Under the veil of night, the sea breeze brushed against the Marineford fortress, a stronghold that protected the world in the name of Absolute Justice.
Seagulls pierced the night sky, weaving through the beams of the searchlights.
At a relatively remote port near a small seaside warehouse, Zephyr arrived alone as usual.
He sat by the docks, his favorite sherry, ‘Jerez,’ resting beside him.
“So you really are here, huh?”
Just as Zephyr brought the bottle to his lips, he heard a voice behind him.
There was no need to turn around; Zephyr knew it was Garp just from the sound of his voice.
“I heard…
Vegapunk complained about you, and Kong gave you a lecture?” Garp walked over to the empty wooden planks beside Zephyr and unceremoniously sat down cross-legged.
He then snatched the sherry right out of Zephyr’s hand and took a massive gulp.
The corners of Zephyr’s mouth curled up.
Facing the calm sea before him and feeling the ocean breeze, he said, “Compared to that kid, it’s nothing.
Besides…”
At this point, Zephyr snatched the bottle back and scolded, “Don’t drink it all!”
Garp let out a booming laugh and pulled some rice crackers from his coat.
“After Kong found out about the kid, he contacted Sengoku.
However, Kong isn’t very pleased with him for talking back to Sakazuki and constantly harping on about refusing to work overtime.”
Garp smirked.
“But Kong himself doesn’t really care about that sort of thing.”
Zephyr took a rice cracker from Garp and stared at it.
“If Kong knows, that means the people in the World Government have noticed him too.”
“Yeah,” Garp chuckled.
“After all, the Marines definitely have people reporting to them.
Not to mention, you and that kid completely wrecked the port.
Hahahaha!
We still have to get such a massive chunk of military funding from their hands.”
But as he finished speaking, Garp noticed Zephyr clenching his fist.
The rice cracker in his hand was crushed to pieces, and his expression grew increasingly grim.
Garp smiled.
“I told you that night, it’s impossible for him to go unnoticed.
But…
aren’t I still here?
Don’t forget the reason I stayed in the Marines!
So it’ll be fine.
Besides, with that kid’s personality…”
But as he said this, Garp suddenly remembered how the kid was constantly talking about salary, benefits, promotions, and retirement.
Suddenly, Garp furrowed his brows and looked at Zephyr with a worried expression.
“What if they offer him a massive salary or something?!
Should we ask Sengoku to pay him more too?”
Zephyr looked at his old friend, who was once again playing the fool, and shoved the crushed rice cracker into his mouth.
“He doesn’t know Haki, nor has he mastered Rokushiki, but his personality is far too gentle.
With a disposition like that, he can never become a qualified Marine warrior.”
Garp looked at his old friend.
“I won’t let what happened with Dragon happen again,” Zephyr said, meeting Garp’s gaze.
Garp immediately scoffed and patted his old friend on the shoulder.
“That was the path he chose for himself.
And thanks to your teachings, he became even clearer on what he should and shouldn’t do.
Even though I’d love to beat the crap out of him the next time I see him…
none of this has anything to do with you.”
Hearing this, Zephyr shook his head helplessly.
He had always felt guilty about his old friend’s son.
He had taught Garp’s son, only for that man to completely abandon the Marines after a mission in the past.
And now, that man’s name resounded throughout the entire world under the title of the ‘World’s Worst Criminal.’
But Zephyr clenched his fists.
“I will reshape his personality.
On this sea, a disposition like his will only bring regret.”
Hearing this, Garp merely sighed at Zephyr.
Back then, his own bastard of a son had been considered a very good kid by Zephyr, especially because of his kind-hearted justice.
But now…
*Sigh…*
*Ever since that massacre, has he still not been able to move on?*
*Zephyr.*
“However…” Zephyr raised his prosthetic arm and looked at Garp.
“I’m honestly at a bit of a loss on how to teach that kid.”
Garp looked at Zephyr’s prosthetic arm.
Three of the five fingers looked incredibly mangled, completely appearing as if they had been broken off.
Zephyr continued, “It’s as if he was holding back against me.”
Hearing this, Garp burst into unrestrained laughter.
“Bwahahahahaha!!”
Seeing Garp’s reaction, a smile appeared on Zephyr’s face.
He took a large gulp of sherry, then gazed out at the pitch-black sea, softly humming the song “The Sea’s Guidance.”
*I absolutely must correct his gentleness!*
*I can’t let him turn into me!*
…
Meanwhile…
Inside the Marine Academy dormitories located northwest of Marineford.
Elliot was currently tidying up his dorm room.
Originally, Elliot had expected a four-person room, or at best, a two-person room.
To his surprise, he had been assigned a single room right off the bat.
According to Instructor Ain, this was ‘a privilege enjoyed by Special Recruits.’
He placed the green, unnamed—but very pretty—potted flower on the windowsill so it could bask in the moonlight.
Then, Elliot arranged his soft, newly purchased bedding on the bed.
Although it was simple, he was just starting out, so Elliot didn’t demand much.
After finishing his chores, Elliot sat at the desk and stared at the Berries—his money—laid out before him.
He had exactly 1,300 Berries left.
This was Elliot’s entire net worth.
“As for food, Instructor Ain said I can eat as much as I want in the cafeteria, so three meals a day isn’t an issue.
Looking at it this way, as long as I don’t buy anything, these 1,300 Berries should last me until payday.”
At this thought, Elliot’s expression suddenly turned grave.
“Wait a minute, I forgot to ask what day payday is at Headquarters!”
He rubbed his temples.
To think he had forgotten something so important!
As he pondered, Elliot gathered up his money.
“I’ll ask Mr.
Zephyr tomorrow.
Also, I wonder if they’ll give me overtime pay for today.
Instructor Ain never answered that question.”
Saying this, Elliot decided not to dwell on it and pulled his diary out of the drawer.
He opened the diary, picked up a pen, and began to write.
[Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1517, May 4th]
*I fought with Mr.
Zephyr today and almost beat him to death.
I need to be more careful from now on.
However, I was forced to work overtime today.
Forced to work overtime on my very first day!
This is supposed to be a government agency; I hope it’s not an exploitative sweatshop.
Regardless, I am absolutely not working overtime anymore!*
After finishing his entry, he put the diary away.
He closed the window and went to sleep.
…
The next day.
The very second the 7:00 AM alarm clock began to ring…
*Smack!*
A hand suddenly shot out from under the covers and grabbed the alarm clock.
*Crack!*
The entire alarm clock was crushed to pieces!
Elliot’s messy, bird’s-nest-like natural curly hair and his innate dark circles were instantly revealed.
*So annoyed~*
Wearing an incredibly displeased expression, Elliot threw off the covers and sat straight up.
Elliot’s daily routine was very stable.
But strangely enough…
Elliot strongly despised waking up early, and his morning temper was exceptionally bad.
However…
He was very particular about maintaining his early-rising routine!