Betting against each other, Roja comes on stage

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Roja didn't pay any mind to Akainu's words.

After all, Akainu was nothing more than a defeated general.

What would Akainu think if he realized the person he had just looked down on was the same mysterious figure who had taken him down with a single move?

With that amusing thought, Roja casually ran his fingers through his black hair and returned to his quarters.

Morning came quickly, marking the first day of the promotion conference.

Roja, having slept soundly the night before, strolled out of his room and found the main training grounds bustling with people.

"Hey, don't you know where to stand?"

The familiar voice of Kalifa came from behind him.

Turning around, Roja noticed something different about Kalifa today. He couldn't pinpoint what it was, but the change was evident.

"Well," Roja replied, "they told me where to be but didn't explain much else."

Kalifa sighed before saying, "Fine, just stand next to me. But don't get any ideas—I haven't forgotten how you humiliated me yesterday. I'll make sure to pay you back when the chance comes."

Despite her words, her eyes wandered uneasily as she spoke, betraying her true feelings.

Roja followed Kalifa to the front of the formation, where the high-ranking officers, including Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp, stood on a platform overlooking the marines.

After a lengthy speech filled with the usual formalities, Sengoku finally declared the promotion meeting open.

As the crowd stirred in excitement, Sengoku's gaze fell upon Roja. Among the sea of navy uniforms, Roja stood out plainly, as he still wasn't dressed like a marine.

Garp, catching Sengoku's glance, followed his line of sight and spotted Roja standing next to Kalifa.

With a chuckle, Garp remarked, "Young folks these days. That kid sure stands out, doesn't he? Handsome too—no wonder the girls seem drawn to him."

Sengoku, maintaining his stern expression, replied, "What level do you think he'll reach in this promotion?"

"Well," Garp said, scratching his head, "I saw him sparring with Kalifa yesterday. His Devil Fruit power is interesting but doesn't seem particularly combat-oriented. I'd say he's lieutenant-level at best."

Sengoku shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I believe he can reach admiral-level."

Garp, wide-eyed, repeated in disbelief, "Admiral? Are you serious? That's quite a leap!"

Sengoku smirked. "Care to make it interesting? If I'm right, you'll stop sneaking my senbei and cut back on your laziness."

Garp paused for a moment, then grinned. "Fine. But if you lose, all your senbei are mine for life!"

"Deal."

Sengoku's confidence came from what he knew about Roja. Among Roja's reported achievements was defeating an officer with extraordinary strength granted by the Strange Strength Fruit. Sengoku also believed Roja's natural talent could be a key asset for the Dove faction, a relatively moderate group within the Navy, which he sought to strengthen.

At the training grounds, Roja received his bracket assignment.

To his surprise—and Kalifa's visible irritation—Roja had been given a bye for the first round.

"You're lucky," Kalifa said with a teasing smile. "But don't get too comfortable. The later you lose, the worse it'll look."

"It also means that the later I lose, the stronger I'll have proven myself to be," Roja quipped. "That way, if you lose to me again, it won't be so embarrassing, right?"

Kalifa flushed at the remark, flustered. "You're such a sharp-tongued jerk! Forget it. I'm not talking to you anymore!"

She stormed off but couldn't resist sneaking a glance back, hoping for some sign that Roja might follow to comfort her.

However, Roja simply turned and headed back to his quarters, uninterested in prolonging the exchange. This nonchalance only served to fuel Kalifa's frustration further.

Over the next several days, Roja's string of byes allowed him to avoid any fights entirely. Though he suspected someone was influencing the matchups behind the scenes, he chose not to care. Instead, he spent his time napping or casually observing other matches.

Finally, on the sixth day of the promotion conference, Roja faced his first opponent: Smoker.

The training ground was packed with spectators eager to watch the match.

By now, word had spread about Roja's mysterious abilities, and many marines were curious to see him in action.

Kalifa, appearing once again, sidled up to Roja. "Roja, Smoker's no joke. He's a Logia user with the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. He's been undefeated for six days straight!"

"Noted," Roja replied, his tone indifferent.

Kalifa huffed in annoyance. "Fine! Don't believe me, then. I'll enjoy watching you lose."

Despite her sharp words, even Kalifa didn't realize how much attention she'd been paying to Roja recently.

Roja himself was mildly intrigued. Facing Smoker, a notable Logia user, would make for an interesting first challenge.

As the match began, Roja stepped into the arena, facing Smoker, who stood confidently with his signature jutte in hand.

"Please give me your best," Roja said calmly.

Smoker's reply came as a puff of smoke escaped his lips. "Don't get distracted in a fight—it's a rookie mistake!"

Without warning, Smoker transformed into smoke and rushed toward Roja, his jutte—tipped with Sea-Prism Stone—poised for a strike.

The crowd held its breath as the battle began.

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