The last glow of the setting sun spilled across the Marine family district of Marineford, bathing Zephyr's home in a warm, amber haze.
Inside the house, laughter rang brightly through the air.
Lipo was playing with Zephyr's wife, Lina, and their four-year-old son, the atmosphere lively and full of warmth.
"Big Sister Lipo, again! Do it again!"The little boy—his purple hair identical to Zephyr's—jumped excitedly, tugging at Lipo's hand with sparkling eyes full of admiration.
"All right!" Lipo laughed brightly.She bent forward, placed both hands on the ground, and flipped cleanly backward, landing perfectly on her feet. Her long ears swayed lightly with the motion."Well? Was that cool?"
"Whoa! That was amazing!" the boy clapped excitedly, then turned toward his mother."Mom! I wanna learn too!"
Lina gently rubbed her son's head, smiling warmly."When you're a little older, your dad can teach you."
"But Dad's always busy…" the boy pouted for a moment before brightening again."But now I've got Big Sister Lipo to play with!"
Lipo crouched down and gently pinched his cheek."Don't worry—Big Sister Lipo will come play with you lots from now on!"
Outside the house, the atmosphere was completely different.
At a stone table in the courtyard, Zephyr and Gern Reginald Sigmar sat facing each other.Between them lay the transfer order.
The air felt heavy.
Zephyr frowned deeply, fingers tapping rhythmically against the tabletop, clearly unsettled by what he was reading.
"I really don't get what Fleet Admiral Kong is thinking," he finally muttered, irritation leaking into his voice."Sending you to work with Sakazuki? And having the two of you handle the remnants of the Golden Lion's Flying Pirates together?"
Seeing Zephyr's expression, Gern merely shrugged. He lifted his teacup and took a slow sip, his tone calm and casual.
"Are you doubting my abilities, Teacher?"
"That's not the problem!" Zephyr shot to his feet and began pacing back and forth."I know you too well!"
"Maybe the Fleet Admiral thinks the two of us will create some kind of… spark?" Gern offered lightly.
"Spark?" Zephyr snorted. "More like an explosion!"
He grabbed the document again and rubbed his temples.
"Sakazuki may be stubborn, but at least he follows direct orders from headquarters.But you…" He stopped pacing and stared straight at Gern."You're another matter entirely."
"Hm?" Gern raised an eyebrow innocently. "What about me?"
"You?" Zephyr sneered."You look lazy on the surface, but inside you're crazier than anyone else!Putting you two together—I don't even want to imagine the chaos."
"Teacher, you really don't have much faith in me, do you?"
"This has nothing to do with faith! You're a walking embodiment of chaos!"
Seeing Zephyr's utter lack of trust, Gern could only smile helplessly.
"Teacher… that really hurts, you know."
"Hmph." Zephyr snorted and sat back down, gripping the file again."Anyway, putting two extremes like you together is absolutely not a decision that should've been made."
But this was a direct order from the Fleet Admiral—there was nothing Zephyr could do but complain.
Gern didn't respond. He simply lifted his teacup again and took another sip.
Then, as if remembering something, he turned his head slightly.
"Actually, I have a question," he said casually."Shouldn't the Golden Lion situation normally fall under Vice Admiral Garp's responsibility?That area may be under G-3's jurisdiction, but shouldn't the supporting top-tier force be under his command?"
"Garp…"Zephyr's expression stiffened slightly.
After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly."Garp's situation is… complicated right now."
"Oh?" Gern's interest was piqued. "What happened?"
Zephyr looked at him deeply, as if choosing his words carefully.
"Dragon left the Marines last month. And he fought Garp in the East Blue."
"What?" Gern froze. "Garp fought his own son?"
"That's right." Zephyr sighed, his tone heavy."Dragon said he couldn't find 'justice' in the Marines anymore.Hah… ironic, coming from someone just as lawless as the rest."
He shook his head.
"Now he's formed some kind of 'Freedom Army' or whatever he's calling it."
"So that's how it is…" Gern murmured.
"Garp's emotions are unstable right now," Zephyr continued."The Fleet Admiral had him focus entirely on hunting Roger—keeps him busy, gives him somewhere to vent."
"No wonder…" Gern nodded slowly.
Things were becoming clearer.
Garp was emotionally compromised.Sengoku and Tsuru were tied up with other affairs.And Steelbone Kong was clearly trying to use Sakazuki's rigid sense of discipline to restrain him—the unstable variable.
"So…" Gern chuckled softly."The Fleet Admiral really plans to use Sakazuki to 'keep me in check,' huh?"
"Keep you in check?" Zephyr scoffed."He's playing with fire! Putting your recklessness together with Sakazuki's extremism? That's a disaster waiting to happen!"
"Anyway, once you're at G-3, keep a low profile. Don't cause too much trouble."
Gern grinned."I'll try."
"Not try—you must!"
Gern ignored that entirely and shifted his gaze back toward the house.
This time, Lipo seemed to notice him. She turned, waved enthusiastically, her smile bright as sunlight.
For a moment, the courtyard fell quiet.
Zephyr heard Lina's laughter drifting from inside, along with his son's excited shouts and the soft rhythm of Lipo's footsteps.
He turned his head slightly, peering through the half-open window.
Inside, Lipo stood on one foot atop the tea table, the other leg lifted high, perfectly balanced.The little boy tried to mimic her, wobbling clumsily—before losing balance entirely and tumbling straight into Lina's arms.
Mother and son burst into laughter together.
Seeing this, the sharp lines of Zephyr's face softened unconsciously.
Gern followed his gaze and smiled faintly.
"Teacher… Lipo's got real talent, doesn't she?"
Zephyr withdrew his gaze with a quiet snort.
"She's got excellent potential. A perfect foundation for physical combat.And with her Devil Fruit being support-oriented, her future ceiling is very high."
Then his tone shifted, turning slightly dissatisfied.
"But keeping her as your adjutant is a waste."
"Huh?" Gern raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, a waste?"
Zephyr crossed his arms, snorting."You may be my student, but you didn't walk the path of pure physical combat.All that nonsense with vibrations and tricks of yours…"
He glanced toward the house again, where Lipo was smiling brightly.
"But Lipo's different. As a Mink, her coordination, explosiveness, and battle instincts are perfect for orthodox martial training."
Gern's lips twitched. "So?"
"So while you're stationed at Headquarters, Lipo will train under me personally."Zephyr's tone was final—no room for argument."She'll build a solid foundation instead of being led astray by you."
Gern opened his mouth, then sighed helplessly."You're the one who said I shouldn't recruit a furry assistant in the first place…"
"And now what?" Zephyr narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"Haha—nothing! Nothing at all!" Gern raised both hands immediately in surrender."You're the Marine's greatest instructor. If Lipo trains under you, she'll grow faster than anyone."
"That's more like it." Zephyr nodded in satisfaction and turned toward the house, muttering to himself."That girl learns fast… with her traits, her future potential…"
Watching his back, Gern chuckled quietly.
"Stubborn old man…"
Inside the house, Lipo was spinning the little boy in her arms when she looked up and saw Zephyr enter.
"Teacher! Gern!"She waved excitedly."Come quick—Sister Lina baked cookies!"