Ain was furious upon hearing this. The reason she had sent Binz back to report was that she assumed since Taro wanted to learn the Six Powers, he would naturally need to follow Teacher Zephyr for a long time, making joining the "Pirate Guerrilla Force" a logical progression.
Now, hearing Taro say he didn't plan to join the "Pirate Guerrilla Force" and that he would only stay until sunset, Ain felt deceived. Her anger surged as she slowly drew two daggers, gripping one in each hand.
Taro quickly waved his hands. "Calm down, I'm just telling the truth."
Hearing him emphasize it again, Ain grew even more enraged. Her eyes flashed with a fiery red hue, and with a kick of her legs, she shot toward Taro like an arrow from a bow.
Taro raised his saber to block Ain's strike. "Ain, calm down first and listen to me."
"What else is there to say, you liar!" Ain cursed, her hands never stopping as she launched a continuous assault on Taro.
Taro could only keep swinging his blade to parry left and right, defending against Ain's onslaught.
"Regression!"
Suddenly, in a gap between her attacks, Ain gave a low shout, and a pink glow burst from her right hand as she aimed a palm strike at Taro's sword hand.
Taro had been defending passively while frantically thinking of a way to calm Ain down. When he heard her shout, he immediately remembered her Devil Fruit Ability. He abandoned his blade, letting the saber fall as he retreated several steps.
"Ain, your Devil Fruit Ability makes the age of anything you touch regress; I'm well aware of that."
Having put some distance between them, Taro finally caught his breath. He spoke as fast as he could, "We aren't enemies. Please, believe me."
Hearing Taro's words, Ain temporarily halted her attack. She had already found it strange that he knew her name, and now, discovering he even understood her Devil Fruit Ability made it feel even more surreal.
"Who exactly are you? What is your purpose for coming here?" Ain asked sharply.
"I'm telling the truth. My name is Taro, and I really came here to learn the Six Powers," Taro said, spreading his hands helplessly. "Can we wait until we see Senior Zephyr to discuss everything?"
Seeing Taro stick to the same story, Ain still didn't believe him. "It seems I won't hear a word of truth until I've taken you down."
With that, she prepared to strike again.
"Stop, Ain."
A deep voice suddenly rang out, and both Taro and Ain looked toward the nearby ridge.
A burly, purple-haired man appeared on the hilltop. His chest was bare, revealing powerful muscles, and he wore a Marine officer's cape. Most strikingly, his right arm was a massive, high-tech metallic prosthetic. Binz stood half a step behind him.
Zephyr!
Former Marine Admiral!
Former Chief Instructor of the Marine Academy!
Z!
Taro recognized him at a glance; after all, Zephyr's jaw-dropping Sea Stone Prosthetic was truly unforgettable.
"Senior Zephyr!" "Teacher Zephyr!"
Taro and Ain bowed to Zephyr simultaneously.
"You can't defeat him as you are now. Come back, Ain," Zephyr said to her, then turned his gaze to Taro. "I heard you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Senior Zephyr." Taro bowed again. "I am Taro, a Lieutenant of Marineford. I've come this time to ask for your guidance on the Six Powers."
"I saw your fight just now." Zephyr shook his head slightly with a scoff. "Those fellows in the Marines are getting worse at judging talent. Someone like you is only a Lieutenant?"
"Young man, how about joining my unit?"
Taro bowed to Zephyr. "I truly wish to learn the Six Powers, but I'm sorry, I cannot join."
Upon hearing this, Zephyr leapt from the ridge with a grunt, landing on the flat ground with a thud before walking toward Taro with heavy steps.
From the moment Zephyr jumped, Taro's body tensed, his breathing slowed, and he watched Zephyr's movements with extreme vigilance.
"Oh? Why?" Despite the overwhelming pressure of Zephyr's aura, his question sounded quite casual.
"In fact, I've only been in the Marines for a few days." Taro relaxed slightly, forcing a small smile. "However, Vice Admiral Garp and Vice Admiral Tsuru have been very good to me, so I don't want to leave."
Taro's logic was simple: mentioning Zephyr's old friends might lower the chances of a fight breaking out.
Hearing Taro mention his two old friends, Zephyr's perpetually sorrowful face softened a bit, his eyes showing a hint of reminiscence.
After a long silence, Zephyr suddenly spoke, "What is the justice in your heart?"
Taro hadn't expected Zephyr to ask this so suddenly. Shouldn't they be asking about his old friends' current situations and reminiscing together in a happy atmosphere?
Stunned for a moment, Taro sat cross-legged on a piece of rubble, his eyes somewhat dazed. "If it were before, I might have known. But because of certain changes, I truly don't know anymore."
"To be honest, since coming to this world, I've never known what I should do or what I can leave behind for it."
"Sometimes, I envy the people of this world. Whether they are Marines or civilians, they all have their own goals."
"But me? I have nothing. No family, no companions, no dreams, and I can't find a direction."
"Justice—I could have given an answer before."
"Justice is allowing people to live and work in peace, ensuring the elderly have support."
"Justice is letting people live with dignity!"
"But now, I don't know."
Taro talked to himself, eventually ending up in tears. Even he couldn't tell if these tears were for his past life or for his confusion in the present.
Still standing on the ridge, Ain and Binz watched Taro from afar as he exuded loneliness, despair, and helplessness. Touched, they exchanged a look and fell silent.
Just then, Taro suddenly wiped away his tears and rubbed his face vigorously, revealing a brilliant smile. "Ah, crying really is a great way to relieve stress!"
"I think I've found a life goal now!"
"Although I said I had nothing just now, I realize I still have one thing."
"I still have regrets. That lovable yet hateful fellow—it's been decades, and he's left so many plot holes unfilled."
"Now, I'm going to find the answers myself."
"And there are some things I don't think are quite right; I'll try to change those too."
Zephyr frowned slightly as he watched the young man before him. First lost and dazed, then weeping in sorrow, and finally regaining his spirit in an almost manic way. He was greatly surprised.
"In my life, I have seen many young people, but someone like you... this is the first time."
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