At a table in the cafeteria of Marineford Military Academy, Sephiroth and Tsuru were sitting across from each other. After what had just happened, the atmosphere between them felt a bit awkward.
Considering that the long - legged mature beauty in front of him seemed a bit dangerous, Sephiroth instantly gave up the idea of continuing to crack jokes. He focused on the food in front of him, picked up half a green apple, and took "crunch! crunch!" bites.
After a moment, at the long table filled with food, Kaji, whose white naval short - sleeved shirt was covered in oil stains and whose belly was bulging round, looking just like a woman in her tenth month of pregnancy, finally let out a satisfied belch.
Finally, he casually took a white flower from the vase on the long table, used the end of the stem to pick his teeth and then stuck it at the corner of his mouth like a toothpick.
He glanced around the cafeteria slightly. When he saw Tsuru sitting at a table having a meal, he immediately let out a hehehe laugh.
As if he had thought of something, he took another small white flower from the vase on the long table, held it in his hand, and walked straight over to the side of the long - legged mature beauty.
Kaji belched while grinning from ear to ear and said cheerfully:
"Burp~! Beautiful classmate, ever since I saw your beautiful face, I've fallen head over heels in love with you...
Please go out with me! Burp~!"
At the corner of his mouth where he was holding the flower, one could clearly see a piece of green vegetable leaf stuck on his two front teeth.
Tsuru: (?_?)
Sephiroth: (⊙0⊙)
Hiss!!!
This smile was so off - putting that not only were the two of them shocked, but even the boys in the cafeteria who were stealing glances at Tsuru from time to time couldn't help but take a sharp intake of breath after hearing this confession. And the same thought flashed through their minds:
This dude is super gutsy!
"Sorry, I reject!"
After a brief moment of shock, Tsuru's reply was very straightforward without the slightest hesitation.
She didn't even need to think about it. Her instinct made her choose to reject.
"Ahahaha! The confession bombed!"
Kaji still had that cheerful expression on his face. He pretended to be troubled and scratched his head. Instead of pestering her further, he simply turned around and left, looking a bit free - spirited.
If only he weren't so ugly...
...
After more than a hundred cadets finished their lunch, they all returned to the playground one after another. The more than ninety cadets who hadn't had their meals yet all looked listless, lying or sitting around, and the qi (energy) field was a bit gloomy.
Shusui posted ten lists on the bulletin board of the playground respectively, then turned around and shouted to everyone:
"Your class assignments are out. There are classes from one to ten.
Come and check for yourselves, then take your luggage and go to your class dormitories.
Hurry up! You still have classes this afternoon!"
Hearing this, all the cadets rushed forward and surrounded the bulletin board to check their class assignments.
Sephiroth looked around and found that he'd been assigned to Class One. Moreover, many names on the list seemed really familiar to him.
Kaku, Gion, Smoker, Tina, Kongming (a person's name), Maynard, Domino, Prince Grus, Daddy Masterson...
After reading the list, Sephiroth took his luggage and Akihabara Sword and strolled around the military academy to get familiar with the surroundings. Then he slowly made his way to the dormitory area, checked in, and got the room key.
The dorm he was assigned to was a standard double room, with a bunk bed, two desks, and an en-suite bathroom.
This was the standard for lieutenants. Non - coms and privates didn't get this kind of treatment. Apparently, as cadets at the military academy, they were already considered officers.
The people living in the dorm across from his were Kaku and Maynard.
When Sephiroth walked into the dorm, it was already filled with a white haze, and the smell of cigars permeated the air.
A young guy with a somewhat fierce face, short silver hair, and wearing a naval uniform was sitting on the lower bunk, with two cigars in his mouth, puffing away.
Smelling the cigars, Sephiroth's long - dormant craving for cigars suddenly flared up.
So, with a big grin on his face, he said to Smoker:
"Yo, bro, sharing's the name of the game. Gimme one, will ya!"
Smoker glanced at him but didn't say a word. Instead, he just handed over a cigar and a lighter.
The silver - haired dude lit the cigar, took a puff, and then asked knowingly:
"My name's Carl D. Sephiroth. What's yours?"
"Smoker."
"I was born in Water 7. How about you...?"
"East Blue, Loguetown."
"The place where Pirate King Roger was executed, also known as the town of beginnings and endings...
Did you see Pirate King Roger's execution with your own eyes?" Sephiroth asked casually.
Hearing this, a look of reminiscence crossed Smoker's face, and his tone got a bit low:
"Yeah, and I saw it real clear...
Suddenly, it started pouring cats and dogs. That guy was sitting on the execution platform, smiling...
When someone asked where One Piece was, he laughed and said, 'Wanna my treasure? If ya do, I'll give it all to ya.
Go find it! I've put all my treasures there...'
At that time, I just couldn't wrap my head around why he'd die smiling..."
"The sight of his death has been haunting me ever since...
Later... I finally got it. Why did that passer - by mention 'One Piece', and why did Pirate King Roger answer him with a laugh...
That goddamn passer - by must've been in Roger's payroll!!!
Roger's real goal was to kick off the current era of the Great Pirates!"
Thanks to him, my hometown, Loguetown, is all messed up now, and pirates show up all the time...
When he said this, Smoker's tone unconsciously carried a hint of irritation.
Apparently, he also harbored deep hatred for Pirate King Roger in his heart!
Sephiroth also thought Roger's words before his death were quite ridiculous.
Roger's actions might have been an attempt. He wanted the person chosen by fate to inherit Joy Boy's will and overthrow this disgustingly corrupt World Government.
However...
His starting point was good, but Roger used the worst possible method!