The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

"Single-handedly killed a pirate with a bounty of 69 million...a Logia-type Devil Fruit user..."

When he saw the passage where Gern ordered the flags to be lowered, his fingers paused slightly: "Lowering the naval flags? This kid... is interesting."

Garp leaned closer, still chewing on a senbei cracker: "Lowering the flag? Why?"

"Ashport was completely annihilated by the Blood Spear Pirates. By the time the Navy arrived, the entire town was already in ruins." Zephyr's voice was low and somber.

“Gern believes that justice delayed is justice denied and is not even worthy of flying the naval flag.”

Garp's smile faded for a moment, and he fell silent for a few seconds, a rare occurrence, before grinning: "Hey, that's got guts! I like it!!"

Sengoku looked up at Zefa, his eyes questioning.

"What do you think? The Warring States period?" Zefa asked with a smile.

Sengoku was silent for a moment, then chuckled: "Interesting. This isn't something an ordinary branch soldier would say."

“Yes.” Zephyr stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the harbor of Marineford.

"His resume is also quite unique... He joined the navy at the age of ten and only rose to the rank of private four years later."

However, they suddenly rose to prominence after the Battle of God's Island, wiping out sixteen pirate crews within a year.

“However…” Sengoku adjusted his glasses, his gaze sharp.

"His Devil Fruit ability... Logia-type Heaven-Quake Fruit?"

It's somewhat similar to Newgate's Tremor-Tremor Fruit, but fundamentally different.

“The Logia-type Tremor-Tremor Fruit is purer than the Paramecia-type Tremor-Tremor Fruit,” Zephyr said in a deep voice. “Moreover, he is only fifteen years old.”

Sengoku narrowed his eyes slightly: "At fifteen years old, he was able to single-handedly kill a pirate who had returned from the Grand Line with a bounty of nearly 70 million. His potential should not be underestimated."

However…” he paused, “the World Government seems to have some doubts about his abilities.”

"Those guys are paranoid all the time." Garp scoffed. "As long as they're not pirates, who cares what their abilities are!"

And the West Blue hasn't had a new recruit in ages! The Naval Academy just graduated recently, three monster rookies! Hahaha.

Zefa didn't reply, but simply folded the newspaper and put it back on the table: "I've already signed his transfer order, and he'll be reporting to headquarters next month."

Sengoku raised an eyebrow: "Reporting for duty? Zephyr, are you going to personally ask Marshal Kong for people?"

It's worth noting that new recruits like Gern typically spend some time studying at the naval academy after being promoted.

Furthermore, Zephyr has frequently lectured at naval academies in the past year or two, clearly indicating his intention to train new recruits.

Just like the three recent rookie monsters Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino, they were all trained intermittently by Zeff at the Naval Academy.

But if Gern reports directly to headquarters, it would be a completely different story!

Zephyr wanted to keep Gern by his side! Student and master-apprentice are completely different things!

"Haha! I'm already 37 years old, I'm different from you guys." Zephyr stood up, walked to the window, his back as straight as a pine tree.

"Even though there are the two of you now, the new generation also has those three monster students."

But Gern… I checked his file; before he reaped the fruit, he looked exactly like me when I was young.

He is an ordinary person who has no other talents except for being a little strong.

Now that he has gained the power of the fruit, and since he has the potential for advancement, let me personally teach him a lesson.

Chapter 17 Zefa Asks Marshal Kong for People

“But Zefa!” Sengoku rubbed his temples. “It’s not an easy task for you to ask the Marshal for someone! After all, this child was born in the West Sea.”

The Western Sea is a region rife with corruption...

"Hey! Sengoku, is it wrong to be born in the West Blue?" Garp shouted upon hearing Sengoku's words.

"Zeffa! Don't be afraid. Look at my son, Dragon, I still personally take him with me! The Air Marshal is very easy to talk to!"

"You only succeeded because you threatened the Marshal by saying you wouldn't do a mission unless you dealt with Roger. Zephyr would never do what you did! You bastard Garp." Sengoku finished his rant and then tried to persuade him.

“Zeffa, we’ll probably be promoted to general next year, we can wait…”

No sooner had Sengoku finished speaking than Garp slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, spitting scum everywhere.

"Hey, Sengoku! What do you mean 'the three of us'? I never said I wanted to be a general!"

Sengoku's forehead veins bulged as he wiped the senbei crumbs off his face.

"You bastard! Marshal Kong has already been chosen, do you think you can escape?"

"Hahaha! Who wants a job that restricts their freedom!" Garp laughed, hands on his hips.

"I just want to hunt Roger down freely!"

Being an admiral doesn't mean I have to be at the mercy of the Celestial Dragons all day long. It's so annoying!

Sengoku's temple throbbed with a vein: "Garp! This is the Navy's promotion system, do you think this is child's play?!"

"Hahaha! Rules?" Garp picked his nose, looking disdainful. "I don't want to be bound by those cumbersome rules!"

"An admiral? Forget it. I'll say it again: I prefer the freedom to hunt down Roger!"

"You bastard..." Sengoku was so angry that his glasses tilted to one side. "What the naval high command needs is responsibility and discipline, not your lax attitude!"

Garp grinned, revealing his signature white teeth: "That's perfect. You stay as your admiral, and I'll continue as my lieutenant general. We'll leave each other alone!"

Zefa watched the two arguing and shook his head helplessly.

He stood up, straightened his cloak of justice, and said calmly, "You can argue all you want. I'm going to the Marshal's office first."

Upon hearing this, Sengoku temporarily spared Garp, then turned to look at Zephyr, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Zefa, are you really going to go to Marshal Kong in person to ask for the person? I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

“I know,” Zephyr replied calmly, “but Gern is worth a try.”

Sengoku pushed up his glasses, his tone grave: "That kid's performance in the West Sea was indeed remarkable, but his behavior..."

The act of lowering the flag, in particular, would likely displease the Air Marshal.

Garp interjected, "What's there to complain about? That kid's right! What kind of justice is justice that's delayed?"

Sengoku glared at him: "The navy is a disciplined force. Taking down the flag without authorization is a challenge to the system!"

The Air Force Marshal is a traditional military man who values ​​discipline above all else!

Zefa didn't say anything more, but simply walked towards the door, leaving behind a single sentence.

"Rules are dead, people are alive."

……

Naval Headquarters, Marshal's Office.

Steel Bone Sky, a man in his fifties with a spiky hairstyle, was reviewing documents when he heard a knock on the door. Without looking up, he said, "Come in."

Zefa pushed open the door and entered, then stood still and gave a standard military salute: "Marshal."

Hearing Zefa's voice, Kong finally looked up, his sharp gaze sweeping over Zefa: "Zefa? What is it?"

Seeing this, Zephyr said directly, "Regarding Gern Reginald Sigma of the West Sea branch, I would like to transfer him to headquarters to serve as my adjutant."

Kong's brows furrowed instantly. He put down the document in his hand and asked in a serious tone, "Gern? That ability user from the West Sea called 'Skyquake' recently?"

"His abilities are indeed rare, but his behavior..."

Steel Bone Kong placed his hands on the table, his sharp gaze piercing through the swirling cigar smoke as he stared directly at Zefa standing opposite him.

“Zeffa, you should know that the naval academy's system is not just for show.” Kong's voice was deep and authoritative.

“Gern Reginald Sigmar was promoted from the West Sea branch, where corruption was rampant, and his ideology needs to be reshaped!”

Zephyr remained calm: "Marshal, Gern's performance at Ashport has already proven his sense of justice."

"A heart of justice?" Kong snorted coldly and slammed a report onto the table.

"He ordered the naval flag to be taken down! What kind of behavior is this? It's a blatant disregard for naval dignity!"

If every soldier were like him, what discipline would the navy have left?!

Zephyr glanced at the report, his expression unchanged, and calmly replied, "He just thinks that if the navy can't truly protect civilians, then flying the flag is ironic."

“Irony?” Kong’s tone turned colder. “Zef, you’re a veteran too, you should understand the symbolic meaning of the military!”

The flag represents the honor and responsibility of the navy; it's not something to be discarded casually!

"Marshal, Gern's actions are not a rejection of the Navy, but rather a reflection on the current situation." Zephyr looked directly into Kong's eyes.

"The corrupt West Sea Branch brought shame to the Navy, and he chose to prove with his actions that... the Navy should not just be a figurehead of justice."

Even so, his approach was too radical.

How can a soldier who can't even follow basic discipline become a qualified navy officer?

"I think he's a qualified navy officer!!"

"Absurd!" Kong slammed his fist on the table. "The Navy maintains the order of the entire world, not a stage for his personal heroism!"

If he can't even uphold the most basic principle of obedience, how will he lead his subordinates in the future?

Zephyr was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Marshal, when you promoted Garp back then, did you care whether he 'obeyed discipline'?"

“You…” Kong Yi choked, his face darkening slightly as he looked at Zefa staring directly into his eyes.

This was the first time in all these years that Zefa had talked back to him, and it was all over a new recruit.

Thinking of this, Kong softened his tone and said, "Gern is different from Garp. Garp graduated from the Naval Academy and has impeccable revolutionary credentials! But Gern..."

“And Gern,” Zepha interrupted him, his voice firm and resolute.

"He climbed up step by step from the lowest level of menial labor."

He had no background, no talent, and not even luck.

Until a year ago, I received a fruit that changed my destiny.

"Soldiers like these understand the weight of 'justice' better than anyone else."

The office fell silent for a moment.

Kong stared at Zefa, the smoke rings slowly dissipating between them. "It's rare to see someone so persistent on their own."

“Air Marshal, you know…” Zephyr’s clenched fist trembled slightly. “I’m not a born monster like Garp, nor a strategic genius like Sengoku.”

Zefa raised his calloused hands. "I came to Marineford at fourteen with the money the whole village pooled together for the trip. When I first held a gun at eighteen, I couldn't even see the sights."

"He was twenty-eight years old when he finally mastered the Six Styles and was promoted to corporal, while his peers were already officers." His knuckles cracked.

"When Garp earned the title 'Black Arm' at the age of thirty-four, he had already single-handedly defeated eight pirate crews in the New World."

Now they're even chasing after the Roger Pirates...

Marshal, my peak years are numbered!

Garp reached a level I could never reach in just two or three years!

It's even continuing to grow!

But Guern was different; I saw a budding sense of "justice" in him!

He shouldn't have sunk into this state for so long like I have!

"I understand."

Kong stared at Zephyr, his tone softening slightly: "Zeffer, I know you admire him, but the Navy needs more than just strength; it also needs respect for the system."

Zephyr didn't refute, but simply replied, "I'll make him understand that."

After saying that, he turned and left, his steps steady and firm.

Chapter 18 Promotion to Headquarters

Meanwhile, at the training ground of the 133rd branch of the Xihai Army.

Gern stood in the center of the training ground, the Black Blade Eight Desolations slung behind him, surrounded by more than thirty new recruits seated in a fan shape.

Sweat streamed down their young faces, but no one dared to raise a hand to wipe it away.

All eyes were fixed on the figure in the center of the arena.