Chapter 23: Marineford
Marineford. The center of global justice, headquarters of the Marines, and a symbol of world peace.
But today, the port of this bastion of justice was unusually bustling.
The morning sun reflected brilliantly off the massive "Justice" characters and the Marine emblem emblazoned on the main headquarters building. This was, supposedly, the safest place in the world, and everything seemed peaceful, the sea glittering under the light.
The Marines on duty at the port, however, were in no mood to admire the view.
Their eyes kept darting toward two tall figures standing at the very front of the pier: "Black Arm" Zephyr and "Iron Fist" Garp.
"Hey, what's today?" an HQ Ensign preparing for a mission asked in a low voice, his eyes glued to the two Vice Admirals.
"I have no idea!" his companion, a Lieutenant, replied in equal confusion. "But... who could possibly make both 'Black Arm' and 'Iron Fist' come to the port to greet them personally? Maybe Vice Admiral Sengoku, or Commodore Tsuru?"
"You think Vice Admiral Sengoku is back from the New World?"
"Impossible. Vice Admiral Sengoku's fleet just left for G-1 Branch yesterday. He took Commodore Tsuru with him to deal with Golden Lion!"
In an instant, whispers spread across the port. Everyone was intensely curious about the person who was about to arrive.
At the front of the Marineford dock, Zephyr stood with his arms crossed, his posture as straight and unmoving as a pine tree. His signature purple hair didn't move an inch in the sea breeze. He stared at the distant horizon, his expression so stern that no one dared approach him.
"Hey, Zephyr, don't be so serious!" Garp's voice suddenly broke the silence as he slung a heavy arm over Zephyr's shoulder. "That kid... he did something incredible!"
Seeing Garp's complete lack of decorum, Zephyr frowned slightly. He didn't shrug the arm off, but his voice was gravelly. "Garp, watch your image. This is the port, not your office."
"Hahaha!" Garp's laugh boomed even louder, causing all the nearby Marines to turn and stare. "What's it matter! That guy you asked Fleet Admiral Kong for is amazing! He's even stronger than those three monsters who just graduated from the Academy!"
"I snuck a peek at the file on Sengoku's desk a few days ago! I can't believe he actually dared to take a swing at Whitebeard! And he even clashed with him! Hahaha! And he even made Whitebeard use his Conqueror's Haki Infusion! Kids these days are so bold!"
Garp's voice was so loud that nearly the entire port could hear him. The whispers instantly turned into shocked gasps.
"Whitebeard?!"
"Conqueror's Haki Infusion?!"
"Could it be... that Warrant Officer Garon from West Blue? Among the recent promotions to HQ, the one with the biggest name is Garon Reginald Sigma from West Blue."
Seeing the port break out in hushed discussion, Zephyr's frown deepened. He lowered his voice. "Garp, you're too loud."
"Aiya, what's it matter!" Garp waved his hand, completely unconcerned. "Everyone's going to find out in a minute anyway. That kid survived a fight with Whitebeard! Haha! That's way better than Sakazuki and the others! When they were 16, they were still in school!"
"Hah..." Zephyr finally let out a sigh. He turned to Garp, his expression serious. "Sakazuki and the other two have graduated, but since getting their Devil Fruits, they've become... too reliant on them. Garon is the same. I'm well aware of his Devil Fruit's power. He only survived this time because of that power!"
"Hey, hey, don't be so harsh," Garp's smile faded slightly, but the admiration in his eyes didn't. "To stand against Whitebeard and not back down... that's not something you can do with just a Devil Fruit. That takes guts!"
"Guts?" Zephyr snorted. "That's recklessness."
"He was lucky. He ran into Whitebeard. If he had run into Golden Lion Shiki, he'd be dead at the bottom of the sea by now."
"You and I both know it. The New World isn't a place you can rampage through just by relying on a Devil Fruit. Haki is the true path of the strong."
"Alright, alright! You're right!" Garp suddenly burst out laughing again, slapping Zephyr hard on the back. "So isn't that your job as his new superior? Why else would you have argued with the Fleet Admiral just to take him under your personal command?! Go train that Garon kid right, and make him a true powerhouse!"
Garp's slap was so hard that Zephyr actually stumbled a step forward. He glanced back, his voice full of exasperation. "Garp, you..."
Just then, the lookout in the watchtower shouted, "Warship approaching! It's the G-14 Branch transport ship from West Blue!"
"He's here."
Everyone's gaze immediately turned to the sea.
In the distance, a heavily damaged warship was slowly approaching. The visible, jagged cracks on its hull were a silent testament to the fierce battle it had endured.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Garp whistled. "Looks like the fight was even more intense than the report said!"
Zephyr didn't respond. His gaze was locked tightly on the warship's deck.
"Garon..." Zephyr murmured the name, his voice complicated.
Garp shot Zephyr a sideways glance and grinned. "What? Regretting asking Kong for him? I think that kid's better than my son!"
"No." Zephyr shook his head, his voice firm. "That's exactly why his mindset needs to be corrected. A Devil Fruit's ability is just a tool. True strength comes from within."
"You're the same as always!" Garp laughed and shook his head. "But for that kid to get you this worked up, he must really be something. Zephyr, you may have a lot of 'students' from guest-lecturing at the Academy, but you don't have a single true disciple!"
"Hah... indeed..." Zephyr sighed, but didn't continue the thought.
His mind flashed back to the moment he'd seen the battle report three days ago. When that report, describing Garon's head-on clash with Whitebeard, was placed on his desk, he almost couldn't believe his eyes.
A young man, barely in the Marines, had dared to challenge the man who "had the power to destroy the world."
After the shock came a deep-seated worry.
Zephyr knew all too well the power of the Gura Gura no Mi, and he knew all too well the consequences of over-relying on a Devil Fruit.
And now, a Sky-Tremor Fruit, one that seemed even stronger...
And that power was in the hands of a rookie. It was the kind of thing that could easily make a man arrogant and conceited.
"Zephyr. He's here." Garp's voice broke his train of thought.
The warship had docked, and the gangplank was slowly being lowered.
The Marines at the port unconsciously held their breath, waiting for the appearance of the legendary rookie.
First, the ordinary soldiers and low-ranking officers disembarked, their faces still pale and shaken from the encounter. The Ensign commanding the vessel came next. He spotted the two Vice Admirals and immediately saluted.
Finally, a tall, slender figure with short black hair, wrapped in bandages, appeared at the top of the gangplank.
Garon Reginald Sigma.
His injuries were clearly not yet healed, and the bandages stood out starkly in the sunlight, but his steps were abnormally steady.
Eight Desolations, wrapped in its white cloth, was strapped securely to his back, seeming to vibrate faintly with an almost inaudible hum.
The moment Garon's gaze met those of the two Vice Admirals, the port became so quiet that the only sound was the lapping of waves against the docks.
Marine Headquarters. I, Garon, have arrived.