"Hohohoho! That was something I had no choice about twenty-one years ago."
Sage laughed out loud, "I've told you long ago, you will surely die by my hand. Now, use all your strength and spirit, and declare war on me! We've switched roles now, Zephyr!"
He suddenly pointed to the sky, where a menacing, thunderous sky revealed an exceptionally bright star.
Even though it was still daytime…
"See it? Your Death Star is shining!" Sage sneered.
Zephyr trembled all over, his foot stomping heavily, and the Haki in his hands swirling like a whirlwind.
"Come on, you little brat Sage!!"
He stomped the ground, making a dent, pulling his left fist to his waist, his right prosthetic arm opened and shot forward like a cannonball.
Sszz...
Suddenly, two streaks of black lightning burst from the gathered left fist!
Ultimate Armament Haki!
After going through confusion, downfall, and recovery, Zephyr now showed a stance reminiscent of his peak days!
Navy Admirals, none of them are easy to deal with!
Whoosh!
Sage also stepped forward, and in that instant, a white cocoon enveloped him, crashing toward Zephyr's fist.
"Hundred Ghosts Assault Blade!!"
Sizzle!!
Zephyr's fist halted as it advanced forward, right in front of him, Sage stood in a horse stance, delivering a hand blade that pierced directly through Zephyr's chest, all the way to the back, letting the hand blade, flashing black and red lightning, protrude out.
Sszz...
Sage's hair turned into a blazing white flame, with three war patterns of Haki extending down both sides of his cheeks, his entire body flickering with black and red lightning.
"Full Form·Thirty Times."
He curled his lips, "Originally, I wanted to use the Emotional Face-Breaking Fist on you, but come to think of it, enduring pain suits you better."
Blood poured from the corner of Zephyr's mouth like a gushing stream, trickling down to the ground.
The Haki on his fist dissipated at that moment too.
"This is really..."
He sighed gently, grinning, "A truly powerful force, I've been wanting to tell you, your special force... it really hurts to get hit by it."
"It should, you have no chance of winning against me," Sage said.
"Well... maybe not."
Pop...
His Haki dissipated, but the fist still maintained its forward momentum, tapping Sage's head.
Zephyr winked playfully like a mischievous old man, baring his teeth, "I still hit you."
Sage froze momentarily, then turned vicious, "Stubborn old man, remarkable!"
Sizzle!
He withdrew his arm, flicking the blood off his hand.
Zephyr didn't fall with the action but stood there firmly, his gaze fixed on the broad sea beyond the edge of the island behind Sage.
Behind him, the Neo Navy had already boarded the ship, starting to sail away on the sea.
"Hey..."
He opened his mouth softly, "As an enemy, what do you think of my life..."
"Who cares about that!"
Sage turned and walked away, "All I know is, you're already dead!"
"That's so like you..."
Zephyr chuckled softly, watching as Sage gradually returned to his normal form and shakily lifting his hand to draw out a tobacco leaf from his waist, clenching it between his teeth with all his strength.
"Being taught a lesson by a young fellow, I really..."
...
"Hero of Justice, Z!!"
The kid at the harbor, with a wooden arm, driving away bullies, raised his arm high, echoing the words from his youth.
...
"Old now..."
The aged old man sighed deeply, maintaining the posture with the tobacco leaf, standing there gradually becoming stiff.
"Not going to chase?"
Lily sheathed the White Thunder, looking at Sage as he approached.
"You've already put away your sword, no need to ask. The old guy showed his courage at the end, I won't be so unsentimental, I'll give face to the dead, let's go back."
He led the people to the landing site, where mysteriously, an extra layer of ice had formed.
"How long have you been here, Kuzan."
Sage stepped onto the gangway, then turned to look at the hobo on the ice, hands in pockets, leaning on a bicycle, accompanied by a large penguin.
"Since Teacher Zephyr just recovered, we haven't had a chance to catch up."
Kuzan scratched his head, glancing at the pirate held by Gin, Binz, "Can't you let that guy go?"
"I've let a lot go, this one I have use for, why, you want to fight me?" Sage said.
"Ah, forget it, it's good..."
Kuzan thought for a moment, "Letting that stubborn old man go on, within a year, he would die at the hands of us students. In that case, thinking about it, dying at the hands of you, the Great Pirate, isn't too bad."
He paused, adding, "At least... this time, it's truly fair and square. Thanks, Sage."
Sage gave a cold laugh, stepping into the Death Star, watching as all the pirates boarded the ship, only then did Kuzan move, setting foot on the island.
"Hey, Kuzan."
At this moment, something was suddenly tossed down from the ship.
Kuzan instinctively reached out to catch it, seeing a bottle of wine.
It had a water drop bubble design on it, bearing the name 'JEREZ'... wine.
Kuzan turned to look, just in time to see Sage's figure moving away from the ship's side, the Death Star retracting its gangway, the massive black ship quickly turning, accompanied by a voice.
"Toast a drink to him for me."
...
On the Death Star, Renedia curiously peeked over, "Sage, what did you just toss? I haven't seen you drink."
"Jerez Sherry, cheap sour wine."
Sage smiled for a moment, then sighed slightly, "Also fitting for someone burdened with such confused responsibilities."
"Zephyr..."
Lily said, looking at the gradually shrinking island, "Aside from being terrifying at the end, he wasn't much of a threat the rest of the time, is this the weakening of will?"
To put it bluntly, the Zephyr of Logue Town might have given Lily a sense of crisis, but the Zephyr she encountered on the island, not to mention Sage, she felt she could have killed him herself.
But at the last moment, he was scarier than at any other time.
Release...
Or something else?
"Lily, the weakening of will is frightening, if a person loses their will completely, they can even become ugly."
Sage laughed, "I surely hope you won't turn into a dried-up old lady years from now, flailing a stick as a sword, covered head to toe in stickiness."
"That will never happen!"
The thought of that image sent shivers down Lily's spine, feeling like an electric current running through her.
"Not in a million years!" Lily gritted her teeth and exclaimed.
Sage shrugged, leaning back against the guardrail, gazing at the sky, and chuckled, "Fair and square? That's really damn interesting."
Recalling that stubborn old man's life.
Betrayed in his youth, losing his family.
In middle and old age, betrayed again, losing students.
Now betrayed once more, even losing his career.
An old Navy, constantly betrayed, what's that about?
Dying at my hands, Sage fulfilled his promise and didn't disgrace the old man.
Soon after, the news of Zephyr spread.
Former Navy Admiral, current Navy Guerrilla Inspector General, Zephyr!
In the New World Dehebas Island, fought fiercely with 'Calamity' Norton Sage, ultimately dying in battle to protect his subordinates' retreat!
Overlooking Zephyr's life, he trained many of the Navy's core forces, truly leading the Navy into a golden era.
He was renowned for his 'no kill' policy, with his iron fists traversing the seas, earning him the name 'Black Arm.'
And moreover, he is publicly declared by the Navy to the world as a...
Hero of Justice!