Who was Zephyr?
He was a man once officially known as one of Marine Headquarters' highest combat powers!
So no matter if he was retired or not, his strength was undoubtedly among the top tier in the world.
Diarmuid didn't think for a second that he could do anything to Zephyr.
So he didn't bother with any pretenses. The moment Zephyr finished speaking, he nodded and put his hand on the Nagasone Kotetsu at his waist.
He focused his entire spirit and fighting will. Although it was weak, it was there.
This made Zephyr's eyes light up. His impression of Diarmuid improved.
Honest, decisive, and proactive.
"That sword…" Sengoku noticed the sword at Diarmuid's waist and felt it looked familiar.
But he wasn't a great swordsman, so it was nothing more than a passing observation.
"The sword is called Nagasone Kotetsu!" Diarmuid said in a low voice.
As he spoke, a flash of cold light appeared in his hand. The Nagasone Kotetsu was instantly unsheathed, glinting as it shot forward without hesitation, slashing toward Zephyr's chest.
"Oh? One of the 21 Great Grade Swords?" Zephyr murmured softly, a smile on his face.
The two were very close, and Diarmuid had made the first move.
Yet, after the flash of the blade, Zephyr had stopped the Nagasone Kotetsu with just two fingers, holding it firmly in front of his body.
The full-power strike from Diarmuid's body and spirit had no effect on the Marine powerhouse.
Just as Zephyr was about to say something, Diarmuid loosened his grip on the hilt, took a step forward, and drove an elbow into Zephyr's chest.
With this strike, he unleashed all the immense strength in his body.
But Zephyr only swayed slightly; he didn't even take a single step back.
"That's some good power. For a nineteen-year-old, your strength is exceptional," Zephyr said, nodding.
He also noticed a subtle detail. Diarmuid was incredibly stable after he drew his sword.
Especially at the moment he clamped the blade with his fingers, Diarmuid's steady composure was apparent. It meant the young man's fundamentals in swordsmanship were very solid.
What surprised Zephyr was that normally, a display of power like his would intimidate the opponent and shake their confidence.
But when he "insultingly" clamped Diarmuid's blade with two fingers, there was no hesitation or fear in Diarmuid's eyes. He immediately let go of the sword and attacked him in a different way.
And he actually landed the hit!
As a veteran Admiral, Zephyr naturally understood the significance of this. It showed that although Diarmuid had a solid foundation in swordsmanship, he wasn't bound by it or the identity of being a swordsman.
After all, a true swordsman often lives and dies by their sword.
He would never so decisively give up his sword. A true swordsman would struggle to regain it first.
But it didn't matter. Zephyr wasn't a swordsman himself, so he wasn't too attached to that principle.
What he admired more was Diarmuid's decisiveness. In a battle, people who were decisive like him were more likely to survive.
He had already seen enough of Diarmuid's offensive ability. He didn't need to test him further because it was pointless. Diarmuid was only a Branch Captain. He was already doing well. It wasn't like he was going to defy the natural order of things, was he?
After complimenting Diarmuid, Zephyr pushed Diarmuid's fist away from his chest and said, "Grit your teeth, kid."
The words had just reached Diarmuid's ears, and before he could react, Zephyr's fist had already hit his chest.
In the next instant, a massive force broke through Diarmuid's body. He couldn't resist it at all. His feet left the ground, and he was sent flying like a cannonball.
He slammed hard into one of the stone pillars on the dock.
Zephyr had held back; otherwise, the punch would have completely obliterated Diarmuid.
However, Zephyr was surprised when Diarmuid got up from the ground in an instant and charged at him again!
"Tiger Slash!" Diarmuid roared, swinging his blade.
Although he shouted the name of a move, in reality, the slash was just an ordinary attack.
It still did no damage to Zephyr. Zephyr simply raised his arm and stopped the sharp blade with his hand, halting Diarmuid's attack.
At the same time, he observed Diarmuid.
Although he had held back on the previous punch, it should have been enough to render Diarmuid unable to fight. It seemed it was the case—Diarmuid had blood flowing from his mouth, his chest was slightly caved in, and there were blood clots in his nose. The kid was definitely injured, and not lightly.
Zephyr had planned on having the medics treat him soon. The punch wasn't just to injure him; it was to gauge his physical strength and his ability to take a hit.
It was also part of the exam.
But he didn't expect that in his current condition, he would be able to counter so decisively, as if he weren't injured at all!
"You have a very strong will, kid. Can you overcome the natural reaction to pain? Most veteran soldiers can't do that," Zephyr said with great admiration.
Overcoming the reaction to pain was indeed a skill, and some powerful experts had made some progress in that area.
But Zephyr didn't know that Diarmuid wasn't overcoming the pain; he simply didn't feel it at all.
He could just choose not to feel the pain.
Before Diarmuid could respond, Zephyr grabbed him, and said with satisfaction, "Very good, you pass. Come back to Marine Headquarters with me. That's where someone like you belongs!"
Only then did a smile appear on Diarmuid's face. He wiped the blood from his mouth. "Thank you, Admiral Zephyr!"
"Hahaha, as long as you don't mind me being a bit rough." Zephyr laughed heartily.
Sengoku, seeing the situation, spoke up. "In that case, Captain Meldric, you can handle the paperwork and send it back to Headquarters. We won't stay here any longer. Captain Diarmuid, you've been conscripted into Marine Headquarters. Come with us for now. There are medics on the ship, so your injuries will heal quickly."
Sengoku was efficient and decided everything on the spot.
Captain Meldric had no right to make any suggestions and could only accept the orders quickly.
As for Diarmuid, he had been dreaming of going to Marineford for a long time, so he naturally had no regrets about leaving.
Even though he had been here for seven years.
Soon, Sengoku and Zephyr led Diarmuid onto the massive Marine Headquarters warship.
This was Diarmuid's first time on such a huge vessel.
But before he could even take a good look, he was taken away by a medic for treatment.
On the deck, Zephyr bit down on a cigar and watched as Marine Branch 113 faded into the distance. He was lost in thought.
Soon, Sengoku, who had finished arranging the ship's course, walked over and asked, "What do you think? About that kid?"
"Don't tell me you couldn't see it," Zephyr said with a laugh.
"Hahahaha, so you're quite pleased?" Sengoku laughed as well.
"Yes. A person's potential for strength is most related to their character. That kid has some talent, I think. It hasn't been properly nurtured over the years, but that's fine. He's only nineteen. He has plenty of time for that… What I like most about him is his character. He might be lost when it comes to justice, but he's not lost at all when it comes to fighting. He's a decisive guy, and I will teach him how to get stronger… to become the pride of the Marines," Zephyr said softly.
After a slight pause, Zephyr didn't bring up the topic again.
After all, Diarmuid was just a kid with some talent whom they had taken a liking to.
He wasn't worth occupying too much of the two Admirals' time.
"So, how are things on your end? Any information on that bastard?" Zephyr asked.
"Yeah, Headquarters just sent word. They say he's at Minion Island. We're heading there now…" Sengoku nodded.
Then, his tone became annoyed as he grumbled, "What's that guy Shiki doing in the North Blue instead of staying in the New World?"
That's right. The reason Sengoku was in the North Blue wasn't to see Diarmuid. To be honest, Diarmuid wasn't worthy of that kind of treatment.
Sengoku came to the North Blue because intelligence had shown that the Great Pirate Golden Lion Shiki had been in the North Blue recently.
And Zephyr had also come to the North Blue for Shiki. After all, Shiki wasn't easy to deal with. Two of them had a better chance of winning. And while he was here… he might as well check out the kid Diarmuid.
"You've already retired. You don't need to get involved, do you?" Sengoku suddenly asked.
"Hahaha, I'm just here to see if there are any good prospects and to back you up," Zephyr said with a laugh.
If Garp was always the one to deal with that bastard Roger, then Sengoku had a long history with Shiki…
In short, they were old rivals!