Three small Marine guerrilla submarines were anchored, undergoing inspection and repairs.
Click. Clack.
Footsteps echoed through the night sky.
"Sorry for being late, Master Zephyr!"
Descending through the air using Geppo came a tall figure with a lazy tone—uncannily reminiscent of Admiral Kizaru.
It was one of the Marine Headquarters' top three Vice Admirals, and a candidate for Admiral—Tokikake.
By Sengoku's direct orders, Tokikake had been temporarily reassigned from another region to assist Zephyr.
However...
Zephyr had long since disobeyed orders.
He had already clashed directly with Big Mom's pirate crew.
Though the battle ended in defeat, Tokikake—once Zephyr's student—didn't dare voice a word of complaint.
Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku, upon hearing about it, only said, "I understand."
After all, the Navy owed Zephyr far too much.
"Vice Admiral Tokikake, please have a seat."
A young blue-haired girl, Ain, stood up and offered him a chair.
"Little Ain, I'm glad you're safe. Otherwise, Gion would be terribly worried," Tokikake said warmly.
"Tokikake," Zephyr barked, voice deep and commanding, "you didn't come all this way just to chit-chat, did you?"
"Haha, my apologies, Master Zephyr," Tokikake chuckled. "Sengoku sent me because he heard rumors that the Beasts Pirates were secretly involved in your battle today. He wants to know what's really going on."
He pulled out a document and handed it over.
"All intel from today's battle is here. And I want to speak directly with Sengoku," Zephyr said, slamming a thick stack of documents in front of him.
Tokikake didn't delay.
He pulled out a private Den Den Mushi, capable of directly contacting the Fleet Admiral.
Purupurupuru... Kachak!
Den Den Moshi connect.
"Tokikake? You've arrived?"
A voice came through—Sengoku.
"It's me," Zephyr said solemnly.
"Zephyr?!"
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marine HQ, Sengoku was shocked.
Ever since he accepted the Warlord system proposed by the World Government over a decade ago, Zephyr—who despised pirates—had refused to speak to him again.
Sengoku never thought they'd speak again in this lifetime.
"Zephyr, you—"
Just as he began to speak, Zephyr cut him off.
"Sengoku, I'm not calling to catch up. I'm calling to inform you that I plan to join the battle against Whitebeard at Marineford."
Silence fell.
Everyone froze.
Not just Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru in the Fleet Admiral's office.
Even Tokikake, Ain, and Binz were stunned speechless.
No one could have imagined that Zephyr would personally request to join the Summit War.
"What? Is that a problem?" Zephyr growled.
"N-No... If you're willing to join, it couldn't be more welcome," Sengoku said. "It's just... Tsuru wants to know why you suddenly changed your mind."
Vice Admiral Tsuru glanced at Sengoku, but said nothing further.
Still, she was clearly curious.
After all, the last time they contacted Zephyr, he had firmly refused, saying he was too busy.
"If it's Tsuru asking, then fine. I'll tell you—
Because today's battle isn't over yet."
A strange smile crept across Zephyr's lips.
The others still looked confused.
Only Tsuru, with her seasoned instincts, reacted immediately.
"Zephyr, are you saying the mysterious third-party you fought today was actually part of Whitebeard's reinforcements?!"
"No idea," Zephyr replied.
Sengoku: "Then why—"
Tsuru: "So it's just your intuition?"
"As expected of Tsuru—smart as ever," Zephyr chuckled.
"Oh, and one last warning—
Keep an eye on this year's rookies."
With that, Zephyr hung up the Den Den Mushi.
Tokikake quietly reviewed the battle report Zephyr had handed him.
Even as a candidate Admiral, Tokikake couldn't help but grow serious.
Though he hadn't witnessed the battle himself, the written descriptions were enough.
Someone who could duel Zephyr head-on, wield a massive sword, and even simulate natural disasters through sheer ability...
And they weren't even the strongest among the enemy?
And the blurry intel described how this third party obliterated Big Mom's top officers in a flash.
If such individuals really did show up at Marineford, it would cause absolute chaos on the battlefield.
HQ needed to be alerted—immediately.
---
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
Long after the call ended, Sengoku sat deep in thought.
Finally—
"Tsuru... What did Zephyr mean by 'be careful of the rookies'? Why warn us?"
"You're asking me like I'd know?" Tsuru retorted.
"But if Zephyr said it, it means he discovered something."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!!"
Vice Admiral Brannew, hair bright green, burst into the room holding a large stack of documents.
"These are the emergency faxes sent by Tokikake! Please review them!"
Sengoku quickly took the files—and handed a copy to Tsuru as well.
The room fell silent as they read.
A long pause.
Sengoku lowered the documents, his expression twitching.
"Hahaha... Tsuru, if I'm not mistaken, these reports suggest that the mysterious third party Zephyr encountered includes none other than... Garp's grandson, Monkey D. Luffy!"
"Mhm. Seems that way," Tsuru nodded.
"But we just got a report from Impel Down recently," Sengoku continued.
"Though the details were vague, it said that Garp's grandson had actually broken into Impel Down that same day. He's still hiding out somewhere inside!"
"So what now? Does that kid have cloning powers too?!"
Before Tsuru could respond—
"Oi, Sengoku! Don't push your luck! What's with this 'that grandson of Garp' nonsense?"
A voice called out casually from the door.
In walked Vice Admiral Garp, the legendary Marine hero himself, wearing a sour expression.
"I didn't mean anything by it... I just—"
"Aaagh! You keep talking, and I'll give you a smack!"
---
At that very moment...
Water 7 — the city of water, famous across the Grand Line.
Inside a quiet back-alley bar run by former CP9 agent Bruno—
"I see... So Tom is gone..."
Roger swirled a glass of rum over ice, then downed it in one gulp.
"Yeah... Tom's gone.
But I don't think he had any regrets.
He left behind two fine apprentices," the elderly Kokoro said, wiping her eyes.
"Mr. Roger, will you go see Iceburg?
If he knew you were alive, he'd be stunned for sure!"
"Haha... Let's not.
I don't want to bring trouble to you all again.
But I will be counting on you for ship matters, Kokoro."
Roger smiled warmly.
"Leave it to me, Pirate King!"