Under the cover of night, a large warship is approaching Dressrosa...
"Zephyr, Dressrosa is just ahead," a female naval officer with long, dark blue hair reported to Zephyr.
Zephyr was a contemporary of Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, and others in the Navy. He became Marine Admiral twenty-five years ago, but in the same year, he did something unwise—he got married.
The following year, Zephyr's child was born, but a few years later, while on a mission, Zephyr's wife and child were all killed by pirates!
In this era, there's no such thing as tacit understanding that one's family won't be harmed. It's common for the Navy and pirates to kill each other's families. After Roger's death, all the children born in the South Blue within ten months, as well as pregnant women, were wiped out by the Navy. Even Garp didn't dare to put his grandson in the open...
Zephyr was greatly affected by this and submitted his resignation, but he was persuaded to stay by the Fleet Admiral Kong, who retained his rank of Admiral and transferred him to be a recruit instructor.
Although he was far from the front lines, Zephyr's role was by no means insignificant.
It continuously cultivates generation after generation of backbone forces, even the mainstays, for the navy!
From Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru, to Gion and Momousagi, then to Momonga and Onigumo, and even the younger generation like Smoker and Hina... they were all once Zephyr's students.
Zephyr is currently leading the best of the Shinichi recruits on a training mission in the New World.
These new recruits are generally between eighteen and twenty years old, and their "peers" have already been assigned to various units.
It is precisely because they are outstanding that they receive further training, extending their basic training period!
If all goes well, they will become the commanders of their respective divisions, and the outstanding ones will become generals in their headquarters. Perhaps even twenty years from now, a new Admiral may emerge from among them.
At this point, Zephyr led them to Dressrosa...
After all, they are just new recruits. Training should be done in a carefully chosen location. The New World is fraught with danger. Even with Zephyr leading the team, they cannot swagger into the territory of the pirate overlord.
Tesoro's reaction after seeing the news was actually a bit presumptuous; Zephyr didn't come for him, it just happened to stop for a rest.
Zephyr was indeed very dissatisfied with the Seven Warlords of the Sea system, and could even be considered one of the most resistant groups.
After all, his entire family was killed by pirates, Zephyr simply couldn't comprehend the idea of recruiting pirates as a "force to balance the sea."
Strictly speaking, Tesoro, like Hawk Eyes, has never actually been a pirate, so Zephyr didn't mean to target him. At most, he just frowned when he heard that "a new Shichibukai is in Dressrosa."
"Alright, you can arrange the defense and reorganization after docking yourselves. You can relax a bit. We'll set sail in seven days." Zephyr, aiming to train them, gave as few orders as possible.
"Yes!" Ain saluted.
In terms of raw talent, Ain isn't the strongest among this year's rookies, not even ranking in the top few, but her overall abilities are outstanding.
Unlike pirates, in the navy, officers don't have to be the strongest; instead, they are selected based on their overall qualities, seniority, and rank.
As the new recruits' warship docked that evening, Kyros was having a nightmare outside Dressrosa...
In the nightmare, King Riku suddenly took to the streets to plunder the people's property, and then the castle caught fire. He rushed over, only to find a group of pirates trampling King Riku under their feet.
The feathered man at the head of the group looked somewhat familiar; it resembled Doflamingo — Kyros vaguely remembered that the last time he saw a report about him, it should have been "total annihilation"...
That flashy golden guy just inherited part of Doflamingo's legacy, didn't he?
However, in the dream, Kyros only hesitated for a moment, his thoughts lacked continuity, and he was quickly dominated by his emotions.
Kyros defeated the officials blocking his way, but in a moment of carelessness, one of his legs was bound by Seastone chains...
In an attempt to rescue King Riku, Kyros immediately decided to sever one of his own legs and strike at Doflamingo, hoping to capture the king first. However, he failed and was turned into a toy soldier by someone using a special ability.
Although he managed to escape, he was forgotten by his wife and daughter, and in the end, he couldn't even protect his wife.
In the torrential rain, his arms, now as tough as metal, were completely numb; he couldn't even feel his wife's body growing colder...
"Scarlet!"
Kyros cried out his wife's name, sat up abruptly in bed, and then gasped for breath.
Scarlet was startled awake and looked at her husband in surprise. "Darling, what's wrong?"
This was the first time she had ever seen her husband with tears streaming down his face.
"Scar... Wright?" Kyros looked dazed, but still managed to hug her tightly.
Scarlet was completely bewildered, but she still hugged Kyros, saying with a mix of gratitude and amusement, "Really, you're such a grown man, and you're still scared by a nightmare..."
She thought to herself that she must be the only person who had ever witnessed a 3,000-game undefeated streak in the Corrida Colosseum and was now crying from a nightmare.
"Oh, Rebecca is still sleeping..."
Sig:???
Sig had already struck a pose; if Kyros had just glanced out the window, he would have seen the enormous figure of the Fish-Man with his back to him.
Kyros would then appease his wife and find an excuse to see him.
Who knew this guy wouldn't even glance at the window... and then he started?
Don't you have any defenses? A 3000-game undefeated streak? Is that all?
Sig hesitated for a moment, but understandingly refrained from interrupting at this moment.
The Rose Bishop's abilities allowed Sig to sense that the two were in excellent condition and that there was a 99% chance of new life being born tonight.
Sig, being a good Samaritan, went to the tavern, had a few drinks, and returned to Kyros's cabin outside the city in the early hours of the morning.
Kyros easily noticed someone outside this time. Without disturbing his family, he quietly got up, Door Opening, and saw a Fish-Man smiling at him.
"Siegfried? What are you doing here?" Kyros asked in a low, serious voice.
Sig could sense that he also had doubts, but only about his own identity. Sure enough, he had also read the newspaper, but he didn't connect himself with the previous nightmare.
"Is that how you speak to your benefactor? Gladiators in the arena should at least know basic manners," Sig corrected.
"Benefactor?"
"It's obvious that I facilitated Kaido's killing of Doflamingo, so I saved this country, didn't I?" Sig said matter-of-factly.
"It's you?" Kyros immediately realized.
However... it's clear that he wasn't feeling gratitude, but rather indignation!
Kyros realized that his previous nightmares were man-made, and although the reason was unclear, it was definitely the Fish-Man's doing!
As for benefactors and such...
You've dragged in some dead nobody out of the blue, giving me nightmares, and then claiming to be the country's benefactor... Do you think I'm stupid?