Zephyr didn't go straight back to rest. Although he trusted Vic, he still wanted to check on the Elite Camp.
When Zephyr arrived at the Elite Camp, he saw the students training diligently; no one was slacking off, and the entire Elite Camp had a different spirit.
"This is much better than the previous Elite Camp; they've truly weathered the storms and are like seedlings ready for action!"
A slight smile appeared on Zephyr's lips.
Zephyr also knew that they had experienced many dangers during their previous practical assessments, and he thought that experience made them yearn for strength even more.
A person's state of mind really has a great influence on the improvement of their strength. For example, Gecko Moria was someone who fought Kaido when he was young, and he was definitely not weak. However, after being defeated by Kaido, all his crew members were killed, and he suffered a major blow. As a result, he became a fat otaku who collects zombie figures.
Zephyr was wrong. Of course, they were different from Smoker's generation, but the main reason was that they wanted to get on Vic's ship. They deeply admired Vic's Yamato and character.
Vic also saw Zephyr with his purple hair, and he stood up and walked towards Zephyr.
"Teacher, when did you get back?" Vic asked with a smile.
"Just got back and wanted to see this year's students! They all look great, thank you for your hard work!" Zephyr said with a smile.
"It wasn't too strenuous. I didn't teach them the Six Powers techniques; these past few days have mainly focused on physical exercise!"
"Yes, you understand the Six Powers. To learn Six Powers, one's physical condition must meet certain standards. You're right. I'll have them undergo a physical test tomorrow to see how their physical condition is!"
Zephyr was truly dedicated; he was ready to start working as soon as he returned, as evidenced by the later incident where his students were killed by Weevil, which caused him immense pain and self-blame.
It's impossible for a former Marine Admiral to have his arm severed by a pirate who might not even be Shichibukai. There must be more to this than meets the eye. The most likely explanation is that Zephyr cares too much about these students, and they were being held hostage by Bakkin. If Akainu had been leading the team, both Bakkin and Weevil would have died on the spot.
"Teacher, you're back to work right away? Take a couple of days off, I'll be fine here!" Vic advised.
"Hehe, this can't really be considered work for me anymore, I'm used to it. I'm fine, you guys continue. I've seen it all, I'm very satisfied. I'll be going now, I'll come back tomorrow to get to know them properly!" Zephyr said and turned to leave. He didn't mention the future reforms to the Elite Camp.
Seeing Zephyr's response, Vic fell silent. Watching Zephyr's departing figure, he recalled the gathering at Grandpa Garp's place.
Zephyr was very silent at the time, just drinking alone. But the Zephyr that Vic saw in the Elite Camp was completely different. He was enthusiastic, actively teaching, valuing his students, and his spirit was different.
In the evening, training ended, and the trainees left. Vic led Rebecca and Wendy towards the beach.
Back at the cabin, Vic found two familiar faces there: Smoker and Hina.
"Hey, Vic! I heard you became Elite Camp instructor. You've kept us waiting here. You have to cook us a good meal to make it up to us!" Smoker said, puffing on a cigar, looking like a big shot.
"Yes, yes, Hina hasn't had your cooking in a long time, I'm craving it!" Hina chimed in.
"You guys really think this place is some kind of small restaurant? There's no such thing as free food and drinks!" Vic retorted.
" Vic, we're leaving headquarters in a few days, and this might be the last time we eat here!" Smoker said softly, his tone tinged with sadness.
"Yes, Hina will never forget this place, never forget you all, never forget the food Vic cooked!" Hina also seemed to be lost in memories.
" Hina, that last sentence is superfluous; there's no need to say it!" Smoker said seriously.
"Really? Then Hina took back her last sentence, didn't you all hear it!" Hina turned to look at Smoker, as if she had just realized something. Ha! Another Devil Fruit User take back his or her last sentence.
"Hey, hey, hey, the last sentence is the key point!" Rebecca and Wendy looked exasperated.
"Really? Alright then, I'll treat you to a good meal as a farewell gift!" Vic said with a smile, looking towards the sea.
Smoker and Hina were both a little surprised that Vic didn't seem displeased at all and agreed immediately!
Vic thought a lot about it. The two were among the few friends Vic had made since coming to this world, and they were very much to his liking. This time, they would really be separated for a long time, and it was unknown where they would be assigned. The ocean was vast, and they would both have their own missions in the future, so it would not be easy to meet again.
Especially Smoker's personality, who knows how much it has changed, and whether he will stay at some base for several years again.
The two were fairly strong and didn't face much danger in the first half. They would have another chance to meet later. If they were too weak, they might be separated by life and death. Vic really didn't care about a meal.
Vic quickly prepared a feast, and this time Smoker and Hina also helped out enthusiastically. The group was already seated at the table.
The sky was ablaze with the colors of sunset, and the waves crashed against the shore before receding. A campfire still burned beside the wooden house, though its intensity was waning.
"Have you decided where you're going?" Vic asked, taking a sip of his drink.
"Yes, Hina, where are you being assigned?" Rebecca asked as well.
" Hina is probably going to Vice Admiral Tsuru's ship. Her ship is full of female soldiers, so it's the best place for her to practice. Once she's strong enough, Hina will lead a team on her own!" Hina was very confident.
Vic had guessed this would be the outcome; talented female soldiers in the navy usually go to Vice Admiral Tsuru's ship for training.
" Vice Admiral Tsuru, this is a wonderful place!" Wendy was also happy for Hina.
"Hmm, not bad, Smoker. And you?" Vic continued.
"Me? My decision isn't finalized yet. I'll either be on a warship or in some branch. I don't care; I can uphold justice wherever I am!" Smoker was full of confidence in the future.
"I'm really worried about you being assigned to the New World. What will you do then? Will you get beaten to death, like the last time the Corrupt King did!" Vic started provoking Smoker again.
"I'll Awakening my Haki sooner or later, and then we'll see who can kill me!" Smoker said through gritted teeth, his face flushed red.
The three women beside him laughed. Vic often teased Smoker, and they always found it amusing to see Smoker like this.
Vic wasn't just trying to create excitement; he genuinely wanted Smoker to grow up faster.
Later in the original story, Smoker became a marginal figure, spending his time taking care of giant children. He was once thought to become someone like Garp who would chase after the Pirate King, but he kept losing in the New World. His strength was far behind that of the Shichibukai, and he couldn't even beat Vergo, a subordinate of one of the Shichibukai. He wasted too much time in Loguetown.
As for why he went to Loguetown, we can analyze from Hina's words in the original work that it is related to Smoker's personality and his belief in justice. Something happened that conflicted with his justice, and he did not choose to back down, so he remained in a stalemate in Loguetown.
" Smoker, do you really understand this world? This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. You want to protect the weak? What makes you think you can? Smoke-Smoke Fruit? You haven't forgotten the lesson from Sabaody, have you? In the New World, there are far too many pirates who Haki. Can you handle them all?"
Vic emphasized his words, and the room fell silent. Everyone was quiet, and Smoker was lost in thought.
"I've heard that some people's Observation Haki allows them to see into the future. If a Logia user learned it, wouldn't they be able to transform into the body of the target in advance and dodge the attack? Even if the opponent has Haki, they would be invincible, right?" Vic said again, Smoker seemed to be deep in thought.
"Can Observation Haki really allow you to see the future?" Wendy was shocked. She was a sniper; if he possessed that kind of Haki, how many people could dodge her bullets?
Hina was also hearing this for the first time, and she was very curious. Rebecca had heard Vic mention it before, but she was quite calm about it.
"It should be true. In my battle with Sakazuki a few days ago, he used his elemental transformation to dodge my slash. Although he couldn't see the future, his Observation Haki foresaw the landing point of the slash, so he transformed into his elemental form in advance. What if his Observation Haki were further developed? Would he be able to see even more?"
The two women believed it to some extent, since they hadn't seen it before. Rebecca, however, believed it to be true, because everything Vic had told her had been confirmed. Smoker's eyes lit up, and Vic noticed it.
" Smoker, do you think developing Observation Haki is enough? How can you defeat your enemies without offensive power? Are you just going to stand by and watch pirates slaughter civilians without being able to stop them? Do you want to be that kind of person?" Vic continued to provoke Smoker.
As Rayleigh said, many people have their own preferences; some specialize in Armament Haki, while others specialize in Observation Haki. Developing only one type of Haki is really not advisable; a strong person should be proficient in all of them.
"Of course not! I will do everything in my power to stop it, and I won't give up on Armament Haki either!"
"It's good that you know. I hope you always remember the feeling you had when you faced death in Sabaody. No matter where you go in the future, never stop improving your strength. This is the most effective way for you to implement your ideals."
Vic didn't know what happened to Smoker after he went to Loguetown, but it didn't matter. As long as he knew he had to become stronger, he didn't care where he went. So now that Smoker had realized the importance of strength, what happened later would be irrelevant.
"Yes, I understand!" Smoker said solemnly, seemingly having taken it to heart. Vic guessed that no one in the original story had told Smoker these things; he had come to this realization himself in Alabasta.