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Zephyr finally said, "You've become famous… too famous. Some already whisper you'll replace Akainu one day."
Luffy scoffed loudly. "Hell no."
Zephyr's gaze turned to him. "Then why wear the coat? Why stay in the Marines?"
Luffy looked up at the sky. "Because it looks good on me... Anyway, I'll never be the World Government's lapdog, grandpa."
Zephyr watched him closely, his eyes narrowing with approval. "Good. That's the boy I trained."
Luffy turned back to him with a grin. "Still got that temper? Ain says she has to keep you from punching through ships when you're pissed."
Zephyr snorted. "That girl nags too much."
"Sounds like she cares," Luffy teased, elbowing him.
"Hmph." But there was a flicker of warmth in Zephyr's grumble.
Luffy's eyes softened slightly. "You really doing okay? After all this time?"
Zephyr didn't answer at first. He just watched the recruits in silence. Then, finally, he said, "I lost everything once, Luffy. But I built again. Ain stayed. Binz stayed. Some part of me still believes this generation can carry the torch… if we make them strong enough."
Luffy nodded slowly, shoulders relaxed. "Then let's make 'em strong."
Zephyr smiled faintly, but his stern voice returned like a whip crack. "Then stop slacking and spar with me later. We'll see if you've gotten rusty."
Luffy's grin grew wide. "Tch. You think you can keep up with me now?"
The metal fingers of Zephyr's prosthetic cracked loudly.
Clank!
"Let's find out, brat."
Luffy laughed, the sound loud and carefree.
The sun rose higher, casting a blazing white light over the training ground.
Zephyr saw a recruit who had lost his footing during a kata. "You call that a stance?! You wanna get sliced open like a watermelon on your first mission?! Again!"
"You really can't change."
"Tch. You got a sharp mouth for someone barely out of diapers," Zephyr retorted, but the warmth in his voice was clear.
As Luffy and Zephyr chatted, a deep, steady voice interrupted from behind.
Before they could exchange more words, a new voice cut through the air—low, mature, and carried by a weight of presence that turned heads instantly.
"My, my... this place sure is lively."
Luffy's eyes narrowed slightly. The voice... it struck a familiar chord in his memory, though he knew he had no reason to hear it in this timeline.
Turning, he saw a tall, broad-shouldered man walking toward them, leaning slightly on a wooden shikomizue cane. His lavender kimono swayed with each step, the hem brushing the ground. A Marine overcoat was slung over his shoulders like a cape, though it lacked the epaulets of a formal rank.
He had a kind yet unreadable face, calm, weathered by experience. His long black hair was streaked with strands of gray, and his eyes were shut tight, brows relaxed as if in eternal contemplation.
Luffy's breath caught subtly in his chest.
Issho.
The man who, in the original timeline, would become Admiral Fujitora—a blind swordsman with a heart guided by justice, not dictated by the World Government.
He wasn't supposed to be here, at least not now.. not yet.
Zephyr's face lit up as he turned. "Oh-ho! Issho! You actually made it! I thought the HQ might delay your assignment again."
"Well, I make it somehow," Issho replied with a soft smile.
Luffy stood quietly for a moment as Issho approached.
So my actions changed things again…
He remembered now—his intervention with Zephyr and Edward Weevil. Perhaps that shifted things enough to bring Issho in early.
Zephyr clapped a hand on Issho's shoulder. "Let me introduce you to someone you've probably heard of. This brat here is Luffy—Vice Admiral, believe it or not. Calls himself 'Divine Fist' these days. He's the reason half of Marineford has stress wrinkles and the rest follow him like some damn rockstar."
"Hey, I'm not that bad," Luffy chuckled, scratching his nose.
Issho turned his head slightly in Luffy's direction and gave a low chuckle. "So you're the one I've been hearing about. Divine Fist... the Vice Admiral who punches warships into scrap metal and punishes pirates with no mercy."
"That's me," Luffy grinned, stepping forward and extending a hand. "Monkey D. Luffy."
Issho's hand found his with practiced ease, and the moment their grips connected, both men grinned.
"Damn, your grip's strong," Luffy commented.
"And yours is reckless," Issho replied calmly, though there was mirth in his tone.
Luffy laughed. "We should spar sometime. I've always wanted to fight a swordsman who doesn't rely on his eyes."
"I'd be honored," Issho replied. "Though I must warn you, I don't pull my strikes."
"I don't expect you to," Luffy said, his voice edged with excitement.
Zephyr smirked, stepping back. "Looks like you two are going to get along just fine."
They moved over to the shaded edge of the training yard. Issho settled onto a bench, his cane resting against his leg.
Luffy leaned against a nearby post, arms crossed.
"So," Luffy started, "what made you join the Marines this early? From what I know, you don't seem interested in joining the Marines."
Issho tilted his head. "Truth be told, I wasn't. But a man I met recently... someone very passionate... reminded me that justice shouldn't be delayed. If I wait too long to make a change, who suffers in the meantime?"
Luffy raised a brow. "Was that man Zephyr?"
Issho smiled faintly. "It was."
Zephyr scoffed. "Hmph. I just gave him a tour. The rest he figured out on his own."
Luffy smirked. "You always act like you're not inspirational when half of us are here because of you."
"Brat, I'll toss you into the sea," Zephyr grumbled.
Luffy turned his eyes back to Issho. "So, what kind of justice do you believe in?"
Issho paused, then said quietly, "One that sees the people before the law. A justice that weighs kindness alongside discipline. If I can stop even one town from burning... I'll carry that burden."
Luffy stared at him for a long moment. "Good. We've got too many who wear the uniform but forget what it's supposed to stand for."
Issho chuckled. "Sounds like you and I see eye to eye—ironic, isn't it?"
Luffy laughed heartily. "I like you, old man. You're gonna stir up some trouble in the right way."
Issho turned his head slightly. "And you're going to keep breaking expectations, aren't you?"
Luffy pushed off the post and walked up to him. "Count on it."
Zephyr sighed, shaking his head fondly. "What the hell have I unleashed...?"
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