After a pause.
Zephyr returned to his senses and said with a wry smile,
"Alright, I'm convinced..."
Sakaski and Morris exchanged a smile.
Morris suddenly cleared his throat:
"Cough cough."
With his arms crossed:
"I'm afraid I have to disappoint you, Sakaski."
"I, Zephyr, will not be persuaded by you."
Zephyr said helplessly,
"You guy..."
Sakaski chuckled,
"I'll call those two back."
As he spoke, a burst of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, pressing towards the back mountain.
------
Marine Headquarters, at the back mountain.
Enel sensed that burst of Conqueror's Haki immediately:
"It's done then."
"Let's go, Sort."
"To the office."
The purple-haired youth, Sort, brightened:
"Really!"
Enel's lips curved slightly:
"Of course, come on."
"Let's see who gets there first."
Zzzz—
He instantly transformed into lightning and disappeared.
Sort was a little helpless:
"You're cheating, Brother Enel!!"
Swish—
Using "Soru" (Shave), he traced a purple shadow across the ground and vanished.
------
Marine Academy, Principal's Office.
Zzzz—
A bolt of lightning entered through the window and stopped in front of the sofa.
Enel materialized and then, as if falling, sat down next to Sakaski.
A few seconds later, Sort also appeared in the office.
However, he entered by pushing the door open...
Enel teased,
"You lost, Sort."
Sort was a little helpless:
"You're too much of a cheat, Brother Enel."
"Father, Principal Morris, Admiral Sakaski."
Zephyr nodded with a smile, and Morris also nodded, saying,
"There's no need to be so formal, Sort."
"Look at Enel, he's so undisciplined."
"Zephyr, look at how you've raised your child."
Sort smiled sheepishly. Zephyr snorted in disagreement, but deep down, he began to reflect...
Sakaski chuckled,
"That's right, no need to be so formal."
"Relax when you're in private."
"Eat this Devil Fruit. Your father has agreed."
"After two more years of training, you'll be able to go out."
Sort looked at Sakaski gratefully, then turned to Zephyr.
Zephyr nodded with a smile,
"Eat it."
Sort was a little excited,
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, he picked up the Devil Fruit and ate it, finally able to... go out to sea!
He swallowed more than half of the entire Devil Fruit in one bite, not chewing much, and just swallowed it directly.
It had to be said that this child, who had grown up under Zephyr's training, possessed extraordinary resilience.
Even though the Devil Fruit tasted so awful, he only frowned slightly and remained composed.
After forcing it down, the slight frown on his brow smoothed out:
"Hoo—"
"This taste is truly..."
"Hard to swallow."
Enel looked on with admiration, with a pained memory, and gave a thumbs up, "Amazing!!!"
"Feel your new abilities."
Sort nodded. As soon as he thought about it, it was as if it were innate.
He floated into the air effortlessly. He was a little disbelieving, moving left and right without any effort.
He felt like he could control the clothes he was wearing as well.
And if he wanted to... his speed could be several times faster.
As Zephyr's son, having grown up listening to his father's deeds, he seemed to have guessed what ability this was:
"This... this is!!!"
Sakaski chuckled,
"The Sube Sube no Mi (Pluck Pluck Fruit). The previous user was Shiki."
"He was also your father's old rival."
Sort, excited, bowed deeply to Sakaski,
"Thank you, Admiral Sakaski."
Sakaski said,
"No need for such formality, stand up."
"The person who understands Shiki the most is his enemy, and these enemies are now at Marine Headquarters."
"The development of the Devil Fruit ability can take a shortcut in the early stages."
"Sengoku, your father, Vice Admiral Morris, and others who are regularly stationed at headquarters."
"Are among those who understand Shiki the best."
"Here at headquarters, you can consult them anytime."
"Grow up as quickly as possible, and then you can go out to sea."
"When the time comes, apply to form a fleet with air superiority, led by you."
"You will have a lot to learn in these two years."
Sort took a deep breath and said solemnly,
"Yes!"
Sakaski smiled and stood up,
"Alright, Admiral Zephyr will surely arrange the subsequent training."
"I won't interfere."
He walked towards the exit.
Several people stood up. Morris said,
"Aren't you staying any longer?"
Sakaski waved his hand,
"Can't sit still."
"I'll go for a stroll."
"Enel, keep Vice Admiral Morris company."
Enel gave a "mm-hmm," and Sakaski walked out.
Only when Sakaski's figure disappeared did Sort retract his gaze from watching him and look at Zephyr.
Zephyr looked at his son, feeling a little dazed. He shook his head,
"Let's go back too."
------
At night, at Zephyr's home.
Sort was cramming knowledge about command and strategy.
All of it was provided by Zephyr, along with some of his own experiences and insights.
While command and strategy were also taught, they were not the main focus.
Previously, his focus had always been on improving his own strength. Now that a development plan was in place, he had to study according to it.
Knock, knock, knock—
A knock sounded at the door.
Zephyr's voice came from outside:
"Dinner's ready, Sort."
Sort snapped out of his daze from the sea of documents and called out,
"Coming, Father."
He went downstairs. Zephyr was already sitting at the dining table, waiting for him.
Once Sort sat down, they picked up their bowls and chopsticks and began to eat.
Clink, clink... The sound of chopsticks colliding with bowls echoed, but no one spoke.
It was as if they were in a military camp.
This strange way of interaction between father and son had lasted for twenty years.
On one hand, it was due to Zephyr's guilt over his deceased wife, not knowing how to express it, so he interacted according to his own ideas.
On the other hand, Sort, having lost his mother at a young age, was exceptionally sensible. However, since no one had ever taught him how to interact, he simply followed Zephyr's lead.
Although they were father and son, after twenty years, they seemed like a commander and a soldier.
Zephyr watched his son eat, and his mind involuntarily recalled what Morris and Sakaski had said during the day. Perhaps he had truly made a mistake...
Click—
He put down his chopsticks and looked at Sort, not knowing how to begin.
Sort, hearing the unusual sound, looked up at his father who had put down his chopsticks and also put down his own, asking,
"What's wrong, Father?"
Zephyr opened his mouth, his voice a little dry, and asked the question he had never dared to ask:
"Sort... you..."
"Have you ever resented me?"
Sort was stunned, then suddenly smiled:
"Never, Father."
"You have always been the pride of my mother and me."
"I..."
"Have always felt very proud."
Hearing Sort's words, Zephyr could no longer hold back.
Tears welled up in his eyes. He covered his eyes with one hand, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Tears slipped from the corners of his eyes and fell onto the table.
Ding—
The sound of chopsticks hitting a bowl.
Sort's chopsticks picked up some food and placed it into Zephyr's bowl:
"Father, this is your favorite."
Zephyr lowered his hand, revealing his red-rimmed eyes, and picked up his chopsticks.
His voice trembled slightly, with a sense of release,
"Good... good..."
He picked up the food in the bowl.
The gap that had never really existed, vanished...
------
Several days later.
The representative kings from various countries, under the escort of Marine patrols, all safely arrived at the Red Line Continent.
The Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
A grand hall, with countless armored soldiers standing guard outside.
Inside, there was a large round table with fifty seats, and in the center, a huge World Government emblem.
The representatives from various countries entered in pairs. This conference, which would decide the direction of the world for the next four years, would last for seven days.
The chairman of the conference would be rotated among the kings of the various countries.
"Who is it this time?"
"It's me."
"Kelsen, then we'll have to trouble you this time."
"You don't have to worry about speaking too slowly."
"Hahahahaha."
King Kelsen, who had stood up, said,
"Then, ladies and gentlemen Kings,"
"Regarding the development of this beautiful world,"
"Let us have a good discussion this time as well."
Click—
Outside the hall, the massive doors closed... shutting everything out.
Before the final outcome was announced, no one knew what the fifty kings had discussed...
Mary Geoise, in the Hall of Power.
The Gorosei with the sword raised his cup and gently blew on the steam,
"The meeting has begun."
The Gorosei with curly hair said,
"Turmoil is about to begin. Let them enjoy this last bit of leisure time."
The tall, thin Gorosei said,
"After all, the world cannot remain in balance forever."
"When necessary..."
The Gorosei with the sword looked into the distance:
"A Great... Cleaning!"