After the exam officially began, groups of students stepped onto the battlefield one after another to compete.
This batch of trainees truly lived up to Zephyr's reputation as his first generation of students.
Almost everyone had already mastered Haki, and at the very least could perform one or two techniques from the Six Powers.
Those two achievements alone would make them monstrous existences anywhere outside the Navy.
Although the much-anticipated Navy Supernovas had yet to appear, the high-ranking officers watching from above were already extremely satisfied with the overall quality of this generation.
At the same time, they also clearly noticed the distinct stratification among the students.
Figures like Momonga and Huo Shaoshan stood far above the rest, their strength obviously on an entirely different level.
Most of the other students simply could not keep up with them.
This only made the senior officers even more eager to see the true capabilities of the remaining four Navy Supernovas.
Before long, it was Kuma's turn to step onto the stage.
The unfortunate individual who had drawn him as an opponent was Dalmatian, a man who would later become a Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters.
Dalmatian entered the arena with a half-beast appearance.
As a Zoan Devil Fruit user who had consumed the Inu Inu no Mi, Model Dalmatian, he maintained his human-beast form almost constantly.
Ever since eating the fruit, he had largely abandoned his fully human state.
While his appearance was far from pleasing, this form allowed him to maximize the physical enhancements granted by his Zoan ability.
As for fully transforming into a complete Dalmatian, that form was almost a downgrade in combat effectiveness.
Even so, despite having honed his half-beast form to near perfection, Dalmatian stood no chance against Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit.
What made it even more crushing was the fact that an ordinary Zoan Devil Fruit could not even be compared to Kuma's natural Buccaneer lineage.
Calling it a living embodiment of overwhelming physical power would not be an exaggeration.
Standing on the battlefield, Dalmatian looked at Kuma, who loomed opposite him like a moving mountain, his expression filled with helplessness.
Hearing the cheers from Momonga and the others below, Dalmatian could not help but sense a hint of malicious amusement in their voices.
At the referee's signal, the two touched fists and then stepped apart.
The moment the referee announced the start, Dalmatian activated Shave.
With a sharp burst of speed, he appeared directly in front of Kuma.
Raising his clawed hand, wrapped tightly in Armament Haki, Dalmatian launched his most proficient technique, Finger Pistol.
Kuma calmly raised his palm to block.
The soft-looking paw pad absorbed the attack effortlessly.
Dalmatian's expression changed instantly.
He used Shave again to retreat, creating distance as if fleeing from a natural disaster.
Everyone in the school knew how terrifying Kuma's paw pads were.
They were not decorations, and certainly not something meant to look cute.
Yet even Dalmatian's carefully trained Shave was slow in front of Kuma.
With a single step, Kuma closed the gap.
In Dalmatian's panicked gaze, Kuma slapped him squarely on the back.
Boom.
A massive crater shaped like a bear paw appeared in the ground.
Dalmatian lay sprawled at the center of it, completely defeated.
Many officers and younger students were witnessing Kuma's power for the first time.
They stared with mouths agape, stunned into silence.
In their eyes, Dalmatian was already an outstanding combatant.
He wielded Haki skillfully, was proficient in the Six Powers, and possessed a Devil Fruit.
Yet in front of Kuma, he had been utterly powerless.
And Kuma was not even considered among the top three of the Supernovas.
Unconsciously, many gazes shifted toward the high platform, toward Lloyd and the other two seated there.
The same question surfaced in everyone's mind.
Just how terrifying were those three?
The referee hurried to Dalmatian's side.
Dalmatian had not lost consciousness, but his voice was weak as he admitted,
"I lost…"
The referee was about to announce the result when Kuma suddenly bent down.
He gently lifted Dalmatian and placed one massive paw against his body.
A red, paw-shaped bubble emerged.
In an instant, the previously limp Dalmatian regained his vitality.
He jumped twice on the spot, then looked at Kuma with genuine gratitude.
"Thank you, Kuma," he said sincerely.
"Sorry to trouble you for the treatment."
Kuma smiled faintly and shook his head.
"It's nothing."
The referee stood frozen, completely dumbfounded.
It was only when Dalmatian cleared his throat that the referee snapped back to reality and tried to grab Kuma's hand to announce the winner.
Unfortunately, the moment he did so, Kuma lifted his arm, and the referee was lifted off the ground along with it.
Kuma carefully placed the referee back down, his movements unexpectedly gentle.
That contrast between his terrifying strength and his considerate demeanor earned him a wave of thunderous applause.
High above, Lloyd allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
With a casual wave of his hand, the dark bible flew down from his palm, absorbing the bear paw-shaped bubbles still floating in the air.
Some of the spectators who were unfamiliar with Kuma's ability looked on in confusion, unsure why Lloyd had done this.
Those who understood quickly explained it to them, triggering another round of astonished exclamations.
After witnessing Kuma's overwhelming performance, anticipation for the remaining Supernovas only grew stronger.
In particular, countless eyes kept drifting toward Lloyd and the other two on the high platform, silently speculating about how their battles would unfold.
From the current flow of events, it was clear that the three were being reserved as the final spectacle.
Soon after, Ginny, Lucia, and Gion stepped onto the stage one after another, each defeating their opponents with ease.
Lucia did not even need to fully reveal her abilities.
As more students were eliminated, the inevitable happened.
The Supernovas began to clash with one another.
Gion stood with Konpira in hand, smiling as she looked at Lucia across from her.
"I've wanted to spar with you for a long time," Gion said lightly.
"I finally got the chance."
Lucia drew Doom from her waist, her expression calm and unreadable.
"Come," she replied.
The instant her voice fell, Gion raised her blade and released a slash of sword energy.
Lucia answered in kind.
The two waves of sword energy tore a deep fissure across the ground.
As they collided, both figures vanished simultaneously.
Clang.
Doom and Konpira struck together in mid-air, both blades coated in dense Armament Haki.
After a brief stalemate, the two descended and immediately engaged in a fierce close-range exchange.
Their swordsmanship was dazzling, precise, and deadly.
Many sword-wielding officers watching felt a sting of shame.
The level of mastery displayed by the two women was clearly beyond their own.
Lucia's expression remained composed as she swung Doom with effortless control, deflecting every one of Gion's attacks.
As the fight dragged on, Gion felt her shock deepen.
No matter how much pressure she applied, Lucia still felt unfathomable, like an abyss she could not see the bottom of.
Gradually, Gion increased the strength in her arms, forcing Lucia back step by step until she reached the edge of the arena.
Seizing the moment, Gion slashed downward.
A single strand of black hair drifted to the ground.
Lucia tilted her head slightly.
A strange purple light flashed briefly in her eyes.
Gion attempted to press her advantage, but suddenly felt an intense burning sensation spread throughout her body.
Her grip on the sword trembled uncontrollably.
Before she could understand what was happening, purple flames ignited along Doom's blade.
With a single swing, Lucia forced Gion back several meters.
After steadying herself, Gion clutched her chest.
Her face was flushed, her breathing rapid.
"What a strange feeling," she murmured softly.
"Is this… also her ability?"
She looked up at Lucia again, and her heart skipped.
At that moment, Lucia's beautiful face carried a captivating smile, utterly different from her earlier calm and distant demeanor.
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