The seas had descended into chaos recently.
Major events cascaded one after another, as if everything suppressed for over a decade had suddenly erupted at once.
The Red Earl, Patrick Redfield, was captured. Before the excitement over that could fade, Gold Roger conquered the entire Grand Line, found the legendary Raftel, and became Pirate King.
The Marines immediately offered Roger a bounty exceeding 5.5 billion berries, officially recognizing his title, and launched a worldwide manhunt for the Roger Pirates. Warships poured into every sea, including the New World, with relentless determination.
Then, before the dust could settle, the Roger Pirates announced their disbandment in the morning newspaper.
The entire world reeled in shock.
What was happening? After finally becoming Pirate King, he was just... quitting?
Before anyone could process the news, the Marines responded with startling speed. That very afternoon, they published a statement in the News of the World: even if that bastard Roger feared Marine pressure and forcibly disbanded his crew to go into hiding, the Marines would never let this evil man escape. They would hunt down every single member of the Roger Pirates without exception.
The timing was so precise it seemed as if the Marines had anticipated Roger's move.
This lightning-fast public relations guidance allowed the Marines to seize control of the narrative. Now, many across the seas genuinely believed Roger had disbanded out of fear of Marine pursuit. The momentum the Pirate King's rise had given to pirates everywhere was instantly crushed by Marine propaganda.
Combined with the Red Earl's recent capture, the Marines appeared stronger than ever.
First capturing the Red Earl, then forcing the Pirate King to disband his crew? With such a righteous force protecting the seas, what was there to fear? Pirates were nothing special after all.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford. Instructor Zephyr's residence.
Years ago, Instructor Zephyr had established a home in Marineford's family quarters. Then tragedy struck. His wife and child were killed, leaving him with severe physical and psychological trauma. After that, he couldn't bear to return to that sorrowful place.
He'd moved back to Marineford's military district, living in the senior officer quarters like other bachelors such as Sengoku. Compared to Finn's modest courtyard, Zephyr's residence was quite spacious, almost like a private garden with an excellent environment.
Currently, Finn sat cross-legged before a shogi board, playing against Instructor Zephyr. Outside under the eaves, young Lucci diligently trained according to the regimen Zephyr had designed for him.
"Instructor, the King shouldn't always charge forward. It's too dangerous. He'll be captured." Finn smiled as he placed a piece.
Zephyr smiled in return. "Perhaps that's true on the board. But in life, the King should advance bravely. You ask why? Because every piece behind the King represents the future and possibility. Perhaps the Rook or the Knight will become the new King someday. Therefore, protecting that future is the King's duty."
"Thank you for the lesson." Finn nodded softly.
After making another move, Finn glanced toward Lucci in the courtyard. "How's the boy performing?"
"Very well. Just as you said, he's extremely talented and obedient." Zephyr's approval was evident.
After stepping back from the front lines, Zephyr had dedicated himself to the Officer Training Camp. Recently, the camp had been moving toward formalization. Zephyr was committed to transforming it into a proper Marine military academy, a goal Admiral Sengoku and other Marine leadership strongly supported.
Progress was advancing rapidly, with most preparatory work already complete. Right at this juncture, Finn had brought him a promising seedling, requesting he personally oversee the boy's development. With time on his hands and at Finn's request, Zephyr had taken Lucci under his wing. The boy hadn't disappointed him.
He planned to send Lucci to the Officer Training Camp for formal classes once he grew a bit older, then officially induct him into the Marines. This aligned perfectly with Finn's own thoughts, so Finn left those arrangements to Zephyr.
"But you, my boy, have become quite remarkable. Kuzan and Borsalino both say you're the sharpest mind among the younger generation. Even that hardheaded Sakazuki acknowledges your talents." Zephyr's satisfaction was clear.
Ever since the Roger Pirates announced their disbandment, Finn had truly become the Marines' model of a "wise strategist." Even Admiral Sengoku praised him highly.
Originally, Sengoku had occasionally seen glimpses of his younger self in Finn. Now, after Finn's impressive performance, Sengoku increasingly viewed him as a rare talent comparable to himself in his prime.
"It was just fortunate timing," Finn replied modestly.
"Whether fortune or skill, the facts speak for themselves. I'm very pleased to see your growth." Zephyr smiled warmly.
"I'm glad I haven't disappointed you, Teacher." Finn nodded.
He felt genuine gratitude toward both Zephyr and Sengoku. When he'd been in North Blue, perhaps he'd only wanted to use these two Marine leaders to achieve his own goals. But people were flesh and blood. Even though Finn called himself an "egoist," he wasn't truly without feelings.
Facing these two powerful men who genuinely treated him as their protégé and nurtured him wholeheartedly, he'd developed sincere gratitude and respect over the years. Moreover, teaching and guidance were profound gifts in themselves.
"Well then... you came to see me today. Is there something you need my help with?" Zephyr spoke softly after placing another piece, his eyes remaining on the board rather than Finn.
Finn also kept his gaze on the board. After moving his rook forward, he smiled. "The situation seems to be in my favor."
"Don't celebrate too soon. No one can predict the outcome until the final move." Zephyr's tone remained calm.
"Instructor, you really do understand me. How did you know I came with a request?" Finn asked with a grin.
"You clever bastard. You never remember to bring gifts when you visit, but this time you brought a bag of tea. I could hardly believe this was your filial piety manifesting." Zephyr chuckled.
"Ahem. I simply thought that you have everything you need, Teacher. Since you care for me so much, I should bring gifts when I visit." Finn's embarrassment showed slightly.
"Hahahaha, forget it. I'm pleased enough that you visit regularly." Zephyr laughed heartily.
"You talk as if you've truly retired." Finn rolled his eyes.
Though Zephyr had stepped back from the front lines, he still appeared in the Fortress of Justice regularly, especially for important meetings.
"Once the training camp officially becomes an academy, I'll be ready to officially retire from the rank of Admiral," Zephyr said softly. After a pause, he added with some emotion, "Being a teacher is quite fulfilling..."
"Even if you want to retire, the higher-ups probably won't allow it. At minimum, you'll need to retain the Admiral rank for appearances." Finn clicked his tongue.
"That sort of thing doesn't matter." Zephyr waved dismissively.
Before Finn could respond, Zephyr looked up. "So, what do you want to do?"
"I want to ask you to accompany me on a mission and provide support." Finn smiled.
"Support?" Zephyr's brow furrowed slightly as he studied Finn with confusion. "What are you planning?"
"I'm confused about my own strength." Finn met Zephyr's eyes directly.
Zephyr was silent for a moment, then spoke with some emotion. "So you've finally realized?"
"Thanks to Kuzan, I now understand I lack the tempering of blood and iron. Because of this, I cannot truly comprehend how far I've advanced. Therefore, I need a genuine battle." Finn nodded.
Zephyr returned his attention to the board, making a move that shifted the momentum. "So who are you targeting?"
"The Big Mom Pirates. Katakuri, who's been making waves recently and is known as the perfect man." Finn's smile carried anticipation.
At this stage, the top-tier pirate crews in the New World included the Whitebeard Pirates, the Golden Lion Pirates, and the Roger Pirates. The Roger Pirates had already reached the summit and disbanded, so they were irrelevant for now.
The remaining major pirates were somewhat inferior to those three.
The Big Mom Pirates, for instance, were powerful, but not quite top-tier yet. Roger had chosen to simply steal rubbings of Big Mom's Road Poneglyph rather than engage in direct conflict. While Charlotte Linlin was formidable, she wasn't yet considered among the absolute strongest pirates.
Still, she was dangerous. Katakuri, now twenty-three years old. The Roger Pirates' rise seemed to have stimulated Big Mom. She'd begun accelerating construction of her Totto Land kingdom.
Charlotte Linlin had always dreamed of establishing a nation where all races could coexist peacefully. For the past several years, she'd been capturing populations on a massive scale.
According to Marine Intelligence, the Big Mom Pirates were currently targeting the Long-Arm Tribe. Katakuri would soon arrive in the first half of the Grand Line at Kenzan Island to capture some Long-Arm Tribe members and bring them back to Totto Land.
After receiving this intelligence, Finn had immediately decided to use Katakuri as his test, to measure how far he'd truly progressed.
Katakuri was twenty-three. Finn was nearly twenty-two. Age-wise, they weren't far apart. Strength-wise, he couldn't be certain, but reputation-wise, Katakuri far exceeded him. The man supposedly maintained an undefeated record since his debut.
Of course, that didn't mean he was invincible. Against powerhouses like Garp or Sengoku, he'd certainly lose. But maintaining an undefeated record, even with fortune involved, proved his strength.
Finn felt targeting such a person was appropriate. After all, they could be considered contemporaries.