Chapter 217: Lone Wolf In Action
In the end, under Kong’s persuasion, Zephyr did not leave the Navy, but instead retired to the second line and became an instructor for Navy recruits.
Perhaps wanting to numb himself through work, or simply not wanting to see the deaths of these familiar people anymore… Facing the energetic new generation of Navy under him, Zephyr showed an unprecedentedly strict side.
……
“So strict~ Teacher Zephyr. Kawaii ne~”
On the training ground, a rookie Navy wearing a knit hat with a carefree expression sighed.
“As a former Navy Admiral, this level is only natural. Nothing to complain about.”
Another training camp recruit carrying a long sword with a serious expression was noncommittal about this.
“Ah~”
“By the way, I haven’t introduced myself yet~ I’m Borsalino. And you, tattoo young man?”
The knit hat Navy asked, looking at the large floral tattoos on the other’s body.
“Sakazuki.”
“Sakazuki~ I see, sounds like you really like drinking~”
“We should get along well from now on, Sakazuki~”
“……”
The soldier named Sakazuki didn’t pay him any more attention, just stood straight with a stern face.
“Hey! You there with the knit hat, mind your military discipline, no whispering!”
“Button up properly! And where’s your military cap!”
Hearing the stern scolding from above, the knit hat youth kept his usual indifferent lazy expression, continuing to mutter sarcastic things like “Kawaii ne~”…
……
On another note, although Zephyr had barely gotten back on track, the loss of an Admiral-level combat power was an issue the entire Navy could not ignore.
After all, this level of combat power in the entire Navy was only Sengoku, Zephyr, Garp, and Kong.
Now with one of the four pillars missing, Fleet Admiral Kong had no choice but to adjust the established policy and formulate a new, more conservative strategy.
Compared to the pirates, the Navy’s territory was spread far too wide, having to consider the East, West, North, and South Seas plus the entire Grand Line—a truly case of pulling one hair and affecting the whole body.
However, no matter how you look at it, this was good news for the pirates, especially those in the New World.
After all, for the small fry in the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line, there was no need for an Admiral; a Headquarters Vice Admiral was more than enough.
The ones truly requiring Admiral-level combat power were the lawless sea overlords in the New World and the even more lawless group of Celestial Dragons.
This was why Marineford needed two Admiral-level combat powers stationed there at all times; in the World Government’s eyes, the safety of the Celestial Dragons and the Holy Land was far more important than mere pirate disturbances.
“Caspar, you haven’t left yet?”
In a luxuriously and elegantly decorated meeting room, a properly dressed middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses who looked somewhat aged spoke in ‘surprise’.
“Uncle Willy, I…”
“Alright, I know all about it.”
“Regarding the cooperation you mentioned, I need time to consider it carefully. You go back and wait for my message first.”
“Okay?”
The man’s words were flawless, just like a kind elder seriously considering a junior’s suggestion.
But Caspar, who had visited several families consecutively and heard the same rhetoric countless times, already understood this was just a polite refusal.
“Okay, sorry to bother you, Uncle Willy.”
Forcing his numb and aching legs after sitting for several hours, Caspar politely said goodbye and shuffled step by step toward the door.
Watching that figure like a lost dog, after the other completely disappeared from sight, the man named Willy sneered in his heart, then instructed the butler beside him:
“Next time this kid comes, just say I’m not here. If he insists on staying, put something in his tea, got it?”
“Understood.”
The young butler with a neat mustache who looked quite honest cautiously said:
“But isn’t doing this a bit too harsh on him?”
“Sunny mud toe!”
Hearing this, Willy’s temper flared up instantly.
“Have you forgotten how this brat flaunted his power in front of us relying on the Mediya Family’s influence back then?”
“He even dared to have improper thoughts about my little Lati! Little Lati is only nine years old!”
“Not blowing his brains out with one shot right now is already me showing great mercy!”
“Huff~ Huff~”
As one of the underground arms families that had always been suppressed by the Mediya Family, Willy had suffered no less from this brainless second-generation heir when Old Media was still around.
That suffocating feeling of knowing the other was an idiot constantly dancing on your landmines but being unable to hit him had tormented Willy into aging prematurely despite his young age.
Now seeing the other’s situation, it would be a lie to say it didn’t feel good, but that was about it.
He couldn’t go too far, after all, no one knew if Old Media had left any contingencies for his son.
Even though he had tucked tail and fled to the North Sea, having been toyed with by Old Media for so many years, he couldn’t help but be more cautious.
“Cash, personnel, factory machines, and even the sister who could be used as a marriage alliance chip were all taken away—what cards does that kid even have left~”
After thinking it over, Willy decided to stop thinking and instead instructed the butler:
“Contact people from the other families, see when they have time to get together and discuss the Beasts Pirates matter.”
A stray dog like Caspar wasn’t worth much attention, but the giant dragon of the Beasts Pirates hanging over their heads could not be ignored no matter what.
“Eh~ The Navy seems to be contracting its forces in the New World, talk about when it rains, it pours…”
Confirming his daughter wasn’t nearby, Willy lit a cigarette and sat on the sofa, puffing away one drag at a time.
……
“Y-Young, young master, h-how, how did it go? D-Did they agree…”
The follower who had been waiting outside the mansion for several hours saw Caspar finally come out and hurriedly stepped forward, stammering his question.
He was the son of the old butler from the original Mediya Family, basically a playmate who grew up with Caspar since childhood.
Due to his stammering, he was bullied a lot as a kid, but every time Caspar would bully them back for him.
Perhaps not out of a desire to help, just his inner arrogance not allowing his things to be commented on by others, but the figure of him standing up for him was firmly etched in the little follower’s heart.
Now, almost all the Mediya Family’s subordinates and thugs had been taken to the North Sea, leaving only him and a few others who chose to stay because of Caspar’s care since childhood.
However, before the little follower finished speaking, he saw his young master’s gloomy expression and wisely stopped asking.
“Tch!”
Kicking away a toad blocking the middle of the road, Caspar irritably asked:
“Have any of those families replied during this time?”
“……”
“Speak!”
Seeing the other’s hesitant look, Caspar suppressed his irritation and urged.
“W-Well… The p-patriarch of the Kuge Family did reply.”
“Hm?!”
“What did she say?”
Caspar’s eyes lit up upon hearing there was a reply.
“Sh-She said if, if…”
“Come on! If what?! Spit it out!”
“She said if the young master is willing, willing to be her tenth, th-thirteenth husband, then she’ll help us rebuild the Mediya Family!”
The little follower squeezed his eyes shut and blurted out the condition in one breath.
“……”
“……”
Caspar was stunned for a moment, then…
“Ha?!”
“You said husband?”
“That old woman is old enough to be my aunt! How does she have the nerve to say it out loud?!”
As a pervert whose strike zone was under fourteen, women over that age were basically ‘old women’ in Caspar’s eyes, let alone someone around his father’s age.
Suppressing the disgust in his heart, Caspar covered his mouth, his eyes icy cold as he made a certain decision in his mind.
“Let’s head back to the mansion first.”
After taking a few deep breaths, he continued walking, signaling the little follower to keep up.
But after a few steps, he suddenly shuddered all over, then immediately turned right and darted into the roadside grass.
“Eh? Y-Young master, th-there’s no, no road there.”
“I’m going to the toilet!”
“Oh~”
“Th-Then I’ll go too.”
“……”
“Hey! Move over a bit, it’s splashing on my pants!”
“Ah?! S-Sorry.”
