Time passed slowly, and soon, the Sibia Village welcomed beautiful weather.
Zephyr decided to return to Marine Headquarters without hesitation.
However, after informing Village Chief Martin, he was stopped by Village Chief Martin, who planned to hold a farewell banquet for his departure.
Zephyr said it wasn't necessary, but the villagers' enthusiasm could not be denied, so he stayed for one more day.
Fortunately, the weather stayed nice the next morning, and this time Zephyr was truly ready to depart.
The villagers were reluctant, yet respected his decision and gathered to see him off.
To them, Zephyr was nothing like that high-ranking marine officer who had previously come freeloading. During his stay, Zephyr trained the children, promoted their green grape wine, and even used himself as a walking advertisement.
The reason their wine sold so well was largely thanks to him. His departure was naturally heartbreaking.
"This old man has to board the ship."
Zephyr beamed at the villagers, who were sending him off. "Everyone, go back! Even with nice weather, it's still winter! Don't worry, I will come to visit again!"
"Grandpa Zephyr!"
"Zephyr-sensei!"
"Mr. Zephyr!"
Different calls filled the docks. Even Village Chief Martin looked unwilling to part. "Brother Zephyr, didn't you say you'd stay for a year and a half? It hasn't even been one year!"
"Hahaha, can't be helped. They can't do without me over there! Brother Martin!"
Zephyr cheerfully called Village Chief Martin as brother: "Next time I take a vacation, I'll come drink wine with you again!"
"I'll be waiting. Just give us advance notice next time. We will throw a grand banquet to welcome you!"
"I'll look forward to it!"
Zephyr laughed, then turned to Ian.
After a moment of silence, he patted Ian's shoulder with a grin. "Not coming to Marine Headquarters with this old man?"
"No. That place isn't for me."
"Fine then. This old man is leaving. Go keep your wife company!"
Zephyr roared with laughter while glancing at Robin beside Ian, and his voice turned meaningful. "Don't get too drunk in a woman's embrace. If you get weak, you little punk, I'll beat you up."
He turned toward the ship, still laughing boldly.
After only a few steps, Ian called out again.
"Hey, instructor Zephyr."
Ian ignored Zephyr's previous remark and smiled. "If you ever can't survive in the Marines, you're welcome to join me!"
Zephyr paused. Hearing this, he cursed jokingly: "This old man is the Chief Instructor at the Marine Headquarters, joins you? Doing what, becoming a mafia? Get lost! Hahaha!"
This time, he didn't pause, but let out another hearty laugh and boarded the ship.
Binz turned as well and smiled at Ian. "Ian, next time we meet, Ain and I will definitely catch up to you. Also, you'd better properly accept Ain's gift!"
Ian: "...?"
Gift? What gift?
Before Ian could ask, Binz boarded the warship, which slowly pulled away from Sibia Village's dock.
Ian could only give a helpless smile and wave alongside everyone else as the warship left.
Robin stood beside him, watching the ship grow distant, her heart bubbling with emotion.
She never imagined that, as someone wanted by the World Government, she would one day meet the Marine Headquarters' Chief Instructor and a Hero of the Marines, yet not be arrested… instead, she married and became pregnant on this island.
No matter how you looked at it, days like this were simply too fantastical.
Just as Robin was watching the warship leave with a sense of emotion,
Ian waved his hand in front of her. "Let's go. We're heading home, too."
"Okay, dear."
Robin snapped back to reality, a playful smile appearing on her face. She grabbed Ian's hand and followed him back.
After only a few steps, she spoke again in a seductive tone. "Dear, can you tell me what gift Ain gave you?"
Meanwhile, just as Ian predicted, once the news spread that the boss of the Capone Mafia Family might be dead, the entire West Blue Underworld plunged into chaos.
No. It would be better to say that every underworld force in West Blue began a carnival.
Everyone set their sights on the Capone Mafia Family's territory, ready to start carving up the cake.
To them, whether the boss of the Capone Mafia Family was truly dead or not didn't matter. He hadn't shown up for so long. Whether he was alive was already irrelevant.
Even if that guy did return, so what? The cake they swallowed, were they supposed to spit it back out?
However, just as the underworld forces were preparing to start a grand celebration, the West Blue Marine's Branch Bases suddenly took action for no apparent reason. Under the name of cracking down on crime, they stepped right into the Capone Mafia Family's territory.
The underworld forces in West Blue immediately retracted their claws, gazing deeply at the marines, wanting to see what exactly they were planning.
They soon discovered that this so-called crackdown targeted only the Capone Mafia Family.
There was also a small mafia organization in a remote area of West Blue that had dared to gorge itself under the Marines' noses. After witnessing that, the underworld forces understood everything.
They cursed inwardly, then bared their fangs once more, opening their jaws toward the Capone Mafia Family's territories.
It was different from their initial frenzy. This time, they became far more elegant and slow, like they were savoring a lovely dessert.
The entire West Blue transformed from a wild celebration into a refined dessert banquet. Each underworld force's leader also picked up an old piece of intel again.
Information about a small, weak mafia in a remote region of West Blue.
Grado Security Company at Baiscaiborg Island.
There was now additional information attached to it.
A name appeared before the eyes of the Underworld: Ian, retired Lieutenant of West Blue 315th Branch. Suspected of having connections with the upper echelon of the Marine Headquarters.
On the other side, while the West Blue underworld forces enjoyed their cake, the New World was anything but peaceful.
After King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger, was executed, the great pirate age was triggered.
Chaos swept the seas. Countless pirates hoped to follow Gol D. Roger's footsteps and become the new King of the Pirates.
Although a new King of the Pirates had not yet emerged, the New World welcomed four Emperors of the Seas standing at the very top of all pirates' crews.
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