Watching yet another strong Marine warrior succumb to the infamous, terrible taste of a Devil Fruit, Luffy shook his head repeatedly, his face full of regret.
With an exaggerated sigh, he raised his leg, aimed carefully, and gave Connie a solid kick that sent him flying out of the base.
"Idiot! Don't vomit at the entrance of the base, and make sure you clean it up later!"
Connie, who had just bitten off half of the Devil Fruit, groaned, his face turning green as he clutched his stomach.
"Boss… this thing is really… yue!"
Seeing Connie struggle, Luffy rolled his eyes, clearly done with the dramatics.
"Go, go, go! I feel like vomiting just watching you!"
Luffy shook his head and gestured dismissively.
"I'll take care of this little girl. You go puke somewhere else."
With that, Luffy gently scooped up the still-unconscious Tama and carried her out of the base, heading toward the Marine Academy not far away.
Connie weakly stretched out his hand, as if wanting to say something, but his stomach churned again. Clamping his mouth shut, he quickly dashed off to find a secluded spot to relieve himself.
Meanwhile, Tama slowly stirred in Luffy's arms.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and a warm, gentle feeling wrapped around her like a soft blanket.
It's so warm… Where am I?
Is this the heaven they talk about in books?
As the cozy warmth enveloped her, Tama felt an overwhelming sense of peace, as if she'd been transported back to her mother's arms.
"Mom…" she whispered unconsciously.
The world seemed to fall silent at that moment.
Then, a gentle, amused male voice broke through the quiet.
"I'm sorry, Tama. I'm not your mother, but if you want, I can be your brother."
"Ale?!"
Tama's eyes shot open as she snapped her head up, blinking in confusion.
Her gaze darted around, and she was shocked to find herself in what looked like a classroom straight out of her village school—except much bigger and fancier.
Dozens of children of varying ages sat in the room, all of them older than her. They were staring at her with wide eyes, mouths agape in surprise.
And then there was the stranger holding her.
Tama's little brain whirred to life as she tried to process the situation.
When her gaze finally settled on the man's face, her mind clicked into overdrive.
Wait a minute… That face… That smile…
Her tiny brain scrambled to match the information.
And then it hit her.
This… This is Vice Admiral Luffy—Seagull Shogun of Wano Country!!!
The realization was so overwhelming that Tama felt like she might faint again.
But before she could tumble back into unconsciousness, Luffy's voice cut through the fog in her mind.
"Don't go fainting again. You already slept through the entire opening ceremony—one of the most important events of your life.
Make sure you don't miss the first class too."
His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Tama's head, jolting her fully awake.
Her little body stiffened as the gravity of what he'd just said sank in.
"I… I missed my own opening ceremony…"
Tama's eyes grew as wide as saucers, and her tiny mouth twisted in disbelief.
Having been to school before, Tama knew how important an opening ceremony was. It wasn't just any event—it was a grand occasion where all the teachers and students gathered to welcome the newcomers.
And she had slept through it.
I don't even know when it started! How did this happen?!
Luffy, seeing the look of horror on her face, decided to have a little fun.
"Oh, it wasn't just the opening ceremony," he teased. "I also helped you with the class assignments and even did your self-introduction.
You're basically a celebrity now."
Tama's heart sank deeper with every word.
"After all," Luffy continued, his grin widening, "I don't think anyone else in this school will ever be carried through all the admission procedures like you were."
At that moment, Tama's young heart couldn't take it anymore.
Her face turned red with embarrassment, her hands flying to cover her cheeks.
The classroom, which had been holding its breath in shock, finally erupted.
The older kids, who had been stunned into silence by Tama's dramatic entrance, couldn't hold back their laughter any longer.
First, it was just a few chuckles. Then the giggles spread like wildfire, and soon, the entire classroom was roaring with laughter.
Tama wished the floor would just open up and swallow her whole.
If it were anyone else, they might've started plotting how to move to a different town—or even a different world—to escape the embarrassment.
But for Tama, the worst part wasn't just the laughter.
It was the fact that all of this had happened in front of Vice Admiral Luffy—the person she admired most in the entire world.
The truth was, the students weren't laughing to be mean.
In fact, many of them admired Tama already.
She might be the youngest in the school, but she had managed to do something no one else ever had—capture Luffy's attention from the very start.
And it wasn't just her dramatic fainting that made her famous.
Tama had been introduced by Luffy himself, and the moment she woke up, the first word out of her mouth was:
"Mom…"
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