The little girl was so embarrassed that she buried her face in her hands, too mortified to look at anyone.
Seeing her distress, Luffy raised his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down.
"Alright, alright, that's enough. It's normal to have a few minor accidents now and then.
But don't forget—you're all part of the Marine now. And as excellent Marines, you've got to be strong."
With those words, Luffy gently picked Tama up and placed her in the seat reserved especially for her.
It was the front row of the classroom, with a chair specifically customized for children her size.
Tama felt a pang of reluctance as she left Luffy's warm embrace. But her embarrassment was so overwhelming that she couldn't bring herself to say something as mortifying as "Hold me a little longer."
Instead, she slumped over her desk, burying her face against the cool wood, only daring to peek up occasionally to observe Luffy and the other students around her.
The classroom was large, spacious enough to accommodate 100 children comfortably. But Class 2—Tama's class—had only three rows, with eight students per row, totaling 24 students.
It wasn't even a quarter of the room's capacity.
It wasn't that Luffy was wasting resources. In fact, he liked having such a large, open space.
But the real reason was that these 24 students weren't just any students—they were the best selected from 369 applicants.
Some of the children were naturally gifted, able to absorb lessons instantly and apply them in creative ways.
Others had remarkable physical strength, far surpassing that of normal children their age.
And then there was Tama—a Devil Fruit user, the most unique and youngest of them all.
Of course, there was one thing all these children had in common: their age.
The youngest, Tama, was just three years old, and the oldest had only recently celebrated their sixth birthday.
Unlike the other students at the academy, who were separated into theory and practical classes, these 24 prodigies were gathered in one room, regardless of their talents.
Once they completed the most essential parts of their basic education—learning to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic—Luffy planned to have them trained separately, with some even receiving one-on-one instruction from specialized teachers.
Luffy clapped his hands to gather their attention.
"Alright, class. We had a little mishap earlier, but now it's time to begin our first lesson.
I'll be your temporary teacher today."
Hearing this, the students straightened up in their seats, their faces filled with excitement.
None of them had expected that Vice Admiral Luffy himself would be teaching their first class.
Luffy turned to the blackboard and began writing.
Monkey D. Luffy
Turning back to the class, he smiled.
"This is my name. But you can just call me 'Teacher.' Or, if you'd like, 'Luffy-sensei' works too."
The students, well-trained in manners, immediately shouted in unison:
"Hello, Teacher!"
Luffy chuckled, pressing his hands down to quiet them.
"Hello, class."
Once the room settled, Luffy wasted no time diving into the lesson.
Unlike the children's previous teachers, who might have focused on literacy and arithmetic, Luffy had something else in mind.
He wanted to talk to them about the Marine.
"Unlike ordinary schools, the moment you entered the Marine Academy, you became a Marine soldier.
And as soldiers, you need to understand your responsibilities."
Luffy turned around, allowing the children to clearly see the word "Justice" emblazoned across the back of his Marine cloak.
"Justice is the Marine's slogan. It's our mission, our goal.
So, can anyone tell me—what is justice?"
For a moment, the classroom was silent. But then, a boy wearing glasses—his uniform slightly rumpled, his demeanor a bit nerdy—shot his hand into the air, his face filled with excitement.
"I, I, I! Teacher, I know!"
The boy's name was Yamashiro Jin, and he practically buzzed with anticipation, hoping to answer correctly and gain Luffy's approval.
Luffy pointed at him, smiling.
"Yamashiro Jin, go ahead."
Hearing Luffy call out his full name, Tama peeked up from her desk, taking mental note of the first student brave enough to raise his hand.
Yamashiro Jin stood up proudly, his chest puffed out as he answered:
"Teacher, I heard from the Marine brothers in our village that justice means fighting against pirates!"
Luffy nodded, clapping his hands gently.
"That's right. Fighting pirates is indeed part of justice."
The entire class clapped in unison, their eyes filled with admiration and respect for Yamashiro Jin.
To be the first to answer and get praised by Luffy-sensei—that was something to be proud of.
The other children looked at him enviously, wishing they'd had the courage to answer first.
Seeing the excitement in the room, Luffy continued, his smile never fading.
"Fighting pirates is one way to uphold justice, yes.
But justice isn't just about fighting pirates.
Does anyone else know what justice is?"
Perhaps inspired by Yamashiro Jin's bravery, the other students felt bolder this time.
Almost every hand shot into the air, eager to give their answer.
Luffy called on them one by one, encouraging each child by name, making sure everyone felt seen and heard.
The lesson had just begun, but already, the classroom buzzed with excitement and pride.
For these young prodigies, Luffy wasn't just a teacher—he was an idol, a symbol of the justice they were learning to uphold.
And for Tama, sitting quietly in the front row, the embarrassment of earlier was starting to fade, replaced by something else:
A determination to prove herself in front of the person she admired most.
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