Chapter 35: Choosing Subordinates, Issues of Nerves

The next morning, Xuan Ye rose early, left the villa, and appeared at the Naval Academy. Today, Zephyr would be taking the ten victors to select their subordinates.

Before leaving, Xuan Ye brought along a coded suitcase—one of his boxes of Berries. The other had already been delivered to Zephyr’s home. At first, Zephyr’s family refused to accept it, but after Xuan Ye’s insistence, they finally relented.

After all, Xuan Ye threatened, “If you don’t accept this hundred million Berries, I won’t come for meals anymore.”
He added, “This money is useless to me, so it’s better to let Mrs. Zephyr and Little Star use it to buy some treats.”
And so, Zephyr’s family kept the Berries. As for the box he carried now, it still contained a hundred million Berries, for he meant to repay a debt.

“Ye, you’re late,” said Aokiji as Xuan Ye entered the academy and found everyone already assembled. True to form, Aokiji was as lazy as ever.

“Sorry,” Xuan Ye replied dismissively, then joined the ranks with his suitcase.

Seeing everyone present, Zephyr spoke, “You’re choosing your subordinates today. Once you do, you must take responsibility for them. Do you all understand?”

Zephyr’s face was stern, his tone cold. “Your choices are also new recruits of this batch. You must train them yourselves for a month. Remember, they are the Navy’s future, just like you. Sometimes, they will have your back. I hope you treat them well.”

“Understood,” came the excited chorus.

“Good. Rest in place for an hour. Say your farewells. Unless there’s something urgent, don’t come back to the academy—it will disrupt the new batch.” With that, Zephyr turned and departed.

With Zephyr gone, the tense atmosphere relaxed at once.

Xuan Ye quietly walked over to Rabbit, opened the suitcase, and, under her puzzled gaze, pulled out fifty million Berries.

“Rabbit, this is the money I borrowed from you. Fifty million should cover it.” Xuan Ye’s voice was cold as ever, and he looked at Rabbit calmly.

“You…” Rabbit felt a sudden surge of anger at Xuan Ye’s calm demeanor.

“So eager to pay me back? Do you have a problem with me—do you dislike me?” Rabbit was breathing hard, her chest heaving, her flawless face flushed with fury.

“I have no problem with you, nor do I dislike you,” Xuan Ye shook his head.

“Then why are you so eager to return it? Or have you never considered me a friend?” Rabbit raised an eyebrow, a hint of delight in her eyes.

“Friend?” Xuan Ye frowned. “Are you sure you want to be my friend?”

“I’m sure,” Rabbit declared without hesitation.

“Rabbit, how can you…” Chajin couldn’t stand it anymore. Thinking of his beloved leaving, love clouded his mind, and his fear of Xuan Ye vanished.

“Get lost…”

Xuan Ye’s voice was icy, expression grim. “If you say one more word, then never speak again.” Seeing Chajin about to protest, Xuan Ye’s eyes chilled—a clear threat.

Chajin swallowed, involuntarily stepping back.

“Hmph, Dead Bird, don’t be so cocky. Just because you came first doesn’t mean you’re anything special.” A voice full of disdain sounded—Akainu had come to stand beside Chajin, clearly siding with him.

“A dead dog who survived three times only thanks to others—is he even fit to speak?” Xuan Ye’s face was full of contempt.

“Dead Bird, you’re asking for trouble.” Akainu’s face twisted with rage—this had always been a sore spot for him.

“Want to fight?” Xuan Ye raised an eyebrow, flexing his hands with a wicked grin. “Or do you want to taste death’s kiss again?”

“Hmph, one day I’ll pay you back tenfold,” Akainu replied darkly, turning away with Chajin.

“Gutless dead dog.”

Akainu shivered at the words, his body heating up, but in the end, he held back.

“How boring.”

Everyone around rolled their eyes, thinking only a madman like Xuan Ye could provoke Akainu so brazenly.

Turning, Xuan Ye looked at Rabbit, his expression somewhat strange. “Let me ask again—do you truly want to be friends with me?”

“I’m sure, no matter how many times you ask,” Rabbit replied, not joking in the slightest.

“Very well, I accept. Then I’ll be blunt—I won’t pay you back.” Xuan Ye squatted, putting the money back in the suitcase, ignoring Rabbit’s and the others’ odd looks.

“Aokiji,” Xuan Ye called with a sincere smile.

“What is it?” Aokiji’s right eye twitched, feeling an inexplicable chill.

“Lend me a hundred million Berries.”

“What? Why don’t you just rob someone? A hundred million Berries—do you think I’m an ATM?” Aokiji’s eyes widened, losing his usual laziness in a fit of agitation.

“It’s just a hundred million. Why so dramatic?” Xuan Ye shot him a disdainful look. “Or are we not friends?”

“I’ll get it for you later,” Aokiji grumbled, rubbing his forehead.

“Rabbit.”

Having borrowed from Aokiji, Xuan Ye turned back to Rabbit, remembering she had money as well.

“Wh-what do you want?” Rabbit trembled slightly.

“Lend me fifty million.” Xuan Ye was direct, unfazed.

“Alright,” Rabbit agreed without hesitation—fifty million was nothing to her.

“Wait, when do you plan to pay us back?” Aokiji suddenly recalled Xuan Ye’s earlier implication.

As expected, Xuan Ye replied without a hint of guilt, “You’re both my friends—why would I pay you back?”

It was only natural—Xuan Ye spoke honestly. He truly valued friendship. If it were anyone else, he would repay them, but for friends, not a chance.

“Bad choice of friends,” Aokiji’s face drooped, horse-like and long.

“Hurry up and get me the money,” Xuan Ye urged, unabashed.

“Damn you,” Aokiji cursed, but still went to his quarters.

Rabbit, meanwhile, smiled and left as well.

An hour later, everyone stood in the Navy barracks.

A sea of new recruits stretched as far as the eye could see. The youngest were sixteen or seventeen; the oldest, twenty-five. All were promising young men and women.

“There are twenty thousand here. Based on your rank, select as many as you’re allowed—no more, only fewer,” Zephyr said gravely. “Who’ll go first?”

Everyone looked at Xuan Ye; after all, he had won first place.

Xuan Ye stepped forward without hesitation.

He gazed at the energetic recruits, smiled, and spoke. “Those aged fifteen to eighteen, step forward. If you’re not interested in joining me, stay where you are.”

A surge of footsteps—about three thousand recruits moved forward, while many remained behind.

“I’ll ask you a few questions,” Xuan Ye smiled, holding up his fingers.

“Are you afraid of hardship?”

“No!” The reply was strong and unified—three thousand voices.

“Are you afraid of bleeding?”

“No!”

“Do you want to become strong?”

“Yes!”

“Good. Then I have three final questions.”

“If you’re stranded on a deserted island, days without food, and only one bite left, what would you do?”

“One: Give it to your companion. Two: Commit suicide. Three: Starve together.”

“If you choose one, stand to the left; two, to the right; three, stay put.”

In two minutes, three groups had formed.

“Good. Those who chose one and two are eliminated. Those who chose three, stay.”

A wave of confusion—everyone stared at Xuan Ye, bewildered.

“I want those who share fortune and hardship. I won’t explain—don’t waste my time.” Xuan Ye’s cold gaze quelled the crowd.

Luckily, over a thousand chose three, eliminating half at once.

“Second question: While pursuing a notorious pirate, your superior dies. What do you do? Three options. One: Surrender to the pirate. Two: Die rather than yield. Three: Survive by any means, without violating the first question.”

“Choose one: left; two: right; three: stay put.”

After two minutes, Xuan Ye sighed, “One and two eliminated; three stay. I dislike subordinates without grit or brains.”

“Last question: When carrying out orders, if a higher-ranking officer gives you a command, whose do you follow—mine or his? Three answers.”

“One: His. Two: Mine. Three: Act unaware.”

“Again, left for one, right for two, stay for three.”

A few minutes later, Xuan Ye smiled at the three groups.

“Those on the right, stay. The rest are eliminated.” Now only about three hundred recruits remained, and Xuan Ye’s gaze burned with anticipation.

He noticed Parkas among them, which surprised him.

Selection complete, Xuan Ye turned to Zephyr. “Master, I’ve finished—these three hundred.”

“You have a thousand slots. Are you sure you only want these three hundred?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, that’s settled then.”

“Crazy,” Akainu scoffed from afar.

Next, the others took their turns, the atmosphere lively. Only Xuan Ye seemed eccentric; everyone else behaved much more normally.

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