Zephyr raised a massive fist, looking ready to pound the "corrupt justice" right out of his fallen student. Dante scrambled to explain himself.
"I'm not joking! Seriously!"
It was only after Dante hurriedly explained Viola's tragic past, and that he wasn't just collecting women for fun, that Zephyr's fury began to simmer down.
With the immediate threat of violence paused, Dante moved on to introductions.
That was where things got tricky.
When Zephyr learned that Kuro and Jango were former pirates, his frown returned.
Dante understood the reaction, of course. Too much had happened over the years. Zephyr was no longer the "No-Kill Admiral" of the past, he now harbored a deep, visceral hatred for pirates.
The problem was, most of Dante's elite subordinates 'were' former pirates. The fact that Zephyr hadn't immediately decked him again was proof that their days of talking had actually made a dent in the old man's worldview.
Dante had to swear up and down that Kuro and Jango were reformed men who would never hoist a black flag again. Finally, Zephyr relaxed, just a fraction, and let out a cold snort, dropping the subject.
Deep down, Zephyr had never forced his personal code of justice on his students, even after his family was murdered and his own philosophy hardened. He understood the reality of this era. As long as a soldier didn't cross the moral event horizon, as long as they protected the justice in their hearts, they were true Marines.
That said...
When he realized Dante had brought Kuina and Nami, he paused looking at Nami another former pirate, Zephyr's fist twitched instinctively. He glared at Dante, eyes wide with indignation.
"You brat... you're really playing with fire here!"
But then Dante dropped the ultimate counter.
"You can't beat me now, anyway!"
Zephyr froze. Stifled by the undeniable truth, he had to lower his fist, fuming helplessly from the sidelines.
Dante exhaled mentally. 'Safe.'
Thank god he hadn't mentioned Robin. If Zephyr knew about 'her', he'd have snapped Dante's other arm just to teach this "corrupt" Marine a lesson, power gap be damned.
Calming down, Zephyr turned his gaze to Kuina. He studied her face, muttering, "The resemblance is uncanny. I was actually confused for a second there."
Dante knew exactly what the old instructor was thinking.
As the former Chief Instructor, Zephyr remembered every student who passed through his training. Even though as Petty Officer Tashigi wasn't at the top of her class, she had shown potential. Zephyr hadn't led her specific graduating batch, but he never forgot a student.
Once Dante explained the situation, Zephyr nodded. "So, they just look alike." He didn't pry further.
--**--**
During the downtime on the voyage, Kuina often invited Ain to spar. Ain was curious about this swordswoman who shared a history with her 'Senpai'.
But the results were brutal.
Despite Ain's talent, she couldn't match Kuina, who had been honed by both Dante and Mihawk.
Ain was crushed. She had worked so hard for years to chase Dante's back, yet now she couldn't even defeat his junior. Her 'Return-Return Fruit' gave her a terrifying edge, she could revert Kuina to a child with a touch, but in a contest of pure swordsmanship, she was completely outclassed.
Zephyr watched his student spiral into depression but felt helpless, he wasn't a swordsman. He nudged Dante to go comfort her. Although Zephyr believed one shouldn't rely too heavily on Devil Fruits, he couldn't stand seeing his student this dejected.
However, before Dante could step in, Kuina took the initiative.
She opened up to Ain about her own past, how her father had looked down on her for being a girl, and how she had refused to let that stop her.
The story lit a fire in Ain. 'That's right,' she thought. 'I might be behind now, but as long as I don't give up, I'll catch up.'
The two women bonded quickly, making a pact: one day, they would go back to that dojo and prove Kuina's father wrong together.
Seeing Ain regain her confidence, Zephyr breathed a sigh of relief. He knew how desperately Ain had trained to catch up to Dante. When rumors spread that Dante had become 'corrupt' and mixed with female pirates, Ain had refused to believe it. She kept training, waiting for their reunion.
But now?
It turned out the rumors were true, and Dante was practically turning Ain into a pirate by association!
The thought made Zephyr grind his teeth. He wanted to thrash Dante for leading Ain astray, but... damn it, he couldn't beat the kid anymore.
--**--**
Despite the grumpy interludes, the atmosphere on the ship lightened as they traveled. Ain trained fiercely with Kuina and occasionally challenged Dante.
But they couldn't train wholetime. Since they were rarely travelled to East Blue, Dante planned to let them relax and get familiar with the new environment.
After all, they were crossing a border.
[You have entered Warlord Bartholomew Kuma's Territory. Please comply with all local regulations. Pillaging and slavery are strictly prohibited...]
[Welcome! We wish you a pleasant voyage!]
As the mechanical broadcast cut through the air, the Neo Marines on deck looked around in surprise. Even Ain and Zephyr looked up, frowning at the source of the sound.
"Warlord... Bartholomew Kuma?" Zephyr's expression darkened instantly. "This is Shichibukai territory? What are we doing here?"
The Neo Marines gripped their weapons, bodies tense. To them, entering a Warlord's waters meant walking into a den of wolves.
"Zephyr-sensei, do we attack?"
"..."
Dante felt a headache coming on. He stepped forward, waving his hands. "Relax, everyone! This is 'my' territory. Nothing's going to happen."
Zephyr whipped around, staring at Dante with disbelief. "You're actually collaborating with a Shichibukai?"
Before Dante could explain his way out of that one, Viola stepped up with a smirk.
"Kuma follows the Boss now," she explained. "We use the Warlord title as a cover because of the authority it grants, but make no mistake, these waters belong to Dante."
Zephyr stared, dumbfounded. "Kuma... follows you?" He frowned deeply. "What the hell are you planning, kid?"
"You know how it is," Dante said, spreading his hands helplessly. "Being a Marine Captain has its limits. I needed wiggle room."
Zephyr fell silent. He looked at Dante for a long moment, then shook his head with a bitter, emotional smile.
"From the look on your face... does Kuzan know? That old geezer Garp, too?"
He sighed, the fight draining out of him. "Fine. You said I'm retired, so I'll stay retired. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. I won't cause you any trouble, and I won't interfere with your work."
Dante suppressed a grin. 'Retire? Not on my watch.'
"Let's save the heavy talk for later," Dante said, his smile returning. "I brought you here to relax. Take a look around, maybe it'll improve your mood."
'And if that doesn't work, I'll send you to Luffy's place to haul bricks for a week.'
"Hmph!" Zephyr snorted, though his face wasn't as gloomy as before. "I'll take a good look, alright. I want to see exactly what you're up to. But mark my words..." He fixed Dante with a sharp glare. "If you cross the line of basic humanity, I will beat you down, former student or not."
"No problem, go ahe-"
Dante didn't get to finish his assurance.
"Commander Zephyr!" a Neo Marine lookout shouted from the crow's nest. "Ship spotted ahead! It's packed with civilians, suspected slave ship! Should we intercept?"
Dante blinked.
'Someone actually has guts to commit slavery in my waters?'
===============
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