The Marine High Command Takes Notice

Marine Headquarters, Sengoku's office.

Sengoku set down the report in his hand and pushed up his glasses, a trace of shock in his voice. "Twelve years old, and he single-handedly suppressed a pirate uprising in the Oykot Kingdom, killed 'Blood Blade' Reku, who had a bounty of 12 million Beli, and saved dozens of civilians..."

Vice Admiral Tsuru picked up her teacup and took a sip, a faint smile on her lips. "It seems Zephyr has raised another extraordinary little monster."

Borsalino sat with his legs crossed, slowly swirling his coffee cup, his eyes half-lidded. "How scary~ That kid's growing up fast."

Kuzan gave a huge yawn, his gaze languid. "Oh my... He is a kid who could withstand old man Garp's special training, after all."

Sakazuki looked stern, but a flicker of approval passed through his eyes. "His strength is good, but he still needs more experience in actual combat."

Sengoku closed the report, his brows furrowing slightly. His tone grew a little more serious. "Roy has been in Zephyr's Training Camp for two years now, hasn't he?"

"At this rate of growth, should we transfer him to a branch early to gain experience?"

The moment he finished speaking—

"Bang!"

The office door flew open, and an overwhelming aura surged in!

Zephyr strode inside, his booming voice full of vigor. "I disagree!"

Kizaru, Kuzan, and Akainu immediately stood and saluted in unison. "Instructor Zephyr!"

Zephyr waved a hand, strode up to Sengoku, and grinned. "Sengoku, that kid is my precious pupil!"

"Let him stay another year! I'll personally give him some extra lessons in actual combat!"

Vice Admiral Tsuru chuckled and shook her head. "It looks like you're very pleased with this child."

Zephyr nodded without the slightest attempt to hide it, his face full of pride. "Of course! That kid Roy has even more potential than Kuzan and the others did back then!"

Kuzan scratched his neck and smiled helplessly. "Oh my... Now we're being compared to him."

Borsalino lazily narrowed his eyes. "Oh~ Instructor Zephyr thinks so highly of him. I'm jealous~"

Sakazuki snorted. "Hmph, no matter how much potential he has, he still needs to be tempered through bloody battles!"

Zephyr swept a hand through the air, brimming with confidence. "Don't worry! From now on, I'll personally take him to the battlefield! Actual combat? He'll get plenty of it!"

Sengoku looked at Zephyr's unusually excited face and sighed, though he couldn't help smiling. "All right, he can stay another year. But..."

He gave Zephyr a meaningful look. "Don't spoil him."

Zephyr burst out laughing, his voice ringing like a great bell. "Don't worry! My training is hellish!"

The three Admiral candidates shuddered at the same time, as though recalling some unbearable nightmare.

Marine Headquarters harbor.

The Dog-Head Warship sailed slowly into the harbor, and the crowd on the pier began to stir.

Roy stood at the bow, squinting toward the shore, where a familiar figure was waiting.

Garp strode over and patted him on the shoulder. "Kid, old Zephyr came to pick you up personally. That's quite an honor!"

Roy smiled faintly, his tone calm. "Instructor has always been strict."

Garp waggled his eyebrows and gave him a meaningful smile. "Strict? Hahaha! The stricter he is, the more he values you!"

Roy nodded lightly. As the warship slowly pulled alongside the pier, Zephyr's ringing voice sounded out. "Roy! Well done!"

Roy immediately flashed onto the pier and landed steadily, then stood at attention and saluted. "Instructor Zephyr!"

Zephyr laughed heartily and reached out to ruffle his black hair, nearly rubbing him into the ground. "Come on! Back to extra training!"

Roy's hair had been ruffled into a bird's nest. "Yes, sir!"

Behind them, Garp put his hands on his hips and roared with laughter. "Hey! Zephyr! Don't break my pupil with all that training!"

Without looking back, Zephyr reached out and gave Garp the middle finger. "Get lost! He's my pupil now!"

Garp burst out laughing like a madman, scattering rice cracker crumbs all over the ground. "Hahaha!"

Roy watched the two legendary Marine powerhouses trade barbs and smiled helplessly, though his eyes were full of respect.

As soon as he stepped through the gates of the Training Camp, two familiar figures hurried over to him.

"Well, if it isn't our great hero, back at last?" Hina folded her arms, a teasing smile on her lips.

Smoker had a cigar clenched between his teeth, white smoke pouring from his nostrils as he fixed Roy with a sharp gaze. "I heard you took out an entire pirate crew on your own?"

Roy shrugged. "I just got lucky. The opponents I ran into weren't all that strong."

Smoker snorted. "Cut it out! We didn't run into that many pirates to practice on during the last combat assessment!"

Hina chuckled. "Smoker's just jealous that you earned merit in real combat before he did."

A vein bulged on Smoker's forehead. "Shut up!"

Roy watched the two bicker and couldn't help smiling. "How has your training been going lately?"

Smoker blew out a smoke ring, fighting spirit burning in his eyes. "Want to know? Let's fight!"

Hina pressed a hand to her forehead. "Here we go again..."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Now?"

Smoker had already turned and started toward the training ground. "Of course! Let me see how much you improved while you were away!"

Roy looked helplessly at Hina, who spread her hands. "I suggest you go easy on him. His pride's been a little fragile lately."

Roy: "..."

On the training ground, Smoker and Roy stood facing each other, surrounded by trainees who had gathered to watch.

"Hey, Smoker's challenging Roy again?"

"Didn't he get beaten badly enough last time?"

"Shh! Keep it down, Senior Smoker will hear you!"

A vein throbbed on Smoker's forehead, and he roared, "You bastards!"

Roy couldn't help laughing. "You're still as unpopular as ever."

Smoker glared at him. "Cut the chatter!"

"White Smoke: Jet!"

Smoker instantly transformed into his elemental form, his whole body becoming a mass of rapidly spinning white smoke that shot at Roy like a cannonball!

Roy's gaze sharpened, and he vanished in an instant—

"Whoosh!"

When he reappeared, he was behind Smoker!

"Shigan: Flash Step!"

"Bang!"

His Armament Haki-coated finger stabbed straight at Smoker's back, but Smoker was ready. The smoke abruptly contracted, allowing him to narrowly evade the strike!

"Hmph! Did you think I'd fall for that again?" Smoker sneered. The smoke quickly condensed into a solid form, and he drove a fist at Roy's face!

Roy neither dodged nor retreated, raising a hand to block—

"Clang!!"

A tremendous crash, like metal striking metal, erupted, and a blast of air swept across the entire training ground!

The trainees staggered back several steps, their jaws dropping. "Wh-what level of clash is this?!"

Hina stood at the edge of the field, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes. "Smoker... has gotten stronger."

Zephyr had appeared beside her at some point. He folded his arms, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Not bad. Looks like being pushed by Roy made the kid less arrogant."

On the field, Smoker's attacks grew fiercer and fiercer. White smoke and Armament Haki combined perfectly, and every blow tore sharply through the air!

"White Smoke: Heavy Cannon!"

"Boom—!!"

The punch forced Roy back several steps, and his gaze finally turned serious. "Not bad, Smoker."

Smoker grinned, clenching his cigar tighter. "I'm not done yet!"

He abruptly pressed his palms together, and white smoke surged wildly—

"White Smoke: Cage!"

Countless chains of smoke rose from the ground in an instant, descending on Roy like a giant net!

Roy's gaze hardened. With his Observation Haki fully activated, he flashed from place to place, darting rapidly through the gaps in the smoke!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Every movement precisely evaded the chains, but Smoker's smoke seemed endless, and the attacks grew increasingly dense!

"Got you!" Smoker suddenly roared, and all the chains tightened at once!

Roy's figure was completely engulfed in smoke!

The trainees cried out, "Roy got caught?!"

Hina frowned. "This is bad..."

But Zephyr smiled. "Don't be so hasty. Watch."

"Rokushiki Ogi: Instant Prison Kill!"

"Boom—!!"

The inside of the smoke cage exploded. Roy flashed through it three times like a phantom, each appearance accompanied by a heavy punch!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Smoker had no time to react. He was struck in the chest, stomach, and chin in quick succession, sent flying backward, and slammed heavily into the ground!

"Gah!"

He spat out a mouthful of smoke, his eyes losing focus for a moment. But he soon gritted his teeth and climbed back up. "It's not... over yet!"

"Still want to keep going?"

Smoker swayed as he straightened up, white smoke pouring uncontrollably from every pore and enveloping him in a thick cloud like a human smoke bomb.

"O-of course!"

His muffled voice came from inside the smoke. "I... haven't lost yet!"

Hina finally couldn't hold back her laughter. "Smoker, you look like a leaking smoke bomb right now."

Even Zephyr burst out laughing, a rare sight. "Not bad! At least the amount of smoke meets the standard!"

Smoker: "...You guys!"

Roy stepped forward and reached out to pat the thick cloud of smoke. "All right, you've improved a lot. We'll fight again next time."

Smoker's disgruntled muttering came from inside the smoke, but it slowly dissipated in the end, revealing his bruised and swollen yet stubborn face.

"Next time... I'll definitely win!"