Pirate: I'm an admiral now, what's wrong with taking a little extra money?

Sakazuki strode out, each step leaving a footprint in the ground.

"The humiliation of this week... I'm going to repay you for it all today!"

"You two! If you're still men, come at me together! Let's take down this bastard first!"

The three future admirals, the prototypes of the Navy's highest combat power, were forced by Kane to join forces at this moment!

"That's right."

Kane cracked his neck, producing a series of popping sounds.

"If I don't beat the three of you into submission, how can I have the nerve to teach you about 'justice' in the future?"

"shave!"

The four figures disappeared from the spot almost simultaneously.

boom--!!!

A terrifying shockwave exploded in the center of the arena, causing the hard stone floor to crack inch by inch.

Sakazuki's fist, Kuzan's whip kick, and Borsalino's light-speed kick (although he doesn't have a Devil Fruit yet, his leg techniques are extremely fast) attacked Kane simultaneously from three directions.

This is a decisive situation!

Even if a major general from headquarters were to arrive, he would still perish against the combined attack of these three monsters.

But Kane smiled.

He simply closed his eyes, as if he had given up resisting.

"Paper Painting: Martial Arts!"

Kane's body twisted at an impossible angle, like a piece of paper, gliding past Sakazuki's punch and grazed the sole of Kuzan's shoe.

Only Borsalino kicked him.

"Iron Block & Steel!"

Kane didn't stiffen; instead, he instantly hardened his back muscles as he moved.

"clang!"

A metallic clang rang out. Using the force of the kick, Kane advanced instead of retreating, crashing into Sakazuki's arms like a cannonball.

"Sakazuki, it looks like your wound has reopened?"

Kane's voice was like the whisper of a demon.

"Finger Pistol - Penetrating Bone!"

puff!

Kane poked one of his fingers into Sakazuki's still-unhealed wound on his chest.

"Ugh—!!!"

The excruciating pain caused Sakazuki to freeze for a moment, and cold sweat instantly soaked his entire body.

"mean!"

"That's called tactics, my dear friend. Let's practice some more."

Kane seized the opportunity to grab Sakazuki's arm and, with a perfectly executed over-the-shoulder throw, slammed the future marshal hard into the charging Kuzan.

"boom!"

The two collided and rolled into a heap.

Finally, only Borsalino remained in the air.

"Sorry, Kizaru-kun, it's time to go home!"

Kane shattered the ground, used Moonwalk to soar into the sky, and appeared above Borsalino's head.

"Storm Kick - Battle Axe!"

His right leg, like a giant axe falling from the sky, came crashing down with the force of the wind.

Borsalino blocks with his arms crossed.

"boom!!"

He felt as if he had been hit by a mountain, and his whole body fell like a meteor, crashing heavily to the ground, his eyes rolling back as he passed out (or he might have been faking it).

The smoke and dust cleared.

The entire room fell silent.

Zefa's sunglasses had been crushed into powder.

In the center of the arena, only one person stood.

Kane stood proudly among the three fallen men, his uniform somewhat disheveled, but his aura was as imposing as the midday sun.

Won?

One person took down the entire camp and even defeated three monsters head-on?!

Just as everyone was stunned by Kane's invincible demeanor.

Kane, in the center of the field, knelt down with a thud, picked up the unconscious Sakazuki, roared to the sky, and tears streamed down his face.

"Sakazuki! Kuzan! Borsalino!"

"Waaaaah... How could I have hit so hard!"

Kane cried his heart out, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"My heart aches so much! The pain is felt in my heart even though you are being hit!"

"I'm not human! I'm a beast! I shouldn't have won! I shouldn't have ruined our friendship for that damn first place!"

"Professor Zeff!" Kane turned around, his eyes brimming with tears, and looked at the stands. "I don't want this first place! I'll even give you the prize money! Please, you must heal them!"

Everyone's lips twitched as they looked at the "strongest recruit" who was crying like a 200-pound child.

This acting... is way too over-the-top!

While you were hitting me, you were laughing more maniacally than anyone else!

[Ding! Host's extremely hypocritical performance detected, successfully disgusting the entire audience!]

[Ding! Single-handedly defeated all the elite recruits in the new camp, establishing your status as the "Great Demon King"!]

[Disruption assessment in progress... Disciplinary value bonus: +8000 points!]

Hearing the system's pleasant notification tone, Kane, his face buried in Sakazuki's chest, revealed a smile that was even uglier than crying... of ecstatic joy.

Chapter 17 Only domineering power can overcome everything!

Inside the arena, the atmosphere was strangely tense.

In the stands, Admiral Sengoku's eye twitched slightly. He pushed up his round-framed glasses, turned to Zephyr beside him, and said in a complicated tone, "Zeffa... are all the soldiers you train so... emotionally charged?"

Zefa didn't say anything. His face was ashen as he jumped off the stands and strode towards the center of the field.

"Alright! Hold back your horse pee for me!"

Zephyr roared, silencing Kane's cries.

Kane raised his head, his eyes clear with a hint of grievance, a touch of determination, and a lingering acting quality.

“Professor Zephyr, Sakazuki…”

"He's not dead yet!" Zeff kicked Borsalino, who was lying on the ground pretending to be dead, aside with annoyance, and glared at Kane. "You almost stabbed me in the heart with that finger gun just now, and now you have the nerve to come here and wail?"

Kane stood up and gave a solemn naval salute: "Instructor, I did that to unleash his potential in actual combat! That attack just now was my deepest concern for Sakazuki!"

Zefa snorted coldly, ignoring his banter, and turned to announce to the entire audience:

"The Elite Camp Grand Exam: The Ultimate Winner—Kane!"

"Now, as promised before, as the first place winner, you have the right to choose one of the three top-tier Logia-type Devil Fruits!"

Whoosh—!

Upon hearing this, the previously noisy arena instantly fell silent.

Everyone's breathing became heavy, and countless eyes were fixed on the three golden nanmu treasure chests on the high platform.

On the ground, Borsalino, who had been pretending to be unconscious, quietly opened his eyes; Kuzan, who was clutching his stomach, couldn't help but sit up straight; even Sakazuki, who was on the verge of unconsciousness, subconsciously clenched his fists.

They are waiting, waiting for Kane's choice.

If Kane takes the strongest one, the remaining two will still have a chance.

Kane, hands in his pockets, slowly walked towards the platform.

He walked up to the three priceless fruits, reached out his hand, and gently ran his fingertips along the peel covered with mysterious spiral patterns.

Just when everyone thought he was about to pick up one of them—

Kane suddenly withdrew his hand, a hint of... disinterest showing on his face.

"Reporting to General Zhan Guo, reporting to Teacher Ze Fa."

Kane turned around, his back to the treasure that could drive the world mad, and said in a calm voice:

"I don't want a single one of these fruits."

The audience was silent.

It lasted for a full three seconds, and then the whole place exploded!

"What?!!!"

"Did I hear that right? He rejected me?"

"That's a Logia-type! Has this guy lost his mind?"

Sengoku was stunned, his hand holding the teacup hanging in mid-air. In all his years, he had seen people fight tooth and nail for the fruits of others' labor, but he had never seen anyone refuse something that was offered to them on a silver platter.

Zefa's expression instantly darkened, and an invisible pressure spread out:

"Kane! This is not the time for jokes!"