Black Arm Zephyr

Lynn quietly sized up the Marine officer who had suddenly appeared before him.

Purple hair, a Justice Cape, Admiral rank.

And that broad, powerful physique.

All of it left no doubt as to the man's identity.

Once a Marine Admiral, now retired from the front lines to serve as an instructor while still retaining his Admiral rank—the Black Arm, Zephyr!

Lynn had a deep impression of the man before him.

In his youth, Zephyr had joined the Marines alongside Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru.

At thirty-four, he became a master of Armament Haki and earned the name Black Arm.

At thirty-eight, he became a Marine Admiral and married that same year.

At forty-two, his family was killed by pirates. The Marine Admiral known as the "Non-Killer" had hated pirates ever since. To suppress the resentment in his heart, he voluntarily withdrew from the front lines and became an instructor for Marine recruits, while retaining his Admiral rank.

From then on, countless outstanding Marines emerged among his students.

The future Three Admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—were all his students.

Onigumo, Momonga, Doberman... those famed Vice Admirals all had to call him teacher as well.

Time had now reached the present.

Zephyr's arms were still intact, clearly indicating that he had not yet experienced the tragedy that would occur soon.

At some point in the future, the training ship led by Zephyr would be attacked by a pirate. Nearly all the students aboard would perish, with only two survivors, while Zephyr would permanently lose an arm.

Marine scientists would install a Seastone mechanical arm specially designed to deal with devil fruit users. Afterward, Zephyr would establish a special unit dedicated to fighting devil fruit user pirates.

Yet not long after that, Zephyr would learn that the pirate who had killed an entire ship of his students had been recruited by the World Government and made one of the Shichibukai.

Utterly disappointed in the Marines, Zephyr would leave them, call himself "Z," and establish the NEO Marines with the goal of exterminating every pirate in the world. He would then seize the Dyna Stone and plan to destroy three END POINTs, triggering massive undersea volcanic eruptions to obliterate the New World and end the Great Pirate Era in one stroke.

In the end, the Straw Hat Pirates would desperately stop Zephyr's plan. To cover their escape to sea, he would die in a great battle against the Marines and be buried by Aokiji.

But all of that lay far in the future.

There were still around thirteen years until the Summit War.

Zephyr was around sixty years old now. Although wrinkles had already appeared on his face, there was not a trace of frailty in him. Both arms remained intact, and his body was not yet ravaged by illness as it would be during his battle with Luffy and Kizaru. Nor did he need medication to maintain his strength.

A very sturdy old man with a hearty smile—that was Lynn's first impression of Zephyr.

Looking at the cracked ground beneath Zephyr's feet, Lynn quickly formed a second impression of him—

He was probably very good at fighting.

Fisher Tiger, on the other hand, did not know Zephyr's identity. Yet the sharp instincts unique to Fish-Men were warning him.

The purple-haired man before him was strong!

"Be careful. He's a Marine Admiral, Black Arm Zephyr," Lynn warned.

Fisher Tiger's vigilance instantly rose to its peak.

He had heard of the fearsome reputation of Marine Admirals countless times back when he was an explorer!

Zephyr heard Lynn's words and looked somewhat surprised.

"I've been out of the front lines for many years. Few pirates of the new era recognize me. I never expected a brat like you to know who I am."

Given Zephyr's age, it was hardly strange for him to call Lynn a brat.

"Then let's continue our earlier topic."

Zephyr's gaze fell on Lynn and Fisher Tiger.

"Are you the pirates who attacked a Celestial Dragon?"

Lynn felt an incomparable pressure from Zephyr's gaze. He had known that attacking a Celestial Dragon would draw a Marine Admiral, but he had never expected such a legendary figure to be the one who came.

He could only take things one step at a time.

After thinking for a moment, Lynn suddenly shook his head. "That's only half right."

Zephyr looked even more surprised and grinned. "What part is wrong?"

"We did attack a Celestial Dragon, but we aren't pirates," Lynn answered.

"Then who exactly are you?" Zephyr asked.

"His name is Fisher Tiger. He's a Fish-Man explorer." Lynn pointed at Fisher Tiger beside him, then pointed at himself. "And I'm Lynn Barek, a hero who ate the Hero Fruit."

"A hero?" Zephyr suddenly found the brat before him especially interesting and burst into laughter. "Then why not join the Marines?"

"Because of this."

Lynn pulled back the sleeve on his right arm. On his shoulder was a crimson brand.

A circle and four triangles, resembling the mark of a dragon's claw.

It was the mark of a slave—the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon!

Zephyr stared at the brand, his gaze freezing for a moment before he let out a soft sigh.

"I understand."

Just from that brand, Zephyr had already guessed what had happened at the Sabaody Archipelago.

Slaves, gladiators, Celestial Dragons, nobles...

The same tired story that happened every moment of every day in this world.

Lynn looked at Zephyr and calmly said, "Please make way for us, Teacher Zephyr."

"You call me teacher?" Zephyr froze.

"When it comes to becoming a hero, you are my teacher," Lynn said earnestly.

As someone who had eaten the Hero Fruit, Lynn sincerely respected the man before him.

Zephyr had possessed a heroic dream called "Z" since childhood. That dream had led him to take Z as his codename after leaving the Marines, and he had upheld it until his death.

A man like that deserved the word "hero," and Lynn was more than willing to call him teacher.

"Hmm..."

Zephyr fell into thought, but in the end, he still shook his head.

"Sorry. This is the duty of a Marine Admiral. I must arrest you."

"Then we'll have to settle this with our fists."

Lynn rolled his neck and silently calculated the Energy Value within his body.

Energy Value: 400/1500.

Still enough for a fight!

Lynn turned sideways, leaning his center of gravity slightly forward. His left hand hung low in front of him, his right pressed against his ribs behind him, his fists clenched as his legs bounced lightly back and forth.

Zephyr watched Lynn's stance and grinned. "Boxing, huh? It's been a long time since I've seen someone practice this kind of fighting technique."

"This is practical combat."

A dark golden gleam flashed deep in Lynn's pupils. He stepped forward with his lead foot and threw two jabs!

Bang! Bang!

Zephyr raised his right arm to block both punches, then swung his arm in return, only for Lynn to hop backward and evade it.

"Your speed and technique are both excellent!"

His years as an instructor had given Zephyr an eye for people, making him appreciate the young man before him all the more.

What a pity...

Zephyr's gaze fell upon the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon on Lynn's arm, and he could not help feeling regret.

But that regret lasted less than half a second before Lynn threw another pair of heavy left and right punches at him!

Hero Skill: Subdue with Might.

Bang! Bang!

The fists struck Zephyr's arms, yet only forced him back half a step.

Zephyr let out a light breath. "What a pity. Your strength isn't enough."

Fisher Tiger's eyes widened at the sight. He had personally experienced Lynn's punches. Even he could not take those heavy blows, far beyond the level of ordinary humans, without injury.

In fact, the bruises from brawling with Lynn in the arena earlier were still throbbing faintly.

Yet the man before them, the former Marine Admiral Black Arm Zephyr, had casually caught Lynn's heavy punches and even judged his strength insufficient!

The power of a former Marine Admiral was almost enough to inspire despair!