Zephyr.
Had become a pirate?!
The possibility was unbelievable to Garp, Sakazuki, Aramaki, and the others.
Yet the skull emblem on "elderly Zephyr's" coat was unmistakably clear.
Zephyr himself was both shocked and enraged. He staggered back three steps, his body visibly trembling.
"Impossible, impossible. How could I ever become a pirate?"
Then he suddenly looked up at Imu high above.
"Lord Imu! This isn't true, is it, Lord Imu?!"
"Keep watching and you'll find out."
Imu answered in an indifferent tone.
His cold, sharp golden pupils quickly calmed the anger rising in Zephyr.
"I-I'm sorry, Lord Imu. I shouldn't have doubted you."
Zephyr then turned to stare at "himself," whom Luffy, Zoro, and the others were carrying into Chopper's infirmary.
He sighed inwardly. Please, there has to be some misunderstanding. How could I possibly become a pirate?
Garp and Sakazuki beside him also took this very seriously, their moods exceptionally heavy.
A moment later.
Under Chopper's superb medical treatment, Zephyr, lying on the bed wrapped head to toe in bandages, gradually regained consciousness and began making incoherent sounds.
This delighted Chopper, who jumped down from his tall chair at the desk. "Luffy, I think he's waking up!"
"Yeah, looks like it~"
Leaning against the infirmary door and sitting cross-legged on the floor, Luffy slowly lifted his smiling face from beneath his straw hat.
He could clearly sense the powerful aura emanating from Zephyr.
Even Zoro and Sanji outside became alert at that moment.
"Are you all right? Don't push yourself too hard."
Standing before the seated Zephyr, Chopper gently reminded him, then asked:
"You drifted here from the sea. Do you remember?"
"Yeah, I remember—"
Zephyr lowered his head and sincerely thanked Chopper. "Thank you for treating me in time. Looks like I've cheated death again, Doctor."
"My name