"Black Arm Zephyr…?"
"Yeah. Apparently he used to be a Marine Admiral. Now he's an instructor at Marine Headquarters, training new recruits. They say he brought his unit to this island for training exercises."
After striking out at several inns, we finally found one with a room. It was small and cozy, the kind of family-run place that felt more like someone's home than a business. A guest had just checked out, leaving a room open by sheer luck.
We were eating dinner at a nearby tavern when it came up. I'd taken a seat at the counter, and as I chatted idly with the owner between bites, the conversation drifted there.
According to him, the Marines in town weren't here on official business—they were on "training exercises." And the officer leading them was the former Admiral everyone was whispering about.
His epithet was "Black Arm Zephyr."
Even after retiring from active duty, he still trained countless Marines as an instructor. Sometimes he even went to the front lines with his students, using his own strength to keep the seas peaceful—at least, that's what people said.
The tavern owner knew because the young Marines wouldn't stop talking about it.
"Our sensei is incredible!" they'd gush, eyes shining.
When you hear the same proud story from nearly every Marine who walks through your door, you don't need to try to remember it. It sticks.
Zephyr must be deeply respected, I thought.
But the truth was… I'd known about "Black Arm Zephyr" for a long time.
Not only that—I'd met him once. Back when he was still an active Marine Admiral.
Of course, there was no way he remembered me. It had been over fifteen years, and we'd exchanged only a handful of words.
Back then, I still lived in my hometown.
And then pirates attacked.
Admiral Zephyr rushed in and saved the town—saved me.
I could still see it as if it were yesterday.
A pirate's sword had come down toward me. Another second and I would've been dead. But Zephyr's arm—coated in pitch-black Armament Haki—cut through the air and sent the pirate flying as if he weighed nothing.
Right after that, he barked orders for his men to protect me, then he and the rest of his crew plunged into the fray… and wiped the pirates out in the blink of an eye.
The townspeople had hailed him like a hero, but Zephyr hadn't seemed to care. He left almost immediately after it was over.
For a while, the whole town buzzed with stories. The name and deeds of Marine Headquarters Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr became local legend, told and retold until it felt like common knowledge.
If you grew up in that kind of place, you absorbed those stories whether you meant to or not.
I was genuinely grateful. And when I thought about how many other towns, countries, and people he must have saved the same way… it was impossible not to respect him.
His students probably felt that even more strongly. They were closer to him. They'd seen him over time, not just in a single flashing moment.
Still, despite his reputation, Zephyr retired not long after saving our town. I never learned why.
Since then, he'd become an instructor—raising Marines in the field, forging them into something stronger.
And now he was here, doing exactly that.
"He's out on a training voyage with a bunch of his students," the tavern owner said, repeating what he'd heard straight from the Marines themselves.
…Honestly, part of me wanted to speak to him. Just once.
But I couldn't exactly barge in and interrupt his work. And if some random civilian suddenly showed up saying, "You saved me fifteen years ago," he'd probably just blink in confusion.
Maybe it was enough to thank him silently. He was here to rest with his students and enjoy the island while they could.
Yeah. I should leave him alone.
If the chance ever came, though… I might change my mind.
---
Morning came, bright and clear.
"Guest! Breakfast is ready!"
"Okay, okay—thanks! I'll be right there."
The innkeeper's daughter—maybe four or five—knocked on my door to tell me. This place didn't serve dinner, but breakfast was included.
When I stepped into the corridor, I saw her move to the room next to mine and knock again, calling out the same message.
No answer.
She tried two, maybe three times, then—probably not wanting to be a nuisance—she drooped a little and shuffled to the next door.
I felt a twinge of sympathy. The way she looked so earnestly disappointed was… unexpectedly cute.
After a simple breakfast in the dining hall, I sat down and thought about what to do next.
I was only stopping on this island on my way home. I didn't have any real plans. And the island didn't seem to have much in the way of sightseeing, so there wasn't much reason to linger. Nothing that would qualify as an "experience," really.
So the plan was simple: eat, rest a little, then leave.
But then—
"…Huh? What's with the noise outside?"
Just as I was about to head to the front desk to check out, I caught an unusual commotion from beyond the inn's walls.
And it didn't sound harmless.
I reached out with Observation Haki.
It wasn't just loud voices. Fear and panic pulsed across the island—everywhere at once.
…It felt exactly like the moment pirates or bandits descend on a peaceful town, when calm shatters and chaos spills into the streets.
"Master! It's trouble!"
"Hey—what's going on?" the innkeeper snapped at the man who'd rushed in. "You're from the bar next door, right?"
"Pirate ships—offshore. And there are a lot of them!"
"W-what?!"
The innkeeper went pale.
So my bad feeling was right… And multiple ships? That's worse.
Is it one massive crew? Or several crews moving together? Either way, this could get ugly.
I'd taken a light look around town yesterday. It didn't seem like they had proper defenses, and there was no real militia—nothing that could stand up to pirates.
(…Wait. But there is someone here right now.)
Before I could think further, the bar owner lifted both hands quickly.
"Calm down, Master. Hear me out."
"It's fine—apparently. The Marines staying here said they'll drive them off. They're gearing up to deploy right now. They were full of confidence—said they'd crush every last ship."
Relief flooded the innkeeper's face so fast it was almost visible.
"R-really?! Then we'll be alright… It's a former Marine Admiral and his men, after all."
"Yeah. Still, they said we shouldn't go outside until it's over, just in case. The town's self-defense group is going door to door spreading the word. So lock up tight and stay inside until it's all clear."
"Yeah… yeah, I will. Whew—thought we were done for."
Only then did the innkeeper notice me standing nearby.
"Ah—guest. I'm sorry you had to hear that. Please don't go outside for a while. Don't worry about checkout time or anything—just stay put."
"Ah… yeah. That makes sense."
If a Marine ship and pirate ships were about to clash at sea, there was no way I could set sail anyway. Taking his advice was the sensible move.
After the bar owner left, the innkeeper locked the entrance from the inside.
At the same time, he told his wife and the little girl from earlier to go around and inform the other guests.
With nothing to do but wait, I returned to my room.
I just hope this ends cleanly.
If Zephyr is leading them, I'm not too worried about their strength—even if most of them are new recruits. But those multiple pirate ships… that's what bothers me.
In situations like this, the real danger is a diversion: one group draws the main force away while another slips in and hits the town itself.
I'd seen it happen more than once.
Like that time at Fireworks, when I fought Smoker.
…If it comes down to it, I may have to help. I wonder if there are any bounty targets aboard.
---
Purupuru, purupuru
Gacha.
"…It's me. We need to discuss the deal."
"Hey, uh… what do we do? Are we really going through with the trade today?"
"That's my intention. Is there a problem?"
"A pirate crew is attacking the island right now. Well, they haven't landed yet, but it's causing a huge commotion. The Marines are here too, so it's pretty dangerous…"
"We're aware of the situation. Don't worry. In fact, it's convenient for us."
"…What do you mean by that?"
"The Marines are deploying most of their forces to intercept the pirate fleet at sea, leaving only a skeleton crew at the port. Even Former Marine Admiral 'Black Arm' Zephyr is joining the expedition. That means the town's internal defenses will be severely weakened. And with everyone holed up indoors, there's virtually no risk of being seen. Perfect conditions for our transaction."
"I… I see…"
"We've already identified the inn you're staying at. Leave the window unlocked. We'll be there in an hour. No one will notice. It'll be quick, so wait."
"Got it. Hihi… I'm counting on you, officer. You'll pay properly, right?"
"Of course. Don't worry about a thing. This won't take long at all."
To be continued...