"Don't let its size fool you. The space inside is quite large, like a big pocket. It's big enough to store an object that's six feet tall and four and a half feet wide. The only drawbacks are that the weight doesn't change, and there's not much air inside, so if you put living things in there, they'll suffocate after a while," Dalt explained.
Aeridar's eyes lit up. This was just like a spatial storage pouch from a fantasy novel. While it wasn't a god-tier artifact capable of holding living beings, it was still extremely rare and useful.
"This is amazing! Absolutely amazing!" Aeridar said, nodding with genuine surprise. With this, he'd have a convenient place to store things when he was on the move. He could even put his prized wines in it so that Oliver couldn't secretly drink them.
"I'm glad you like it. Unfortunately, because it's a pouch, a genetic bond is useless, so anyone can open it," Dalt said with regret.
"No matter. I don't believe anyone can steal it from me," Aeridar said, full of confidence.
After a brief exchange, Aeridar took his new "storage pouch" and left while Dalt continued his research.
....
Marine Headquarters, Marineford Harbor.
Zephyr, with his massive Crusher mechanical arm, strode confidently forward, followed by three officers—a woman and two men—all wearing "Justice" coats.
"Ain, is the Assault Squad all here?" Zephyr asked, turning his head as he walked.
"Zephyr-sensei, three warships and two thousand eight hundred personnel have all arrived. Fleet Admiral Sengoku said there wasn't enough time to mobilize more people," replied the tall, beautiful woman behind him. She had wavy, sea-blue hair, wore denim shorts that showed off her long legs, and had a prominent X-shaped scar on her right leg.
She was Ain, the user of the Return-Return Fruit. She was one of the recruits Zephyr trained when he was an Admiral, a survivor of the pirate attack. She was now the leader of the Pirate Assault Squad.
"You, Binz, and Shuzo are enough," Zephyr said, his face expressionless.
"Yeah, that's right, Zephyr-sensei! We're more than enough!" said Binz, who wore a flashy ninja outfit and carried a katana on his back.
Binz was the user of the Grow-Grow Fruit. He was also a recruit trained by Zephyr and a survivor of the pirate attack, now serving as an officer and combatant in the Pirate Assault Squad.
"I will always follow in your footsteps, Zephyr-sensei!" said Shuzo, a dark-skinned, powerfully built man with a serious expression. Shuzo was a Marine Captain and a favorite protégé of Zephyr, now the vice-captain and combatant of the Pirate Assault Squad.
Zephyr's stern face softened slightly as he listened to the three of them behind him.
"To be able to mobilize three warships and nearly three thousand men in such a short time, Sengoku did his best. We'll expand slowly later," Zephyr said calmly.
The group arrived at the harbor. Three warships, unlike the standard Marine vessels, were moored at the pier. The largest of them had a sharp, massive axe for a figurehead and was on par with the few Special-Class Battleships in the Marine fleet.
Marines were busy loading all kinds of supplies onto the three ships. Others were adjusting the cannons. Zephyr nodded, then led Ain and the others onto the largest of the axe-headed warships.
"Hmm?!"
As he walked toward the bow, Zephyr suddenly turned his head to look at the main mast.
"You're still as perceptive as ever, Zephyr-sensei. It's been a while, ne~" Kizaru, wearing his yellow-and-white striped suit and a "Justice" coat, sat lazily on the mast's yardarm, looking down.
"It's Borsalino-senpai!"
"Admiral Borsalino!"
"Admiral Kizaru!"
Ain, Binz, and Shuzo all exclaimed in surprise.
Whoosh!
A flash of golden light streaked across the sky, and Borsalino vanished from the mast.
"Borsalino, I've warned you not to use your ability so casually in front of me," Zephyr said, his expression grim as he faced the tall man in front of him.
"My, my, you're still so strict, Zephyr-sensei," Borsalino pouted, adjusting his sunglasses. "I hear you asked Fleet Admiral Sengoku to create the Pirate Assault Squad to specifically hunt down pirates. Won't this ruin your reputation as 'the No-Killing Admiral'?"
"Borsalino, do you want me to teach you a lesson on respecting your elders again?" Zephyr's face darkened.
Seeing the tense standoff between their teacher and senior, Ain and the others exchanged glances. They had heard the two didn't get along, but they didn't realize it was to this extent.
"Oh, please, have mercy! It was just a joke," Borsalino said, holding up his hands in a mock surrender.
"Hmph. Today is the day the Pirate Assault Squad is formed. If you have nothing to do, then get lost," Zephyr said with a cold huff.
"My, that's just hurtful, Zephyr-sensei. I came all this way to see if there was anything I could help with, ne~," Borsalino said, pouting slowly as he held a lit cigarette in his mouth.
"I don't recall you ever being so helpful," Zephyr said, giving him a disdainful look and walking past him.
"My, what a stubborn old man," Borsalino shrugged, as countless particles of light emerged from his body, instantly forming a golden beam that flew toward the Marine Headquarters fortress.
But no sooner had Borsalino left than five or six other Marine Vice Admirals arrived, all wearing "Justice" coats. These were the acting commanders based at headquarters, including Doberman, Onigumo, Momonga, Strawberry, and Yamakaji.
....
Fleet Admiral's Office.
Sengoku stood at his window, looking out at the harbor.
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to see him off?" Vice Admiral Tsuru asked, opening her eyes from where she was seated.
"No need. He's not a child anymore," Sengoku said without turning around. "If Zephyr, the man once known as 'Black Arm,' wants to come back, I'll let him."
"He's not coming back," Tsuru said softly.
Sengoku fell silent.
She was right. The man who was once "the No-Killing Admiral" wasn't coming back. The man who had returned was a different Zephyr, a Black Arm Zephyr with hands stained with blood.
"Where's Garp?" Sengoku asked, changing the subject.
"He said he's taking a vacation in the Clifford Kingdom. He left this morning," Tsuru said calmly.
"WHAT?!"
Sengoku's eyes widened. He was fuming. "That idiot! He already used up all his leave for the year! And he's still trying to go on vacation?! Tsuru, why didn't you stop him?"
"Do you think I could have stopped him?" Tsuru said, rolling her eyes.
"Ugh..."
Sengoku was at a loss for words, but he angrily turned around, searching for a Den Den Mushi. "Where's the snail? I need to call him and tell him to come back!"