The battle was over.
And with it, the graduation trial came to an end.
As the final highlight of the day, Kai's clash with Zephyr marked the perfect conclusion to the entire event. From this moment onward, this batch of trainees officially graduated.
Their paths would now diverge.
Some would be dispatched across the seas as Marine officers, stationed in distant regions to maintain order. Others might remain at Marine Headquarters, continuing their service at the heart of the organization.
No matter where they went—
their journey as true Marines had begun.
The No.1 training ground…
was unrecognizable.
It was riddled with destruction—cracked, shattered, and utterly devastated.
The battle between Kai and Zephyr had reduced the entire area to ruins.
Deep fissures spread across the ground like spiderwebs, jagged and terrifying. The once pristine training field now resembled an abandoned wasteland.
Collapsed terrain.
Broken stone.
Endless destruction.
Within a radius of over a thousand meters, the aftermath of their clash had left behind countless craters and fractures.
And this was without either of them unleashing large-scale attacks.
Just the residual force alone had caused irreversible damage.
Repairing this place would take at least half a month.
Outside the field—
Kong and the other high-ranking Marines silently observed the devastation.
After a long pause, Sengoku spoke with a sigh:
"Unbelievable… Even going all out, Zephyr couldn't suppress that kid right away."
"They fought for nearly an hour… and only when Kai's stamina dropped did the tide slowly turn."
"For the first thirty minutes, even a full-powered Zephyr couldn't dominate him."
"That alone proves just how terrifying Kai is."
Monkey D. Garp folded his arms, grinning proudly.
"That's my grandson. Of course he's a monster."
Nearby, Tsuru nodded, her expression serious.
"I felt pressure from him… even I'm not confident I could defeat him quickly."
"And he's only five."
Silence fell.
Then Kong suddenly spoke, his lips twitching slightly:
"…Didn't that kid just say he's still 'weak'?"
For a moment—
no one responded.
Weak?
A five-year-old who could clash head-on with a Marine Admiral…
called himself weak?
Kong couldn't help but sigh.
"This kid… must have some serious misunderstanding of what 'weak' means."
"If that's weak, then what are the rest of us?"
One by one, the high-ranking Marines left the training ground.
Their purpose for coming had already been fulfilled.
But what stayed in their minds…
wasn't Zephyr's strength—
It was Kai's.
A five-year-old boy standing against an Admiral…
That image would not fade anytime soon.
"Since Kai has graduated…"
Kong narrowed his eyes.
"It's time to assign him a position."
Meanwhile—
after the top brass left, the atmosphere relaxed.
Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino exchanged glances.
Kizaru sighed:
"Did you hear what Zephyr said? That kid is the strongest student in history… even stronger than us back then."
"…What kind of monster is that?"
Kuzan patted his shoulder.
"Don't overthink it."
"Monsters like him… only appear once in centuries."
Soon, even they left.
Back at the training ground, Zephyr addressed the graduates:
"From today onward—you are all Marines."
"This training period is over."
"Your assignments will be issued soon."
Excitement surged through the crowd.
Their futures were finally beginning.
Kai, however, wasn't listening.
Because at that moment—
a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
[Battle rewards calculated…]
[After 100× amplification:]
Strength +0.6 Speed +0.4 Stamina +0.4 Spirit +0.8 Armament Haki +4 Observation Haki +5 Rokushiki mastery +6
A surge of warmth flooded his body.
His muscles, bones, and blood… were all refined once more.
At the same time—
countless combat insights poured into his mind.
Haki.
Techniques.
Control.
Everything advanced further.
When it ended—
Kai clenched his fists.
Power surged within him, stronger than before.
Even the injuries from Zephyr's punch had partially healed.
His exhausted body rapidly recovered.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"This fight…"
"was worth it."
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