Zephyr stood in the torrential rain without any cover, letting the rain soak his short purple hair and slide down his resolute face. His coat was soaked through, clinging tightly to his body, looking a bit disheveled.
Zephyr opened his mouth, looking at all this.
For a moment, this battle-hardened Marine Admiral was actually a bit dazed.
This is... meteorological observation?
This kid calculated that there would be a major rainstorm at this time? And he could be accurate to the second?
This level of Navigation perception... even the veteran Navigators at the Headquarters who have served for decades couldn't achieve this, right? Is this some kind of mutated application of Observation Haki?
"Truly... a scary monster."
Borsalino shrank under the umbrella, looking at Tatsuki's back, a sense of genuine awe rising in his heart for the first time toward this trash-talking peer.
Tatsuki poked half his head out from under the umbrella and shouted loudly to the drenched Zephyr in the rain, a pure and harmless smile on his face, "Zephyr-sensei! Look! Since the mission is successfully completed, can we go to the cafeteria to eat?"
"I heard there's a special supply of Sea Kings sashimi tonight. If we're late, it'll be gone."
Zephyr took a deep breath, feeling his chest tighten.
He really wanted to punch that punchable face of this kid out of shape. He really did.
But... the mission was indeed "completed." And it was cleaner than any manual hand-scrubbing.
This kind of wisdom—utilizing the environment and taking advantage of the situation—is often more important than mere brute force on the ever-changing battlefield.
This is a rare commander talent.
But...
Zephyr looked down at the black tea tin on the ground that had been knocked over by the rain, with tea leaves flowing everywhere, and his heart bled.
That was my limited edition!
"Get out!!!"
Zephyr squeezed the words out from between his teeth, his voice hoarse and trembling.
"Alright! Borsalino, run! If we're late, the meat will all be snatched by Kuzan!"
"Coming. Tatsuki, wait for me."
Looking at the backs of the two running towards the cafeteria in the rain, Zephyr took off his wet sunglasses and slammed them onto the ground.
He wiped the rain off his face, looking at the bright-as-new deck, both angry and helpless, and finally laughed in spite of himself, with a hint of hard-to-detect relief in that smile.
"Tatsuki... Hmph, what an unexpected brat."
"But stealing my tea... this debt, I'll settle it with you properly later."
—
After retreating unscathed from Zephyr, Tatsuki felt exceptionally refreshed. He even felt that the grilled steak in the cafeteria looked appealing.
Inside the New Recruit cafeteria, the torrential rain outside didn't affect the New Recruits' appetites at all. The clatter of trays rose and fell.
On a table in the corner, plates were stacked higher than a person.
Crunch... Crunch...
Kuzan held a large bone in his hand, eating in a bold manner.
Opposite him, Tatsuki leisurely sliced a steak, his elegant movements at odds with the crude surroundings.
"Mm... Tatsuki."
Kuzan swallowed a mouthful of meat with difficulty, his cheeks bulging like a hamster's, a light of gossip in his eyes.
"Have you heard? Sakazuki..."
"What happened to him?" Tatsuki speared a piece of beef.
"Did I break his brain, and he decided to retire back to his hometown in the North Blue to sell sweet potatoes?"
Kuzan rolled his eyes. "What are you thinking? He wanted to get out of bed as soon as he woke up this afternoon."
"The doctor wouldn't let him, so with one hand on an IV drip, he used the other to lift the hospital bed while doing squats. He kept mumbling nonsense like 'Justice shall not fall.'"
Kuzan made an exaggerated gesture, looking speechless. "The head nurse was scared to tears by him. Now they're rushing high-calorie liquid food into him. I heard he wants to eat back all the blood he spat out this morning."
Tatsuki put down his utensils, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and a look of compassion appeared on his face. "That's moving."
He sighed and shook his head. "As his dear friend, my heart breaks to hear that he's neglecting his health like this."
"What are you planning? Hey, Tatsuki, I'm warning you." Kuzan lowered his voice, glancing around.
"If you go and provoke him again, Zephyr-sensei really will throw you into the sea to feed the fish."
"Nonsense."
Tatsuki stood up. "I'm going to offer some warmth. By the way, does the Logistics Department have any leftover flowers from decorating the venue?"
Kuzan was taken aback and instinctively replied, "I think so. A batch of white chrysanthemums was just delivered this morning for a memorial service for some old Vice Admiral at Headquarters who died of illness... Hey! Why are you asking about that?!"
Before he finished, Kuzan's eyes widened, looking at Tatsuki as if he were a devil.
No way.
Could he...
"Great, I'll take those."
Tatsuki snapped his fingers, his eyes clear. "White represents pure, flawless justice. Chrysanthemums represent... uh, unyielding character. It's practically tailor-made for Sakazuki."
"Kuzan, do you want to come along? To witness the rebirth of our comrade."
"No! Not even if you kill me!" Kuzan shook his head like a rattle. "I want to live for a few more years."
"What a pity."
Tatsuki shrugged and turned toward the door.