A few days prior, inside the solemn, spacious Supreme Conference Room at Marineford Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Kong sat upright at the head of the main table. Sengoku, Zephyr, Tsuru, and other high-ranking Marine officials lined both sides, discussing preparations for the upcoming Elite Officer Training Camp.
Everyone had long grown accustomed to the vacant seat across the table. Vice Admiral Garp was absent once again, running across the globe in pursuit of Roger. Had Borsalino been present, she would surely have grumbled about those two Chengdu folk.
"This year's youth training camp will open as usual and run for one full year," Kong declared in a steady voice. "The curriculum covers the complete set of Rokushiki, fundamental training in two-color Haki, and practical combat. With the seas in turmoil and pirates running rampant, strength is the sole foundation for the Marines to maintain their footing."
Sengoku and the others nodded in agreement.
Kong dropped a bombshell. "We are introducing a special promotion mechanism for this camp. The top graduate in the comprehensive assessment will be promoted directly to Headquarters Rear Admiral, while the top ten will be promoted to Commander or Captain at our discretion, disregarding seniority entirely to focus purely on merit."
The room stirred with surprise.
Tsuru tapped her fingers lightly against the table before speaking slowly. "The caliber of this year's recruits far surpasses previous classes, particularly the newly enlisted Logia user, Sakazuki. Possessing immense potential and an unyielding disposition, he is a rare talent and a welcome addition to this training camp."
Sengoku and the others agreed, holding high expectations for this new generation of officers.
As the discussion grew lively, Zephyr suddenly spoke up. "In my view, Borsalino does not need to participate as a trainee."
Tsuru looked at him in surprise.
Zephyr continued in a firm tone. "Her practical combat skills, Haki mastery, and proficiency in Rokushiki already far surpass every incoming recruit in this class. Even Sakazuki falls well short of her at present."
"It would be better to appoint her as the deputy instructor of the training camp. She can serve as a benchmark to keep these arrogant young officers in check."
After a moment of consideration, the council agreed. The finalized appointment instantly shattered Borsalino's quiet daydream of reliving her youthful training arc.
On the opening day of the training camp, morning light washed over the solemn, immaculate grounds. Dozens of young officers stood in disciplined formation, their spirits high. Each had been rigorously screened layer by layer by Marine Headquarters.
Zephyr walked steadily onto the elevated platform, sweeping his gaze across the assembled recruits before speaking in a resonant, authoritative voice. "I am Zephyr, chief instructor of this training camp, and I bear full responsibility for all training operations this year."
He turned toward the young woman at his side. "This is Borsalino, Headquarters Captain, serving as the deputy instructor. All subsequent physical training, practical drills, and combat evaluations will be managed jointly by the two of us."
The young officers looked up, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.
The young woman standing beside Zephyr wore a crisp officer uniform, her tall and slender frame standing straight. Her features were remarkably exquisite, framed by an air of casual indifference. Judging by appearance alone, one would take her for nothing more than a strikingly beautiful officer, seeing no trace of a battle-tested warrior. Yet her reputation preceded her.
According to the plan she and Zephyr had agreed upon, the first task of opening day was an initial assessment match for all trainees. By ranking them based on raw combat performance, they could identify individual weaknesses, tailor specific training regimens, and foster healthy competition.
"I have an objection."
Borsalino turned her eyes toward the speaker, finding Sakazuki standing tall at the head of the rank. Youthful vigor radiated from him, paired with an intense, unyielding ambition.
As a user of a top-tier Logia Devil Fruit, he had heard endless rumors regarding Borsalino, the celebrated top rising star of the new Marine generation. In his mind, the Magma-Magma Fruit possessed unrivaled destructive capability among Logias, and his own strength yielded to no one. Why should the seemingly relaxed, delicate girl standing on the platform hold the title of instructor and look down on him?
"Captain Borsalino," Sakazuki said, stepping out of line with sharp, unwavering eyes. "I have never witnessed your true strength. Forgive me, but I find it difficult to accept your qualifications as an instructor. I request a duel with you."
Silence fell over the grounds. Most of the young officers gathered here harbored pride of their own and were secretly curious about the famous supernova, yet none had dared to speak up first. Sakazuki's challenge voiced what everyone was thinking, and the crowd eagerly anticipated the duel, eager to witness the legendary rising star's true power.
On the platform, Borsalino offered a faint, helpless smile in her heart. Since you stuck your head out yourself, do not blame me.
This head-on challenge was quintessential young Sakazuki. Aside from visiting the Staff Headquarters to eat snacks, Borsalino had maintained a low profile, adopting a relaxed, detached lifestyle. She rarely displayed her true strength, and her graceful appearance was thoroughly misleading, so it was no surprise these ambitious recruits underestimated her.
Zephyr glanced at Borsalino. Seeing no objection on her face, he nodded in agreement. "Very well. We will make this match the opening battle of the training camp."
Borsalino stepped off the platform, landing gracefully in the center of the arena.
After a year of diligent refinement, her dual-color Haki was second nature, and her mastery of the Six Powers was absolute. Only Life Return beyond Rokushiki and the elusive Conqueror's Haki remained out of reach. She knew that the original Kizaru had never unlocked Conqueror's Haki, but that hardly meant she was bound by the same limit.
As for the young Sakazuki standing before her, he had yet to learn Haki, relying entirely on the raw destructive power of his Magma-Magma Fruit. Was he not an ideal punching bag?
The recruits backed away to form a wide ring as tension filled the air. Sakazuki held back nothing, striking without hesitation.
Scalding crimson magma instantly coated his arms. Intense heat steamed into the air, rolling outward in waves that visibly warped the atmosphere. His opening gambit was a sweeping area attack, sending a torrent of molten rock cascading across the field to trap Borsalino in a wall of fire.
True to its reputation as a top-tier Logia, the Magma-Magma Fruit delivered overwhelming destructive force, blanketing the area and exerting immense pressure. Sakazuki controlled his ability with impressive precision. Even while launching a broad offensive, superheated magma clung to his hands to guard against melee strikes. His eyes remained locked on the sword at Borsalino's waist, convinced she was primarily a swordsman.
Confronted by the sea of lava, Borsalino moved with weightless fluid grace. Relying purely on exquisite footwork, she glided effortlessly through the gaps in the magma stream, her figure trailing like a golden afterimage without drawing upon her Devil Fruit power once.
After weaving past several waves, she ceased her passive dodging. Reaching down, she drew Qingyue from her waist, instantly coating the steel in dense, pitch-black Armament Haki. Her Observation Haki flared outward, mapping every shift in the air currents and every trajectory of molten rock within her mind. Follow the newest chapters on novelping dot com.
Though the raining lava appeared impassable, covering the entire arena, every trajectory registered with crystal clarity in her mind, posing no danger whatsoever. She stepped forward with measured, unhurried strides, treading precisely between the waves of fire. Her long sword flicked casually, parting the oncoming magma streams with effortless precision. The molten rock collapsed around her, unable to touch even the hem of her uniform.
Watching her advance step by step, Sakazuki's pupils contracted, and he instinctively took half a step back. Realizing his retreat, a surge of fierce shame washed over him. His expression turned grim as magma flared around his arms with renewed fury, and he gritted his teeth to charge forward.
Right then, Borsalino sheathed Qingyue with a clean, crisp click. A few brief exchanges had revealed Sakazuki's current limits.
Relying heavily on raw destructive force made his attacks devastating, but his speed was far too slow. She did not even need the Glint-Glint Fruit. Pitch-black Armament Haki coated her hands and forearms, dense and shimmering with dark luster.
Now came the time to give the future Akainu a thorough lesson.
The audience held their breath, eyes glued to the ring. A mischievous, playful glint flickered in Borsalino's eyes as her usual detached aura melted away.
Sakazuki's face flushed with anger. She had sheathed her blade, intending to overpower him hand-to-hand using physical force alone. Worse still, she had not drawn on her Devil Fruit power for a single second. For a young man who had dominated the North Blue without tasting a single defeat, this was an unbearable humiliation.
"Arrogant!" Sakazuki roared, magma bursting from his arms with terrifying impact as he drove both fists toward her.
The next instant, their attacks met.
Slender hands clad in gleaming pitch-black Haki caught his heavy, lava-soaked fists dead in their tracks. Sizzling heat hissed into the air, sending up clouds of white smoke, yet the dense Armament Haki completely shielded her skin from harm.
Sakazuki felt an immovable wall pressing against him. Though he struggled to push back, shock rippled through his mind. The elemental invulnerability he relied on meant nothing against her Haki. Incapable of dispersing his form to dodge, he was forced to absorb every impact directly.
Borsalino's speed overwhelmed him completely, her movements fluid and unpredictable. Controlling her output with precision, she targeted key points: joints, shoulders, ribs, and face.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid barrage of striking impacts echoed across the training ground. Sakazuki was systematically broken down without a chance to counter. Every wave of magma he launched missed completely or was deflected by Haki, while her strikes landed with relentless accuracy.
Within minutes, the duel reached its end. Sakazuki collapsed to the ground, his uniform torn, bruises covering his frame, his face swollen beyond recognition as he gasped desperately for air, completely robbed of the ability to fight.
Dead silence blanketed the arena as the recruits stood frozen in shock. Sakazuki's terrifying destructive force was obvious to everyone, and not a single officer believed they could stand against him. Yet that very same powerhouse had been thoroughly dismantled without landing a single hit. What kind of Marine supernova was this? She was a monster in uniform!
Looking down at the defeated Sakazuki, Borsalino felt a wave of satisfaction. In her previous life, she had never favored the overly dogmatic Akainu; giving him a thorough lesson was immensely gratifying.
She raised her eyes, sweeping her gaze across the trembling recruits, lingering briefly on Momonga, Strawberry, Onigumo, Yamakaji, and Doberman. Her voice echoed clearly across the training ground.
"Who is next?"