Chapter 5 – A Disciple!
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The Naval Academy at Marineford was known as the cradle of admirals. Its chief instructor, the man who oversaw the training of every cadet, was none other than the retired admiral called Black Arm Zephyr.
During his years as instructor, Zephyr had produced a remarkable line of marines Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan each now a commanding force at the forefront of the navy.
And today, this venerable instructor received a visit from an old friend who was, frankly, a constant headache.
"Hahahaha!"
"Zephyr! I'm leaving this kid in your care!"
"The Roger Pirates have entered the New World, and I've got no time to babysit. This one's all yours!"
"Oh, and here—some fresh tea from the East Blue. Now hurry up and get your senbei, let's have a taste together!"
In his office, Zephyr was drafting the next day's training regimen when the door burst open without so much as a knock. Garp barged in, one hand resting on the shoulder of a red-haired boy, the other holding a small packet of tea.
Zephyr turned in his chair, brows lifting as he took in the sight. His gaze dropped to the tea in Garp's hand—it really was just a small packet.
"I don't keep senbei lying around," Zephyr said, setting down his pen and crossing his arms. "I'm not a child, you know."
He smiled faintly, eyes flicking toward the red-haired youth at Garp's side.
"Eh? Hahaha!"
"No problem! I brought my own!" Garp replied cheerfully, tossing the tea into the boy's hands and pulling a bag of senbei from inside his coat. He grabbed a handful and began crunching away with zero regard for decorum.
The boy standing beside him was Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
Since being knocked unconscious by Garp that day on Ryūgin Island, Yoriichi had become the man's "spoils of war." When he awoke, he found himself already aboard Garp's warship, long departed from the island.
The marines under Garp's command had scoured Ryūgin Island and discovered Yoriichi's makeshift dwelling. Taking in the cave's barren environment and the youth's primitive attire, Garp had quickly filled in the blanks on his own.
A prodigy raised in the wilds, whose dormant power erupted when he witnessed the atrocities of pirates.
As for the more puzzling details his refined swordsmanship, his masterfully crafted blade Garp chose to overlook them.
There were countless martial lineages across the seas, and prodigies were hardly rare. Such things no longer surprised him.
What mattered most was this: before Garp's very eyes, this boy had annihilated an entire pirate crew whose combined bounty exceeded 11 million berries.
In the East Blue still quiet, in these years before Roger's Great Age of Piracy—that was no small feat.
That day, half the sky had been dyed crimson by fire.
The youth who cut through the pirates like a reaper bathed in flame had left an impression Garp would not soon forget.
And most importantly, this prodigious boy did not resist the idea of joining the navy. That, to Garp, was crucial.
For his part, Yoriichi had long let go of any resentment over that punch. Whatever grievances he held were minor compared to the potential benefits Garp's patronage could bring him.
He was no child; he'd learned that the world did not run on likes or dislikes alone. Though Garp's rough, reckless manner did occasionally grate on him, he chose to endure it.
When the tea packet landed in his hands, Yoriichi shot Garp a silent look, then turned toward Zephyr.
Out of respect for the man who intended to introduce him into the navy, Yoriichi offered no complaint. Over the past few days, he and Garp had grown somewhat familiar—enough that Yoriichi would humor his occasional "requests."
Still, this was Zephyr's domain, and Yoriichi had no intention of being discourteous.
"There's hot water over there," Zephyr said with a grin, pointing toward the tea set beside his desk.
As Yoriichi walked past him, Zephyr gave the youth a measured look, his keen eyes taking in every detail.
Then, turning back to Garp, he asked, "So this is the boy you brought back from the East Blue?"
The Ryūgin Island Incident had shaken the East Blue to its core. A marine detachment wiped out, a whole island slaughtered—it was impossible for such an event to go unnoticed within the navy, even if the government tried to keep it quiet.
The pirate crew that had been annihilated carried a combined bounty of only eleven million berries. But that was merely because the Ryūgin Island incident had unfolded before the bounty could be updated.
Had the records kept pace, that crew's total would easily have exceeded one hundred million.
Officially, Vice Admiral Garp was creditd with eliminating the culprits behind the Ryūgin Island massacre. Yet a handful within the upper command knew the truth that the one who had wiped out the entire pirate crew was not Garp, but the red-haired boy standing before them now.
Zephyr was among those few. The previous night, Fleet Admiral Kong himself had given him the heads-up.
"Ah, so this is the one," Zephyr murmured.
"Name's Tsugikuni Yoriichi," Garp said, waving him over with a grin. "Come on, kid say hello to your future teacher, Admiral Zephyr!"
While Garp spoke, Yoriichi had already finished brewing the tea. Carrying the tray with calm precision, he stepped up to the desk and set down two cups—one before Garp, one before Zephyr.
Then he straightened, facing Zephyr squarely.
"Good day, Instructor Zephyr. My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Please take care of me."
He was dressed now in a standard marine recruit's uniform. At his waist hung a long blade, and across his handsome face, a flame-shaped mark burned vividly like a living ember.
Zephyr studied him, one hand resting lightly atop his cup, the other tapping against the desk in thoughtful rhythm.
Seeing Zephyr's silence, Garp raised a brow then barked, voice booming through the office,
"Hey, kid! Louder!"
"I can't hear you!"
"With that tiny voice, you think you can command a warship one day?!"
Yoriichi couldn't help glancing at him, not from intimidation, but because Garp's words sounded oddly familiar. For a fleeting moment, it almost felt like he'd read them somewhere online in another life.
He exhaled softly, then repeated, clearer this time,
"Instructor Zephyr! My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi!"
At that, Zephyr seemed to make up his mind. He gave a small nod, took a sip of tea, and smiled faintly.
"Heh." Garp laughed heartily. "Then it's settled. Zephyr, this kid's yours now!"
"Hey, brat! When I'm back, I'll let you have another taste of my fist don't let me down!"
"Zephyr, I've got other business, so I'll be off. Oh and the tea and the senbei, consider them a token of my gratitude!"
He tossed the half-eaten bag of senbei onto Zephyr's desk, grabbed his teacup for one last gulp, and strode out the door without looking back.
"…"
Zephyr stared at the half-empty bag on his desk, the small packet of tea left on the tray, and the missing teacup from his set. A vein pulsed visibly on his forehead.
After a long moment, he finally turned toward Yoriichi, his expression softening.
"From today onward," Zephyr said, "you are my disciple."
"And as of today, you are officially part of the navy."
"I don't care what you were before, or what kind of life you've led. From the moment you put on that uniform"
"Your only goal is to become an exceptional marine officer."
He leaned back slightly, eyes assessing.
"How old are you this year?"
Zephyr studied the boy before him for a long moment before speaking.
Looking at that young, unrefined face, a rare flicker of nostalgia passed through his eyes.
"About… thirteen, I think."
For some reason, Yoriichi's grasp of his own age was hazy at best.
"I see."
Zephyr nodded slowly, his gaze steady as he continued,
"You're still too young. For now, it's not suitable for you to join the Naval Academy."
"The cadets there are all seasoned elite recruits selected from across the Four Seas."
"And in the navy, we don't send children your age onto the battlefield."
At those words, a faint trace of surprise crossed Yoriichi's face. From the earlier exchange between Zephyr and Garp, he had gathered that Zephyr already knew what he was capable of.
He wasn't boasting, but over the past few days on the voyage to Marineford, Yoriichi had quietly gauged the strength of several marine officers through his Transparent World. Setting aside Haki and Devil Fruit abilities, he was confident that his combat power surpassed that of many so-called "elite" marines.
And yet, to hear that he couldn't enter the academy not because of strength, but because of his age was something he hadn't expected.
"Don't make that face," Zephyr said calmly.
"No matter how strong you are, you're still just a child."
"Until you come of age, you'll remain by my side. I'll personally oversee your training."
"From this day forward, you are my disciple, Yoriichi."
(End of Chapter)