"I found a talented guy. Just look at this document, and everything will become clear," Zephyr handed the paper to Kong.
- Oh?... Vice Admiral Curry's son? Is that the same Curry? Fruits? Uh... I have no doubt, but right after you retired, Sengoku came to me asking to take over Vice Admiral Curry's duties. You wouldn't recommend him just because he's Curry's son, would you? - After reading the document, Kong looked at the serious Zephyr and said this with a slight puzzlement.
Kong knew that the Curry mentioned in the document was the Vice Admiral of the Marine Corps Headquarters. There were many people in their ranks, but this man stood out to him. Two years ago, when Zephyr left to teach, Sengoku came to Kong and asked him to hand over the duties of the former Vice Admiral Zephyr to Curry.
Kong was then surprised - why did Sengoku suddenly need to change the vice admiral? What was so special about Curry? Kong decided to study him.
After reviewing the information, Kong was amazed. Curry had proven himself to be an outstanding individual. Along with Z, Sengoku, and Garp, he was one of the first to join the Marines. His career had been smooth – not the best, but not the worst either. He had served quietly for over ten years, becoming a rear admiral, and then fought in the Battle of God Valley. Many stronger than him had died in that battle, but Curry had survived. In fact, according to records, he had not a single scratch after the battle.
"From his experience, a person who came out of such a large battle without a single scratch either has incredible strength or was simply good at hiding. And Curry is clearly not the first case," Kong chuckled. "After the battle,Garp, Sengoku, and Roger were injured. Is Curry really stronger than us?"
The most interesting thing is that after the battle in God Valley, the Marines lost many elite fighters, especially in the positions of vice admirals. The vacancies had to be filled urgently, and Curry, who was only a rear admiral at the time, was among the first candidates. Kong, busy with his affairs, did not bother to look into it and simply approved the list, sending it to the Five Elders.
However, after examining Curry's documents, Kong noticed that his promotion had something to do with Zephyr and Sengoku. Of course, he couldn't know exactly what was going on, but Curry's strength was up to par. He was also an honest man, and his father had served in the Marines his entire life. Given this, connections to the higher-ups were natural. After his promotion to vice admiral, Curry had been doing his job well. Kong, knowing about Zephyr's friendship with Sengoku and Garp, simply turned a blind eye.
In the Marines, connections were important, but Curry had perfected them. His strength was average—not weak, but not outstanding either. He could handle the first half of the Grand Line, but in a few years, when Sakazuki and the other newcomers rose, the old vice admirals, including Curry, would retire. This was known to everyone at headquarters, though it was never officially discussed.
So, after reading the document, Kong, although he trusted Zephyr, couldn't help but wonder. Maybe Zephyr just wants to help the son of his old friend, who is about to retire? If Curry's son is really as talented as the document describes, and is capable of opposing Logia with his abilities, then he is likely to become an admiral, of course - there are few places. But a vice admiral - easily. After all, if this child of the Marines has talent, there is no reason not to pay attention to him. In that case, the Curry family can get a third vice admiral ...
"That's not true. Little Curry really has great talent, much more than his father. Among this group of students, only Kuzan's strength can compare to him, and he's even younger than Kuzan.Two years ago, I already wanted to report to you about little Curry, but back then he was practicing swordsmanship, and it was hard to say whether he would become a great swordsman, so I kept quiet. But recently, he ate a Devil Fruit that is not listed in the Illustrated Book of Devil Fruits. However, his ability is really powerful, probably belonging to the highest tier of fruits related to vegetation. Although it is a Paramecia, the ability to instantly create a large forest is not inferior to Kuzan's ability with his Ice Fruit," Zephyr shook his head indifferently, explaining.
He had already guessed that Marshall Kong might have this idea. After all, he and Sengoku had really used their positions to keep an eye on this older brother all these years. Before he retired, Zephyr had made sure that his older brother was stationed in the least dangerous area of the first half of the Grand Line. Sengoku had gone even further, sending him to the area where the Eastern Blue Sea entered the Grand Line, like throwing a newbie into a beginner's area. Normally, this task could be delegated to an adjutant, but Marshall Kong had apparently decided that it was better to see for himself.
"Forest Fruit… a new Devil Fruit," Kong nodded, murmuring thoughtfully. Although the Marines' Illustrated Book of Devil Fruits had most of the abilities listed, there were so many varieties of these fruits that it wouldn't be surprising if some were not listed. Zephyr and Kong had worked together for many years, and Kong knew what Zephyr was like. If this guy didn't have potential, Zephyr wouldn't have reported him.
...
While Zephyr was telling Kong about Leonardo, Leonardo himself had already returned to his dorm room. He took a shower, closed the door, and began studying his system. The gift that this sheet had given him.
The Marine Academy pays great attention to the students' personal lives. Each has a separate room, because everyone has their own little secrets or hobbies that they do not want to show to others.
Leonardo focused on the feeling of the tree in his heart, recalling his battle with Kuzan. His ability was powerful, but it required a lot of energy. Unlike Kuzan, who used his skills easily and effortlessly, Leonardo felt like every step he took was difficult. Perhaps it was because his ability was too large. With his current level of physical fitness, even after a couple of uses, he would start breathing heavily and his legs would feel weak. For now, the range of his ability was limited to a hundred meters. The larger the radius, the more energy it required. But this was not a problem - over time, his physical fitness would improve, and the attack range would increase.