At Marineford, inside the Marine Officer Training Camp—or rather, the Marine Academy, as it was now officially called, Diarmuid was chatting with Zephyr in the chief instructor's office.
The school, which had originally been a simple "after-school tutoring session," had officially become a proper military institution. As he had said, Zephyr had requested retirement but was denied, so he was still an Admiral, but he had stepped back from the front lines to run the academy.
The chief instructor's office was simple and spartan. It wasn't flashy or luxuriously understated, just a sturdy, straightforward room, not much different from Zephyr's old office.
On the wall hung a plaque with a single phrase: "Forge Ahead." The calligraphy was done by none other than Admiral Sengoku, a cultured man who was nothing like the roughnecks such as Garp.
Sengoku loved calligraphy. His own office had a plaque that read "Rule the World," a phrase that expressed his lifelong ambition for the Marines to one day, as the face of Justice, rule the world and protect the Four Seas.
The words in Zephyr's office, of course, reflected Sengoku's hopes for the Marine Academy, that its students would Forge Ahead and bring glory to the Marines.
"Are these people insane?" Diarmuid muttered, holding a newspaper. "And this Morgans guy, I'm gonna remember his name! He better not cross me!"
Zephyr was brewing tea, a happy, relaxed smile on his face. "What did he do to you? He didn't libel you. On the contrary, he praised you to no end, calling you the representative of the new generation of Marines who is destined to make a name for himself on the high seas. He even said you were someone to be taken seriously. So why do you want to cause trouble for him?" Zephyr asked with a chuckle.
"The title he gave me in the newspaper is terrible!" Diarmuid complained, feeling utterly vexed.
Within the Marines and among a few outsiders, Diarmuid had earned the name "The Ferocious Tiger of Marine Headquarters" because of that bastard Garp. At first, Diarmuid had refused to accept the name, especially since the story was that he got it from "beating up the Fleet Admiral and forcing Garp to jump off a building." But over time, it had become more of a respectful nickname, and Diarmuid had accepted it.
But now, this Morgans guy had apparently understood the Marines' intentions to heavily promote him. While this was great news, Morgans had created a title for Diarmuid that he absolutely hated: "The Bane of Evil."
That's right. After Diarmuid captured Roger, the Marines deliberately began to cultivate him as a new symbol for the younger generation. Morgans seemed to pick up on this and followed the public's sentiment. Perhaps in his eyes, since Garp was a "Marine Hero," Diarmuid, who had just captured the Pirate King, deserved a title that was no less impressive. So, he had branded Diarmuid with the name, "The Bane of Evil."
Everyone else thought it was a perfectly normal title. Zephyr didn't see anything wrong with it. But whenever Diarmuid looked at it, he felt it was uninspired and cheesy. It sounded so low-tier. He wanted nothing to do with it; even the Ferocious Tiger sounded better.
The thought of walking around the world and having someone recognize him and yell, "It's him, the Bane of Evil!" was a cringe-worthy scenario, a form of social suicide he couldn't bear.
You might as well call me 'The Agent of Justice'! he thought. Get outta here with that nonsense!
"'The Bane of Evil' is a great name. What's so bad about it? I can see Sengoku and the others are trying to make you the new face of the next generation. Don't let us down," Zephyr said with a laugh.
Diarmuid looked crestfallen. "I won't let you down, Sensei, but please don't call me the Bane of Evil ever again. I really can't stand it. I'd rather have the Ferocious Tiger…"
"Hehehe, you young people are so concerned with face," Zephyr teased.
Diarmuid threw the vexing newspaper to the side, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "Sensei, have you found any good prospects lately? It's possible I'll be sent out to command a base after Roger's execution. If you have any good ones, recommend them to me first, hahaha."
"I knew you were up to no good, always coming here to eye my little darlings," Zephyr said, glaring at him. But he quickly laughed and shook his head. "I have some prospects, but they might not be what you're looking for." He then tossed a roster on the table. "Take a look and see if anyone catches your eye."
As chief instructor, Zephyr naturally wanted the best for his students. Diarmuid was a rising star in the Marines, and his future was limitless. If any of his students could work for him, it would be a huge opportunity. So even though Zephyr grumbled, his actions were very honest.
Diarmuid flipped through the roster. He didn't recognize a single name. He scratched his head with a helpless sigh. "Never mind. Maybe next time."
Zephyr shot him a look. He didn't try to force anyone on him. After all, this kind of thing came down to personal preference. Last time, Diarmuid had picked out Doberman and taken him away, and look how well he was doing now. Given Doberman's involvement in the Roger capture, he was sure to get a promotion, a Rear Admiral position at the very least, after the execution.
"If you don't like them, just say it. Don't say 'maybe next time,' you little rascal," Zephyr complained. He was a little disappointed. This class didn't have any truly outstanding talents, but he knew that was normal. If every class produced monsters like Kuzan, Sakazuki, Diarmuid, Borsalino, Gion, and Tokikake, the Marines would have conquered the high seas a long time ago.
"Did you say you're being sent out?" Zephyr asked. Since he had dedicated himself to the academy, he hadn't been paying much attention to Marine matters and didn't know about Sengoku's plans for Diarmuid.
Diarmuid nodded. "That's right. I came here to get your advice…" He then pulled out a sea chart and spread it on the table. He had circled a few Marine bases. "Sensei, Admiral Sengoku said I could choose any of them. Where do you think would be a good place?" he asked with a laugh.
"You get to choose?" Zephyr was stunned, then laughed. "It seems Sengoku really likes you, kid."
"I'm just a likable guy," Diarmuid replied with a grin.
Zephyr put down his teacup and looked at the chart. "Since Sengoku is letting you choose, it depends on what you want to achieve. This is a promotion, but it's also a test. Don't take it too lightly."
"A test?" Diarmuid frowned slightly. "Please, enlighten me, Sensei."
"Hehehe, it's nothing. You're just too happy right now to think about it. Look, if you choose a base with a lot of resources, you'll have to prove yourself by achieving great things in battle. Your other abilities will be difficult to demonstrate. But if you choose a 'skinny' base, you can work to build it up and turn it into a 'fatty.' That would prove your administrative abilities. It's the same whether you choose a base with good or bad discipline. Think about it. What kind of ability do you want to prove? Choose a corresponding base, develop it well, and that will be Sengoku's test for you. If you pass this test and your strength is up to par, when the time comes to choose a new Admiral, you'll be on the shortlist," Zephyr explained softly.
Diarmuid stroked his chin and thought for a moment. "And there's more…"
Zephyr's eyes lit up. He smiled. "Tell me."
"It's not just about what I want to prove. It's about what Admiral Sengoku needs me to prove to everyone else, that I have the ability to be an Admiral. When it comes to fighting pirates, I already proved myself with Roger, even if it was a lucky shot. So I don't need to prove that again. What I need to prove is my administrative and leadership skills. If I can lead a Marine base to thrive, it will prove that I can lead the Marines to a better future at Marineford," Diarmuid said softly.
When it came to fighting pirates, Diarmuid wasn't worried. In a few days, he might even be going up against Shiki. Plus, the Great Pirate Era was about to begin; there would be no shortage of pirates to fight.
"Hahahaha! I knew you had your eyes on that Admiral position," Zephyr said with a big laugh.
"A Marine who doesn't want to be an Admiral isn't a good Marine. Not just Admiral, if the opportunity comes, I want to be Fleet Admiral," Diarmuid said, not trying to hide his ambition.
"That's the spirit. While the time isn't right, you're correct. It's not just you. Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino will all go through this test in the future. To be an Admiral or a Fleet Admiral, you have to be more than just a good fighter," Zephyr said.
"You have to be able to make the Marines stronger," Diarmuid finished. He then said to Zephyr, "Thank you for the advice, Sensei."
"You're a smart kid. I just gave you a little push, and you understood it all. No need to thank me," Zephyr said, waving his hand.
Just then, the door to the office burst open. Gion stormed in, not even greeting Zephyr. She grabbed Diarmuid's shoulders, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and excitement. "Diarmuid, did you really capture Roger?! The Pirate King, Roger?!"
Diarmuid was grabbed and shaken. He pulled his arms away and said, "It was an accident. An accident…"
"I don't even know what to say! You just stumble into things like this! Since I'm part of the Special Combat Unit, I'm your subordinate, so don't forget me when good things happen! You're a Vice Admiral now, and you captured Roger. There's definitely more coming for you, maybe even a position as an Admiral candidate… I'm only a Rear Admiral, so you have to look out for me!" Gion said, repeatedly slapping Diarmuid's shoulder.
"I get it, I get it!" Diarmuid dodged her slaps. "When this Roger thing is over, Admiral Sengoku is going to send me out to be a base commander. I'll take you with me then."
That woman has some serious strength! She really is a master swordswoman!
He thought about his future. With this accomplishment, he would probably be given the special title of an Admiral candidate. After all, it was too soon for him to be a full Admiral, but a candidate was certainly possible.
"You're being sent out?" Gion was stunned, then excited. "Awesome! I'll go with you!"
"Go, go, go!" Diarmuid replied, humoring her.
It was only then that Gion looked at Zephyr. She looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry, Sensei, I was just a little too excited."
"Hahahaha, it's fine. I love seeing you all so full of life. Come, sit down," Zephyr said, laughing heartily.
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