Zephyr didn't head straight back to rest. Though he trusted Victor, he still wanted to check on the Elite Training Camp.
When he arrived, he saw the recruits training diligently—no one was slacking off. The entire atmosphere of the camp had changed.
"This batch is far stronger than the last. They've truly weathered the storm and grown."
A faint smile crossed Zephyr's lips.
He knew they had faced great danger during their last field assessment. He assumed those trials had fueled their desire for strength.
A person's mindset greatly influenced their growth. Take Gecko Moria—in his youth, he had clashed with Kaido himself and was far from weak. But after his crushing defeat, with his entire crew slaughtered, he fell into despair and became the lazy, zombie-obsessed warlord he was today.
But Zephyr was wrong.
This generation 'was' different from Smoker's batch, but the main reason wasn't their past struggles—it was their desire to join 'Victor's crew'. His strength and character had earned their deep respect.
Victor spotted Zephyr's distinctive purple hair and walked over.
"Teacher, when did you get back?" Victor asked with a smile.
"Just now. Wanted to see how this year's recruits were doing. Their morale is excellent—you've done well," Zephyr replied warmly.
"Not a problem. I haven't taught them the Six Powers yet. These past few days have been focused on physical conditioning."
"Good call. Mastering the Six Powers requires a strong foundation. Tomorrow, I'll test their physical capabilities."
Zephyr was as dedicated as ever, ready to work the moment he returned. His later tragedy—losing his students to Whitebeard Jr.—showed just how much he cared.
A former Admiral, losing an arm to a pirate who might not even be Warlord-level? There had to be more to it. The most likely explanation? Zephyr had been too concerned for his students, allowing Miss Buckingham to take them hostage. If it had been Akainu leading, Buckingham and Whitebeard Jr. would've been annihilated on the spot.
"Teacher, you just got back. Take a couple of days off. I've got things under control here," Victor urged.
Zephyr chuckled. "This isn't work for me anymore—it's habit. Don't worry about me. Keep at it. I've seen enough, and I'm satisfied. I'll return tomorrow to meet them properly."
With that, Zephyr left, not mentioning the upcoming Elite Camp reforms.
Victor watched him go, recalling the gathering at Garp's place. Back then, Zephyr had been quiet, drinking alone. But here, he was energetic, passionate about teaching, and deeply invested in his students.
---
By evening, training ended, and the recruits dispersed. Victor, Rebecca, and Wendy headed toward the shore.
When they reached the cabin, they found two familiar faces waiting—Smoker and Hina.
"Hey, Victor! Heard you're the Elite Camp instructor now. We've been waiting forever—you owe us a good meal!" Smoker puffed on his cigar, looking every bit the tough guy.
"Yeah! Hina hasn't had your cooking in ages. She's craving it!" Hina added.
"You two really treat my place like a restaurant. Free meals aren't happening," Victor shot back.
"Victor… we're leaving HQ soon. This might be our last chance to eat here," Smoker said, a hint of melancholy in his voice.
"Hina will never forget this place… or you… or your cooking!" Hina sighed, lost in nostalgia.
"Hina, that last part was unnecessary. No need to say it," Smoker said flatly.
"Was it? Then Hina takes it back. Pretend you didn't hear it!" She turned to Smoker, realization dawning—another 'Revoke-Revoke Fruit' user.
"Uh… that last part was the whole point, wasn't it?" Rebecca and Wendy deadpanned.
"Fine. One last meal to send you off properly," Victor said, gazing at the sea with a faint smile.
Smoker and Hina blinked in surprise. They hadn't expected Victor to agree so easily.
Victor had thought it over. These two were among the few true friends he'd made in this world. Their personalities clicked with his. Now, they'd be scattered across the seas, assigned to unknown posts. The world was vast, and reunions would be rare—especially with Smoker's stubbornness. Who knew if he'd hole up in some base for years again?
At least they were strong enough to handle the first half of the Grand Line. If they were weaker, this could've been a final farewell. One meal? A small price.
Soon, a feast was ready. This time, even Smoker and Hina pitched in. They all sat around the table as the sunset painted the sky, waves lapping at the shore. A dwindling bonfire crackled nearby.
"Any idea where you're being assigned?" Victor asked, taking a sip of wine.
"Yeah, Hina, where are you headed?" Rebecca chimed in.
"Hina will likely join Vice Admiral Tsuru's ship. Her crew is all women—the best place to train. Once Hina's strong enough, she'll lead her own missions!" Hina declared confidently.
Victor had expected as much. Talented female Marines often trained under Tsuru.
"Tsuru's a great choice," Wendy said, happy for her.
"Not bad. Smoker, what about you?" Victor pressed.
"Me? Not sure yet. Either a ship or a branch base. Doesn't matter—I'll uphold my justice anywhere," Smoker said, brimming with determination.
"I just hope they don't send you to the New World. What then? You'd get wrecked like you did against Avalo Pizarro," Victor teased.
"I'll unlock Haki sooner or later. Let's see who can take me down then!" Smoker growled, face reddening.
The three girls burst into laughter beside them. Victor often liked to provoke Smoker, and they always found his reactions amusing.
But Victor wasn't just teasing for the sake of it—he genuinely wanted Smoker to grow stronger.
In the original story, Smoker had become a sidelined character, reduced to babysitting giant children. Once seen as a potential rival like Garp chasing the Pirate King, his strength plateaued in the New World. He suffered defeat after defeat, even struggling against Warlord subordinates like Vergo. Too much of his time had been wasted in Loguetown.
As for why he ended up there, Hina's words in the original story hinted that it was due to Smoker's stubborn personality and his rigid sense of justice. Something had clashed with his ideals, and rather than compromise, he dug in his heels—stagnating in Loguetown for years.
"Smoker, do you really understand this world?" Victor's tone sharpened. "This is a world where the strong devour the weak. You want to protect the helpless? With what? Your Smoke-Smoke Fruit? Remember what happened in Sabaody? The New World is crawling with pirates who know Haki. How will you handle them?"
Silence fell over the group. Smoker's expression darkened as memories resurfaced.
"I've heard of Observation Haki so advanced it can glimpse the future. Imagine a Logia user mastering that—they could shift their body before the attack even lands. Even against Haki users, they'd be untouchable." Victor paused, letting the idea sink in.
Smoker's eyes flickered with realization.
"Observation Haki can really see the future?!" Wendy gasped. As a sniper, the implications stunned her—how could anyone dodge her bullets if she had that power?
Hina looked equally intrigued—this was the first she'd heard of it. Rebecca, however, remained calm; Victor had mentioned it to her before.
"It's real. During my fight with Sakazuki, he dodged my slashes by predicting them with Observation Haki. If he could refine it further… wouldn't that be the same as seeing the future?"
The girls exchanged glances, half-convinced. Rebecca, though, trusted Victor completely—his past claims had always proven true.
Smoker's gaze burned with new determination. Victor noticed.
"But Smoker—do you think mastering Observation alone is enough?" Victor pressed. "Without attack power, how will you defeat enemies? Will you just stand by while pirates slaughter civilians? Is that the kind of Marine you want to be?"
Rayleigh had once said that many fighters specialized—some in Armament, others in Observation. But true strength required both.
"Of course not!" Smoker growled. "I'll stop them—no matter what. And I won't neglect Armament Haki either!"
"Good. Then never forget how close you came to death in Sabaody. Wherever you're posted, never stop growing stronger. That's the only way your justice will mean anything."
Victor didn't know what would eventually drive Smoker to Loguetown in the future. But it didn't matter. As long as Smoker understood the importance of strength, his path would change.
"…I understand." Smoker's voice was firm. This time, it seemed the lesson had stuck.
'Maybe in the original timeline, no one ever told him this.' Victor mused. 'He only realized it himself in Alabasta. But now? Things will be different.'