One had to understand that in most cases, insulting a person's Devil Fruit is equivalent to insulting their very existence. Nevertheless, Aramaki still used the term "ours."
Aramaki continued, "That's precisely what also restored mom..."
"You let mom drink it?!"
Interrupting him sharply, Bill did this for the first time in his life.
Taking a defensive stance, though he didn't know why himself, Aramaki retorted, "Yes, and now we have her back. What's wrong with that?"
Hearing this, Bill slowly returned to a normal state, leaving only his eyes darkened.
"What's wrong with that?" Bill thought to himself.
"What about the fact that you sacrificed others' spirits to save...
'Sacrificed...'
He didn't know how he stumbled upon this word, but it felt right to him. So, looking at his father, Bill asked, "How did you make this Elixir?"
Hearing this question, Aramaki absorbed the vial into his body and said disappointedly, "Don't worry about it, it was a mistake"
Before Bill could ask again, the tall man cleared his throat and continued:
"Actually, I'm here mainly to inform you that you won't be going on any other missions until you finish training in one of the professions here. I believe that instead of heading out to sea, you need to get an education. Mom thinks you're grown up and can make your own choices. So, we've reached a compromise. Once you finish here, you'll no longer be subject to my rules and..."
knock-knock-knock
Suddenly interrupted, Aramaki turned his attention to the door, and Bill hurried to open it before his father could lash out at whoever stood behind it.
Opening the door, Bill saw an ordinary Marine standing at attention.
"What happened?" he asked calmly, by then his eyes had returned to their normal color.
"I have an urgent message for Commodore Ox! Sir!"
Turning his head, Bill saw Aramaki stepping closer and gently placing a hand on his shoulder, moving him aside.
"Report, Midshipman."
The man seemed confused by this, and, glancing at Bill and then back at Aramaki, he quietly said, "Um, sir! I have two messages; one of them is secret!Bill couldn't see his father's face, but he assumed he was frowning, as he told the man to immediately deliver the message or leave.
After a brief pause, the midshipman continued in a quiet voice: "Sir, the Kid Pirates have been spotted around the Archipelago of Vallipo and have attacked several merchant ships, as well as four Marine vessels. You are ordered to return to the South Blue Sea immediately."
Letting out a groan, Aramaki instructed the man to deliver the next message, which seemed even stranger, as the man began to sweat.
"Um... well... sir, the next message is from Dina Ox. She requested to inform you that she is pregnant."
After hearing the two pieces of news—that his mother was pregnant and that the Kid Pirates were near Vallipo—neither father nor son deemed their argument worth continuing.
As Aramaki prepared to leave, he asked Bill if he needed anything, and without hesitation, Bill said he wanted to learn the Iron Body technique.
Hearing this, Aramaki simply told his son: "Alright, don't sign any contracts."
It seemed that even now Aramaki was determined to ensure his son didn't remain in the Marine Corps longer than necessary.
Or, as Aramaki himself would say, his "older son."
As for Bill, upon hearing the news, he wanted to go home himself and, uncharacteristically for him, vowed to destroy the Kid Pirates if they dared attack Vallipo.
He also tried to follow his father, but the commodore told him it was impossible, and even if it were, Bill would only slow him down.
Only then did Bill discover that his father could fly, which he hadn't been able to before.
Following Aramaki outside the base, the last thing the large man told him was that he would send a message home and that Bill shouldn't forget he wouldn't be going on any missions until he completed all his courses.
He even annoyingly smirked and emphasized the word "all."
At that moment, Bill didn't react to the provocation and just wished his father a swift journey.
When he saw his father disappear into the distance, Bill turned around and decided not to waste any time.
He enrolled in courses on metallurgy and engineering, and although he didn't think his father would be dishonest in the deal they made, he knew those courses included many specializations requiring several years of study.
"Well, that's years of study for other people."
Unlike the rest of his body, Bill had only a superficial understanding of his brain. He definitely didn't have a photographic memory, but his memory retention was better than just "very good."
He couldn't remember every detail of everything he saw but certainly remembered the things he considered important.
With these thoughts in mind, he went back to his room, grabbed the report, and completed the final tasks related to the mission for procuring the South Bird.
After submitting the report to Sentomaru, Bill discussed the matter of final exams, and whether to spite Aramaki or for another reason, Captain Sentomaru just laughed and said he would talk to Punk on his behalf.