“No.” Gern shook his head, stood up, his cloak swished, his gaze became firm, and his tone was serious.
With an expression that seemed to say “Justice” was endless, he said, “Zephyr-sensei, I’m just choosing to do something more meaningful.
Fish-Man Island, as a World Government affiliate, has long been plagued by pirates; isn’t this exactly where the Marine should be focusing?
If this continues… where is the Justice? Every time I think of this, it pains my heart.
Sensei, even other races need the light of Justice!”
“.........” A silence fell.
The shouts of new recruits training echoed from the drill ground, and the cries of distant seagulls were clearly audible.
Zephyr had just finished listening to Gern’s impassioned speech, and his brow under his sunglasses twitched.
Then, he slowly took off his sunglasses and rubbed his temples with his calloused hand.
“Something more meaningful?” Zephyr’s voice suddenly turned strange, “You just said… Fish-Man Island?”
“Yes, Sensei.” Gern straightened his back, his Justice cloak, with black trim on the cuffs, flapped in the sea breeze.
“The people there have long lived under the threat of pirates and are in urgent need of the Marine…”
“Pfft!” A sudden burst of laughter interrupted Gern’s speech.
Zephyr suddenly turned around, his shoulders shaking suspiciously.
“Zephyr-sensei?” Gern blinked in confusion.
Zephyr spun back around, his usually serious face now beet red from holding back laughter.
He grabbed Gern’s shoulder, his voice filled with barely suppressed amusement, “You brat… that expression you just had… Hahahahaha!”
Gern froze in place.
Twenty meters away, Libo, who was organizing equipment, was so startled she dropped her carrot, and Tesoro was also dumbfounded.
Because those who had been trained by Zephyr… had never seen Black Arm Zephyr laugh so unreservedly.
“Se-Sensei? Zephyr-sensei, please stop laughing, I’m a little scared.” Gern’s voice began to waver.
Zephyr wiped away tears of laughter, then suddenly straightened his face.
“Act! Keep acting!”
He mimicked Gern’s righteous tone from before, “Isn’t this exactly where the Marine should be focusing?” After saying it, he couldn’t help but laugh again.
“Zephyr-sensei.” Gern’s ears slowly turned red: “I’m serious…”
“Oh, come on!” Zephyr slapped Gern on the back, “When did you ever care so much about the welfare of affiliate nations’ citizens?”
Then, he leaned close to Gern’s ear, lowering his voice.
“Kuzan told me everything, it’s for the mermaids, isn’t it?”
“What?!” Gern suddenly looked up, meeting Zephyr’s teasing gaze.
“That dog Kuzan, if I ever get the chance, I’ll beat him up badly! Damn it.”
“You, you!” Zephyr stroked his chin meaningfully.
“Last time it was the fluffy ones, this time it’s Fish-Man Island, next time will it be Sky Island?”
Gern’s expression instantly crumbled: “Sensei, let me explain, Sky Island is possible, but Fish-Man Island…”
“No need to explain!” Zephyr suddenly became serious, “Gern, you’re no longer that naive boy who just arrived at Marineford.
As your master, I now fully understand the enthusiasm of young people for… *cough*… ‘diplomatic affairs’.”
Libo had approached at some point, her rabbit ears perked up high: “Zephyr-sensei, what mermaids? What beauty?”
“No!” Gern clutched his head in despair.
Zephyr, meanwhile, put his sunglasses back on, resuming his usual stern demeanor, though his eyes still sparkled with the light of a successful prank: “Go, go, just remember to bring back souvenirs.”
He turned to walk towards the ship’s railing, then suddenly looked back and added.
“Oh, Marineford doesn’t have coating craftsmen.” His tone softened slightly.
“You’ll have to go to Sabaody Archipelago to find a coating artisan, I’ll approve the documents for you.”
“Thank you, Sensei.” Gern sighed in relief.
“It’s nothing.” Zephyr suddenly placed a hand on Gern’s shoulder, “Listen, no matter what your… peculiarity is!”
“Hmmph?!”
“Oh~ it’s a hobby… it’s a hobby!”
Zephyr paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, “In any case, what Kuzan said is all true, you will always be my most prized disciple, and a master shouldn’t interfere with you.”
Meeting Zephyr’s gaze, Gern had already given up, so he nodded solemnly: “Understood, Sensei.”
“And…” Gern said with a fake smile, “If I get the chance… that Kuzan guy is going to be miserable.”
Zephyr stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly showed a rare smile: “Hahaha.”
He turned to leave, then, as if remembering something, turned back again, “Oh, and take good care of that little rabbit.
She came to ask me last night if mermaids like to eat carrots…”
Gern couldn’t help but laugh: “I will.”
Under Gern’s crumbling gaze, Zephyr laughed loudly as he left, not forgetting to wink at Libo as he went.
“Little Libo, keep an eye on your superior, don’t let him be abducted by mermaids!”
The sea breeze carried Zephyr’s final laughter away, leaving Gern standing on the deck, facing Libo’s burning gaze and Tesoro’s thoughtful expression.
When Gern returned to Libo and Tesoro, Libo immediately came over: “How was it? Did Zephyr-sensei laugh so happily because he agreed to help?”
“Bad news.” Gern deliberately put on a serious face, “We have to go to Sabaody Archipelago first to find a coating artisan.”
Libo’s ears instantly drooped, but then quickly perked up again: “Then shall we leave now? I haven’t had enough fun at the amusement park in Sabaody Archipelago yet!”
Tesoro checked the shopping list his girlfriend had given him: “It’s a good opportunity to replenish some supplies.
Stella said that Fish-Man Island’s specialties and Sabaody Archipelago’s…”
Gern looked at the excited duo, then turned back to glance in the direction of the training camp.
Zephyr had already returned among the new recruits, and his characteristic scolding voice rang out again.
“Let’s go.” Gern turned and walked towards the warship, “Fish-Man Island is waiting for us.”
“Let’s go, let’s go!” Libo skipped along: “I want to buy the biggest, shiniest pearl carrot!”
“There’s no such thing,” Tesoro said, shaking his head helplessly.
“Really, Gern?”
“Definitely, I’ll have them make one for you!”
“Yay! Gern is the best to Libo! Libo really is a companion of Justice!”
“Rear Admiral Gern, you spoil Libo too much!”
“Tesoro, before you say that… please put away the super long shopping list Stella gave you, thank you!”
The sunlight fell upon the three, casting long shadows.
The warship slowly sailed out of the port, heading towards Sabaody Archipelago.
And behind them, the silhouette of Marineford gradually blurred, finally disappearing over the horizon.