ah—yes! Master-Z!"
A wide smile broke across Rosinante's face. He'd made it. He was in. He'd officially clawed his way into the Marine Academy, the Navy's elite training ground and in its first-ever class, no less.
"Since you're awake, I've got a few things to go over." Z began. "First, Sengoku's gone to the New World. Before he left, he asked me to give you these."
He handed over the rice crackers. Rosinante accepted them with a blink of surprise, then muttered softly, visibly moved, "Dad… seriously…"
But Z cut in before he could get emotional.
"If you want to get sentimental, do it outside. This is the Marine Academy. We don't raise crybabies here."
"Ugh… seriously strict~" Rosinante couldn't help but mutter, already sensing why Z's students always seemed so… rebellious. The man didn't exactly ooze warmth.
"Next item," Z continued. "Since you enrolled late, you'll only be auditing for the remainder of this term. You'll officially join as a cadet when the second class begins. But that doesn't mean I'll let you slack off. Here's your six-month training regimen."
He handed Rosinante the paper he'd just finished writing. The boy looked down, it was filled top to bottom with physically grueling exercises.
"And third," Z said, "the Marine Academy assigns four cadets per dorm. At the moment, all rooms are full—except for one."
"Wait, don't tell me…" Rosinante had a bad feeling.
"You'll be bunking with Borsalino and Sakazuki."
"Wha… Yellow Monkey and Red Dog? Seriously?"
"Is there a problem?"
"No, no—no problem at all!"
Z nodded. "Good. Since your body's completely drained today, you may rest this afternoon. Starting tomorrow, you'll follow that schedule. Understood?"
"No need, Master-Z. I've already recovered. Please allow me to begin my training today."
"…Oh?" Z raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Eager little brat, aren't you? Not bad at all."
Seeing promise in the boy, Z stood and said, "Follow me. Let's head to the training field."
"Yes, sir!"
At the training grounds, Z called a halt to the current drills and turned to the assembled cadets.
"Listen up. We've got a new face. His name is Rosinante. From today on, he'll be auditing with our class. Welcome him."
Clap clap clap—
As polite applause rang out, Z turned back to Rosinante. "Here in the Marine Academy, every cadet is assigned a codename. From now on, you won't go by your real name. Choose your codename."
"…Codename?"
"That's right," Z nodded. "Everyone has one. For example, see that guy over there who looks like a grumpy old man? His codename's Kizaru—Yellow Monkey."
"Oi oi, Master! I'm only 26! How do I look like an old man?!"
Borsalino protested, but Z ignored him completely.
"Got it now? Give us your codename, Rosinante."
"…Blue Eagle." Rosinante said after a moment's thought.
In line with the Admiral naming tradition, color plus animal—he chose blue to represent the sea, and eagle, king of the skies. Blue Eagle, a name that symbolized his dream to soar above the seas as a mighty force.
"Very well. Join the ranks… Blue Eagle."
Z nodded with approval. He took codename policy seriously. To him, it wasn't just tradition, it was born from tragedy. Years ago, a student's identity was exposed due to poor security, resulting in the death of his entire family. Z had learned that lesson the hard way, and he would not allow such a thing to happen again.
From this day on, Rosinante was no more.
Blue Eagle had taken his first step into the future of the Navy.
(End of Chapter)
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