"Hmm!?"
Zephyr looked over in surprise. It was just as Binz had said.
A warship, indistinguishable from a Marine vessel, was heading their way, and a man and a woman on the deck were waving at them.
The woman was graceful and composed. It was none other than forr admiral-candidate Gion.
The man was tall and striking. It was the legendary God Slayer, Caelan.
"What are they doing here? Did they co to laugh at ?"
Zephyr's expression tensed as he muttered in disbelief.
This God Slayer had been a constant headline-maker, stirring up major events every other week.
He had an absolutely hostile relationship with the World Governnt, and the Marines considered him a thorn in their side.
Especially since he had poached Marine talent multiple tis, which had given the Marines endless headaches.
Wait, is he here to recruit ?
As the opposing warship drew nearer, the thought surfaced despite himself.
It was entirely possible. From Tashigi in the East Blue to admiral-candidate Momousagi Gion, and over two thousand officers from G-5, this God Slayer was relentless in recruiting Marines. It was understandable that he would co for Zephyr now.
"But I won't join any Neo Navy."
Zephyr snorted coldly, holding to his principles.
The Neo Navy had forr Warlords among them. They were not as intolerable as Whitebeard II, but the idea still unsettled him.
He might be overthinking it. The two of them could be here for sothing else.
Watching the warship draw closer, Zephyr grew more and more tense.
Regardless of their purpose, facing a top Yonko-class figure alone was pressure enough.
Before the ships had even linked, when they were about a hundred ters apart, Caelan and Gion leapt into the air and landed before Zephyr.
"It feels so strange to see you like this, Mr. Zephyr," Gion said with a sigh.
The last ti she had t Zephyr was two years ago.
Back then, she was still a promising admiral-candidate, and Zephyr was the universally respected instructor of the Marines.
Now they t again, and she was the Neo Navy's admiral, hostile to the World Governnt, while Zephyr had been forced out of the Marines.
How could she not sigh? The two least likely to leave the Marines had left.
"Long ti no see, Gion," Zephyr sighed as well.
She had already done so well after leaving, while he was only just starting out.
The two exchanged a few words and spoke briefly of their experiences.
Caelan didn't interrupt their reminiscing. It would only help later to strengthen their bond.
He simply observed the two apprentices beside Zephyr.
Ain had long, sea-blue hair, a delicate face, and a slender figure. In her crisp Marine uniform, she looked like a brave, petite beauty.
Binz stood straight-backed, vibrant with energy.
"Maybe I should put in so effort with them later," Caelan thought.
He knew recruiting Zephyr would not be easy, and starting with Ain and Binz would be a wise move.
They were the only students who had survived that incident and had remained with Zephyr ever since. Emotionally, they were as close as family.
As Caelan studied Ain and Binz, they were also observing him.
"So this is the legendary God Slayer. He really is extraordinary."
Ain and Binz examined Caelan carefully and sighed under their breath at the sa ti.
Even doing nothing, just standing there, he possessed the dignity of a mountain.
He was not arrogant like many powerful pirates they had encountered. He was more like Sengoku, with a restrained, commanding aura.
At first sight, Ain and Binz felt a favorable impression of Caelan.
Soon, Gion and Zephyr finished catching up, and Gion shifted the topic to Caelan. "This is the commander-in-chief of the Neo Navy and my direct superior, Caelan."
"Hello, Chief Instructor Zephyr," Caelan said with a warm smile, extending his hand.
He knew that what Zephyr took the most pride in was not his ti as an admiral, but his title as the Marines' chief instructor who had trained most of their elites.
"Hello, Mr. Caelan," Zephyr replied with a smile, feeling so goodwill toward him. Then he added self-deprecatingly, "But I'm no longer the chief instructor. I'm just an old man now."
"In the hearts of your countless students, you are still the instructor who taught them tirelessly," Caelan replied, offering praise instead of argunt.
This old man was like that. He would refuse what he liked to hear, then appreciate it more when others insisted.
Sure enough, Zephyr's face brightened, feeling respected.
"Enough of that. You didn't co all this way just to reminisce, did you?" Zephyr waved it off with a modest smile. "Or did you co to watch make a fool of myself?"
He had once looked impressive in the Marines, but now he was little more than a stray dog.
Talking to Caelan now, even with the man's intent to recruit him, allowed him to vent so of his frustration.
"Of course not. On the contrary, I sympathize with your situation," Caelan said seriously. "I'm here to invite you to join the Neo Navy, Chief Instructor Zephyr."
"So it's true."
Zephyr looked at Caelan with a complicated expression.
This man really had his sights set on the Marines. He moved the mont sothing happened.
He had only left the Marines a day ago. Many of his disciples out on assignnt didn't even know yet.
Yet Caelan, a world-class powerhouse, had already co to find him and invite him.
If nothing else, the gesture alone left a good impression.
He wanted Sengoku to see that it wasn't that no one wanted him. It was that the Marines didn't. Others certainly did.
"I appreciate your kindness, Lord Caelan, but I have no intention of joining the Neo Navy," Zephyr said with an apologetic smile.
You don't strike a man who greets you with a smile. Caelan had treated him with courtesy, so he had to give face.
But he had just been wounded by the Marines. He didn't want to risk being wounded again.
"It seems the Marines have truly hurt you," Caelan said, unbothered by the refusal.
It would be strange to win Zephyr over with just a few words.
"My Neo Navy will never allow pirates to plunder legally in exchange for power. Even if we must subdue so pirates, they will receive no unreasonable privileges.
"My Neo Navy will have no privileged Celestial Dragon class. We exist for one purpose only, to protect nations and people, and to punish evil. We need Berries, but not for the World Governnt's oppression or pirate plunder. They are for maintaining order and paying those who work for it.
"Chief Instructor Zephyr, I sincerely invite you to join the Neo Navy. Join a purer force of justice. You can make the Neo Navy into what you want it to be."
Caelan t Zephyr's gaze, his tone earnest.
Hearing this, Zephyr still hesitated, but Binz and Ain were already captivated.
The Neo Navy as Caelan described it was exactly the Navy they had dread of when they first enlisted.
"Mr. Zephyr, please join the Neo Navy and help ," Gion added. "I've been a bit too busy lately."
"This…"
Zephyr wavered.
What Caelan described was almost identical to the force he wanted to build.
Other than the pirates under Caelan, he didn't want any pirate stain at all. But at present, Caelan already had Moria and the Empress under his command, and he could not demand Caelan cast them out.
Aside from that, the Neo Navy's principles were very much to his taste.
Should he join?
(To be continued.)
***
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