The chill of early spring still lingered, and dawn's light was only just beginning to break.
It was March, yet Marineford still carried traces of winter in the air.
Before the sun had even risen, Yoriichi Tsugikuni stepped out of his room. Looking at the quiet courtyard before him, he let out a slow breath.
Just yesterday, thanks to Garp's recommendation, he had become a disciple of Admiral Zephyr at Marine Headquarters. Because of his age, however, Yoriichi Tsugikuni could not enroll directly in the Marine Academy. Instead, he moved into Zephyr's home and began living there.
Now forty-seven years old, Zephyr had suffered a devastating tragedy five years earlier. His family had been killed by pirates he once pursued. After that incident, the Admiral known as the one who refused to kill stepped down from the front lines.
Originally, Zephyr intended to leave the Navy entirely. But after persuasion from Fleet Admiral Kong and friends like Garp, he chose to remain — retiring to a second-line role as an instructor at the Marine Academy, where he trained and mentored the next generation of Marines.
Marineford was a massive complex island. Not only was it the Navy's headquarters, it also served as the residential district for the families of Marine officers.
At the center of the island lay the family housing area.
As an Admiral, Zephyr had been assigned a spacious residence. Yet after his family's death, he had rarely stayed there, instead sleeping in the academy dormitories. Only yesterday did he finally return, bringing Yoriichi Tsugikuni with him to this home filled with memories.
But now, this "home" felt painfully empty.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni understood Zephyr's past well. Even after spending so many years in another world, those memories had resurfaced clearly the moment he saw Zephyr yesterday.
He deeply admired the Admiral's compassion and felt sorrow for what he had endured. At the same time, it gave Yoriichi Tsugikuni a stark and direct understanding of just how cruel this world could be.
A righteous Marine like Zephyr, and yet his ending had been…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni glanced back at the room he had just left. It had once been Zephyr's child's room. Baby toys still rested on the desk, untouched.
Zephyr rarely stayed home, yet the room was spotless, without a speck of dust. It was obvious he cleaned it often. He had never truly let go of his wife and child.
"Oh! You're up early — good. Saves me the trouble of waking you."
"Waking early is a great habit. If you want to become an excellent Marine, a disciplined routine is essential!"
"Did you sleep alright? I haven't tidied up in a while — the room's a bit messy. Hope you don't mind."
While Yoriichi Tsugikuni was lost in thought, Zephyr walked down the corridor and approached him, smiling warmly.
"Instructor Zephyr," Yoriichi Tsugikuni replied with a smile, shaking his head slightly.
"You're too kind. Someone like me, who grew up in the wild, has never lived somewhere this nice."
"The room is clean and comfortable. I like it very much. Thank you for arranging it."
His words sounded polite, almost formal, and Zephyr sensed a faint distance.
But he didn't mind. It was only natural for a child to feel cautious in a new environment.
"I'm glad you like it. You'll live here from now on."
"Garp is often away on missions, rarely at headquarters. From now on, you'll stay with me. I'll take care of you."
"Come on, let's have breakfast first."
"I need to head to the academy later — you can come with me. Even though you can't enroll yet, you can train whenever you have time. The facilities are open, and you can use them when they're free."
Zephyr placed a hand on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's shoulder, the warmth of his palm chasing away the morning chill.
"Alright, Instructor."
From Zephyr's words and actions, Yoriichi Tsugikuni felt a sense of care he hadn't experienced in decades.
Having lived a solitary life for so long, he had almost forgotten what it felt like to be cared for. In his previous life, his mother died early, his father was cold and pragmatic, and his brother had never been good at expressing affection.
All Yoriichi Tsugikuni had known was endless demons and the ceaseless pursuit of the sword.
Zephyr looked at him, then turned to glance once more at the room that had belonged to his child. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a low voice.
"Yoriichi."
"Come to the academy with me today."
"If you don't like it… you don't actually have to join the Navy."
He looked at the boy's young face, momentarily dazed.
If his own child had lived, they would be eight years old by now.
Garp said Yoriichi Tsugikuni was incredibly talented, but the youthful face before him was a constant reminder — this was still just a child.
There were many paths in the future. Becoming a Marine wasn't necessarily the best one.
Wouldn't an ordinary, peaceful life be happiness too?
Yoriichi Tsugikuni was puzzled. Why would a Marine Admiral suddenly discourage him?
"Is this some kind of test?" he wondered.
He shook his head firmly.
"I won't dislike it. I've already made my decision."
"I don't like this world. No matter what others think, I want to do what I can to change it."
His gaze was unwavering.
Zephyr froze slightly, unable to comprehend how someone so young could possess such resolve.
"For a child to feel this way… we Marines really haven't done enough."
A pang of guilt rose in his heart, but he burst into laughter instead.
"Hahaha!"
"Good! That's the spirit!"
"Come on, let's go. I'll show you how great Marines are trained!"
He slapped Yoriichi Tsugikuni on the back enthusiastically.
When they arrived at the Marine Academy, the cadets had already begun their morning training.
The chill still lingered in the air, yet the trainees on the drill field were already drenched in sweat.
"Yoriichi, these people are elites from all four seas."
"The academy isn't a place just anyone can enter."
"Everyone training here has stood out among their branch units."
"And once they graduate, they're assigned directly as officers."
As he spoke, Zephyr led him closer, pride evident on his face.
"Running… this is a bit different from what I expected," Yoriichi Tsugikuni said."I thought training here would be more… unique."
"If it's just running, I think I could join too."
Zephyr smiled faintly and beckoned an instructor overseeing the training.
"Report! How long have they been training?"
The instructor snapped to attention and saluted.
"Reporting to Chief Instructor Zephyr!"
"They've been training for one hour and forty minutes."
"Twenty minutes until warm-up ends!"
Zephyr turned back to Yoriichi Tsugikuni with a grin.
"Running is just a simple warm-up."
"Nothing you'd call real training."
"One lap around the field is one kilometer."
"They run forty kilometers every morning."
"After warm-up, they move on to other training — navigation theory, firearms, hand-to-hand combat, Marine history, and more."
"What you're seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg."
His tone brimmed with pride.
The academy hadn't always been this structured. In the past, trainees learned a few combat techniques and were sent straight into battles against pirates. But since Zephyr became chief instructor, the curriculum had grown far more comprehensive.
Many outstanding officers had graduated under his system.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The academy was far more developed than he had imagined. He had assumed it was simply a place to learn advanced combat techniques and Haki. Instead, it was a true institution for cultivating future commanders.
"Yoriichi, the admission requirements here are strict."
"You need a power index of at least eighty to qualify."
"Do you know what eighty means?"
"A trained adult Marine usually has a score of only ten."
…