Once Zephyr's orders were given, the people around immediately took action to monitor the shore.
Zephyr then refocused his attention on Ian and asked coldly: "Are you here to stop me as well?"
Before Ian could respond, Ace seemed to understand it was his turn and jumped out.
Looking at Zephyr seriously, he said, "Zephyr-sensei, please don't destroy the New World. There are still so many people here."
"Naive!"
Zephyr raised an eyebrow at Ace, not knowing why this grandson of Garp had intervened, but his expression remained grim. "I didn't expect the son of the King of the Pirates to be so naive. Do you even know how many pirates are in this sea? Even if many people die, if it wipes out all the pirates in the New World, it will be worth it."
"There are still many pirates just pursuing freedom!"
"Ridiculous words, boy. Do you intend to stop me?"
"How is that ridiculous?"
Ace lowered his hat while staring at Zephyr firmly. "I've decided. I'll become a pirate, a pirate worthy of your recognition!"
"You little kid, are you here to provoke me?"
Zephyr looked at Ace speechlessly. What was this kid saying in front of him?
A pirate worthy of his recognition?
Before Zephyr could say anything further, "I will defeat you and prove it to you!"
Ace shouted loudly at Zephyr.
Then he charged forward and swung his fists, but the next second, he received a punch on his head and instantly collapsed to the ground.
Ace: "..."
Lying weakly to the ground, Ace paused for a moment, then looked at Ian shyly and smiled. "Mr. Ian, I think I failed."
Ian: "..."
Ian stared silently at Ace's childish performance, not knowing what to say.
This play is way too bad!
Not as good as your brother's!
And he gave up so quickly. Shouldn't he grit his teeth and force himself to stand up, dragging Zephyr down bit by bit until he was exhausted?
"You kid!"
Zephyr suddenly seemed to notice something was wrong and glared at Ian. "Did you make this kid want to become a pirate?"
"No, he wanted to himself!"
Ian immediately denied responsibility, then he rubbed his forehead, took a deep breath, and was about to signal to Kuma behind him.
"Let me handle this!"
Ain stepped forward and approached Zephyr while looking at him with a complicated expression. "Zephyr-sensei."
Yet Zephyr remained cold. "You're here to stop me, too?"
"No, Zephyr-sensei."
Ain shook her head, then smiled, touching her flat stomach. "Zephyr-sensei, I'm pregnant. I wanted to tell you this news."
Zephyr: "..."
The people who had been confronting each other were stunned. All eyes fell on Ain, as if they had misheard something.
What did she say?!
Pregnant?
Even Zephyr looked dumbfounded while staring at Ain. He even released Ace, trembling as he said: "Y-you-you..."
Before Zephyr could finish, a voice rang out.
"Ain, you're pregnant? With whose child?"
Immediately, everyone's attention was drawn. Even Zephyr turned expressionless to look at Binz, who was curiously standing by, startling him.
What... Just happened?
Bang!
Zephyr gave Binz a punch without any hesitation, sending him flying, and then, with a trembling voice, he continued looking at Ain: "You, you..."
Even Ian, beside them, snapped out of his confusion at this moment. His eyes widened as he looked at Ain, speaking in a hesitant tone: "When... did this... happen?"
However, just as he finished speaking, before Ain could say anything, with a bang sound, Zephyr punched Ian without hesitation while roaring: "You don't even know when it happened? And you actually brought Ain to a place like this?!"
Ian: "..."
No, how would he know?
It's only been a few days.
Robin waited a whole year back then!
Of course, facing the enraged Zephyr, Ian didn't dare to fight back now. He finally understood what Ain meant by those words she mentioned last night, especially when Kuma's voice rang out.
"She is indeed pregnant."
Pushing his glasses, Kuma glanced at Ain with a surprised and odd expression. "Probably about a week."
Once those words fell, Zephyr raised his fist again, while Ian scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Facing everyone's strange looks, he felt even more embarrassed.
"Ian didn't know. I didn't tell him."
Ain shot Ian a look, then turned to Zephyr, shaking her head as she said: "I was worried he wouldn't let me come."
"You... Your child, really..."
"Sorry for worrying everyone."
Before Zephyr could finish his words, Ain showed a smile while gently touching her still-flat abdomen. "Zephyr-sensei, could I ask you to be this child's teacher? If someone else teaches him, I'm worried the child will become like Vice-Admiral Garp's grandson, a pirate!"
"What's wrong with being a pirate?"
"You kid, shut your mouth!"
Zephyr glared at Ace and gave him a punch without hesitation. Then he looked up at Ain, who was smiling at him. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
For some reason, he felt something strange inside, something incredibly familiar.
Oh, right, it was the same feeling he had the moment his own child was born.
"You... Really..."
Under everyone's gaze, Zephyr's eyes reddened, but the corners of his mouth curved up into a joyful grin.
With both hands on his hips, he laughed loudly: "My grandson will, of course, be taught by me! Don't worry, I'll teach this child well; he won't turn out like those two useless grandsons of Garp!"
As soon as those words dropped, everyone looked at this seemingly different Zephyr and couldn't help but smile.
Even Ace, who had been scolded, laughed sheepishly as he scratched his head. "Actually, being a pirate is pretty nice."
Bang!
But the only response he received was another punch from Zephyr.
As for Ian, he looked helplessly at Zephyr, who was already calling his son his grandson.
Wait, another father-in-law?
But when he saw Ain's apologetic gaze, Ian didn't say anything else.
Besides, compared to the other one, Instructor Zephyr was far more reliable.
Before anyone could say anything more, Zephyr, who had been gloomy and suppressed since they set sail, now wore a smile.
He swept his gaze around, his eyes filled with emotion.
But only for a moment. He then turned back without hesitation and looked at the group before him. "Sorry for making everyone follow me in such foolishness. Now... It's time to return!"
"Hahaha, if we don't leave now, the marines will be here soon."