(T/N: Hello Guys, l don't know how it happened, but I skipped chapter 76 last time and updated up to chapter 80, didn't notice it until today and it seems none of you guys noticed too, so before you read this one go back to 76, it's really an important chapter!)
Some people wanted Klein to leave early, but just as many didn't want him to graduate.
"Bro, if you leave, what about our agreement?" Zephyr was dumbfounded.
They had clearly agreed on a year together.
It hadn't even been six months.
And now Klein was about to graduate. Where was he supposed to find another training class?
Find Klein for guidance??
Zephyr prayed silently in his heart: Bro, your little brother's letting you down. Just stay another year, okay? This time…
"I hope you fail the exam!"
If Klein knew, he'd definitely give Zephyr a good old "Iron Fist of Love." After all Klein had done for him, this was how he repaid him—by hoping he'd fail?
Itchy skin, huh?
At this moment, Klein immediately adjusted his mindset. An assessment was just a formality, right?
His eyes lit up with a golden gleam, and he quickly asked the most important question: "Instructor, can I charge for my assessment?"
Never miss a chance to make money!
No one understood just how broke he was right now.
Swish swish swish swish swish—
Countless sharp, burning, resentful glares shot toward Klein like arrows.
If they had been real arrows, he'd have been pierced a thousand times over by now.
Somehow, the cadets' very bodies seemed to catch fire, the flames linking together into a blazing field.
Even the Flare-Flare Fruit user would be moved to tears.
Faced with this collective wrath, Klein's face was as thick as a fortress wall—completely unfazed.
A free lunch?
Dream on!
He wasn't a charity. You want to watch? Then you pay!
Even Instructor Carter, thick-skinned as he was, looked a bit uncomfortable. In his heart, he gave Klein a thumbs-up: Still underestimated how much this guy loves money… His face is thicker than mine!
"Ahem—" The instructor put a fist to his mouth and coughed twice. "Klein is the one being assessed, so it's his decision."
He cast Klein a sympathetic glance. That's all I can do for you, kid.
Once you head out to sea…
If your reputation soars, it'll be thanks to me, your "great instructor."
Heh heh heh…
With the instructor's approval, Klein turned toward the cadets whose eyes were now blazing with fury. He ignored it completely. "Tickets are 10,000 per person!"
"You wouldn't want to miss a real battle between me and Kong, would you?"
The price had gone up!
No helping it—before leaving, he had to make one last big haul.
Once he was gone, there'd be no more cadets to fleece.
He was heartbroken about it! Truly!
…Not really. Klein was secretly ecstatic. "What I'm making here is just pocket change. Out on the sea, it'll be real business—big business!!"
"Money, come to me! Come to me!!!"
Ten thousand Berries in this era was worth several times more than in the New Age—basically tens of thousands.
That immediately set off a chorus of curses:
"Robbery!! Klein, do you even have a conscience? Gouging your fellow cadets! You're not human!"
"You'd even take this money? That's just evil!"
"Ten thousand? Why not just rob us!?"
"Klein, give us a refund! If you're graduating, the training fees should be refunded too!"
When one cadet mentioned the training class fees, Klein's heart skipped a beat.
"Damn it! How did I forget about that? Hell no… a refund—"
"A refund is impossible!"
"Should I grab my bucket and run?"
"Feels a bit immoral…"
More and more cadets joined in the "Refund!" chant, their voices uniting in deafening harmony:
"Refund!" "Refund!!" "Refund!!!"
The roar was so loud it could make your ears bleed.
"Damn!" Klein was stunned. A refund?
That was like killing him!
This scene was starting to feel way too much like that guy yelling "Refund!" at the national soccer team in his previous life.
RNM, refund!
Now he was the one being yelled at like the "national team"?
Seeing this, Instructor Carter had a grin that screamed can't wait to see you squirm. "Let's see how you get out of this one. Money's not so easy to earn—"
Even Garp was taken aback. "Bro, you're graduating—just give them their training fees back."
"I don't think Klein's too keen on that," Sengoku said, eyeing him.
Right now, Klein was as anxious as an ant on a hot wok.
If he refunded them all…
That'd be tens of millions of Berries gone. Giving it back would be unbearable.
That money was in his pocket now—why on earth would he return it?
"Quiet!" Klein barked.
Though he didn't use Conqueror's Haki, his powerful presence and voice still silenced the crowd.
Countless eyes still blazed at him, ready to devour him, waiting for his solution.
"What will he do?" Tsuru mused. In her mind, a refund really was the best option.
Klein faced the heavy pressure head-on. "I can refund the money. But… if you choose not to take the refund, you'll have priority to join my unit in the future!"
"With my talent, and with me graduating early, by the time you graduate, I'll already be a Marine officer!"
"In my unit, you can still train and learn from me!"
"Whether you want promotions and raises, to uphold justice, or to become stronger…"
"I will lead you to grow bigger, stronger, and achieve glory once more!"
Hands in his pockets, Klein stood against all the cadets with an unshaken expression.
His fingers, hidden in his pockets, quietly waved a little flag—secretly activating his Inspire-Inspire Fruit ability.
Underhanded?
As long as he didn't kill or rob anyone, it wasn't underhanded.
And besides…
Follow him?
If you survived, he'd make sure you became an "old veteran of the previous era"—the kind that would make the Legend of the Undying Veteran!
If you didn't survive… well, never mind.
He'd visit your grave now and then, maybe burn some paper money—call it a refund of your training fees.
He was so kind!
The Inspire-Inspire Fruit's influence filled the cadets with trust toward Klein.
From chanting "Refund!" in unison, they now turned on a dime, shouting—
"Grow big, grow strong! Glory once more!!"
"Grow big, grow strong! Glory once more!!"
"…"
"What!?" Instructor Carter was dumbstruck.
What the hell?
How had they all defected in an instant?
"Is Klein's sales pitch really that good?" Carter couldn't understand.
The truth was, there was a big flaw in his promise—cadets' future assignments weren't up to Klein at all.
But that was the Inspire-Inspire Fruit at work. The cadets' dreams and ambitions were simple, and Klein's ability amplified them, firing them up like they'd been injected with adrenaline.
Losing all reason and judgment—
Also known as "IQ drop."
"Whew—" Klein secretly breathed out in relief. His handsome face looked calm, but his back was soaked with sweat.
Thank goodness he'd dodged the refund crisis.
Then he remembered—his assessment officer was…
Kong?
How strong was he?
He wasn't about to get beaten into… a pig's head, was he??