The strange vessel, a massive, floating Jasper Gourd, drifted slowly through the empty air, its slow, steady progress carrying the three figures forward. Soon, it hung motionless above a chasm that plunged thousands of meters deep.
Clinging to the gourd's shell, Jason, Trens, and Crocodile exchanged nervous glances with every downward peek. The sheer height was dizzying. The thought of the vessel failing beneath them sent cold, clammy sweat running down their necks.
"Trens, if you're about to lose control of this thing, speak up!"
Even Crocodile, usually stoic, felt the suffocating pressure and warned the young man.
"Relax. Do you two think I'm some amateur who can barely maintain my focus?" Trens shot back, annoyed, yet brimming with genuine confidence. He could feel that keeping the strange vessel airborne didn't tax him heavily. True, the speed was less than thrilling, but the energy saved was worth it.
"You three have remarkable nerve, sneaking toward the palace of the Celestial Dragons," a voice echoed, cold and deep.
It was Zephyr.
"Old man, you're our captain's prisoner, stuffed inside this thing," Jason scoffed. "Just relax and stop trying to play the scary boogeyman."
"That young brat, his strength is indeed something I've never encountered before." Zephyr's tone darkened noticeably when speaking of Rojen. After a brief, weighty pause, he added, "But if I were to truly unleash my full power, he wouldn't necessarily be my superior."
"Stop with the boasts. If the Captain wasn't your superior, why are you currently trapped in a giant squash?" Trens jabbed, unable to tolerate the Marine's arrogance.
"Marines always have an excuse," Crocodile muttered, joining the mockery.
With Rojen still potentially fighting a Marine assault, the three had no respect left for the former Admiral.
Zephyr's pride took a hit, and his voice erupted in fury. "You insolent whelps! I speak the truth! Though he is strong, after reviewing our battle and carefully analyzing his methods, I saw it!"
"His power lacks a stable core. It has a massive, fundamental flaw." Zephyr sounded genuinely frustrated. "Unfortunately, he landed a stunning blow with his sword early on, and I didn't notice it until now."
"The next time we cross paths, I guarantee this old man won't be defeated again!"
Faced with this dramatic declaration, the three responded with just two syllables:
"Hah. Right."
The short exchange died there. Silence settled over the gourd. Rojen's fate was unknown, and none of them were in the mood to continue trading insults with the old Marine.
"You're intent on breaking into the Celestial Dragons' fortress, yet you haven't even scoped out what's inside. You have guts, I'll give you that," Zephyr broke the silence.
"Old man, what are you trying to get at?" Jason's patience was wearing thin. "Aren't you done yet with the pointless lectures?"
"Big guy, you're Jason, correct? Listen to me. If you abandon this pirate nonsense, learn from me, and join the Marines, I can make the trouble you've caused simply disappear." Zephyr's tone suddenly shifted, sounding genuinely interested in the young man.
"Hah, did the Captain knock you silly?" Jason sneered. The Marine must think they were born yesterday, trying to recruit him in a situation like this.
"I am serious. You possess immense potential. With proper training in Kenbunshoku and Busoshoku Haki, your strength could rival an Admiral's." Zephyr insisted. "I don't lie. If you accept, I will personally teach you."
"Keep dreaming," Jason spat. "Just stay put inside that thing."
But Trens had gone quiet, lost in thought. Crocodile, staring at the looming palace complex ahead, had a distant, calculating look in his eye.
"Even if the Celestial Dragons' defenses aren't the equal of Marine Headquarters, they are not to be taken lightly. The three of you alone will achieve nothing," Zephyr said once more.
"Old Mister, what exactly is your proposal?" This time, Trens asked with genuine curiosity. He sensed the veteran had a deeper motive, something he wanted to reveal.
"At least this young man is polite and respects his elders. Your Captain and those two hulking louts are pure trouble." Zephyr praised Trens while freely insulting Rojen, Jason, and Crocodile.
"In all my years, unless facing the truly vile and brutal, I have never killed. That is why they called me the Non-killing Admiral," he stated. "For those who live by their own code, I have always felt a certain admiration. Even if our paths diverged, that never stopped me from respecting some pirates."
"Roger, for example. Whitebeard. They were men I respected deeply."
"But the Celestial Dragons…" Zephyr paused, his tone growing heavy, laced with a familiar, weary bitterness.
"They are the ones who forged this new era, a monumental feat that deserves acknowledgment. They ended the age of endless conflict and brought a new era of stability. That is undeniable."
"But simultaneously, after centuries, their descendants have become a profound disappointment. Their corruption poisons this stability, that, too, is an objective truth that cannot be ignored."
"They are like a colossal cancer, infecting the world. Yet, they cannot simply be cut out. They have become a vital organ in the world's body politic. Remove them too suddenly, and the world itself would collapse. In a worst-case scenario, it might be destroyed."
Once he started, Zephyr held nothing back. These were words he would never utter to any other person, not even to his fellow officers. His duty as a Marine was to protect them; his role as an Admiral meant he was the face of the Marine organization. If these thoughts were ever leaked, the blow to their reputation would be catastrophic.
But here, trapped within this floating prison, the old Admiral was finally pouring out the painful truth held in his heart.
"Sounds like even you old-timers aren't fans of the Celestial Dragons!" Trens offered a tight smile.
"What they have done is an open secret across the entire world. Anyone with a shred of justice or compassion in their heart would never praise them!" Zephyr let out a cold, cynical laugh.
"A few days ago, I heard four unknowns killed one of them. I said nothing publicly, but deep down, I was satisfied." He followed this immediately with a glance that made the three pirates feel uncomfortable, but they remained silent, unwilling to confirm anything.
"So, I am curious. What is your true goal in breaking into their palace? To what degree are you prepared to go?"
"I can help you. But you must help me first."
The three exchanged a quick, meaningful glance. In an instant, they understood.
"Zephyr, you'd actually help us?" Jason asked, stunned.
"If you help me, giving you a hand in return is a simple transaction," Zephyr replied firmly.
"What exactly do you want us to do for you?" Trens inquired.
"Let me out."
The three instantly adopted identical looks of bitter disappointment, then shook their heads in unison.
"That's impossible. You should give up on that idea."
So, after all that passionate speech, the old Admiral was still clutching at a delusion. Did he genuinely think they were fools?
(End Of This Chapter)
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