From this chapter onward, listen.
Zephyr withdrew his aura.
Everyone let out a breath of relief, as if the mountain pressing on their shoulders vanished without a trace.
They plopped to the ground, their whole bodies as if fished out of water.
"Very good. I didn't expect so many of you to endure my aura. You've passed the first test."
Zephyr clapped. This class really was excellent—more people held out than in previous years.
"Next is the final test, and also the main one," Zephyr said.
At that, everyone stared warily at the people beside them.
"Relax, relax. You're not fighting each other; your opponents are them."
He clapped his hands, and more than twenty Marines in combat uniforms walked over.
"These are twenty Second Lieutenants, five First Lieutenants, and three Captains…"
While he spoke, Sengoku quietly added, "Plus one Major."
"Er… three Captains and one Major. You'll draw lots and fight. I'll select Elite Camp slots based on your bouts."
An uproar broke out…
Second Lieutenant was already a commissioned officer's rank.
Second Lieutenants weren't a big deal—they were the same level as the trainees. The forty people in the Advanced Training Camp would also be commissioned as Second Lieutenants upon graduation and assigned to other branches.
The strong ones could even become Second Lieutenants at Marine Headquarters directly.
So, logically speaking, Second Lieutenants were their equals.
The problem was: besides the Second Lieutenants, there were five First Lieutenants, three Captains, and one terrifying Major!
And all of them were Headquarters officers!
Each rank represented a big gap in strength.
Unless your ability countered the opponent's, a Second Lieutenant only had a thirty percent chance to beat a First Lieutenant!
As everyone knew, at the same rank, Headquarters Marines were much stronger than branch Marines.
These were all Headquarters officers—their strength was beyond question.
If you drew anyone above Second Lieutenant, you were basically doomed; draw the Major, and you might be one-shotted.
Their instructor Gust was a Lieutenant Colonel, and a Major was just one step below him.
Over a year in the Advanced Training Camp, they'd experienced their instructor's power firsthand. Aside from monsters like Smoker, no one could last ten moves against him when he went all out!
…
They went up one by one to draw lots.
Nerves taut, many muttered under their breath: "Please don't let it be anyone above Second Lieutenant."
The moment they saw their slip, some felt the weight lift; others collapsed inside.
Soon, Creed stepped up, drew his lot, opened it—his mouth twitched. It read: Major No. 01.
He was speechless. What kind of blessed luck was this?
"What did you draw?" Smoker, a cigar clamped in his teeth, walked over.
Creed showed him the slip.
Smoker: "…"
"You?"
"Captain."
Creed: "…"
Smoker went to ask the other three whom Zephyr had "spiced up." Of the remaining three, two drew Captains and one drew a First Lieutenant.
Rigged! Absolutely rigged!
Creed's mouth twitched. They were definitely being set up.
Not far away…
"Hey, Sengoku, you shameless old coot—cheating, pulling strings behind the scenes."
"Heh, that's what you get for showing off."
"Which Major did you arrange?"
"Lokav."
"Whoa, Lokav? You bastard—you're as insidious as ever! Creed could handle the other Majors, but how's he supposed to beat Lokav!!"
Watching Garp's sour face, Sengoku chuckled inwardly. Showing off in front of me, huh? He said, "Relax. No matter the outcome, Creed enters the Elite Training Camp. And letting him taste failure is good—keeps him from getting too full of himself."
Garp nodded and said no more.
…
After the students rested for half an hour, the second test began.
Zephyr announced the first match.
"Creed versus Major Lokav!"
Woah\~!
The arena erupted. At first, many thought no one had drawn the Major.
They hadn't expected Creed to be the one.
And he was up first—what rotten luck.
Plenty watched with schadenfreude. So what if he'd broken through Chief Instructor Zephyr's aura? So what if he was strong? With bad luck pulling a Major, no way he could win.
They waited to see Creed make a fool of himself.
Creed walked to the center platform.
On the other side, his opponent, Major Lokav, also stepped up. His hair was full of dust, his whole body road-worn, as if he'd just come back from a desert.
The two stood on opposite sides of the ring.
"Begin!"
At Zephyr's command—
Lokav moved first. His weapon was a short blade a bit longer than a dagger. He sprang forward, dust blooming underfoot, his speed ghostly; in the blink of an eye he was in front of Creed.
…
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!] [www.P@treon.com/Draumel][Thank You For Your Support!]