The day the incident occurred…
"You mean the warship leading for a training exercise with new recruits was attacked by Doflamingo?!"
Sengoku was visibly shocked.
"Yes, yes. I don't have all the details yet, but Doflamingo killed more than twenty new Marine recruits and even… severed Admiral Zephyr's right… right arm."
Sengoku's gaze sharpened, his fists slowly clenching as he leaned on the desk.
"Even after becoming a Warlord, it's not enough for him… Doflamingo!"
He looked up at the officer and said, "Where are Zephyr and the others now?"
"They're still en route back to Marineford, but they're expected to arrive in three days."
"Inform everyone—call all Admirals and Vice Admirals present in Marineford to this office immediately."
Zephyr, now missing an arm, found Ron practicing his sword swings on the deck.
Ron stopped and turned toward him.
"Admiral Zephyr, shouldn't you be resting and recovering from your injury?"
"It's just an arm; nothing to worry about."
Zephyr lifted a bottle with his left hand, motioning toward Ron.
"I heard from Garp that you can handle your liquor. Come, join me for a drink."
The two, one old and one young, sat together on the deck of the damaged warship.
"Getting you on this ship to join the exercise was something I requested from Kizaru through Sengoku."
Zephyr poured a drink into Ron's cup as he spoke.
"I wanted you to see the dark side of piracy, to help you resolve to join the Marines. I didn't expect to drag you into such danger."
Ron didn't respond; he simply picked up his drink and downed it in one gulp.
Zephyr glanced at him, then drank from his own cup.
After a few drinks, Ron set down his empty cup and looked at Zephyr, sitting cross-legged across from him.
"So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I will never forgive Doflamingo for what he's done! When we get back to Marineford, I will ask Sengoku to let me lead an operation to capture him!"
Zephyr's voice was low, filled with intense anger.
Ron, however, shook his head at Zephyr's words.
"I don't think Fleet Admiral Sengoku will approve."
Zephyr frowned. "How is that possible? Sengoku may be stubborn, but he's never been soft when it comes to dealing with pirates. Doflamingo has committed such heinous acts, even as a Warlord…"
"Doflamingo is not just any pirate," Ron interrupted, meeting Zephyr's gaze, "He has another hidden identity besides being a Warlord. Because of that, I believe the Marines won't make a move against him."
"Ron," Zephyr said, his expression solemn, "the Marines may be flawed, but they uphold justice. I refuse to believe that the Marines would turn a blind eye to his crimes just because of some hidden status!"
"Then we'll see," Ron replied, unwilling to argue further. Time would reveal who was right.
The two continued to drink in silence, with the ocean breeze and the sound of waves adding to the quietness of the night.
Eventually, Zephyr broke the silence.
"In Marineford, Vice Admiral Yamakaji has reached the level of a true swordsman. I've already spoken to him; out of respect for me, he's agreed to help you. Once you're back in Marineford, you can spar with him—it'll be a great way to improve your swordsmanship."
"Your mastery of Shave (Soru), Moonwalk (Geppo), and Tempest Kick (Rankyaku) is solid, and I have nothing more to teach you. Just remember, these are techniques derived from physical foundations, so building a strong body is the key to improving them."
Zephyr, drinking steadily, seemed ready to share all the advice he had in one go.
"Since you haven't eaten a Devil Fruit, I think it's a blessing. Too many Devil Fruit users become overly dependent on their powers, ignoring the basics. Even if they grow strong, they inevitably develop weaknesses."
"I can sense that your Observation Haki has awakened. Unlike Armament Haki, to strengthen Observation Haki, you need to push yourself into life-or-death situations. Only then can your instincts sharpen and elevate your Observation Haki to a higher level."
Using the alcohol as fuel, Zephyr shared his insights and advice on becoming stronger, talking non-stop for about an hour.
Throughout, Ron listened in silence, occasionally reflecting on what was said.
When the drinks were finished, and Zephyr had said everything he wanted, he struggled to his feet, swaying slightly.
"You don't need to go to the Marine School anymore. At your level, it would be a waste of time. If you truly want to grow stronger, fight with powerful opponents and learn from their experience in battle."
Turning his back to Ron, Zephyr's large frame looked somewhat like a hero past his prime, especially with one less arm.
As he left, he gave Ron one final piece of advice.
"As long as you hold onto the justice you believe in, it doesn't matter if you join the Marines or not. I won't object."
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