Chapter 4: "Black Arm" Zephyr!
The Training Ground at Night
Marineford's training grounds were still brightly lit, even in the dead of night. Hundreds of new Marine recruits trained under the moonlight, their fists moving like rain, their bodies drenched in sweat.
Roy followed Garp, and from a distance, he saw a figure standing in the center of the field like a mountain.
He was a man with short-cut purple hair. His sunglasses reflected the moonlight, and his calloused, scarred fists were correcting a rookie's punching form, one blow at a time, as if he were trying to physically inject "Justice" itself into their bodies.
"Black Arm" Zephyr!
Roy's heart skipped a beat.
In his previous life, this was the character he felt the most for—the man who trained the three monster Admirals, the instructor who held to a "no-kill" ideal, the man who continued to fight for justice even after losing everything.
But now, in the year 1500, Zephyr's arms were both intact. He was in his prime.
Sensing Garp's presence, Zephyr didn't even turn his head, just snorted. "Garp, you old bastard. You finally decide to come back? Sengoku was so mad he broke three vases in his office."
Garp laughed and slapped Roy on the back, pushing him forward. "Look what I brought you! This here is a treasure I found in the East Blue!"
Under the moonlight, Zephyr finally turned around slowly.
His eyes, hidden behind the sunglasses, fell on Roy's small, bandaged, but ramrod-straight figure. He raised an eyebrow. "For you to call him 'treasure,' this old bastard must..."
He didn't finish his sentence. His right fist suddenly flew out!
"BOOM—!"
The air seemed to explode. The punch came like a cannonball!
Roy's pupils shrank. His body reacted before his mind—he warped backward while instinctively crossing his arms and coating them in Armament Haki!
"CLANG!"
A sharp, metallic sound rang out.
Zephyr's fist stopped dead in the air, inches from Roy's arms. A rare smile touched the corner of his mouth. "Observation Haki prediction, budding Armament Haki, and passable reflexes."
He retracted his fist and glanced at Garp. "He really is a quality recruit."
Garp proudly put his hand on Roy's shoulder, grinning like a sly old fox. "This brat also one-shotted a Sea King!"
Zephyr's eyebrows shot up, his smile deepening. "Is that so? Well, that makes things interesting."
After the training session ended, Zephyr brought them to his office.
An old-fashioned lamp cast a dim yellow light. On the wall hung a faded photograph—it was from when Zephyr first became a Marine instructor. In it, he wore his Admiral's coat, arms crossed, looking proud and imposing.
Beside him stood a young Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino, side-by-side. Not yet Admirals, they still had a hint of rawness and sharp ambition.
They were the three strongest disciples he had poured his heart into, and they were his greatest pride.
In the photo, all of them were smiling... though Sakazuki's "smile" just looked unsettling, and Borsalino's looked plain creepy.
It was Zephyr's golden age, and it would later become his most painful memory.
"Sit, brat," Zephyr said, his voice deep and steady.
Roy sat down bolt upright. "Sir!"
Zephyr looked at Roy. "Garp says you ate the Warp-Warp Fruit?"
Roy nodded. "Yes, sir! I call it 'Super-Warp.' I can blink to any place I can see!"
As he spoke, he fwooshed and vanished, reappearing right behind Zephyr's chair.
Without turning, Zephyr's hand shot back in a lightning-fast grab—but he hit nothing but air.
He looked up. Roy was hanging upside down from the ceiling, grinning. "Heh."
Zephyr let out a small, rare laugh. "Interesting."
He stood up, his gaze intense. "Starting tomorrow, you'll train with the new recruit battalion."
He then pointed a finger at Roy, his tone suddenly becoming strict. "And you get two extra hours every day. I will personally teach you Armament Haki!"
Roy shot up from his chair so fast it clattered to the floor. "Are you serious?! Instructor Zephyr!"
Zephyr placed a hand on his shoulder. The strength and warmth from that calloused palm made Roy flinch.
"Remember," Zephyr's voice was firm, "an ability is just a tool. A truly strong man—"
"—smashes justice through with his fists!" Garp suddenly interrupted, his hearty laugh echoing in the office.
Zephyr just smiled. "Haki is the only truth!"
Garp threw his head back and laughed. "I was right! Zephyr, my old friend, that's just like you!"
Roy stared as the two old veterans laughed side-by-side. In the moonlight, he saw the image of "Black Arm" Zephyr in his prime, a man who would always protect justice, his eyes shining like stars.
In that moment, Roy made a silent vow—
"Since I've been given this chance, I swear I will change that tragic future!"
The next morning, at the Marineford training ground.
The first rays of dawn hit the field. The new recruits were already assembled in neat rows.
Garp and Zephyr stood together in the center of the field—a legendary sight that most recruits only dreamed of.
"Today's focus is 'Haki Combat Training'!"
Zephyr took off his sunglasses, revealing his sharp eyes. His voice was loud, with a metallic edge. "Haki is the foundation of a Marine! If you can't learn it, don't even talk about justice!"
Garp stood with his hands on his hips, grinning. "Listen up, brats! We've arranged a special 'Observation vs. Armament' demonstration for you today!"
As he spoke, he shoved Roy into the center of the field. "Roy here will be sparring, with Instructor Zephyr leading the drill!"
The entire field erupted in murmurs, all eyes landing on Roy.
"Is that... the new guy from the East Blue?"
"Who is he? How does he get to be trained by both Instructor Zephyr and Vice Admiral Garp?"
"What's his background? Is he related to someone at HQ?"
Roy's chest tightened. He took a deep breath, walked up to Zephyr, and clenched his fists. "Instructor Zephyr, please guide me!"
Zephyr's eyes narrowed, his voice steady. "No need to be nervous. Just show me your moves, brat. Let's see those reflexes!"
The moment he finished speaking, Zephyr vanished. He reappeared right in front of Roy, a fist whistling through the air like an iron hammer!
"BOOM—!"
Roy's pupils shrank. His Observation Haki kicked in. With a fwoosh, he warped to the side. He had barely landed when Zephyr's side-kick came at him like a whirlwind!
"Haki!"
Roy instantly coated both arms in Armament and crossed them in a block. A loud "BANG!" echoed out. Roy was knocked back several meters, skidding on his feet, but he held his ground.
The recruits' eyes went wide.
"He... he's fighting back against Instructor Zephyr?!"
"He actually blocked Instructor Zephyr's attack?!"
"Is he a monster?!"
Zephyr's lip quirked up. "Not bad. Using Observation to dodge and Armament to block, all in an instant. Good reactions."
"But—"
He suddenly retracted his fist, and his body exploded forward like a mountain collapsing!
"BAM! BAM! BAM!"
A flurry of afterimages, a storm of punches, rained down. Roy used his warp ability to its limit, blinking again and again, but Zephyr's fists seemed to predict his every move.
"He's too strong!" Roy thought as he dodged. "His Observation Haki... it's like he's using a map hack!"
Suddenly, an opening!
Zephyr saw his chance and threw a heavy punch. Roy instinctively blocked—
"BAM!!!"
His arms went numb. Roy was sent flying several meters, crashing to the ground. A trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
Zephyr walked over slowly and looked down at him. "Good, brat. Your warp ability is strong, but Haki is the foundation that will let you stand at the top!"
"Remember: Haki is an extension of your belief. The stronger your belief, the stronger your power!"
Garp laughed, walked over, and pulled Roy up from the ground. "I've got high hopes for you! Don't just dodge! Fight back!"
Roy gritted his teeth, wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes burning with a fighting spirit. "Yes, sir! Please continue!"
Zephyr nodded, satisfied. "Good!"
"Again!"
On the training field, the sound of fists cutting the air, flashes of blue light, and the shockwaves of Haki rippled out.
The new recruits were completely stunned.
"My god, he's been sparring with the Instructor this long and he's still standing!"
"That's 'Black Arm' Zephyr! What kind of monster is he?!"
"This rookie... he's definitely going to be an Admiral one day..."
The morning light grew stronger, mixing with the sweat and dust.
Roy, covered in bruises, his arms trembling, looked back with unshakable resolve.
"Training Haki isn't going to be easy... but..."
He took a deep breath.
"I will become stronger than anyone else!"
On the sidelines, Garp and Zephyr looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with pride and anticipation.
On the other side of the training ground, two of Zephyr's senior students—a 12-year-old Smoker and a 10-year-old Hina—were also present, preparing for their own training.
Smoker's eyes were locked on Roy, who was flashing around the field. He frowned. "That brat... first day and he's already going head-to-head with Instructor Zephyr. And that warping ability... he's a monster."
Hina, fiddling with a pair of handcuffs, spoke in a cool tone that couldn't hide her interest, "Smoker, Hina thinks this rookie is going to be your new rival."
Smoker snorted, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Hmph. I don't care who he is. If he wants to be strong, he's got to be forged in fire. Let's see if he can even survive the Instructor's training."
Hina's lips curved slightly. "Hina is very interested."
They looked at each other, then both turned their gaze back to the center of the field, where the new boy still stood, unbending, under Zephyr's relentless assault.