Diarmuid's body recovered quickly thanks to the Marine medical system, which was extremely advanced.
Before long, he was fully healed.
Today was the day he would be discharged.
At the same time, he would officially report to Zephyr's Officer Training Camp.
Although his relationship with Admiral Zephyr and Admiral Sengoku had grown somewhat closer, someone like him leaving the hospital wouldn't attract much attention.
At the entrance of the sanatorium, Diarmuid stood in a standard Marine uniform, a Justice coat draped across his shoulders.
On his shoulder epaulets was the rank of Major.
Yes.
During his hospitalization, the matter of his status had already been finalized.
He was no longer a Colonel of North Blue Marine Branch 113.
Now he was a proper Marine Headquarters Major.
On the surface, it looked like a demotion.
But in reality, it was a lateral transfer.
For a long time, Marine branch officers were considered two ranks lower than their Headquarters equivalents.
Just like Diarmuid.
A Colonel in the branches became a Major at Headquarters.
Although he hadn't been promoted for participating in the Shiki incident, Diarmuid felt no dissatisfaction.
You should do what your strength allows.
With his current strength, becoming a Headquarters Major was already pretty good.
"You're really not planning to leave the hospital early?"
Diarmuid looked helplessly at his roommate Kuzan, who had come to see him off.
Kuzan was still leaning on crutches with both arms.
His leg remained wrapped in plaster, looking badly injured.
Hearing the question, Kuzan grinned.
"I finally get a chance to relax for a while."
"I'm staying here until I'm completely healed."
To be honest, although his injury looked serious—a broken leg—it could be healed rather quickly with proper treatment.
But Kuzan had stubbornly refused healing-type Devil Fruit treatment, insisting on letting it recover naturally.
In other words—
He was slacking off.
"If you keep living like this, I might catch up to you soon," Diarmuid joked.
"In both strength and rank."
"Oh really?"
"I'll be looking forward to it," Kuzan replied lazily.
Although they got along well and had become friends over the past few days, their outlooks differed greatly.
For example—
Diarmuid wanted to rise above others.
He wanted power, status, and authority.
Kuzan, on the other hand, just wanted to live a laid-back life.
"Let me ask you one last thing," Diarmuid said.
"Kuzan… don't you want to become an Admiral? Or even Fleet Admiral?"
Kuzan paused.
He rubbed his chin and tilted his head.
"Even though Vice Admiral Garp is pretty unreliable… I think I'm a bit like him in some ways."
"To be honest, becoming a Vice Admiral would already be enough for me."
"As for Admirals or Fleet Admiral…"
"These thin shoulders of mine probably couldn't handle that responsibility."
"I'll leave those positions to ambitious people like you."
Kuzan laughed.
Diarmuid looked at him silently.
And yet… you still became an Admiral in the end, he thought.
Perhaps Kuzan and Garp were still quite different.
For example—
Garp, as a long-established Marine legend, had the freedom to refuse promotion to Admiral several times.
But Kuzan probably wouldn't have that luxury.
When Sengoku eventually became Fleet Admiral, he definitely wouldn't tolerate the Admiral seats remaining vacant like they had for years.
He would certainly fill all three positions.
"Well then, goodbye."
"I should head to the training camp."
"When you recover, I'll treat you to a drink."
Kuzan suddenly said,
"Since I'm your senior, let me give you a bit of advice."
"Even though it's called training, you'll still go on missions sometimes."
"How about becoming my aide after I leave the hospital?"
"I'll take good care of you."
Diarmuid immediately waved his hand.
"No thanks."
"I'm afraid if I hang around you too long, I'll lose my motivation."
"You really know how to hurt someone's feelings."
"Well then, I wish you a bright future," Kuzan said with zero sincerity.
After chatting for a bit longer, Kuzan hobbled back into the sanatorium on his crutches.
Meanwhile, Diarmuid followed Rosinante toward the location of the Officer Training Camp.
Looking at the boy walking ahead of him, Diarmuid asked,
"Hey, Rosinante… what's your situation now?"
"Have you joined the Marines yet?"
Rosinante shook his head.
"I want to join the Marines like you, Brother Diarmuid."
"But Mr. Sengoku said I'm still too young."
"So…"
Diarmuid clicked his tongue internally.
What a privileged kid.
Not even a Marine, yet he could freely wander around Marineford's military district.
Having powerful backing really made a difference.
"Is that so?" Diarmuid said.
After thinking for a moment, he added,
"Rosinante… honestly, your personality isn't really suited for the Marines."
"Have you ever considered becoming a philanthropist?"
"Huh?"
Rosinante blinked in confusion.
But soon he said firmly,
"I will definitely become an excellent Marine."
"I won't embarrass you or Mr. Sengoku."
"You really don't understand what people say, do you?" Diarmuid said, knocking lightly on his head.
Still, he didn't continue telling him not to join the Marines.
The Officer Training Camp was essentially a military academy.
It sat within Marineford itself.
At first glance, it looked completely ordinary.
Just a three-story building with a fairly large training field behind it.
There was nothing special about it.
Yet from this unremarkable building would emerge countless Marine elites.
In fact—
Many of the future Marine Admirals and core pillars would graduate from here.
If this were his previous world—
This place would be like Peking University or Tsinghua University.
If you were capable enough, graduating from here meant you might become one of the nation's pillars.
Rosinante might be troublesome at critical moments, but as a guide he was extremely reliable.
During Diarmuid's hospitalization, he had already gathered plenty of information about the training camp.
No wonder he later joined the Marines' intelligence units.
He clearly had talent for this kind of thing.
Thanks to Rosinante's guidance, Diarmuid soon entered the building.
After walking through a few corridors, they happened to run into Admiral Zephyr, who was carrying several textbooks.
This time he looked very different from when they first met in the North Blue.
He wasn't wearing his Admiral uniform.
He didn't even have the Justice coat.
Instead, he wore a simple lavender casual outfit.
A pair of plain glasses rested on his nose.
Without the aura of a Marine Admiral, he looked much more approachable.
Warm.
Gentle.
"Oh, Diarmuid. You're here."
"Today should be your discharge day."
"I didn't come to pick you up."
"You're not angry about that, are you?" Zephyr asked with a smile.
Diarmuid immediately stood at attention and saluted.
"Good morning, Admiral!"
"Rodriguez Diarmuid reporting for duty!"
After finishing the formalities, he smiled.
"Of course not."
"If you spent all your time on someone like me, that would be strange."
"No," Zephyr said with a chuckle.
"We must pay attention to young people like you if the Marines are to have a better future."
"But Sengoku and I hold special positions."
"Every action we take represents the Marines."
"If we showed you too much favoritism, it would actually be bad for you."
"You understand that, right?"
"I do, Admiral," Diarmuid replied quickly.
He also understood something else.
Zephyr didn't need to explain any of this to him.
Yet he still did.
That meant Diarmuid already held some place in his mind.
And that was enough.
"Well then, since we met here, there's no need to go through the paperwork in my office."
"I'm heading to teach a class anyway."
"Come with me."
"You can meet your classmates from the Sixth Officer Training Class."
"Yes, Admiral."
Diarmuid nodded.
Then he turned to Rosinante.
"Alright, kid. Go do your own thing."
"From today on, I'm going back to school."
Zephyr smiled.
"Don't worry, Rosinante."
"I'll take good care of your Brother Diarmuid."
Rosinante nodded reluctantly.
"Brother Diarmuid… if you ever need anything—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Diarmuid said, waving him off.
"I'll call you if I need you."
After Rosinante left, Zephyr and Diarmuid walked toward the classroom.
On the way, Zephyr suddenly asked,
"You seem to dislike Rosinante a little?"
"Not exactly dislike," Diarmuid replied.
"I just think… that kid might not be suited to become a Marine."
"Why?" Zephyr asked.
Diarmuid thought for a moment before answering.
"He's too kind."
"I admit that kindness is a beautiful quality."
"But for soldiers…"
"Sometimes kindness isn't a good thing."
Zephyr seemed to recall something.
A trace of emotion flickered in his eyes.
"You're right," he murmured.
"Sometimes soldiers shouldn't be kind."
Once, he had been called "The Admiral Who Doesn't Kill."
And the result…
His family had been destroyed.
In matters like this—
Zephyr's understanding ran far deeper than Diarmuid's.
Soon they arrived at a classroom.
Zephyr pushed open the door and walked in.
"Everyone," he said.
"Today we have a new member joining you."
"Give him a welcome."
The moment he finished speaking—
Warm applause erupted inside the classroom.
Standing at the doorway, Diarmuid felt slightly uncomfortable with the enthusiasm.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 60 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested:
patreon.com/Luna023