Meanwhile.
*Achoo!*
On a remote island, Kuzan rubbed his nose roughly. He stretched his limbs with a satisfied groan, then muttered in confusion, "Why do I get the feeling someone is badmouthing me?"
Hardly had his voice faded when a figure standing opposite him spoke up. Her tone cold and indifferent.
"Admiral Kuzan, if you have no further business here, may I be excused?"
"Now, don't be so hostile, Captain Ain. Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get here from Marine Headquarters? I ran, you know. 'Ran'." Kuzan hammered his right leg with a look of exaggerated distress. "On these two legs. It nearly killed me."
However, his theatrics did nothing to lower Ain's guard.
He had traveled all this way just to find them.
For a Marine Admiral to seek them out at such a sensitive time... what other reason could there be? Her hands instinctively tightened around the hilts of the two swords at her waist as she stared at him with sharp vigilance.
"Are you here to arrest us?"
"Relax, don't be so nervous. I'm not here to slap cuffs on you." Kuzan looked as though the girl's intense wariness was giving him a headache. He continued with a helpless shrug, "Rest assured. Because I 'ran' so fast, the official orders from Headquarters haven't actually caught up with me yet. Also, if you wouldn't mind... could you take your hands off your weapons?"
He ran fast? No orders yet? Ain couldn't make heads or tails of what the Admiral was saying.
Of course, despite his assurances, she didn't risk relaxing.
This was a Marine Admiral after all.
She knew she was no match for him, but she would respect Zephyr's choices to the bitter end. She would stop anyone who tried to disturb him.
Even an Admiral.
Ain fell silent for a moment before speaking again, her voice faint but firm. "Then... can I leave now?"
"Not yet. By the way, where is Zephyr-sensei right now?"
'And he said he wasn't here for him!'
"Okay! Okay! I won't ask about Zephyr-sensei." Seeing Ain's gaze sharpen into a glare, Kuzan clutched his forehead again. The situation involuntarily reminded him of that night he had prepared to take Robin away. "You really are just like that brat."
'That brat? Who? Dante?' Before the confused Ain could voice her question, Kuzan spoke again.
"Forget it. Meeting you works just as well." He stroked his chin, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized the vigilant young woman. "In fact, perhaps it'll be even more interesting if you handle this. *Tsk, tsk, tsk...*"
Between Kuzan's strange look and his unsettling chuckle, Ain frowned deeply. A wave of irritability rose within her. She took a deep breath.
"Admiral Kuzan, what exactly do you want from me?"
This time, Kuzan stopped beating around the bush. His expression flattened into something serious.
"Do you want to watch Zephyr-sensei continue down this path?"
"I..." Ain faltered, her vigilance momentarily replaced by silence. But a moment later, her voice returned to firmness. "No matter what happens, I will respect Zephyr-sensei's choice!"
"Truly worthy of being his student." Kuzan didn't seem surprised by the answer, though he rubbed his temples as if the headache were returning. "Fine. Let me rephrase that."
His gaze hardened, locking onto hers with no trace of his earlier laziness.
"Do you want to watch Zephyr-sensei die?"
The question hung heavy in the air.
"..." Ain went completely still.
"It looks like you've guessed it, too. The World Government will absolutely not allow Zephyr-sensei to continue like this. If he isn't stopped..." A trace of icy killing intent flickered in Kuzan's eyes. "The World Government will order the Marines to execute him. So, tell me. What is your choice?"
"I..." The chill in his voice made Ain tremble. She opened her mouth to speak, but in the end, her eyes burned with renewed resolve. "I respect Zephyr-sensei's choice!"
Looking at the stubborn Ain, Kuzan sighed.
"Fine. Fine. I was planning to quietly offer you a solution, a way that might make Zephyr-sensei understand, a way to keep him alive. But since you don't want it, forget it."
"A... solution?"
Ain paused. Conflict washed over her face. She parted her lips, wanting to say something, but Kuzan seemed to have already given up. He turned his back to her and waved a dismissive hand.
"I respect the path you and Zephyr-sensei have chosen. Let's just pretend I was never here. And remember, do not tell Headquarters you saw me. If Zephyr-sensei really dies... well, as his former student, I'll come pour a cup of sake on his grave. A shame, truly. Goodbye."
Hearing this, the conflict in Ain's expression broke. She bit her lip, coming to a decision.
"Please... Please wait, Admiral Kuzan!" She took a sharp breath. "Can you tell me? What is the solution?"
But Kuzan didn't stop. He didn't even turn his head, continuing his slow trudge forward.
Despair flashed across Ain's face, quickly replaced by desperation. She shouted after him, "Admiral Kuzan, please-!"
Before she could finish, she sensed something flying toward her. Startled, she instinctively caught the object. Before she could even process what it was...
"That brat's emergency number. I trust you know who I mean by 'that brat'."
Kuzan's lazy drawl drifted back to her.
"Call him. Talk to him yourself. Maybe he has a way... though I can't guarantee he'll help."
Ain stood there, staring blankly at the object in her hand, wondering why the Admiral thought Dante could help.
"Oh, right. Let me give you a tip." Kuzan seemed to remember something, his tone now laced with a hint of schadenfreude. "That brat has quite a few women around him. If he refuses, try making your tone a little more... tactful. A little sweeter. Don't be so cold. Who knows? He might just agree. If you do call, make sure you really try. Tell him you 'need' him."
And with that...
He really was done. Kuzan hopped down from the shore, landing on the sea, and walked leisurely across the ocean surface.
He left Ain standing alone in a daze. It wasn't until the Admiral had completely vanished from sight that she looked down at the paper in her hand.
"Dante..." she murmured.
Her eyes were filled with conflict, confusion, and a tangled mess of emotions. She didn't understand why Kuzan wanted her to contact him.
'Does he really have a way?'
Against the World Government and the entire Marine force?
She didn't know if she should actually make the call. But remembering Kuzan's final warning about Zephyr's death, she stood in silence for a long time. Eventually, she pulled out her own Den Den Mushi and dialed the number.
The connection clicked open. Ain watched silently as the Den Den Mushi morphed into a familiar, lazy expression.
"Who is it?" the snail demanded, sounding annoyed. "Calling and not speaking? If you don't say anything, I'm hanging up."
"I..." Ain choked out. "It's Ain." She paused. "Long time... no see."
"Oh, it's you Ain! Long time no see. Eh? Wait. How did you get this number?"
"Actually, never mind. I can guess who gave it to you. That lazy bastard." When Ain remained silent, the Dante-mushi grinned. "So, what do you need?"
Ain was surprised by Dante's casual insult toward an Admiral, but she hesitated only a moment before speaking.
"He said you could help me."
The Dante-mushi in her hand fell silent at that.
The snail frowned deeply, mirroring the silence on the other end.
Seeing this reaction, Ain immediately lowered her head in disappointment.
'Of course'. It was the World Government and the Marines. She shouldn't have disturbed his peaceful life.
"I..."
Just as Ain opened her mouth to apologize and hang up, a thought struck her. She remembered Kuzan's final words, his advice on how to persuade him.
She paused.
"I... heard you like to play with female pirates!"
'What the hell? How did Ain know that rumor? Was it that bastard Admiral spreading lies again?!'
The Dante-mushi's face turned red in anger, but before he could utter a word of defense, Ain took another deep breath. She seemed to have made a frantic, heavy decision. She bit her lower lip, her voice trembling slightly.
"I... I can go to sea! I can become a pirate!"
'Just what the hell did that bastard Kuzan tell you?!'
===============
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