Zephyr's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Though he had already produced talents like Sakazuki — dazzling, brilliant stars who had become pillars of the Marines —
deep down, Zephyr was never fully satisfied with them.
Sakazuki's character was far too rigid and brutal.
In pursuit of missions, he would stop at nothing — ruthless not only toward enemies, but also toward his own subordinates.
Time and again, he resorted to extreme methods on the battlefield, exterminating pirates and criminals at any cost.
This was a sharp contradiction to Zephyr's own creed: "Justice without killing."
It was precisely because of Sakazuki's bloodthirst that, after he graduated from the Officer Training Camp,
Zephyr had insisted on making him his adjutant —
hoping that through direct mentorship, he could temper the boy's extremes.
But unfortunately, no amount of guidance could change Sakazuki.
He remained obstinate — unwavering in his path.
In the end, Zephyr had no choice but to let him be.
Dragon, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.
Easygoing, tolerant, warm —
the very image of a "Hero's Son."
With his overwhelming charisma and leadership, Dragon had earned the loyalty and admiration of countless mid- and low-ranking Marines.
Under the banner of justice, he was a blazing comet.
But sadly, along with inheriting Garp's devotion to protecting civilians and comrades,
he also inherited Garp's flaws.
Rough around the edges.
Often treating orders with... questionable seriousness.
In Zephyr's eyes, this was a serious problem.
In the Marines, orders were absolute.
A soldier's first duty was discipline.
Following personal whims during missions was not acceptable.
It was no wonder, then, that Dragon and Sakazuki constantly clashed —
their diametrically opposed views of justice igniting fierce conflict.
Dragon despised Sakazuki's ruthless methods.
Sakazuki loathed Dragon's indecisiveness and lax attitude.
And then... there was Borsalino.
Marine Headquarters' "third pillar."
Nothing more needed to be said about that one.
That pillar had been crooked from the start.
Every time Zephyr saw Borsalino's sleazy grin and lazily drawled words,
he felt like his entire life's reputation had been dragged through the mud.
Borsalino had been his very first student from the very first Officer Training Camp.
Just thinking about it made Zephyr even more desperate for hope.
He stared expectantly at Sengoku.
"Sengoku — tell me about this Kuzan kid."
Sengoku gave him a half-smiling, half-mocking look.
"My, you're not even trying to hide it anymore...
You really that disappointed with your old students?"
Zephyr coughed awkwardly.
Cough... you know me.
Always full of hope for new blood."
Can't exactly say those three brats were a total waste...
Sengoku didn't bother exposing that flimsy excuse.
He knew his old comrade too well.
No matter how rough around the edges his students were,
Zephyr always gave them everything he had.
He's from the South Blue.
His talent... easily matches Sakazuki's."
"He burns with a genuine passion for justice.
Apparently, that's what drove him to join the Marines in the first place."
Zephyr nodded enthusiastically, eyes sparkling.
"You mentioned two promising recruits this year."
Sengoku's expression turned... complicated.
"is from the North Blue.
Name's Rogers Darren."
At that name, Zephyr's eyes lit up.
I've heard that name — isn't he the one everyone's talking about lately?
The Marine rookie who fought Roger himself and lived to tell the tale!?"
Having retired from frontline duties, Zephyr rarely involved himself with the latest gossip from Marineford.
Even when he attended meetings, it was mostly out of courtesy from Kong and Sengoku.
He didn't keep up with most of the latest incidents.
But even he had heard that rumor.
Zephyr's excitement surged.
A Marine capable of making the future Pirate King suffer —
before even graduating from training camp?
If he could teach and mold this young man,
the potential was almost too dazzling to imagine.
A gold mine dropped into his lap.
He couldn't help but grin.
This Darren kid might even surpass Sakazuki and the others!
"Don't get too excited just yet,"
Sengoku warned, watching his friend's expression carefully.
Zephyr waved him off.
He can't possibly be worse than Sakazuki."
Sengoku's face twitched slightly.
"technically, Darren was Sakazuki's adjutant before."
The grin slipped slightly from his face.
Still, he chuckled stubbornly.
"That doesn't matter.
Just because he served under Sakazuki doesn't mean he shares his philosophy."
Sengoku blinked innocently.
For some reason, seeing Zephyr's confident face,
Sengoku felt a mischievous urge to tease.
Zephyr chuckled again.
"He's even worse than Sakazuki."
"In the North Blue, under his rule,
he turned the entire region into an iron fortress."
"Dozens of allied and unaffiliated nations bowed to his authority.
He wiped out hundreds of pirate crews and dark organizations."
"The blood on his hands is... uncountable."
Zephyr's smile froze.
He forced the corners of his mouth upward stiffly.
at least that proves he's capable, right?"
Sengoku nodded cheerfully.
Zephyr exhaled deeply, trying to regain composure.
and if his character is salvageable,
then I have confidence.
I can bring him back to the right path."
"I believe in you, Zephyr,"
"But just so you know..."
Darren's reputation isn't exactly... spotless."
"He's notorious across the seas as a 'Marine Disgrace.'"
A power-hungry tyrant."
"Every vice you can name."
"Could you please, for once, tell me everything at once?
You're really pissing me off.
You remind me of someone."