One Piece: Three Devil Fruits, Beginning with Darkness

**Chapter 22 - A Meal**

The expression on Borsalino's face remained unchanged. His ever-present sunglasses concealed his eyes, making it impossible to tell exactly where he was looking.

"So, you think we're the same kind of people? Haha, is that what you mean?"

As he spoke, he casually lifted a single finger, and a small cross-shaped golden light flickered at his fingertip. The sudden flash was dazzling—so much so that several diners nearby instinctively turned their heads away, squeezing their eyes shut from the sudden burst of brightness.

Sakazuki, who had been sitting with his arms crossed, immediately frowned. His voice carried a deep, unyielding weight.

"Borsalino, put that away."

The light on Borsalino's fingertip vanished in an instant. Without hesitation, he stood up, clasped his hands together, and gave a small bow to the surrounding diners in apology.

"Oops, my bad, everyone. I got a little carried away," he said, his tone lighthearted despite the commotion he had just caused.

Some grumbling voices emerged from the nearby tables, but Borsalino seemed to filter them out selectively, paying attention only to the ones he found amusing. Then, as he turned back to Jiger, something caught him completely off guard.

Jiger's pupils—normally ordinary—had begun to rotate, spiraling like twin whirlpools. A strange, almost imperceptible pull radiated from them, as if they were drawing in the very space around them.

Borsalino's amusement faltered. A fleeting discomfort crept up his spine, something he wasn't used to feeling. He averted his gaze, deciding he had no desire to keep looking into those eyes any longer.

Sakazuki, on the other hand, also noticed the odd phenomenon. However, unlike Borsalino, he didn't feel disturbed by it. Instead, he simply observed Jiger in silence.

Within moments, Jiger's eyes returned to normal. He let out a soft chuckle and casually praised,

"That ability just now… that must have been yours, Borsalino. It's quite a flashy power."

Borsalino didn't immediately respond to the compliment. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and, with an almost offhand curiosity, asked,

"And you, brother Jiger? It seems like you have quite an ability of your own. Mind sharing what it is?"

Jiger leaned back slightly, his expression relaxed.

"I think I'll keep that a secret for now. After all, we're bound to meet again soon. Wouldn't it be more fun to keep a little mystery between us, senior?"

Borsalino let out a soft chuckle, his grin widening.

"Haha, of course. That's fair enough."

He didn't press the matter further. It was a well-known fact among strong fighters that one's abilities were best kept secret unless absolutely necessary. Unless someone was already famous enough for their powers to be common knowledge, the fewer people who knew, the better.

Besides, from Borsalino's perspective, he had only revealed a mere glimpse of his own power—nothing concrete, nothing truly telling. As far as he was concerned, he hadn't lost anything in this little exchange.

What he didn't realize, however, was that Jiger was no ordinary recruit. Unlike most, Jiger already knew a great deal about him and Sakazuki—far more than they could have guessed.

With that brief tension settled, the conversation shifted.

Under Jiger's deliberate guidance, the atmosphere at the table grew increasingly relaxed. They spoke about the academy, the training, and even some of the more amusing incidents they had encountered in Marineford. Surprisingly, even Sakazuki—who was normally a man of few words—found himself joining in here and there, offering the occasional remark.

By the time all the dishes at Borsalino and Sakazuki's table had arrived, the two groups had started sharing plates, exchanging portions of food that the other didn't have.

At one point, after much internal struggle, Sakazuki even begrudgingly handed one of his two large bowls of rice to Kuma, who had been quietly reading his Bible while waiting for more food.

But the real spectacle of the meal came when Ginny's appetite unknowingly sparked a silent competition.

From the moment the food was served, Ginny had been eating at an impressive pace, devouring piece after piece of barbecue without hesitation. To most, this wasn't surprising—Jiger and Kuma had long since gotten used to her bottomless stomach. But to Sakazuki, it was an entirely new sight.

At first, he paid no attention. However, as Ginny continued piling food onto her plate without slowing down, something in him shifted.

He frowned slightly, then glanced at his own plate.

A thought crept into his mind.

'How can a grown man like me be out-eaten by a girl who's barely half my weight?'

Without realizing it, he had developed a competitive spirit.

His chopsticks moved faster. Plate after plate, he ate with newfound determination. He completely abandoned his earlier remark about "not overeating" and instead focused entirely on proving a point—to himself, if nothing else.

By the time he finished his last plate, he leaned back slightly, glancing at the neatly stacked dishes in front of him. A quiet sense of satisfaction settled over him.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny's plate.

Or rather, *plates*.

What had originally been a manageable stack had now grown into something resembling a small mountain. And Ginny? She was still eating, picking up another large piece of meat and taking a bite without a care in the world.

Sakazuki's expression froze.

Jiger chuckled softly, while Kuma—having already anticipated this outcome—flipped another page in his Bible without looking up.

Sakazuki touched his bloated stomach. Without a word, he lowered his head in silent acceptance of his defeat.

And yet, strangely enough, he didn't feel annoyed.

Instead, watching Ginny eat with such relish, he found himself laughing—a rare, genuine chuckle escaping him.

It was such a ridiculous thing to get worked up over.

For a man like Sakazuki, who had spent most of his academy days alongside Borsalino—constantly navigating the world of discipline and power—this night had been unexpectedly refreshing.

A simple meal, shared with unexpected company.

And for the first time in a long while, he felt… oddly at ease.

Ginny, now thoroughly satisfied after consuming an incredible number of plates, finally put down her chopsticks. She picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth with a contented sigh. But when she looked up, she realized that Jiger and the others were all watching her with amused smiles.

A faint pink hue spread across her fair cheeks. She instinctively leaned against Jiger's arm and muttered,

"Why are you all looking at me like that? The food here is just so much better than what we had in the Sorbet Kingdom. I couldn't help myself..."

Jiger chuckled, reaching out to playfully pinch her nose.

"Go ahead and eat as much as you want. There'll be plenty more meals like this in the future."

Ginny's eyes sparkled at his words, but before she could respond, Borsalino suddenly raised both hands in mock surrender, his tone carrying his usual exaggerated cowardice.

"Ahh, let me just cut in here... Teacher Zephyr is *very* strict. Sakazuki and I haven't been allowed out for two whole months, so you should prepare yourselves for what's coming."

Ginny's excitement instantly deflated. Her lips pursed, and she let out a small groan.

"Ugh… why is he like this?"

Jiger was about to reassure her, but before he could say anything, Ginny's expression shifted. A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes as she suddenly beamed.

"Wait! It's fine! We have Kuma with us. If things get bad, we can just run away!"

At her words, Kuma silently lifted his massive palm, displaying the pads on his hands as if confirming that he was always at her service.

Borsalino and Sakazuki both took note of the motion. Their gazes briefly met, and Borsalino muttered under his breath,

"Another Devil Fruit user? The newcomers this year are terrifying."

With the meal finished, it was time to settle the bill. Jiger strode confidently to the counter, producing a thick stack of banknotes with a casual flick of his wrist.

"I'll cover both tables. Any extra can go toward the tip," he declared, his voice carrying an air of effortless generosity.

The clerk's eyes widened slightly at the sheer amount of money he had placed down.

Jiger hardly thought much of it. Over the years, Garling had sent him an absurd amount of pocket money—so much that the total sum was practically unfathomable.

To put things in perspective, even if Borsalino were to work diligently as an Admiral for 180 years, his total earnings wouldn't even amount to a fraction of what Jiger had casually spent tonight.

Unaware of the exact figures but sensing the sheer wealth behind the gesture, Borsalino was quietly calculating just how many bananas could be bought with that single stack of notes.

Before he could say anything, Sakazuki suddenly spoke, his voice firm.

"Jiger, we don't need you to pay for our table. Borsalino said he'd treat us this time."

Borsalino's smile twitched.

"Sakazuki, you're talking too much today. I preferred you when you were quiet."

"?"

For a brief moment, silence hung between them.

God knows how much Borsalino wanted to punch Sakazuki right then and there. But instead, he simply turned toward the clerk with a smile, pretending to reach for his wallet in a show of good faith.

Before he could fully retrieve it, however, Jiger firmly grabbed his wrist, stopping him. His expression was serious.

"I already paid. I'm really glad to have met you two, and I want to show my appreciation."

Borsalino hesitated for half a second. Then, with a completely unconvincing "slip" of his fingers, his wallet fell right back into his pocket.

"Ahhh, brother Jiger, you're too kind! There's no need to be so formal! Forget all that 'senior' nonsense—just call us by our names in school from now on. Right, Sakazuki?"

Sakazuki, who had been watching Borsalino's performance from start to finish, rolled his eyes. Without a word, he turned away, pointedly refusing to acknowledge this embarrassing display.

With the meal concluded, the two sides finally parted ways.

Jiger and his group left in high spirits, while Borsalino and Sakazuki made their way back to the Marine dormitory.

The moment they stepped inside, before they even had a chance to sit down, there was a sharp knock on the door.

*Knock. Knock.*

"Borsalino, Mr. Zephyr wants you in his office. Now."

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