For pirates whose bounties were not particularly high, the Marines had the authority to take them in as subordinates.
Just as Jango, despite having been a pirate, was eventually accepted by Hina as a subordinate alongside Fullbody.
With Rosinante’s rank of Rear Admiral, along with his connection to Sengoku, there was no problem at all with bringing pirates whose crimes were relatively minor under his command.
“Do as you like. But as for your strength… you should train more before anything else. Right now, you don’t have the strength of a Rear Admiral…”
Sengoku did not dare assign Rosinante to high-intensity combat missions at present. If Rosinante had strength matching his rank, Sengoku could guarantee that it would not take long for him to be promoted to Vice Admiral.
But given the current situation, it was better to forget about that for now. Before Sengoku could finish speaking, however, the door to the Fleet Admiral’s office was suddenly shoved open.
With a loud crash, the hinges let out the sound of twisting metal, and the heavy door fell straight off.
“Rosinante, go outside first… Use your ability to create a soundproof space for me. Don’t let any sound get out.”
Looking at the furious Zephyr standing in the doorway, Sengoku sighed, as though he had already expected this.
The door was not going to be repaired anytime soon. Judging by Zephyr’s expression, he certainly would not have the patience to wait while Sengoku called someone in to fix it.
Fortunately, Rosinante happened to be here. With an appropriate barrier in place, no sound would leak outside.
In a certain sense, this Devil Fruit was quite suitable for undercover agents making phone calls.
“Sengoku, you should know why I’m here.”
Sengoku sat behind his desk, pulled a document from a drawer, and handed it to Zephyr. The World Government’s cross-shaped emblem was printed on it.
“That decision is real. Three days ago, the World Government formally approved it. Edward Weevil will, effective immediately, assume the position of Shichibukai and fill the vacancy created by Doflamingo’s unexpected death.”
Zephyr stepped forward and planted both hands on the desk. With a creaking sound, several deep finger marks were left in its surface. Like the door before it, the desk was basically done for.
“A few months ago, how many of my students did that b*stard kill? How many Marine recruits did he slaughter?! Have you forgotten?!”
The conflict between Zephyr and Edward Weevil had happened somewhat earlier than in the original timeline, but the essence of the incident had not changed much.
“Hundreds of them! They had only just finished their studies at the academy and hadn’t even completed their graduation exams… And someone like that… can be recruited too?
“…….”
“Over in the New World, Whitebeard, the Beasts Pirates, Big Mom, the remnants of Fullalead… those pirate forces are still expanding…”
“The Marines have only just filled all three Admiral positions. Not because any newcomers died, but because we gained people even more outstanding than before.
Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino are all natural-born monsters unlike anyone I’ve ever seen. Are the Marines of today still incapable of handling this situation?!”
Zephyr slammed his fist into the desk, completely shattering the solid wood surface. Sengoku, however, remained calm. He had anticipated all of this from the beginning.
“He’s called Whitebeard Jr. Although I’ve never fought him head-on, they say he possesses the strength Whitebeard had in his youth.
And Zephyr… the reason he was able to become a candidate for the Shichibukai… was because of you.”
Every Shichibukai had their own combat record that indirectly demonstrated their strength, and the reason Weevil had become a candidate was precisely because he had displayed his power in his battle against Zephyr.
Moreover, after discussion, the World Government concluded that someone as scheming as Doflamingo becoming a Shichibukai was itself a potential threat. For future selections, they did not need someone quite so shrewd.
Edward Weevil, who was somewhat dull-witted yet possessed considerable strength, therefore became one of their choices.
“That was because of my asthma. If I hadn’t had an attack back then, those two would never have… never have…”
“Zephyr, you know very well that there are no ifs on the battlefield.”
“Cough… cough…”
Zephyr’s breathing began to grow rapid. Sengoku stood up, intending to help him sit down, but Zephyr simply took out a new inhaler himself and drew in a deep breath.
Just as Sengoku had said, Zephyr himself understood the essence of the matter.
The World Government could reach an agreement with Nereus without caring how many Marines or agents Nereus had killed in the past, because Nereus’s sheer strength was enough to force them to the negotiating table.
Compared with the benefits gained, those losses were acceptable in the eyes of the World Government.
The World Government could allow Hawk Eyes, a man known as the Marine Hunter, to become a Shichibukai. The Marines who had died at Hawk Eyes’ hands were not recruits either; quite a few of them had been even stronger.
If that was the case, then accepting a pirate who had slaughtered his students as a Shichibukai was not impossible either.
But unlike before, the people who had been killed were not unfamiliar colleagues. They were students he had spent every day with.
Some students had greeted him that very morning, only to become cold corpses by evening.
It was just like those people who admired the Giant Warrior Pirates. When disaster was far removed from oneself, it was difficult to truly empathize.
When something like this actually happened beside you, the pain became far more piercing.
What Zephyr was even more unwilling to face deep down was that the matter was connected to himself. If his asthma had not acted up, if he had defeated Weevil…
“Zephyr, this is reality. It is the World Government’s order.”
Zephyr stared at Sengoku, at this old comrade who had once trained alongside him in the recruit camp.
“You’ve changed.”
“I haven’t changed. But some things… you only understand how heavy they are once you become Fleet Admiral.”
Zephyr said nothing more and turned to leave Sengoku’s office. To Zephyr, allowing Weevil to join the Shichibukai was the final straw that broke him.
Zephyr did not return to his residence. Instead, he went to the recruit camp at Marine Headquarters. Here, the recruits who had survived that incident, including Ain and Binz, were all gathered.
“Teacher Zephyr…”
When Zephyr returned, countless eyes focused on him. Like Zephyr, they too were unwilling to accept Weevil becoming a Shichibukai.
But in the end, they could not hear the answer they wanted. Zephyr’s gloomy expression had already written everything on his face.
The group left dejectedly. Looking at the disappointed expressions of his students, the seed that had been buried in Zephyr’s heart many years ago finally began to sprout.
The world needed the Marines, but not Marines who obeyed the World Government without question. However, the present moment was not suitable.
Just as Zephyr had questioned Sengoku earlier, with the newly appointed three Admirals officially taking the stage, the Marines were now at the height of their strength.
At a time like this, it would not be a good thing for a former Marine Admiral to leave the Marines and establish his own force. Those trainees shared the same experience, so with a single call from Zephyr, he could take them all away immediately.
But once such a matter touched the Marines’ pride and provoked them into launching a full-scale suppression, these recruits would not be able to withstand it.
“I still… have to wait a little longer…”
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