Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Byrnndi World was a character who never appeared in the original manga, though he was designed by Oda himself for a anime special set during Luffy's two years of training.
Thirty years ago, Byrnndi World was a pirate of great renown, a contemporary of Roger and Whitebeard. After being defeated and frozen in Level Six of Impel Down for three decades, he was inadvertently freed during Blackbeard's raid. Though he still appeared to be in his forties, he was in fact a man approaching eighty years of age.
World's epithet was "The World Destroyer." In the eyes of the World Government, he was once considered as dangerous as the Pirate King himself.
Recalling these details, Bai Ye couldn't help but fall into deep thought. "I remember this guy's goal was to overthrow the World Government. Why would he ever agree to become a Warlord?" he murmured to himself.
A moment later, a knowing smile touched his lips. "It's a move born of desperation, most likely. The World Government is running out of famous, influential pirates to fill the ranks. If Crocodile can be reinstated, then it's not impossible that they could tempt a man like World with the right offer."
He unfolded the newspaper, his eyes scanning the page. "Still, this saves me a lot of trouble. I've finally found the perfect Devil Fruit for Usopp."
From the very beginning, Bai Ye believed that the fruit best suited for the Straw Hats' sniper was Byrrndi World's More-More Fruit. The power to multiply the speed and size of any object by up to one hundred times was a game-changer. In Usopp's hands, he wouldn't just be a sniper; he'd be a walking artillery battery, capable of delivering "justice from the heavens."
Bai Ye's gaze moved to the next candidate listed: Edward Weevil. His appearance was identical to how Bai Ye remembered it—a bizarre and almost comical imitation of Whitebeard. He wondered if such a conspicuous cosplay would earn him the wrath of the actual Whitebeard Pirates.
"But with this guy as a Warlord," Bai Ye mused, "the Navy is about to undergo a significant change." He put down the paper, his thoughts turning to a man he had greatly admired: "Black Arm" Zephyr.
Zephyr was a former Admiral who had once stood alongside Garp and Sengoku, a titan of justice who had dedicated his life to purging evil from the seas. Later in his career, he became the head instructor for the Navy's elite training program. In the original timeline, Edward Weevil attacked a training vessel under Zephyr's command, slaughtering nearly all his students and severing the old admiral's right arm. It was an event that sent Zephyr down a dark path of vengeance.
"This time," Bai Ye said quietly to the empty room, "Zephyr won't be pushed to the point of trying to destroy the world. This time, he has a better choice."
-----
In Makino's Partys Bar, the mood was tense.
"What a monumentally stupid move!" Sengoku slammed the newspaper down on the table with a dull thud. He angrily grabbed a donut, stuffing it into his mouth and mumbling through the bite, "Do those fools in Mary Geoise want to completely dismantle the Navy?!"
Unlike in the original history, Sengoku had resigned from the Navy completely, not even remaining as an Inspector General. Perhaps because he had truly let go of his burdens, his hair had not turned completely white. But for the first time, he felt a profound and bitter disappointment with the World Government he had served his entire life.
"Hey, are you trying to steal my donuts while I'm not looking?" Garp complained, ignoring his friend's tirade and casually pulling the plate closer to his side. "Besides, haven't those Celestial Dragon idiots always been like this? Why are you acting like this is some new revelation?"
"This time is different!" Sengoku snapped. "Making that bastard a Warlord… it will break Zephyr's heart! Don't they realize that most of the dedicated officers still serving are Zephyr's former students? On top of the resignations we've already seen, many more will leave now!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier Sengoku became. His hand suddenly flashed, a blur of golden light and he snatched several more donuts before Garp could even react.
Sengoku's prediction was dead on. Zephyr had left the Navy. And this time, he did not leave alone.
"Sengoku, you bastard, give me back my donuts!"
"It's your own fault, Garp! You ate all my rice crackers!"
-----
On the grand square of the Spark Alliance's headquarters in the first half of the Grand Line, Kuzan, one of its three commanders, looked at the purple-haired man before him with a complex mix of emotions.
"I never expected we would be colleagues again so soon, Zephyr-sensei."
As the former head instructor, Zephyr's disciples were spread throughout the entire Navy. Not just Kuzan, but also Sakazuki and Borsalino had been his students.
"Kuzan," Zephyr sighed, his voice heavy. "I never imagined the World Government would make such a decision." He clenched his left fist, his knuckles white. "To dedicate my entire life to justice, only to have it end like this..."
Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes meeting Kuzan's. "You know, when I first heard the news, for a split second, I wanted to burn this entire world to the ground. Hahaha."
"Zephyr-sensei..." Kuzan wasn't alarmed by the confession. He only felt a deep ache for the man who had been his mentor. When Kuzan was just a boy, Zephyr was already a legend, an admiral known for his refusal to kill his enemies. He was a man of unwavering justice who had stood against the likes of the Golden Lion. Yet pirates had murdered his family, and Weevil had slaughtered his students. Considering all that, the desire to destroy everything was completely understandable.
Seeing the look in Kuzan's eyes, Zephyr's grim expression broke into a hearty laugh. "Don't underestimate me, kid!"
"I've long known that the pirates who burn and pillage are scum. It's only recently that I've come to understand that the World Government is the root cause of the chaos on the seas." His voice boomed with newfound conviction. "So, rather than destroying the world, I've decided to join the Spark Alliance. I want to watch with my own eyes as Mary Geoise crumbles to dust! Hahahaha!"
It seemed he had truly found a new purpose. The bitter, resentful man was gone, replaced by someone who looked relaxed, revitalized, and years younger.
"I would never look down on you, Sensei," Kuzan said with a genuine smile. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have nominated you to be the chief instructor of the Spark Alliance's forces." He gestured toward the far side of the square, where thousands of new recruits were gathered. "The Navy has centuries of history and resources. Our protective forces are still too weak. Without the machine army, we're stretched thin protecting even our current member countries."
Kuzan's expression turned serious. "So, you may not have much time to rest, Zephyr-sensei. For the sake of the spark, and for the future of these seas, please forge for us a new generation of strong warriors."
Zephyr grinned, a familiar fire back in his eyes. "Haha! Now that is something I excel at!"