Chapter 05
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The Marine Headquarters’ Marine Academy was known as the cradle of future officers.
The current chief instructor of the Marine Academy was a former Admiral who had retired from the front lines. He was known as the “Black Arm” Zephyr.
During his years teaching at the Marine Academy, Zephyr had trained a succession of outstanding Marines, including Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, and many others who were now active on the front lines of the Marines.
And today, Instructor Zephyr received a troublesome old friend.
“HAHAHAHAHA!”
“Zephyr, I’ll leave this kid in your care for now!”
“The Roger Pirates have entered the Grand Line. I don’t have time to look after a child right now, so this guy is yours.”
“Oh, and this is some new tea I brought back from the East Blue. Hurry up and bring out some senbei. Let’s try this tea together!”
Inside Zephyr’s office, the Marine Academy’s chief instructor was currently making tomorrow’s training plans for the cadets.
But at that moment, without even knocking on the door, Garp directly pushed it open and walked in, bringing along a red-haired boy.
Zephyr, who was sitting in his chair, turned his head and saw Garp walking into the office.
One hand was resting on the young boy’s shoulder, while the other carried a small package of tea leaves.
Zephyr’s eyes immediately fell onto the tea in Garp’s hand.
There was only one small package.
Just one.
“How could I possibly have senbei here? I’m not a child anymore.”
Zephyr put down his pen, crossed his arms, and turned toward Garp with a smile.
At the same time, his gaze shifted toward the red-haired boy standing beside him.
“Ah?!”
“Hahaha!”
“It’s fine, I brought my own.”
Garp casually handed the tea leaves to the boy beside him, then took out a bag of senbei from his clothes, grabbed a handful, and tossed them into his mouth.
The boy standing beside Garp was none other than Kamado? No—Kokushibo? No—
Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
(Translator note: Original name retained as Tsugikuni Yoriichi.)
After being knocked unconscious by Garp on Dragon Cry Island that day, he became Garp’s “spoils of war.”
When Yoriichi woke up, he had already been taken aboard Garp’s ship and had left Dragon Cry Island.
With the help of Garp’s subordinates investigating the island, Yoriichi’s “temporary residence” on Dragon Cry Island was naturally discovered.
Combining the environment of the cave with Yoriichi’s clothing and appearance, Garp naturally pieced together his own version of Yoriichi’s background.
A genius child who had been abandoned in the wilderness since childhood.
A boy who, after witnessing the cruelty of pirates, awakened unprecedented power.
As for the other suspicious things about Yoriichi—
Such as his swordsmanship, or the exquisitely crafted blade he carried—
Garp simply ignored them.
There were far too many people on the seas with inherited techniques and family treasures.
There were also plenty of people with extraordinary talents.
Garp had long since become accustomed to it.
Of course, the most important thing was that Garp had personally witnessed Yoriichi alone annihilate an entire pirate crew whose total bounty exceeded 11 million Berries.
In the East Blue, which was under Marine control, and in this era before Roger had opened the Great Pirate Age, pirate crews with such a bounty were extremely rare.
That day, half of the sky had been dyed red by flames.
The dazzling sword technique Yoriichi displayed while cutting through the pirates, and the image of the young man who seemed like a demon from hell, had left a deep impression on Garp.
More importantly—
This incredibly talented young man had no resistance toward joining the Marines.
That point was extremely important.
As for Yoriichi not caring about Garp knocking him unconscious without explanation, compared to the benefits Garp could bring him, suffering a little grievance was nothing.
After all, adults no longer judged things purely by whether they liked or disliked something.
Although, truthfully, Yoriichi was still somewhat dissatisfied with Garp’s way of doing things.
The tea was thrown into Yoriichi’s hands.
Yoriichi glanced helplessly at Garp beside him before looking toward Zephyr.
Considering that Garp intended to introduce him into the Marines, Yoriichi had already forgotten about the punch Garp had given him.
After spending these past few days together, he and Garp had become somewhat familiar with each other.
He no longer rejected Garp’s occasional “requests.”
However, this was ultimately Zephyr’s territory.
Yoriichi still understood basic manners.
“There’s boiled water over there.”
Seeing Yoriichi look at him, Zephyr smiled and pointed toward the tea table beside the desk.
As Yoriichi walked past him, Zephyr carefully examined him from head to toe.
Then he turned toward Garp.
“This child…”
“Is he the boy you brought back from the East Blue?”
The Dragon Cry Island incident in the East Blue had caused quite a disturbance.
After all, an entire Marine branch had been wiped out.
Although the Marines had sealed the information, the incident still had a considerable impact within Marine ranks.
The pirate crew that had been destroyed only had a bounty of 11 million on the surface.
But that was because the Marines had not had time to update the bounty after the Dragon Cry Island incident occurred.
If the bounty had been updated in time, that pirate crew’s bounty would have definitely exceeded 100 million Berries.
On the surface, it appeared that the culprit behind the Dragon Cry Island incident had been handled by Iron Fist Garp.
But only a small number of high-ranking Marines knew the truth.
The person who had annihilated that entire pirate crew…
Was actually the red-haired boy standing before them.
Zephyr was one of those people who knew.
Last night, Marine Headquarters’ Fleet Admiral Kong had already informed him about it.
“Ah! That’s the kid.”
“His name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi.”
“Come here, kid. Say hello to your future teacher, Marine Admiral Zephyr!”
Garp introduced him while waving toward Yoriichi.
At this moment, Yoriichi had already finished brewing the tea.
Carrying the tea tray, he walked over to Zephyr and Garp.
He placed two cups of tea on opposite sides of the desk.
Then he stood straight and introduced himself.
“Hello, Teacher Zephyr. My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Please guide me from now on.”
At this moment, Yoriichi wore the ordinary uniform of a Marine soldier.
A long sword hung from his waist.
His posture was upright.
His handsome face carried a flame-shaped mark.
Zephyr looked at the young man in front of him.
One hand rested on the teacup, while the other lightly tapped on the desk.
It seemed like he was thinking about something.
Seeing Zephyr’s expression, Garp raised his eyebrows.
Then he suddenly shouted at Yoriichi.
“Hey, kid!”
“Speak louder!”
“I can’t hear you!”
“You want to command a warship while speaking that quietly?!”
Garp’s words made Yoriichi turn his head.
Not because Garp’s voice was loud.
Rather…
Because those words sounded strangely familiar.
For a moment, Yoriichi almost felt like he was browsing the internet in his previous life.
“Hello, Teacher Zephyr. My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi.”
After recovering, Yoriichi spoke again, his voice clearer and louder.
Only then did Zephyr seem to make a decision.
He slightly nodded.
Then he gently took a sip of tea.
“Heh!”
“Zephyr, I’m leaving this kid with you.”
“Hey, kid. When I come back, I’ll let you try my fist again.”
“Don’t disappoint me!”
“Zephyr, I still have things to do. I’m leaving first.”
“Oh, and this tea and these senbei are my thanks to you.”
After saying that, Garp placed the half-eaten bag of senbei onto the desk.
Then he grabbed his teacup and walked straight out of the office.
“……”
Zephyr stared at the half-empty bag of senbei on the desk.
Then he looked at the small package of tea leaves on the tea table.
Then he glanced at the tea set that was missing one cup.
Veins popped on his forehead.
After a long while, Zephyr finally turned his gaze toward Yoriichi.
His expression softened.
“Starting today…”
“You are my disciple.”
“And starting today, you officially become a Marine.”
“I don’t care what you did before.”
“I don’t care what kind of life you lived in the past.”
“Since you have joined the Marines and become my disciple…”
“Then your goal is to become an outstanding Marine officer.”
“How old are you?”
Zephyr looked at Yoriichi and asked.
Looking at the young and immature face before him, Zephyr felt a moment of distraction.
“Probably… thirteen…”
For some reason, Yoriichi had only a vague understanding of his own age.
“Hmm.”
Zephyr looked at his face and nodded.
Then he continued.
“You are still too young.”
“For now, you are not suitable to become a member of the Marine Academy.”
“The people training there are all elites transferred from the Four Seas.”
“They are already mature soldiers.”
“Our Marines also have no intention of sending a child your age onto the battlefield.”
Hearing this, Yoriichi showed a hint of surprise.
Because from the conversation between Zephyr and Garp earlier, he understood that Zephyr should already know about his strength.
Yoriichi was not exaggerating.
During the days he had spent at Marine Headquarters, he had used his Transparent World to roughly judge the strength of some Marine officers.
Ignoring Haki and Devil Fruit abilities…
He believed that he was stronger than many so-called “elite Marines.”
But according to Zephyr…
He still could not enter the Marine Academy.
And the reason was simply…
Because he was too young?
“Don’t make that expression.”
“No matter how strong you are…”
“You are still just a child.”
“Before you become an adult, stay by my side.”
“I will personally train you.”
“Starting today…”
“You are my disciple, Yoriichi.”
………………………………
