Disciple!

Disciple!

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The Marine Academy at Marine Headquarters was known as the cradle of flag officers. Its chief instructor was Zephyr, the former Marine Admiral known as Black Arm.

Over the years Zephyr had taught at the Marine Academy, he had trained Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, and a number of other outstanding Marine officers who were now active on the front lines.

Today, however, Chief Instructor Zephyr received a close friend who gave him quite the headache.

"Hahahaha!"

"Zephyr, I'll leave this brat in your care!"

"The Roger Pirates have entered the New World. I don't have time to look after a kid right now, so he's yours."

"Here, I brought back some new tea from the East Blue. Hurry up and bring out the senbei so we can try it together!"

In Zephyr's office, the chief instructor was drawing up the trainees' training schedule for the next day when Garp pushed open the door without even knocking. Leading a red-haired kid inside, he greeted Zephyr directly.

Zephyr turned in his chair and happened to see Garp entering the office, one hand resting on the shoulder of the boy beside him and the other carrying a small packet of tea leaves.

Zephyr's gaze fell on the tea in Garp's hand. It really was only a tiny packet!

"How could I possibly have something like senbei here? I'm not a child."

Zephyr set down his pen, folded his arms across his chest, and turned toward Garp with a smile. His gaze then fell on the red-haired boy beside him.

"Huh?!"

"Haha!"

"It's fine, I brought my own. Go make the tea."

Garp casually handed the tea leaves to the boy beside him, then pulled out a packet of senbei from his clothes. He grabbed a handful and tossed it into his mouth.

The boy following Garp was Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

After Garp knocked him out on Dragon Roar Island that day, he had become Garp's "war trophy." By the time he woke up, Garp had already taken him aboard a ship and left Dragon Roar Island.

After Garp's men investigated, Yoriichi's "temporary residence" on Dragon Roar Island was naturally discovered. Based on the cave's conditions and Yoriichi's clothing, Garp had naturally filled in Yoriichi's backstory in his mind.

A genius boy who had wandered the wilderness since childhood, unleashing unprecedented strength after witnessing the evil deeds of pirates.

As for the other suspicious details about Yoriichi, such as his swordsmanship and his finely crafted blade, Garp simply overlooked them.

There were far too many people on the seas with family legacies, and plenty of people with exceptional talent as well. Garp had long since stopped finding such things strange.

Of course, the most important thing was that, before Garp's very eyes, Yoriichi had slaughtered an entire pirate crew with a total bounty of eleven million Beli.

In the East Blue under Marine control, before Roger had ushered in the Great Age of Piracy, there were not many pirate crews with bounties like that.

That day, flames had stained half the sky red.

The dazzling sword technique he had used while cutting through the pirates, along with that youth who had seemed like an asura, left a deep impression on Garp.

Moreover, this exceptionally gifted youth did not reject the idea of joining the Marines. That was important. And Yoriichi did not care much that Garp had knocked him out without a word. Compared to the benefits Garp could bring him, suffering a small grievance was nothing.

He was an adult. His standards for judging things had long ceased to be based purely on likes and dislikes, though he was somewhat unhappy with Garp's manner of doing things.

The tea was tossed into Yoriichi's hands. Yoriichi shot Garp a speechless glance before looking at Zephyr.

For the sake of Garp's intention to recommend him to the Marines, Yoriichi had long forgotten the punch Garp had given him. After spending the past few days together, he and Garp had become somewhat familiar, and Yoriichi would not refuse Garp's occasional "errands."

Still, this was Zephyr's territory. Yoriichi was not so lacking in social sense.

"There's boiled water over there."

Seeing Yoriichi look at him, Zephyr smiled and pointed to the tea table beside his desk. As he watched Tsugikuni Yoriichi pass before him, Zephyr carefully examined him from head to toe before asking Garp.

"This child is the boy you brought back from the East Blue?"

The Dragon Roar Island incident in the East Blue had caused quite a stir. After all, an entire branch base had been wiped out. Though the Marines had suppressed the news, the incident's impact within the Marines was considerable.

The pirate crew that had been destroyed only had a bounty of eleven million, but that was merely because the Marines had not updated their bounty in time after the Dragon Roar Island incident.

Had the bounty been updated promptly, that pirate crew's bounty would have easily exceeded one hundred million.

On the surface, it was Iron Fist Garp who had dealt with the culprits behind the Dragon Roar Island incident. But a small number of senior officials knew that the one who had actually slaughtered that pirate crew was the red-haired boy before them.

Zephyr was among those in the know. Fleet Admiral Kong had already spoken with him about it the previous night.

"Yeah! This is the brat."

"His name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi."

"Come on, kid, greet your future teacher, Marine Admiral Zephyr!"

As Garp introduced him, he beckoned to Tsugikuni Yoriichi. By then, Yoriichi had finished making the tea. Carrying a tray, he walked over to Zephyr and Garp.

He placed two cups of tea on either side of the desk, stood straight before Zephyr, and introduced himself.

"Hello, Teacher Zephyr. My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Please guide me."

Yoriichi wore an ordinary Marine sailor uniform, with a long sword at his waist. He stood tall and straight, and a flame-shaped mark covered part of his handsome face.

Zephyr looked at the person before him, one hand resting on his teacup while the other lightly tapped the desk, as though he were considering something.

Seeing Zephyr like this, Garp raised an eyebrow and shouted at Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

"Hey, kid, louder!"

"I can't hear you!"

"You think you can command a warship with a voice that soft?!"

Garp's words made Yoriichi turn to look at him. It was not because Garp was loud, but simply because Yoriichi felt as if he had heard those words somewhere before. For a moment, he felt like he was surfing the internet.

"Hello, Teacher Zephyr. My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi."

Coming back to himself, Yoriichi spoke in a clearer voice.

Only then did Zephyr seem to reach a decision. He nodded slightly and took a light sip of tea.

"Heh!"

"Zephyr, I'm leaving this brat to you."

"Hey, kid, when I get back, I'll let you have another taste of my fists. Don't disappoint me!"

"Zephyr, I've got things to do. I'm leaving first."

"That packet of tea and this packet of senbei are my thanks."

After saying that, Garp tossed the half-eaten packet of senbei onto the desk, then grabbed his teacup and left the office.

"..."

Zephyr stared at the half packet of senbei on his desk, the small packet of tea on the tea table, and the tea set missing one cup. Veins bulged on his forehead.

After a long while, Zephyr finally turned to Tsugikuni Yoriichi, and his expression softened.

"From today onward, you are my disciple."

"And from today onward, you officially join the Marines."

"I don't care what you did before, nor do I care what you have experienced. Since you have joined the Marines and become my disciple..."

"Then your goal is to become an outstanding Marine officer!"

"How old are you this year?"

Zephyr looked at Tsugikuni Yoriichi before him and asked.

As he looked at that youthful, immature face, Zephyr felt dazed for a moment.

"About thirteen."

For some reason, Yoriichi only had a vague understanding of his own age.

"Mm."

Zephyr looked at Yoriichi's face, nodded, and continued.

"You are still too young. For now, you are not suited to become a member of the Marine Academy."

"Those who train there are mature elites selected from the Four Blues."

"Our Marines also have no reason to send a child your age onto the battlefield."

Hearing Zephyr's words, a trace of surprise appeared on Tsugikuni Yoriichi's face. From the conversation between Zephyr and Garp just now, he had learned that Zephyr should know what he was capable of.

It was not that Tsugikuni Yoriichi was boasting. During the days since arriving at Marine Headquarters, he had used the Transparent World to roughly judge the strength of some Marine officers. Without considering Haki or Devil Fruit abilities, he believed himself stronger than many Marine "elites."

Yet from the sound of it, Zephyr would not even let him enter the Marine Academy, and the reason was that he was too young?!

"Don't make that face."

"No matter how strong you are, you are still just a child."

"Until you come of age, stay by my side. I will train you personally."

"From today onward, you are my disciple, Yoriichi!"