Yoriichi is someone who sometimes develops an inexplicable sense of mission.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The Marine School at Marine Headquarters is known as the cradle of flag officers. The person serving as the chief instructor of the Marine School at the time was the former Marine Admiral, known as "Black Arm" Zephyr, who had retired from the front line.
During his years of teaching at the Marine School, Zephyr has successively trained a series of excellent Marine officers and soldiers who are now active on the front line, including Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan.
And today, Chief Instructor Zephyr received a dear friend who gave him a headache.
"Hahahaha!"
"Zephyr, I'm handing this kid over to you for instruction for now!"
"The Roger Pirates have entered the New World, and I don't have time to look after kids right now. This guy is yours."
"Here, this is some new tea I brought back from the East Blue. Hurry up and get out the rice crackers (senbei), let's try this tea together!"
Inside Zephyr's office, Chief Instructor Zephyr was setting up the training plan for tomorrow's students. Just then, Garp walked right in without knocking, leading a red-haired kid, and immediately greeted Zephyr.
Zephyr, sitting in his chair, turned his head and saw Garp enter the office with one hand draped over the shoulder of the boy beside him, and the other hand holding a small packet of tea leaves.
Zephyr's gaze fell on the tea leaves in Garp's hand; there really was only a small packet!
"How could I have something like rice crackers here? I'm not a child."
Zephyr put down his pen, crossed his arms over his chest, turned to Garp, and said with a smile, his gaze then falling onto the red-haired young man beside Garp.
"Ah?!"
"Haha!"
"It doesn't matter, I brought my own. Go make the tea."
Garp casually handed the tea leaves to the young man next to him, and then took out a packet of rice crackers from his own pocket, grabbing a handful and tossing it into his mouth.
The young man accompanying Garp was precisely Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
After being knocked unconscious by Garp on Dragon Roar Island that day, he became Garp's "trophy." When he woke up, Garp had already taken him aboard the ship and left Dragon Roar Island.
During the investigation by Garp's subordinates, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's "temporary residence" on Dragon Roar Island was naturally discovered. Garp, combining the environment of the cave with Yoriichi Tsugikuni's clothing and appearance, naturally concocted a backstory for Yoriichi Tsugikuni in his head.
A gifted youth who grew up abandoned in the wilderness, who, after witnessing the evil deeds of Pirates, unleashed an unprecedented power.
As for other questionable aspects of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, such as his sword style and his finely crafted katana, Garp chose to overlook them.
There are simply too many people on the sea with hereditary skills, and too many people with outstanding talent. Garp was long accustomed to it.
Of course, most importantly, under Garp's witness, Yoriichi Tsugikuni single-handedly slaughtered an entire pirate crew whose total bounty was 11 million Berries.
In the East Blue, which is under Marine control, and in the current era before Roger initiates the Great Pirate Era, there are not many pirate crews with such a bounty.
That day, half the sky was stained red by flames.
The gorgeous swordsmanship displayed while charging through the Pirates, that young man who looked like an Asura, left a deep impression on Garp.
Furthermore, this exceptionally talented young man was not opposed to joining the Marines. This was important. And Yoriichi didn't mind that Garp had knocked him unconscious without reason at the time. Compared to the benefits Garp could bring him, a little grievance was a minor matter.
He was an adult; the criteria for measuring things were no longer simply like or dislike, even though he was a bit unhappy with Garp's style.
The tea was tossed into Yoriichi Tsugikuni's hand. Yoriichi glanced speechlessly at Garp beside him and looked at Zephyr.
Considering Garp intended to introduce him into the Marines, Yoriichi Tsugikuni had long forgotten the punch the other party gave him. After spending these days together, Yoriichi and Garp had become somewhat familiar, and Yoriichi wouldn't refuse Garp's occasional "errands."
However, this was, after all, Zephyr's territory, and Yoriichi was not so inept at social customs as to be rude.
"The boiled water is over there."
Zephyr saw Yoriichi looking at him, smiled at Yoriichi, and pointed to the tea set beside the desk. Watching Yoriichi Tsugikuni walk past him, Zephyr carefully scrutinized Yoriichi Tsugikuni from top to bottom, then asked Garp.
"Is this the kid you brought back from the East Blue?"
The Dragon Roar Island incident in the East Blue caused quite a stir, after all, an entire branch unit was wiped out. Although the Marines blocked the news, the incident had a significant impact within the Marines.
The bounty of the destroyed pirate crew was only 11 million Berries because the Marines hadn't updated the bounty in time after the Dragon Roar Island incident.
If the bounty had been updated promptly, that annihilated pirate crew would have been worth over 100 million Berries.
Ostensibly, "Fist" Garp dealt with the culprit of the Dragon Roar Island incident, but a few high-ranking officials knew that the person who slaughtered the pirate crew was actually the red-haired young man in front of them.
Zephyr was one of the insiders. Fleet Admiral Sora the Steel Bone had already informed him last night.
"Ah! That's the kid."
"His name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
"Come on, kid, greet your future teacher, Marine Admiral Zephyr!"
Garp introduced him while gesturing to Yoriichi Tsugikuni. By this time, Yoriichi Tsugikuni had finished preparing the tea and walked up to Zephyr and Garp with the tea tray.
He placed the two cups of tea on both sides of the desk, stood straight before Zephyr, and introduced himself:
"Teacher Zephyr, hello. My name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni, please guide me."
At this moment, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was wearing a standard Marine sailor uniform, with a long sword hanging at his waist. He stood tall, and a flame-shaped mark was visible on his handsome face.
Zephyr looked at the person in front of him, rested one hand on the teacup, and lightly tapped the desk with the other, seemingly deep in thought.
Seeing Zephyr's demeanor, Garp raised an eyebrow and bellowed at Yoriichi Tsugikuni:
"Hey, kid, speak up!"
"I can't hear you!"
"How do you expect to command a warship if you speak so quietly?!"
Garp's words made Yoriichi turn his head involuntarily. It wasn't just because Garp was loud; it was purely because Yoriichi Tsugikuni felt he had heard Garp's words somewhere before. For a moment, he thought he was back to surfing the internet...
"Teacher Zephyr, hello. My name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
Snapping out of his daze, Yoriichi Tsugikuni spoke with a clearer voice.
Only now did Zephyr seem to have made a decision. He nodded slightly while taking a sip of the tea.
"Heh!"
"Zephyr, I'm leaving this kid with you."
"Hey, kid, when I get back, I'll let you try my fist again. Don't disappoint me!"
"Zephyr, I have things to do, I'm leaving now."
"Here, consider that bag of tea and this bag of rice crackers as my thanks to you."
After Garp finished speaking, he tossed the half-empty bag of rice crackers onto the desk, grabbed the teacup, and turned to leave the office.
"..."
Zephyr looked at the half-bag of rice crackers on the table, the small bag of tea leaves on the tea stand, and the tea set with a missing cup, and veins pulsed on his forehead.
After a long time, Zephyr turned to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his expression softening.
"Starting today, you are my disciple."
"Also, starting today, you officially join the Marines."
"I don't care what you did before, nor what your past experiences were like. Since you have joined the Marines and become my disciple."
"Then, becoming an outstanding Marine flag officer is your goal!"
"How old are you this year?"
Zephyr asked, looking at Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Looking at the young, innocent face, Zephyr felt a momentary sense of distraction.
"About... 13, I think."
For some reason, Yoriichi had a vague sense of his own age.
"Hmm."
Zephyr looked at Yoriichi's face, nodded, and continued:
"You are still too young; you are not suitable to be a member of the Marine School for now."
"Those training there are mature elites recruited from the Four Seas."
"And there is no possibility in the Marines of sending a child your age to the battlefield."
Hearing Zephyr's words, a hint of surprise appeared on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's face. From the conversation between Zephyr and Garp just now, he understood that Zephyr should know about his abilities.
It's not Yoriichi Tsugikuni bragging, but over the past few days since arriving at Marine Headquarters, he could roughly judge the strength of some Marine officers through the See-Through World (Transparent World). Disregarding Haki and Devil Fruit abilities, he believed he was much stronger than many Marine "elites."
But judging by Zephyr's words, he couldn't even enter the Marine School, and the reason was... his young age?!
"Don't make that expression."
"No matter how strong you are, you are still just a child."
"Until you reach adulthood, you will stay by my side, and I will personally train you."
"From today on, you are my disciple, Yoriichi!"