Repaying Zephyr's Favor

4:00 AM, waters surrounding Marine Headquarters.

It was still dark. A thin mist hung over the sea, reducing visibility to less than two hundred meters. Six black pirate ships emerged from the mist like ghosts, without flags or lights, and even the sound of their engines was deliberately kept to a minimum.

The Black Hyena Pirates.

Lin Yuan stood on a small boat, hovering half a meter above the sea. The boat wasn't his—it was a fishing boat that Kaido had "borrowed" from near Hachinosu. It was small and dilapidated, and from the lookout tower, it looked like a floating plank. Kaido, Bullet, Kuma, and King were all crammed into the boat. Lin Yuan stood alone on the sea—his feet resting on Micro Door.

"Ginny, report your location," Lin Yuan said into the Den Den Mushi.

"The Black Hyena's six ships are about fifteen kilometers northeast of you. They're slow; they're expected to reach the outskirts of Marine Headquarters in about two hours," Ginny's voice came through the Den Den Mushi. "At Marine Headquarters, Zephyr's daughter is already up. She gets up at six every day and leaves for school at seven."

Have there been any changes to the naval deployment?

"No. The security in the family quarters is the same as yesterday. Two guards, one at the gate and the other following in a carriage behind."

"What's the route?"

Nothing has changed.

Lin Yuan remained silent for a moment.

"Keep an eye on it."

He hung up the Den Den Mushi and turned to look at the four people on the boat.

"The Black Hyena six ships and eight hundred men. We won't attack first; we'll wait for them to make their move. Our target is Zephyr's daughter, not murder."

Kaido yawned.

"Oh ho ho... in the middle of the night, just to save a naval instructor's daughter?"

"Zephyr helped me."

"He helped you? Isn't he in the navy?"

He is my instructor.

Kaido moment, then shrugged and didn't ask any more questions.

Bullet flexed his wrist.

"They have eight hundred men, and we only have five?"

"That's enough," Lin Yuan said. "Kaido face them head-on. You and Kuma will clear the area, King will provide aerial support, and I'll open the gate to rescue them."

Bullet thought for a moment.

"OK."

Marine Headquarters, Marineford. 6:40 AM.

Zephyr's daughter, Aqi, walked out of the house with her schoolbag on her back. She was thirteen years old, not very tall, with a ponytail and wearing a white school uniform. She looked like her mother, with gentle features, unlike Zephyr so rugged.

A young naval soldier, in his early twenties, stood at the door, with a short knife at his waist.

"Miss Aqi, let me take you home again today."

"Thank you for your hard work, Katō- nii."

The two walked towards the school along their usual route. Twenty meters away, a gray military carriage followed, driven by a naval soldier. The curtain of the carriage was half-lifted to allow them to observe the road conditions.

Everything is as usual.

Zephyr stood on the Training Ground at the Marine Headquarters, a wooden sword in his hand. He had no classes today, but he had a habit of getting up early to practice his swordsmanship. He was fifty-five years old, but his body was still as strong as a mountain.

He was unaware that danger was approaching.

At 7:10 a. m., in the waters surrounding the Marine Headquarters.

The Black Hyena's six ships dispersed. Three remained in the open sea to provide support, while the other three approached the coastline, stopping two kilometers from the shore. They launched six small landing craft, each carrying twenty people, for a total of one hundred and twenty, and sailed from three different directions toward the island where the Marine Headquarters was located.

Lin Yuan stood on the sea, holding Den Den Mushi in his hand.

"Ginny, they've reached the shore."

"I see. There are three landing points. The group closest to Zephyr's daughter's route has fifty people, led by Black Hyena himself."

What about the navy?

"No response yet. The lookout in the coastal defense tower has been reassigned; the new guy is inexperienced."

Lin Yuan hung up the phone and glanced at the people on the ship.

"Action."

Aqi was on her way to school.

She had walked this road for three years; she could walk it with her eyes closed. Turn left, go through a small park, turn right, pass a bakery, and walk straight for 500 meters to reach the school gate.

Today is the same as any other day.

But today is different.

In the park, a man in a gray trench coat sat on a bench, holding a newspaper that obscured half his face. Outside the bakery, two men in black jackets stood against the wall, their hands in their pockets. A black covered van was parked by the roadside, its curtains drawn tightly shut.

Katō stopped in his tracks.

He sensed something was wrong.

"Miss Aqi, let's take another route."

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. This way."

He pulled Aqi around and headed down another road.

Behind us, the truck's curtain was lifted. Five men jumped out of the truck, carrying daggers and pistols. The man in gray in front put down his newspaper, revealing a scarred face. Two men from the bakery entrance pulled daggers from their pockets and walked towards us.

Katō's hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

"Run!" he shouted to Aqi, then drew his dagger and stood in front of her.

Aqi turned and ran.

But she wasn't fast enough.

The man in gray took a step forward with incredible speed, grabbed Aqi's backpack strap, and pulled her back. Aqi screamed and fell to the ground.

"Don't scream." The man in gray covered her mouth, tucking her under his arm. "Take her away."

Katō rushed forward, slashing at the gray-clad man's arm with his short sword. The sword struck the clothes with a dull thud—chainmail was worn beneath the clothes. The gray-clad man kicked Katō in the stomach, sending Katō flying. He crashed into a tree trunk, spitting blood, and lay on the ground, unable to get up.

"The navy kids are too weak."

The man in gray turned and walked towards the black van.

A door suddenly appeared out of nowhere next to the truck.

The door opened, and a foot stuck out, kicking the gray-clad man in the chest. The man flew through the air, crashing into a fruit stand by the roadside, scattering fruit everywhere. Aqi, whom he was holding, slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

A pair of hands caught her.

Kuma came out of the door, caught Aqi steadily, and put her on the ground.

"It's alright." His voice was low and steady.

The man in gray climbed out of the shards of the fruit stand, his face ashen.

Who goes there?!

Two more people walked out of the door: Kaido and Bullet.

Kaido tall that he had to duck slightly as he walked out the door. His Iron Club was slung over his shoulder, and he wore that chilling smile.

"Oh ho ho... you just said the navy is too weak?"

The gray-clad man's pupils contracted sharply.

"Kaido..."

Bullet didn't waste any words. He rushed forward and punched the gray-clad man in the chest. The man flew through the air like a cannonball, smashing through the black van; planks shattered, and a wheel flew off. The van was completely destroyed, and the gray-clad man was embedded in the broken planks, spitting blood, and passed out.

The other Black Hyena tried to escape, but Jhin descended from the sky, his flames transforming into a fire dragon that blocked their path.

"Don't move," Ember said.

Nobody dared to move.

Marine Headquarters, Training Ground.

Zephyr's Den Den Mushi rang.

"Instructor! Miss Aqi was attacked on her way to school! An unidentified pirate crew! But—someone saved her! The person who saved her is—" The voice on the other end of the phone trembled, "It's Kaido! Kaido! And Bullet! Kuma! King! Lin Yuan's men!"

Zephyr's wooden sword fell to the ground.

"What did you say?"

"Lin Yuan's men rescued Miss Aqi! They're still on their way!"

Zephyr stood there, silent for a long time.

Then he picked up the wooden sword and walked out of the Training Ground.

He walked very fast.

Aqi stood behind the Kuma, trembling all over, but she didn't cry.

Her eyes were bright as she looked at the several giant-like men in front of her.

Who... are you?

"Just passing by." Lin Yuan came out of the door, squatted down, and looked her in the eye. "Your father was my instructor. He helped me, and I'm here to repay the favor."

Aqi was stunned for a moment.

Do you know my father?

"Know."

"So what's your name?"

Lin Yuan.

Aqi read the name aloud and then nodded.

"I've got it."

Lin Yuan stood up and said to Jin, "Take her back to school. Don't let anyone see her."

Jin nodded, picked up Aqi, and with a light leap, the flames behind them lifted the two of them into the sky.

Lin Yuan turned to look at Kaido and Bullet.

"They're on their way. The navy is almost there."

"Not fighting anymore?" Kaido wanting more.

"We're not fighting anymore. We're here to rescue people, not to fight the navy."

Kaido shrugged and went inside.

Bullet followed behind him.

Kuma was the last to leave.

Lin Yuan stood by the door and glanced back. In the distance, Zephyr's figure appeared at the end of the street. He was running very fast, a wooden sword in his hand, his eyes bloodshot.

Their eyes met briefly across the distance.

Lin Yuan didn't speak, but took a step back and closed the door.

Zephyr ran to where Aqi had been rescued, only to find a wrecked truck, fruit scattered all over the ground, Black Hyena lying unconscious on the ground, and the lingering echoes of a door closing in the air.

"Lin Yuan..." he murmured the name.

There was a long silence.

He tucked the wooden sword back into his waistband and turned to walk towards the school.

My pace is slower than when I came.

Evening.

Lin Yuan sat on the roof of the Castle on Hachinosu, watching the sunset.

Ginny walked up, holding a document in her hand.

"The Black Hyena Pirates have escaped. The captain is seriously injured, several of his crew members were captured, and the rest have scattered. At Marine Headquarters, Zephyr's daughter is safe. Zephyr himself has not commented."

"No need to make a statement," Lin Yuan said.

Aren't you afraid he'll arrest you?

Why did he arrest me?

Ginny was silent for a moment, then placed the file next to him.

"There's one more thing. I've traced one lead regarding that money of dubious origin. The middleman is an Underworld businessman who specializes in laundering money for people in Mary Geoise. The businessman's name is—" She turned a page of the file, "Xebec."

Lin Yuan's fingers paused for a moment.

"Xebec?"

"Yes. He shares the same last name as Rocks, but they're not the same person. This Xebec is Mary Geoise's official merchant, specializing in handling the Celestial Dragons' shady dealings."

Lin Yuan picked up the document and looked at it for a long time.

"Continue the investigation."

"You suspect that the Celestial Dragons are behind the Black Hyenas?"

"It's not doubt, it's certainty."

Ginny didn't ask any more questions and turned to leave.

Lin Yuan sat on the rooftop, watching the sunset.

The sea breeze carried a salty, fishy smell.

In the distance, a small boat is approaching Hachinosu. There is only one person on board, dressed in a white naval uniform, without a cape or hat.

Zephyr.

(End of Chapter 57)