Chapter 110

Elite training Camp, Marine ford

"Tekkai!" A young teen bellowed as Zephyr, his arm wrapped in Armament Haki, punched squarely on the teen's ribs. Despite the force of the blow, the boy stood steady, not showing any discomfort or pain that coursed through him on his face.

"Don't get distracted, Vergo! Your Haki is faltering!" Zephyr bellowed while using Shave to appear at Vergo's flank. Vergo traced Zephyr's movement with his observation Haki, but this training was meant to test how much of a beating he could handle. After consuming the mythical Zoan fruit, Vergo's physique had been altered completely, and with each passing day, he was pushing himself further and further.

"Sai Dai Rin: Rokuogan!" Zephyr roared, aiming at Vergo's flank, which the teen had already coated with Armament Haki. Zephyr couldn't help but smile at his son's progress. Vergo showed exceptional affinity for Armament Haki, even better than Zephyr had during his younger days. With the recovery ability granted by his Devil Fruit, Vergo could push himself far beyond what his regular body would have allowed.

A powerful shockwave reverberated throughout the elite training camp as the rest of the trainees watched in awe. Vergo was the youngest of the bunch who had joined the elite camp. At seventeen, he had already pushed himself to the extent of nearly mastering the technique of Armament Haki emission.

"Fuck! What kind of monster is that kid? And why does he get the special privilege of being trained by Admiral Zephyr himself?" A new member of the elite camp questioned his senior.

"Shhh! That kid you see there is rumored to be the successor Zephyr is grooming to take over his mantle of 'Black Fist' in the future. And just so you know, he's Zephyr-san's son," the senior commented while watching the exchange, or more like the punishment, that was happening on the training grounds.

Zephyr was attacking Vergo ruthlessly, and to some of the trained eyes, they could see Vergo getting injured and healing at a phenomenal rate. The side of his mouth was completely stained red, but there was not a single word of complaint from his mouth.

The new joiner reeled in shock after hearing they were father and son. The way in which Admiral Zephyr was hitting the teen seemed like they had a huge grudge between them.

"What kind of monster is Admiral Zephyr trying to create by training him in such an intense fashion? Isn't he afraid of ending up killing his own son?" The newbie questioned, bewildered.

"Tch, what do you know? Vergo is a mythical Zoan fruit user. His physique is different from others. As long as he's left with his last breath, he will come back alive. So don't sweat it. This training is nothing compared to what I'd seen a few years ago. In front of that kid, Vergo's training seems like a walk in the park." Vergo and Zephyr, who were at the center, both twitched their ears at the mention of someone having gone through much more intense training, and they knew exactly who they were talking about.

"Are you being serious? A training even more intense than this! What kind of madman would actually go through such hellish training, and what kind of stupid mentor would push someone through such hell?" The newbie cursed in disbelief. For him, the exercises of the elite camp were already something he had difficulty bearing, and Vergo's training simply looked like he was asking for death. To believe there was a madman who trained even harder than this, he believed that person must have turned into a corpse by the end of the training session.

"I happen to be that stupid mentor you just mentioned," a steady but jovial voice echoed from behind the two marines who were chatting. They froze in shock as the sound of something being crushed was heard. Slowly turning around, they saw the legendary Marine hero unceremoniously popping rice crackers into his mouth and munching on them.

Garp, with his broad grin and a bag of rice crackers in hand, looked down at the two marines. "You know, kids these days really need to learn some respect," he said, still chewing. "Vergo's tough, but there's always someone tougher. Isn't that right, Zephyr?"

Zephyr stopped his assault on Vergo and turned to face his old friend and rival. "Garp, you're scaring the recruits again," he said with a smirk.

The new joiner's jaw dropped. "You…You… You're Garp the Fist!?"

Garp chuckled. "Yep, that's me. And just so you know, the kid who went through more intense training than Vergo here—well, he's doing just fine. He's out there in the New World, making a name for himself. Vergo's got a long way to go, but he'll get there eventually."

Vergo, still panting from the exertion, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and determination at being compared to Ross. If someone had survived and thrived under Garp's brutal training, then he would too. He clenched his fists, ready to push himself even harder. The path ahead was tough, but he would walk it with unwavering resolve for his family's sake.

"Black Thunder!!!" Just as Vergo got distracted for a moment, Zephyr infused his arm with pitch-black Armament Haki and launched a devastating attack on Vergo's exposed back. Lightning crackled due to the static energy generated, enveloping Zephyr's entire fist in a fierce electrical aura.

"Boom!!!" As the fist rammed into Vergo's spine, the sound of bones cracking echoed throughout the training ground. The overwhelming force broke Vergo's Tekkai stance, sending him flying through the air. Garp casually caught the flying Vergo and set him down as the young marine wobbled, trying to recover from the devastating attack.

Garp tapped Vergo's shoulder, helping him steady himself. "Good job, kid. Keep this up, and sooner or later, you'll surpass us all."

Zephyr nodded approvingly at Garp's encouragement. "Vergo, you did well. Take a break and recover. Keep pushing your limits." He then turned to the rest of the trainees. "Remember, pain is temporary. Strength is eternal. Train hard, and one day, you'll be legends."

As the elite camp recruits absorbed Zephyr's words, Garp shared his reason for coming to find him. "Zephyr, Kong-san has called us for an emergency meeting. Let's go."

Zephyr picked up his admiral coat and draped it over his shoulder, giving a few more instructions to Vergo and the other recruits. "Keep practicing your haki and push yourselves to the brink. Vergo, knowing when to stop is also part of your training; focus on your recovery too."

As they walked away from the training ground, Zephyr couldn't help but question Garp. "So, tell me, how come you are personally delivering the message on behalf of Kong-san? And I thought you had stopped attending all these meetings since what happened with young Rosinante."

Garp, munching on more rice crackers, responded nonchalantly. "Oh, I got a hint that the matter involved young Ross, so I thought I'd observe this meeting from the side."

Zephyr sighed. Since the incident at Marineford, Garp's relationship with the rest of the Marines has been strained. He had distanced himself from most of the affairs within Marineford, sticking to his nominal duties of hunting pirates and nothing more. Garp had become disillusioned with the decision-making processes within the Marines after what had happened with Rosinante.

As they made their way to the meeting room, the weight of the current situation out in the sea pressed heavily on Zephyr's mind. He knew that any matter involving Rosinante would be serious and potentially volatile. The corridors of Marineford were eerily quiet, the air thick with unspoken tension.

"You know, Garp," Zephyr began, breaking the silence. "The Marines are at a crossroads. We have to make decisions that will shape the future of this world. We can't afford to let personal grievances get in the way."

"I understand, Zephyr," Garp replied, his voice steady. "But we also can't ignore the past. What happened with Rosinante is a reminder of the cost of our choices."

Arriving at the meeting room, they found Kong already waiting, his expression grim. The other high-ranking officers were present, each aware of the gravity of the situation. Kong motioned for them to take their seats.

After waiting for a few more minutes and noticing everyone of importance was in the room, the Fleet Admiral started the meeting. "Thank you for coming, everyone, on such short notice," Kong began. "We have received intelligence that requires our immediate attention."

"What's the situation?" Zephyr asked, leaning forward.

Kong laid out the reports on the table. "The World Government intends to initiate a new system called the Seven Warlords of the Sea. They aim to use this as a deterrent against the pirates."

The room fell silent as the officers picked up the folders in front of them, their expressions growing increasingly grim as they read through the contents. This proposal felt like a blatant insult to the Marines. Granting special privileges to pirates, allowing them the right to loot and commit other crimes with the authority of the government, seemed like sheer madness.

"Kong-san, you can't be serious about this. Agreeing to this plan is as good as admitting we're not fit for the job. It gives pirate scum even more power. Do they even understand the consequences?" A vice admiral's voice trembled with anger as he crushed the folder in his hands.

"No, Kong-san, we cannot support this. Let the World Government know we will not agree to this plan," another vice admiral added, his face flushed with frustration.

Kong sighed heavily, rubbing his temples to ease the growing headache. "That's the issue. The World Government is not asking for our opinion. They just want us to finalize seven names and send them the list of the new Shichibukai."

"Wait! They're not even asking for our opinion on the matter? Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?" Another marine bellowed, his voice rising above the din. The room descended into chaos, with voices overlapping in heated arguments.

Amidst the uproar, one man sat calmly, munching loudly on rice crackers, the sound punctuating the air and drawing the attention of the arguing officers. It was Garp, his demeanor as unbothered as ever, his casual snack a stark contrast to the tension filling the room.

Kong's eyes narrowed, looking at Garp. "Garp, do you have something to add?"

Garp shrugged, popping another rice cracker into his mouth before speaking. "Look, this plan is ridiculous, no doubt. But if we agree to this, our title as the World Government's dogs will be set in stone. Even these filthy pirates will start bossing us around if such a thing is implemented. If you ask me, I would tear that folder apart and send it back to Mary Geoise," he commented, continuing to munch on more rice crackers.

The room fell silent for a moment; the tension was palpable. Kong looked at Garp, his expression a mix of frustration and understanding. "Garp, we all know how you feel about this, but this isn't just about pride. The World Government has made its decision. We have to find a way to work within these constraints."

Sengoku , sensing the growing unrest, leaned forward, his voice steady and calm. "Garp, as much as I agree with your sentiments, we need to be strategic. This isn't about bowing to pirates; it's about maintaining some semblance of control in an increasingly chaotic world. If we choose the candidates, we can at least ensure they are manageable."

Garp sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I get it, Sengoku, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. We're playing with fire here. I am just making my opinion known here."

"Playing with fire is better than letting the whole world burn," Zephyr replied. "We need to be smart about this. If we can control the candidates, we can use them to our advantage."

Kong nodded, looking around the room. "We have to think of the bigger picture. The world is changing, and we need to adapt. Let's focus on choosing candidates who can serve our interests while keeping the peace."

"Kong san and Sengoku are right; if we don't play along, the World Government will just bypass us entirely. We need to be strategic about this." Vice Admiral Tsuru added while she froze on a particular bounty poster within the folder.

"Strategic? Tsuru, how can we be strategic when we're handing power to pirates?" One of the old vice admirals retorted, his frustration palpable.

"By picking the lesser evils," Sengoku replied, his tone more serious now. "We can influence who gets these positions. Choose pirates who we can control or at least predict. It's not ideal, but it's better than having the World Government pick them without any input from us."

Zephyr considered Sengoku's words, nodding slowly. "He's right. We need to make the most of a bad situation. If we choose wisely, we might turn this around to our advantage."

Kong leaned back in his chair, a look of resignation on his face. "Then let's do it. We need to come up with a list of candidates who fit that description. We need pirates who are powerful but can be managed, or who have a personal code that we can work with."

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A/N:

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