Chapter 104: The Mysterious Miss·bakkin
Zephyr did not land on Black Swan Island.
After ending the contact with Elus and sending the portrait to Elus via fax, the old man in a bad mood drove Jinbe and the other two off the ship. The Pirate Guerilla Squad set sail and left this sea area. The prey White Horse could not be caught for the time being, so they would just switch to another target. In the New World, if nothing else, there were plenty of pirates that could never be caught all.
“Teacher!”
Ain and Binz came to the Captain’s Room, pushed the door open and entered, greeting Zephyr who was writing at the desk.
“It’s you two! What’s the matter?”
Zephyr put down his pen and looked up at the two students who had walked in through the door.
“Teacher, that······” Ain hesitated for a moment, not daring to directly discuss the matter weighing on her mind, but instead became concerned about Zephyr’s health, “Is your body okay? How does the recent medicine feel? Do you want to go to the hospital for another check-up?”
“If there’s something, just say it directly. Why beat around the bush?”
Zephyr scolded.
Having been an instructor at Navy Headquarters for many years and trained countless Marines, he had long honed a pair of eyes capable of seeing through his students’ lies. What’s more, Ain and Binz had been following him for over five years, and after spending day and night together, how could he not see that the two students had something on their minds.
Moreover,
he had also guessed what it was.
“Ain, Binz, are you worried that I was angered by the events from five years ago and damaged my body?” Without waiting for the two students to speak, Zephyr simply said it himself first.
Ain was stunned for a moment, then nodded, admitting the worry in her heart.
She was well aware of how severe the trauma the events from five years ago had brought to her teacher, not just the physical injuries, but the more troublesome mental pain, which had brought enormous pressure to her teacher’s body. This was the result of a consultation by the top group of military doctors at Navy Headquarters.
So even though she had never forgotten the events from five years ago, to prevent her teacher from dwelling too much in that sadness and pain, she had never proactively mentioned those dead rookie recruits from the same batch in front of Zephyr, and she had even warned Binz that if he had nothing to say, he should try not to speak.
“Teacher, don’t keep the past events in your heart. That beast, Binz and I will definitely bring him to justice. Your······ body is the most important.” Ain knew that the events from five years ago could not be avoided today, so she could only try her best to resolve the depression in her teacher’s heart.
“It’s fine, I’m fine.”
Zephyr clearly felt the concern from his students.
While moved, he also felt quite helpless. Had he fallen to such a state now? Making his own students so worried was really unbecoming!
“I haven’t forgotten the grudge from five years ago for a single day, but I also understand that my body is not what it used to be. Drinking so much medicine every day makes my head ache. I originally planned to settle this resentment personally, find that guy, and deal with him myself······ I’ve always thought that way.”
Zephyr let out a long breath. His gaze fell on the photo frame fixed to the desk, which contained a family photo of three people. This was Zephyr’s family, the most beautiful memory in his mind. Unfortunately, this beautiful memory had been destroyed by pirates a long time ago.
That was the first heavy blow he suffered in his life. Losing his wife and son, he frantically chased the pirates who killed his wife and son across the sea. But whether it was fortune or misfortune, he did not get the chance to personally avenge them. The group of pirates who killed his wife and son had already been completely annihilated in a battle with another group of pirates.
Zephyr’s reputation as the “Non-Killer” was not damaged. To this day, he had subjugated countless pirates but never killed a single enemy. However, with the increase in age and the weakening of his body, that incurable malignancy was increasingly affecting his mobility······
Killing intent suddenly began to rise gradually.
Not being able to personally avenge his wife and son had been a source of annoyance every time he recalled it in recent years. So he did not want to let go of that damned beast who killed his student anymore. He planned to use that beast as the first and last killing of his life.
“Even if it’s just to wait for the chance to deal with that beast, I will take good care of my body. Even though I entrusted it to the Black Prince, who knows how long it will take to find that beast······ So, Ain, Binz, put your hearts back in your stomachs.”
Zephyr said this, revealing that familiar tough smile on his face.
————
Eckmond Kingdom, in the Royal Palace.
“Investigate intelligence on Whitebeard Jr.?” Elus sat at the desk, gently pinching his chin. If Zephyr hadn’t mentioned it, he really wouldn’t have thought of this freak who called himself Whitebeard Jr. after Whitebeard’s death.
Regarding this Whitebeard Jr., there wasn’t much intelligence in Elus’s memory. He didn’t know if he was really Whitebeard’s son, but just looking at the portrait sent by Zephyr via the fax on the Den Den Mushi, those crescent-shaped mustache did indeed resemble Whitebeard’s.
And in his memory, this freak’s brain wasn’t very sharp. In fact, he was essentially a puppet controlled by someone, a puppet with powerful power controlled by a woman of unknown background.
“MISS·Bakkin? And who might you be?”
This was the only intelligence in his memory about the old woman controlling Whitebeard Jr., just a simple name. Nothing else. After Whitebeard’s death, this woman brought the monster claiming to be Whitebeard Jr. into the world.
Very suspicious!
When Whitebeard was alive, she was never active, or rather, every action was handled cleanly without letting any intelligence leak out. The only time she slipped up was on the former Marine Admiral Zephyr, where she only killed a ship of recruits and took one of Zephyr’s arms, but failed to completely eradicate the roots.
In short, from these eerie actions, it seemed she didn’t dare let Whitebeard know about this so-called Whitebeard Jr.?
Should he simply send this photo to Whitebeard to see······ A mischievous idea flashed in Elus’s mind, but he quickly extinguished this unreliable notion. Zephyr might not be willing to let Whitebeard know about this. The fact that the Navy hadn’t publicly used this portrait to hunt Whitebeard Jr. all these years showed that Zephyr did not intend to make this matter known to the whole world.
If he dared to leak the portrait to Whitebeard, it would probably anger the old man Zephyr. This was not what Elus wanted to see. He was still counting on this old guy Zephyr to help him fight against the World Government bastards in the future!
Elus pressed the call bell on the desk. The maid outside pushed open the door, which had recently been re-oiled, and walked in quietly.
“Have the intelligence department look for the whereabouts of the person in the portrait. Note that this is not Whitebeard, just a freak who looks a bit like Whitebeard······” As Elus spoke, he himself felt it was strange. His explanation was practically “no silver here, three hundred taels.”
The beautiful and cute maid stood in front of the desk without any questions, remaining calm even when looking at the portrait that resembled a young version of Whitebeard.
“In short, have the intelligence department look into it. No need to specially assign manpower. Just have the people below pay attention while working. And remember to tell the field operatives that if they discover anything, they are not to approach this freak. Just report the intelligence upward.”
Elus instructed in great detail.
The maid summarized and repeated the orders to confirm they were correct, then withdrew.
Leaving Elus alone in the study, he stood up from the chair, walked to the window side, pushed open the window, silently looked at the city scenery below the Royal Palace for a while, estimated that enough time had passed, returned to the desk, picked up the Den Den Mushi, and contacted Jinbe.
“Yo, Jinbe, having fun?” Elus greeted casually.
“Nothing much, just got thrown into the sea by Your Excellency Zephyr for a swim.”
Jinbe’s response was equally casual.
“Swimming in the sea is not good for me, an Ability User.” Elus chatted idly with Jinbe for a couple of sentences before getting to the main point, “Jinbe, what do you think of Zephyr’s condition?”
“Pretty good. His fists are heavy and hard, so fast I didn’t have time to block, and I was sent flying by Your Excellency Zephyr.” Jinbe had just returned to the deck of his own warship. He held the Den Den Mushi and walked to the ship’s side, “However, the little follower’s face following Your Excellency Zephyr didn’t look good, especially when Your Excellency Zephyr mentioned the events from five years ago—his expression was very off.”
“Follower? You mean that beauty with sea-blue long hair?”
“Sea-blue long hair.”
“Got it. By the way, a secret for you: that beauty with sea-blue long hair is also a survivor from the incident five years ago.”
“······Eh?”
Jinbe widened his eyes.
“Were there other survivors in the attack on Your Excellency Zephyr five years ago?” Jinbe deliberately lowered his voice when saying this and carefully glanced in the direction where the Pirate Guerilla Squad had left.
“Correct. In that attack five years ago, besides Zephyr, there were two other survivors, who now act by Zephyr’s side. I mean, Jinbe, you’ve been a Seven Warlords for a while, how come you don’t even know about this?”
“The Seven Warlords aren’t Navy insiders. I had no access to those materials. A lot of things I learned by beating around the bush from people’s mouths. After all, I’m a Fish-Man. Even if the Fleet Admiral can tolerate me, there are still plenty in Navy Headquarters who think Fish-Men aren’t human, but fish!”
The topic suddenly became a bit heavy.
Elus’s face twitched. Before he could think of how to change the topic, Jinbe proactively asked a new question, “Your Highness, that portrait Your Excellency Zephyr sent you looks a bit like······ like······”
He stammered several times but couldn’t say that revered name.
“It does look a lot like Whitebeard.” Elus picked up the thread and said the name for Jinbe, “But I don’t know if this person is related to Whitebeard. Before the investigation yields results, Jinbe, don’t contact Whitebeard and spill this! If Whitebeard really sees the portrait and something happens to his body, it’ll be big trouble.”
Jinbe fell silent.
When he saw that portrait, a storm had surged in his heart. Too similar, really like Whitebeard Old Man in his youth, and those crescent-shaped mustache······ He subconsciously thought it was Whitebeard Old Man’s son, then immediately felt ashamed for such an unworthy thought.
He had dealt with the Whitebeard Pirates more than once or twice. He knew Whitebeard Old Man’s greatest wish was to have a family, so he took in so many sons. If he had a biological son, he absolutely wouldn’t hide it from everyone.
What if, suppose the person in the portrait really was Whitebeard Old Man’s biological son, and Whitebeard truly didn’t know about this son····· The man-woman relationship hidden behind it was chilling! Even if Elus didn’t say it, he wouldn’t rashly tell Whitebeard Old Man.
“I know the weight of this matter.” Jinbe finally gave his answer.
“Good that you understand. The New World is best without bigger waves right now.” Elus said slowly. Now the maritime transport network was basically cleared, the perfect time to make money. Research on Skadi Island was underway, and trade with the Revolutionary Army had just begun······
He didn’t want the New World to become more turbulent now. At least during the time he was accumulating power, he hoped the New World could be a bit more peaceful, allowing him to develop smoothly in the dark.
“But when the portrait investigation has results, can you let me know?”
Jinbe made a request.
“Depends on the situation! We’ll see what comes up. The World Government and Navy found nothing in five years. I probably won’t have results anytime soon either.” Elus didn’t agree directly. Though he didn’t think there would be discoveries soon, what if there were, proving it was indeed a child Whitebeard left from some youthful fling, and then he relayed it to Jinbe who told Whitebeard.
Heh, that might lead to an epic scene of Black Arm versus Whitebeard.
This was absolutely not what he wanted to see.
In Elus’s view, the best outcome was that this Whitebeard Jr. had not a single Beli of relation to Whitebeard, then he would capture this Whitebeard Jr. and send him to old man Zephyr as a favor······ That was the future he wanted.
“I understand.”
Jinbe sighed silently. It was his request that was excessive. He didn’t continue to be annoying on this topic. He brought up the Beautiful Pirates resting on Black Swan Island and asked Elus what to do with this group.
“Send them to Arabica.”
Elus said without hesitation.
