Several days later, the Marine Elite Training Camp exhibition match commenced.
Near Marineford, in the sea between two Deserted Islands, dozens of Marine warships were neatly arranged, forming a spectacular viewing array.
Marine soldiers crowded the decks, excitedly gazing at the battlefield.
At this moment, the first Deserted Island had been completely divided by ice and fire!
One half was a burning lava hell, while the other was a frozen glacial world.
The battle between Kuzan and Sakazuki, who started first, ended in a draw.
Even as they were carried off the island by the medical team, they still glared at each other.
On the Marine flagship, Fleet Admiral Kong stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the Deserted Island that was gradually returning to calm.
"Fleet Admiral Kong," Sengoku stood beside Kong, adjusted his glasses, and said in a deep voice,
"Although the strength of Kuzan and Sakazuki has far exceeded the level of ordinary Vice Admirals, their personalities...
I believe they should be separated when assigned positions later..."
"Sengoku, everyone's personality is different to begin with," Garp interjected casually, "Young people, it's normal to scuffle around.
Your personality doesn't get along with mine either, does it? Aren't we doing just fine?"
"Bastard Garp! That's because I tolerate you!" Sengoku turned his head and roared.
"Is that so? Sengoku, do you tolerate me? Shouldn't I be your happy-go-lucky guy?! Sengoku-chan~"
"Garp!" The phrase "Sengoku-chan" instantly made Sengoku, the strategist, lose his composure.
"You bastard, if you use those tricks you learned from Gern again, I'll freaking..."
"Hey!" Seeing Sengoku about to go all out, Kong, who was nearby, quickly raised his hand to stop him, "You two aren't the main characters today!"
"Haha," Tsuru looked at the scene of the three, covered her mouth and chuckled, then turned her gaze to Zephyr, who was standing beside her.
"Your disciple taught Garp some incredible tricks, Zephyr!"
"Garp asked him himself!" Zephyr awkwardly pretended to cough a few times.
"But Garp has the nerve to use them. He's over 40 and has no shame."
"Don't you know him? That Garp, he never cares about his own face," Tsuru chuckled, then continued,
"Next is your direct disciple against your student."
"Gern and Borsalino, huh..." Zephyr snorted, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"That Borsalino, he's probably planning to slack off again."
"That's just his personality. He was once your student, you should know him well, right?"
"Precisely because I know him..." Zephyr smiled slightly, "So, I also know how to make that guy serious."
"Oh? Make Borsalino serious." A hint of doubt flickered in Tsuru's eyes.
Zephyr said nothing, merely turned and leaned into Kong's ear, whispering a few words.
Kong's eyebrows slightly raised, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "Interesting, let's do that."
...
Meanwhile, on another Marine warship, Gern and Borsalino stood side by side, looking at the Deserted Island ravaged by ice and fire in the distance.
"Even now, the fiery justice of Kuzan's fighting style is truly aggressive!"
Hearing Gern's words, Borsalino lazily stretched, his tone lighthearted: "How scary~
Why fight so seriously? You can still get promoted to Admiral even if you don't fight."
"Borsalino-senpai," Gern withdrew his gaze, looking at him with a half-smile: "You're not expecting me to cooperate with you in slacking off, are you?"
Borsalino adjusted his green knit cap, feigning surprise: "Oh my, you saw right through me~"
He blinked, "It's just an exhibition match anyway, a few casual moves will do! Don't you agree, Gern?"
Gern shook his head, his right hand slowly gripping the hilt of black blade eight desolations: "That won't do. Zephyr-sensei specifically told me to take it 'seriously'."
"I'll write three mission reports for you."
"Zephyr-sensei is my direct teacher!"
"I'll cooperate with you and give you a chance to show off."
"Zephyr-sensei is my beloved friend and family, my only relative!"
"Twice."
"Deal."
The moment Gern finished speaking, Borsalino's smile stiffened for a moment, then he sighed: "I didn't expect you to have this side."
Just then, Kong's deep voice came over the broadcast: "Second match, Gern versus Borsalino, both parties please board the island!"
Borsalino shrugged, his body gradually transforming into golden light: "Well then, see you later~"
Before he finished speaking, he had already turned into a beam of light and flew towards the second Deserted Island.
Gern took a deep breath, pushing off the ground with force, his entire body shooting towards the Deserted Island like an arrow released from a bowstring.
In mid-air, his body instantly elementalized, transforming into countless shimmering white particles, forming a stark contrast with Borsalino's golden beam of light.
A gasp of astonishment erupted from the viewing Marine warships, though most of it was in support of Kizaru.
Only Gion and the soldiers who had previously been on missions with Gern supported Gern.
On the Deserted Island, Gern's figure re-solidified, black blade eight desolations already drawn, the white bandages wrapped around its blade fluttering in the wind.
Borsalino stood not far away, hands in his pockets, still looking as lazy as ever.
Seemingly serious, both sides were actually exchanging glances, until Kong suddenly pulled out a small personal Den Den Mushi, and then slowly said,
"Borsalino, if you win, I'll give you three months of leave."
"Alright, begin!" After putting away the Den Den Mushi, with Kong's command, Borsalino's figure suddenly vanished.
"No!" Gern's pupils contracted, his Observation Haki fully activated, barely catching a golden trajectory coming from the side.
He unhesitatingly raised the unreleased Eight Desolations to block, and the moment the blade collided with the light-speed kick, the vibrating force and the flash intensely clashed.
"Boom!" A shockwave exploded, and Gern was forced back several steps.
Borsalino, however, landed lightly on the ground, withdrew his leg, and tilted his head, saying, "Good reaction, aren't you~"
"Borsalino-senpai, this isn't what we just talked about, is it?" Gern shook his numb wrist, looking displeased.
"Lieutenant Gern," Borsalino's expression suddenly turned serious, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath his sunglasses.
"Please don't say things that could be misunderstood."
"???"
"I think you're right, Zephyr-sensei is a man worthy of our respect.
Zephyr-sensei thinks so highly of you, yet you want to cooperate with me in this way. Are you worthy of him?
Lieutenant Gern, I never expected such a person among my juniors!"
"Hey! Borsalino, you f***er!"
The next second, both figures simultaneously vanished from their original spots.
On the Deserted Island, golden light and white shadows constantly intertwined, and the booming sounds of collision were incessant.
The watching soldiers were dazzled, only able to judge the intensity of the battle by the aftershocks of the explosions.
"Is that real?!" On the main Marine warship, Sengoku frowned: "That kid Borsalino, he's actually getting serious?"
Zephyr showed a satisfied smile: "Now that's more like it."
Garp laughed heartily: "It seems this exhibition match is more interesting than I imagined!"
Kong, with a deep gaze, looked at Gern's figure and inwardly sighed,
"Dual cultivation of Devil Fruit and Haki, and not neglecting either side!"
He had thought that Borsalino, with his light speed, would completely suppress Gern.
Now, he didn't expect him to be able to completely defend and keep up.
On the viewing Marine warships, the soldiers held their breath, afraid to miss any moment.
Gion clenched her fists, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "Lieutenant Gern, go for it!"
Doberman and the others looked solemn; only now did they finally realize that Gern's strength was by no means a fluke!