Zephyr sighed inwardly, his Observation Haki registering the bodies scattered across the battlefield. His face darkened as he gave a sharp order:
"Kill all the pirates!"
Ever since pirates had taken his family from him, Zephyr no longer clung to his old principle of never killing.
The former "no-kill admiral" was gone—what remained was a man who loathed pirates with every fiber of his being.
"Yes, sir!"
At his command, the marines surged forward with renewed morale, cutting off the fleeing pirates and pressing the attack.
But Haime, having lost his resolve with his captain's death, could no longer resist. He faltered, and his forces crumbled before the navy's advance.
Zephyr approached Yuno, carefully sizing him up before giving a rare nod of approval.
"Good. Your strength is even greater than I imagined. Once you master all six forms, you can apply for graduation."
If Yuno could graduate within six months, he would shatter the Elite Battalion's record for fastest graduation.
Even those three "monsters" who later shook the seas had needed nearly a year.
Feigning humility, Yuno gave a short laugh. "Compared to you, I'm still far behind."
"Don't underestimate yourself," Zephyr replied calmly, though with a hint of rebuke. "You're already strong. Growth takes time. Rushing will only harm you in the end."
Despite his stern tone, he was deeply satisfied with Yuno as a disciple.
A spotless background, steady in conduct, cooperative, ambitious, and—most importantly—exceptionally gifted.
To Zephyr, Yuno was the very model of what a marine should be.
Of course, Yuno's disguise was flawless...
In truth, while the navy had its internal factions, it still held far more men of justice than the seas filled with pirates steeped in chaos and cruelty.
Even if the World Government collapsed, many marines would never forsake their duty.
Yuno had no real objection to being a marine. After all, the title of "man of justice" was not a bad thing to wear.
So, he chose to play the role all the more convincingly.
"I understand, Master Zephyr," Yuno said modestly.
Just then, both master and disciple turned their gaze in the same direction.
Through Observation Haki, they sensed a distinct, heavy presence.
It was Hawkins.
After a moment's thought, Yuno spoke. "Master, I'll go check if any pirates slipped away."
Zephyr didn't object. Having seen Yuno's power, he knew there was no one left on the island who could pose a threat to him.
With a flash step, Yuno disappeared.
Zephyr watched his student's retreating back before turning his attention back to the battlefield.
Death was inevitable in war.
A veteran of countless battles, he had long since witnessed the sacrifices of comrades and students alike—yet the weight on his heart never lessened.
Hawkins, meanwhile, had tried to remain hidden. He wasn't on any wanted list; technically, he wasn't even a criminal.
But fate had placed him in the navy's path.
Though cautious, he hadn't realized he'd already been noticed by two powerhouses.
And now, Hawkins too became aware of Yuno closing in on him.
His heart sank as he recalled the rumors of a power—Haki.
Did this marine also possess it?
What truly was Haki...?
"Pirate? Or criminal?" Yuno asked knowingly as he approached.
"I have no bounty," Hawkins replied evenly. "I'm a bounty hunter who came to this island."
It was a plausible claim. After all, this lawless zone drew many bounty hunters in pursuit of criminals.
"Oh? Is that so?" Yuno's tone remained calm.
Hawkins frowned. What was this marine's game?
He knew the truth—that some marines, hungry for glory, would brand innocents as criminals just to claim merit.
Seeing Yuno's look, he braced himself for battle.
But instead Yuno asked, "Then tell me—do you know of a gang on this island called the Divination Club?"
"What do you mean?" Hawkins' face hardened. Did this man know who he really was, or was he just probing?
"Relax. I just wanted to confirm. I heard the Divination Club had ties to the Quincy who once defeated a Warlord of the Sea."
At those words, Hawkins' face paled—but he maintained his composure. "I don't know anything about that."
"Good," Yuno replied smoothly. "Since even the Club's boss says it's gone, then it's gone. I'll report back."
Realizing he was being toyed with, Hawkins' form distorted, his body ballooning into a towering straw figure.
He glared coldly. "Are you mocking me?"
But Yuno didn't flinch.
"Think carefully. If you strike a marine, you'll be branded a criminal. Is that the choice you want to make?"
Hawkins narrowed his eyes, unsettled.
Yet Yuno's calm tone never wavered. "Don't worry. I'm not one of those marines who arrest indiscriminately. Your Divination Club hasn't harmed civilians—so to me, you're not criminals."
In Yuno's eyes, judgment wasn't simply black and white.
He had his own measure of what made one a criminal.
With a final smile, he turned his back on Hawkins and walked away.
That last glance, however, crushed Hawkins beneath its weight. It was the same suffocating aura he once felt before a far greater being.
In that instant, Hawkins knew—he could not win against this marine.
As Yuno vanished, Hawkins remained motionless.
At length, he drew his tarot cards into the air, performing a divination.
But the result made his eyes widen.
"A double Ace... of Yin and Yang?! A king destined for both light and darkness—no matter which path he walks, he will reign as the sole king?!"
Such a card should not exist.
He took a breath, steadying himself. Divination was not absolute. The future could always change.
After all—was anything in this world truly predestined?
...
Yuno returned to the gathering point and began his campaign against the remnants of the Kama Pirates.
Within half an hour, every pirate on the island had been captured or killed.
The Navy had triumphed.
The victory overshadowed the loss of several comrades, and soon some marines began discussing among themselves:
"Could it be that the Divination Club wasn't backed by the Quincy, but by the Kama Pirates?"
"That's possible. How could a criminal of the Quincy caliber set his sights on a small-time North Blue gang?"
"Hmph, so what? We still defeated them!"
"Did you see Yuno's attack? He was unbelievably powerful. Is he really just a rookie?"
The Kama Pirates' attack had led many marines to believe they were tied to the island's Divination Club. Now, with all the pirates captured, they thought the battle was truly over.
Their conversation soon turned to Yuno's performance.
It had been nothing short of astonishing. He had taken down a pirate worth over 100 million berries with ease—and killed him outright!
This feat exposed Yuno's strength to his peers for the first time.
A monster!
In that moment, Yuno's reputation as a "monster" was firmly established.
Some even whispered that he was destined to become a great general in the future.
Yuno, however, only smiled faintly at the false reputation, unconcerned.
Zephyr didn't probe into Yuno's side of the fight. Instead, he gave the simple order to withdraw.
Huala...
The navy began their retreat in an orderly fashion.
When they returned to the port, they were surprised to find a warship docking.
Zephyr's brows furrowed. His Observation Haki swept across the ship—and he immediately sensed a familiar presence.
"Hm? That brat…?"
It was Stoloberg.
Zephyr was surprised. Stoloberg had once been his student—there was no way he wouldn't recognize him. But what was he doing here?
Puzzled, Zephyr used Moonwalk (Geppō) to land aboard the warship.
Stoloberg was equally surprised to see Zephyr. He hadn't expected his teacher to be leading the operation. Still, he straightened and greeted respectfully:
"Teacher Zephyr, it's you."
If Zephyr was the commanding officer, then Stoloberg's chance to earn merit—and his promotion—was all but gone.
Zephyr asked bluntly, "Why are you on this island?"
"We were pursuing a pirate group from the Grand Line," Stoloberg replied. "The Kama Pirates."
Zephyr let out a hearty laugh. "If it was the Kama Pirates you were after, then they've already been dealt with!"
Stoloberg's eyes flickered. As expected. He shook his head. If Master Zephyr took action, then they would never have escaped.
But Zephyr shook his head. "This time, I didn't do anything."
"Then…" Stoloberg frowned. If not Zephyr, then who—?
Zephyr pointed toward Yuno with a small smile. "That kid. He single-handedly killed the captain of the Kama Pirates. Don't be fooled by his age—he's a monster."
Stoloberg's gaze followed Zephyr's finger.
Young… That was his first impression of Yuno.
A rookie who had defeated a pirate worth more than 100 million berries? If the words came from Zephyr's mouth, then it had to be true.
And yet, instead of admiration, a faint hostility welled up in Stoloberg's heart.
That brat had ruined everything. If not for him, Stoloberg would have crushed the Kama Pirates, claimed the glory, and earned his long-awaited promotion to Vice Admiral.
A trace of malice flashed in Stoloberg's eyes, though he quickly concealed it.
Yuno, however, noticed. His Observation Haki was exceptionally sharp—sensitive enough to catch even the faintest flicker of hostility.
He turned his head abruptly. But by the time he looked, Stoloberg had already withdrawn his gaze, now chatting lightly with Zephyr.
Yuno studied him closely—his twin swords, the black mustache. He recognized him. Stoloberg had indeed appeared in the One Piece story, and judging from his epaulettes, he currently held the rank of Rear Admiral.
So it's him…
"Why is he hostile to me?" Yuno thought, his brows knitting. "It can't be Teacher Zephyr. Could it be that Rear Admiral… or maybe one of his sailors?"
From where he stood, he could see dozens of neatly lined marines on the warship. The source of the hostility was uncertain, but he filed it away in memory.
Walking over to Hina, Yuno asked quietly, "Hina, do you know the name of that major general?"
"Hina thinks…" She tilted her head thoughtfully before replying, "It should be Rear Admiral Stoloberg from headquarters. Why?"
"Nothing," Yuno said casually. "I was just curious. Shouldn't someone of his rank be handling missions in the Grand Line?"
"Hina doesn't know either." She tapped her chin.
Yuno nodded, lost in thought. Stoloberg… if I remember correctly, he was one of the five vice admirals who carried out the Buster Call at Enies Lobby. But in the original story, he never had much presence…
If the hostility truly came from him, then the reason was obvious.
Because I'm too good. People get jealous.
It wasn't hard to believe. Yuno was only eighteen, yet already possessed overwhelming strength. In a world as cutthroat as this one, jealousy was enough to twist people's hearts.
Yuno's eyes narrowed slightly. He committed Stoloberg's hostility to memory.
When Stoloberg realized his target had already been defeated, he bade farewell to Zephyr. But as he turned to leave, his lips curled into a faint sneer directed at Yuno—an expression so subtle no one noticed.
No one except Yuno, who had been watching carefully.
So it really is him… Stoloberg, the Navy hawk.
Yuno's eyes glimmered with an inexplicable light as he silently watched the warship depart into the horizon.
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