Chapter 68: Sentimental
After finishing his explanation of the Six Powers, Zephyr watched Axel for a moment, expecting the boy to be amazed or at least properly impressed.
Instead, Axel seemed to remember something else entirely.
"Wait," he said. "Earlier, you mentioned that someone specifically asked for me to train aboard a warship. Was that old man Garp?"
That was Axel's first guess.
Garp had just come back, and with that man, meddling in other people's affairs was practically a hobby.
Zephyr let out a laugh.
"Hah. Calling Garp an old man isn't wrong, but no, it wasn't him."
Axel blinked.
"Then who was it?"
"It was Vergo."
The answer hit him so suddenly that Axel almost raised his voice on instinct.
"Vergo?!"
For a second, his mind went blank.
Then everything locked into place at once.
So it had been exposed after all.
Otherwise, why would Vergo go out of his way to ask for him specifically?
Zephyr frowned at his reaction.
"What, is there a problem?"
Of course Zephyr would not suspect anything. In the current Navy, Vergo's reputation was spotless. Hardworking, reliable, friendly to subordinates, ruthless only toward pirates. As far as anyone in Marine Headquarters was concerned, he was exactly the kind of officer worth trusting.
Only Axel knew what that man really was.
He weighed his options in an instant, then decided there was no point provoking Doflamingo even further right now.
"Nothing," he said, forcing his tone back under control. Then, after a beat, he added, "Can I switch?"
As long as he did not end up on Vergo's ship, there was still room to breathe.
Zephyr looked at him oddly.
"Switch? No. The paperwork is already done. You'll report there when the time comes."
Axel cursed inwardly.
So Vergo had moved first and locked the matter down before anyone could object.
Just like him.
Seeing Axel's expression, Zephyr misunderstood it completely.
He thought Axel was uneasy about leaving the camp.
"According to Smoker, the two of you have already met once," Zephyr said. "And while Vergo is a bit too harsh when dealing with pirates, he's known for being very good to his own men. You should be able to get along with him. There's nothing to worry about."
Nothing to worry about?
Axel nearly laughed.
There was plenty to worry about.
If he boarded Vergo's ship, that would be like delivering himself straight into the tiger's mouth. And once they were out at sea, there would be any number of convenient ways for someone to die.
An accident. A storm. A pirate attack. Falling overboard in the dead of night.
The sea was full of beautiful excuses.
Then Axel suddenly remembered something else.
That day on the island, Ain and Binz had also been present.
With Vergo's personality, if he truly wanted to wipe out every risk, he would never have left loose ends without a reason. And yet Zephyr had only mentioned him.
So what exactly was Vergo planning?
He suppressed the question and shifted the topic.
"What about Ain and Binz? Are they staying here for training, or do they have other arrangements?"
Zephyr answered without hesitation.
"Their current level is still far from enough. I plan to keep them in the camp for another year or two."
Axel almost sighed in relief.
Good.
At least those two would not be dragged into the same mess.
Still, his own problem remained.
He needed an excuse.
Fast.
Then a name surfaced in his mind.
"Actually," Axel said, "I already promised old man Garp that I'd continue training with him."
Zephyr paused.
He seemed to consider that seriously.
"If that's the case, I can try speaking to Vergo," he said at last. "That should solve it."
Then his expression changed.
A vein throbbed faintly at his temple.
"Wait."
His voice turned dangerous.
"When exactly did you make that promise?"
Axel froze.
Zephyr narrowed his eyes.
"I only told you today that your training here was ending. So when did you decide on your next instructor? Before this? Behind my back?"
The air in the room suddenly grew heavy.
"Do you think my training is inferior to Garp's?"
There it was.
Axel felt a headache coming on.
It was obvious now that Zephyr was not really angry about Garp. He was angry because Axel had apparently lined up another teacher before even finishing under him. In any normal person's eyes, that looked like a direct comparison.
And Garp winning that comparison would be downright humiliating.
"No," Axel said immediately.
Then, seeing that Zephyr's face was still dark, he added at once, "Absolutely not. If I'm being honest, your training method is much better than his."
That part, at least, was completely true.
Garp's methods were outright barbaric.
Throwing children off cliffs.
Dropping them into wilderness full of monsters.
Using raw pain and terror as physical conditioning.
Compared to that, Zephyr's approach was orderly, progressive, and at least vaguely humane.
Zephyr scratched his head, the earlier anger easing a little under the praise.
Though from the look in his eyes, he clearly knew Axel was flattering him at least a little.
"Your mouth is usually annoying," Zephyr muttered. "But this time your judgment is sound."
Axel said nothing.
It was better not to ruin the moment.
Then Zephyr's expression gradually settled again, becoming more serious.
"Still," he said, "you should understand something."
Axel looked up.
"Not everyone will tolerate your style."
His tone had changed.
There was no humor left in it now.
"And do not underestimate anyone who has reached the rank of Vice Admiral."
Axel frowned slightly.
"Underestimate them?"
"Yes."
Zephyr folded his arms.
"To become a Vice Admiral in the Navy, strength alone is not enough. You survive countless battles. You accumulate merit. And most importantly, you learn Haki."
He looked straight at Axel.
"Never assume someone is weak just because they do not bother using the Six Powers in front of you."
Then he continued, speaking with unusual patience.
"For some people, the Six Powers become unnecessary. Once a person has strong enough Armament Haki, techniques like Iron Body and Finger Pistol lose much of their value. Once a person's Observation Haki is refined enough, Paper Art becomes crude by comparison. And if someone can already unleash devastating attacks with ease, Tempest Kick may no longer matter to them."
He paused.
"It is not that they cannot use those techniques. It is that they no longer need them."
Axel nodded slowly.
That made sense.
The Six Powers were powerful, but they were still techniques. Tools. Once someone reached a higher realm, they naturally relied on sharper tools.
Still, Zephyr's words carried something more than a lesson.
This was a warning.
So Axel asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
Zephyr stared at him for a moment.
Then he said bluntly, "Because I think you're going to do something reckless sooner or later."
Axel's mouth twitched.
That was not exactly an unfair judgment.
Zephyr went on.
"You know what I'm referring to. What you did on that island."
Axel understood at once.
So it had been discovered after all.
Releasing Todd.
That matter had not stayed buried.
Zephyr had learned the truth from the captured pirates, and after pressing Ain and Binz for details, he had pieced together enough to know what Axel had done.
Axel lowered his gaze for a second.
"I see."
Zephyr's voice softened, but only slightly.
"I am not saying this to condemn you. And I will not force my own views onto my students."
He exhaled slowly.
"But if you ever face a similar situation again, think carefully before you act. Releasing a pirate is not a small matter. Many Marines would never accept it. If the wrong person sees it, the punishment will be severe."
His eyes remained fixed on Axel.
"You need to understand the consequences before you decide something like that."
Then, after a short silence, he added:
"I'm telling you this as your teacher."
There was nothing grand in that sentence.
No lecture. No shouting. No posturing.
Just concern.
Pure and direct.
That simple sincerity caught Axel off guard far more than any stern rebuke could have.
So for once, he answered without jokes, without sidestepping, and without hiding behind that usual lazy tone.
"I understand, Teacher Zephyr."
The words came out naturally.
And seriously.
Zephyr clearly had not expected that.
He went still for a second, then immediately scowled as if trying to cover it up.
"When did you get so sentimental, brat?"
.....
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