Chapter 131 Zephyr Killer
In the live broadcast, the members of the Revolutionary Army looked at Zephyr with worried expressions upon hearing the news that he would die. Zephyr, however, seemed to have anticipated this outcome and showed no change in his expression.
Being killed was only natural.
After all, in the video he is planning to destroy the entire New World and had become an enemy of the entire world at that moment.
Whether it was the Marine, the pirates, or even the civilians, they all wanted him dead.
So, there was nothing strange about it. Besides, he hadn't expected to survive this mission anyway.
Compared to his death, what he cared more about was the answer to the question of who killed him.
That was the question he wanted to focus on.
Zephyr gradually calmed down, moving past the sudden surprise caused by the QnA Live Broadcast.
He understood his current situation.
The whole world was watching him now.
Everyone would know about his crimes of planning to destroy the New World, and it would undoubtedly cause a tremendous reaction worldwide.
Perhaps he had become even more infamous than Akainu.
However, all of that didn't matter to him. He just wanted to continue pursuing his ideals, to eradicate all pirates.
His sense of justice didn't seek rewards. Whether people liked him or not, it wouldn't affect his mission to eliminate pirates.
The more pressing issue was that the World Government had learned about his intention to betray the government and the Marine, to establish a Neo Marine independent from the current one.
In fact, he still held onto that belief.
The current Marine was merely a puppet controlled by the Five Elder, and he no longer wanted to return to that place.
He intended to establish a Neo Marine, a true Marine, to continue his purpose.
However, the government would never let him go. In the future, he would inevitably become their enemy.
He wasn't surprised by this turn of events. The Five Elder would never allow the rise of a Neo Marine, and becoming their enemy was just a matter of time.
More importantly, to deal with the upcoming troubles and achieve his goal of eradicating all pirates in the world, he needed to gain valuable rewards from this QnA show.
Something to support his ideals.
His body couldn't be sustain much longer.
He had already let go of the idea of destroying the New World and perishing together with the pirates of the New World.
Perishing together with them would also mean taking his newly formed Marine down with him.
That wasn't what he wanted.
Since he had separated from the Marine, his goal was to establish a Neo Marine dedicated to eradicating all pirates in the world.
How could he willingly his subordinate to their graves and destroy this Neo Marine with his own hands?
The world needed a Neo Marine, a true embodiment of justice. Since he had ignited hope, he couldn't extinguish it himself.
Even if he died, even if he couldn't eradicate all the pirates in the world in his limited lifespan.
As long as this Neo Marine could carry on, grow stronger, they would continue to fulfill his ideals.
He was already a relic of the past era. The new era belonged to the younger generation. Zephyr looked at Smoker, Binz, and Ain behind him.
They were the future of the Marine. How could he let them die with him?
The future belonged to them, as did the Neo Marine. The world still needed them to eliminate the pirates.
So, what he should do in his remaining time was to make this Neo Marine strong enough. He needed to nurture it, so that the flame of hope burned brightly. Even if he died, they would continue to uphold justice and eliminate pirates in this world.
For that, he needed more time.
The Neo Marine was still in its infancy, too weak. There were countless troubles awaiting them in the future. He needed time to cultivate and strengthen it. Only then could he confidently entrust the Neo Marine to them.
He wanted his ideals to be carried on.
Even if he couldn't witness it while alive, he hoped that someday in the future after his death, this world would be free of pirates!
That's why he needed to answer this question correctly, to obtain a better reward.
Zephyr pondered over this question, who could have killed him?
The Straw Hat Pirates?
Zephyr furrowed his brows. Due to his disdain for pirates, he had no favorable impression of the Straw Hat Pirates, even if Luffy was Garp's grandson.
But upon further thought, this guy was indeed different from the pirates he had encountered before. Maybe it was because of his connection to Garp.
Moreover, it couldn't be denied that he had saved Alabasta and the villages under the control of the Dread Arlong Pirates in the East Blue.
And according to question before, it seemed that he had been moved by Luffy's conviction and had ultimately found himself before being defeated by him.
Did this guy kill him after defeating him?
It was possible, but uncertain.
Moreover, this answer seemed too straightforward.
Who else could it be besides the Straw Hat Pirates? Zephyr thought about his plan to destroy the entire New World, and anyone from the New World could have come to kill him to prevent that catastrophe.
But that would leave too many possibilities, including the Four Emperors of the New World, Shichibukai, other powerful pirates, and even strong civilians.
Based on previous questions, the answer would be related to those involved in the event. There wouldn't be some random answer.
For example, in the previous question about the Shichibukai, it was related to the Cipher Pol 9 headquarters on Enies Lobby where Spandam was located.
Following this line of thinking, the related individuals in the ENDPOINT incident would be the NEO Marine, the Straw Hat Pirates, and the Marine led by Admiral Kizaru.
As he thought about it, Zephyr suddenly had an answer in his mind.
A strange expression appeared on Zephyr's face, a mix of melancholy, gratification, and helplessness.
He slowly said, "Answer: The Marine led by Admiral Kizaru."
This answer caused everyone who heard it to be slightly stunned.
The Marine trainee from Marineford initially showed surprise on their faces, unable to believe it. But soon after, a bitter expression replaced their surprise.
Did Teacher Zephyr really die at their hands in the end?
They didn't want to believe it, but a voice inside them told them that it was true.
Just now, the Five Elder had already ordered Zephyr's Capture to give the world an explanation, and that was when Zephyr hadn't done anything yet.
If Zephyr had already destroyed two ENDPOINTS, then to prevent the New World from being destroyed by Zephyr, to eliminate the threat, the World Government and the Marine would undoubtedly kill him without hesitation.
This answer made them feel deeply uncomfortable.
Zephyr, an outstanding member of the Marine, how many pirates had he captured in his life? How much glory had he achieved? Yet, he didn't die at the hands of pirates, but at the hands of the Marine, including his former disciples.
It was such a heartbreaking matter.
A hero has ended up in such a fate, how tragic it is.
People around the world showed sorrowful expressions upon hearing this news.
Although Zephyr had taken an extreme path in his later years, it was difficult for people to harbor any feelings of hatred towards him.
After all, unlike Akainu, he wasn't inherently cold-blooded and ruthless.
This former Admiral, who was once so kind and just, possessed all the excellent qualities expected of the Marine.
He even nurtured the current Marineford and made an indelible contribution to the world's order.
However, such an outstanding member of the Marine had experienced tremendous setbacks in his life, leading him down the wrong path.
No one wanted to see a hero end up in such a state.
This outcome left many with a sense of melancholy. They hoped that heroes would have a good ending, that good people would receive good rewards.
But reality had dealt them a blow, even someone like Zephyr had fallen so low. How could they hold onto hope?
Couldn't this damn fate be altered by human actions?
Couldn't those old geezers in the World Government act like decent human beings?
Many cursed inwardly.
In front of the live screen, many people looked at Zephyr, hoping that this former hero could undergo a change through this live broadcast.
Don't go to extremes, don't end up with a tragic fate of fighting against your own disciples.
Return to being the hero they knew!
They needed hope, and the world needed hope.
"Correct answer," Luke said.
Luke's response made Zephyr happy that he had answered the question correctly, yet he felt a complex mix of emotions knowing that he had indeed died at the hands of his own students.
Luke continued, "All five questions have been answered. As usual, let's play the footage."
At the same time, screens around the world turned black.
However, no one averted their gaze from the screens.
Everyone knew deep down that they were about to witness the life of a hero's downfall. This footage would determine the fate of the New World.
The information they had from the questions was not enough to fully understand what had transpired. They wanted to see with their own eyes what had happened.
To witness the ultimate fate of this former hero, Black Arm Zephyr, who had nearly become a demon.
The Marines at Marineford suppressed their sadness and stared intently at the screens.
... ... ... ... ...
The pitch-black screens began to illuminate, and two elderly men with white hair appeared in a room. They were dressed in white Marine uniforms, and two young Marines stood before them, seemingly listening.
Upon seeing these two old men, everyone recognized their identities—Marine hero Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
In the Summit War, Sengoku still had black hair, but two years later, it had turned white. This made people realize that Sengoku was already in his seventies. It seemed that when he was serving as Fleet Admiral, he secretly used hair dye to maintain a powerful image.
In the footage, Garp sat hunched over, speaking in a low voice, "He once believed in the Marine's justice more deeply than anyone. Zephyr was a serious man, fighting on the dangerous battlefield with his life on the line, confronting opponents of that era."
The footage switched to Zephyr's journey from enlisting to becoming a Marine commander. Subsequently, his opponents appeared one by one—Whitebeard, Roger... These opponents demonstrated Zephyr's strength at that time.
"He became a Vice-Admiral at a young age. When his life was at its peak, his wife and child were killed by pirates who held a grudge against him," Garp's voice came from behind, and the footage showed Zephyr becoming an Admiral, getting married, holding his child, and then... everything shattered. The scene ended with Zephyr hanging his head, shedding tears.
"Zephyr truly understood the position of being an Admiral. He buried this sadness and hatred deep within his heart, focusing on carrying out his missions. In the years that followed, he devoted himself to nurturing young Marines."
Once again, Zephyr's face appeared in the footage. He had become an Admiral, exuding a sense of wisdom and experience. Young Marines like Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji gradually appeared in the footage.
"He is the man who trained all these Marines. The famous Admiral we see today are all his disciples."
The faces of the Marines at Marineford, both those who appeared in the footage and those who didn't, looked at the purple-haired man in the footage with respectful eyes.
They were the proof of his accomplishments!
"But another tragedy befell him." As he said this, Garp couldn't help but exert force, crushing the seashell in his hand. His voice carried a tone of sadness and helplessness.
The scene shifted, showing Zephyr kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down his face, a look of despair in his eyes. Surrounding him were lifeless bodies.
In the pouring rain, Zephyr clutched his severed right arm, looking up to the sky and letting out a mournful howl. Tears mixed with rainwater streamed down his cheeks, and wailing cries reverberated through the footage.
Zephyr's despair were conveyed to everyone witnessing this scene.