"That should be enough, Griffin."
Tenma flicked a cigarette, completely ignoring the 'No Smoking' sign by the hospital bed.
"I was planning to laze around for a few more days, Bureau Chief Tenma. You know how I am - when it comes down to it, my laziness always kicks in."
Bandages were scattered around the hospital bed. Griffin had just put on his outer clothes, revealing several gruesome scars on his bare chest.
He took a lighter from his pocket and lit the cigarette.
He hadn't originally had the habit of smoking, but it was Smoker who brought him into the Marines.
And who was Smoker?
The famous chain-smoker of the Marines!
This was a classic case of bad company corrupting good character.
...
Tenma waited for Griffin to finish changing clothes before speaking calmly: "Young people shouldn't be too complacent. You bear the future of the Marines on your shoulders."
Grinn grinned: "Middle-aged and elderly people shouldn't give advice to the young. You're already part of the Marines' past."
...
...
"I can't win arguments with you. Fine, let's talk business."
Tenma took out a notebook from his chest pocket, switching to work mode.
"I was also at the scene that day, responsible for recording information about Kari."
"You're the person at Marine Headquarters who has had the most contact with Kari. I've already asked Admiral Kizaru, and now I need to verify some details with you."
...
Griffin understood the implication behind Tenma's words.
His answers couldn't be casual fabrications. Tenma and Kizaru already possessed some intelligence about Kari. If his responses differed too much from their perceptions, it would be difficult to explain.
"Please go ahead."
...
"Griffin, do you think Kari is a living creature?"
The first question made Griffin freeze.
What kind of question was that? Or had Marine Headquarters become so advanced that they could analyze the true nature of the Hunting Automaton?!
Fortunately, Tenma immediately explained.
With a slightly grim expression, he said quietly: "Admiral Kizaru suspects... he's not a living creature, but rather the ghost of the Lunarian Tribe!"
...
...
Huh?
Griffin swallowed and organized his words: "This... I've never seen ghosts before, spirits or anything like that. I have no experience with them."
"Bureau Chief Tenma, have you ever seen a ghost?"
Tenma shook his head: "Of course not, and I don't agree with Admiral Kizaru's assessment either."
"But compared to normal living creatures, even compared to King who's also from the Lunarian Tribe, Kari is too different, isn't he?"
"With your Observation Haki at its final stage, you should have sensed something too."
Griffin remained silent for a moment.
If even he could see that Kari lacked a heart's essence, then Vice Admiral Tenma who held a code name, and the even stronger Kizaru, how could they not have noticed?
"Indeed, I feel he lacks human emotions, it's like... it's hard to describe that feeling."
...
"I understand."
Tenma looked at his notebook and continued.
"Logically speaking, with power at his level, even if he weren't proficient in Two-Colored Haki, he should at least be able to use it."
"Armament Haki is the armor of will, Observation Haki is the extension of will. Compared to other strong fighters at his level, his will is very weak."
"Admiral Kizaru judged based on this that he's an ancient ghost from the Lunarian Tribe, but this point was rejected during our internal discussions."
"After multiple meetings, connecting all the information since Kari's appearance, we've reached a conclusion."
...
"Offering!"
When this term was mentioned, Tenma became evasive.
"Back then, he spoke of offering his innate wings in exchange for an immortal body."
"How could sacrificing just a part of one's body possibly grant such a terrifying ability? So..."
"Kari must have also sacrificed most of her human emotions to obtain a continuously regenerating body!"
...
"Devoting everything to seek revenge against the Celestial Dragons... What relentless obsession!"
"I only share these thoughts with you."
"Though we stand on opposing sides, I still admire this person's resolute determination..."
Tenma mentally pictured a scene of a youth making such an offering and sighed softly.
It was hatred that had stripped that young man of his humanity.
...
...
Could it... really be interpreted that way...
I just thought it sounded cool when I said it back then, just casual remarks...
Griffin also sighed: "I truly hope that one day, I can erase the resentment and hatred in his heart."
Well... once the Celestial Dragons are all dead, his hatred will surely vanish.
...
Tenma nodded with satisfaction: "That's just like you, Griffin."
"If only my son could be more like you... Haha, though if he actually looked like you, that would be problematic!"
The staff at the Crime Investigation Bureau would never imagine that Vice Admiral Tenma, who usually wore the same stern expression as Admiral Sakazuki, could actually crack jokes.
...
Shooting Tenma a sidelong glance, Griffin said casually: "Anything else you want to ask?"
"Nothing more. We've collected all other intelligence thoroughly. We're confident we can arrest him the moment he reappears!"
Tenma put away his notebook and stood up, saying: "Asking you about this was incidental. My main purpose was to take you to the Officer Training Camp."
"It's been a while since I've seen Teacher Zephyr. I miss him a bit."
...
...
Passing through the headquarters medical building, just like when Tsuru first took Griffin to the Crime Investigation Bureau, Tenma also briefed Griffin on various matters.
"Teacher Zephyr is a great Marine, a man who could be called the backbone of headquarters!"
Tenma's words reminded Griffin of what Smoker had said.
It seemed everyone who had attended the Officer Training Camp held Zephyr in the highest regard.
What a pity...
Such a man, who had trained countless outstanding Marines and defeated countless Pirates, didn't get a proper ending.
...
"Listen, Griffin. Once you enter the training camp, rein in your lazy habits and don't be glib with your words."
"Teacher Zephyr's training is extremely rigorous - no slacking allowed. He's upright and serious, and doesn't appreciate jokes."
"I fully support your choice. Rather than going to the New World, receiving training from Teacher Zephyr is an excellent decision."
Tenma paused at a fork in the road, his expression turning nostalgic as a faint smile touched his lips.
...
"Thinking back now, Borsalino was the one who gave Teacher Zephyr the most headaches. Teacher Zephyr felt he relied too much on his Devil Fruit Ability and neglected Body Technique training."
Griffin chuckled lightly: "With a Devil Fruit Ability like Admiral Kizaru's, Body Technique does seem rather unnecessary."
Tenma shook his head: "You're mistaken, Griffin."
"Actually, Borsalino worked quite hard - his training volume far exceeded ours. But Teacher Zephyr held him to Sakazuki's training standards."
"You absolutely cannot imagine what kind of training regimen Sakazuki maintained!"
"My feelings back then... are truly difficult to put into words."
"I was just thinking... if there's one person who could eliminate the Great Pirate Era, it must be Sakazuki!"
...
Tenma was from the same generation as Kizaru and Akainu. As they approached the training camp, reminiscing about the past, he addressed Kizaru directly by name but still respectfully referred to Sakazuki as "Mr. Sakazuki."
Griffin had been at headquarters for several months. Based on the information he had gathered so far, Sakazuki's prestige among the middle and lower ranks, and even among the officers, was overwhelmingly dominant compared to his peers.
Perhaps...
If not for Sengoku and others supporting Kuzan, the famous Fleet Admiral succession conflict of later generations would never have occurred.
——
——
Turning the corner, sunlight suddenly poured down, revealing a vast training ground.
A tall man with purple hair stood before a neatly lined-up group of trainees, his back to the two of them.
Sensing something, the man turned his head.
Instantly!
An overwhelmingly powerful presence surged forth, and Griffin unconsciously activated his Sharingan!
Feeling every cell in his body tremble, excitement flickered in Griffin's eyes.
This was the legendary man...
Zephyr!!
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