"Leave It To Me!"

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"I knew he'd show up right away after hearing the news." Borsalino remarked, his gaze fixed on the man at the heart of the conference room.

"Here he comes." Sakazuki and Kuzan whispered together.

"Fleet-Admiral Brontes!"

Everyone in the room let out a sound of surprise when Brontes appeared.

It wasn't that they hadn't expected him; they just hadn't imagined he would burst into the conference room with such a stormy manner.

"What in the world happened? Why did we suffer such heavy losses? And how is Instructor Zed doing now?" Brontes didn't waste any time, his eyes locked on Sengoku as he rattled off question after question.

Aside from his close friends and a few like Kuzan, the rest of the room held their breath under Brontes's intense presence.

His commanding aura was downright scary, leaving them feeling as though a tyrant had walked among them.

"Phew!"

Sengoku exhaled. He had braced himself for Brontes's arrival but hadn't expected him to get there so quickly.

"The intern's ship came under attack by a pirate in the New World. It all happened amid a storm, and by the time backup got there, the pirate had vanished. Zed's life isn't in danger, but he's lost his right arm. Nearly every intern from this term was lost, except for two, Ain and Binz. The rest... they didn't make it. This has hit Zed hard, really shaken him up." Sengoku said in a sad and helpless voice.

"Why aren't we sending out troops to chase down this pirate?" Brontes asked, his voice was filled with killing intent.

"The pirate who hit Zed's ship goes by the name Edward Weevil. Given his last name and certain traits, we believe he may be connected to Whitebeard." Tsuru chimed in, looking at Brontes.

"Just because his last name is Edward?" Brontes asked in a confused voice.

"It's not just the name. There's a woman with him, Buckin, who used to roll with Whitebeard and claims Edward Weevil is her son by Whitebeard." Tsuru explained.

"So, you called this meeting because you're wary of Whitebeard?" Brontes mocked with a sneer on his face.

"That's enough, Brontes! We're in the middle of a discussion. I know you're upset about Zed, but you can't just jump into action without thinking. Remember, your duty lies with Mariejois. This is about Marineford, not the World Government." Garp chimed in, eager to prevent Brontes from making a hasty decision in his anger, which might lead to dissatisfaction of both Marine and the World Government.

Brontes took a deep, steadying breath and said: "Okay. Instructor Zed is here, right?"

"Yes, he's at Marineford's special hospital. Lost an arm but otherwise, he's alright." Garp confirmed with a nod.

"It was just an accident. No need to make such a big deal out of it, leaving your posts without permission." Sengoku scolded, eyeing the marines gathered around.

"What a pain!" Borsalino was the first to complain.

"Then back to the New World with you. Did you all come to headquarters for a vacation?" Sengoku shot a stern look at Kuzan and Sakazuki.

"Alright, we'll head back!" Sakazuki agreed, standing up.

Borsalino, hands in his pockets, said in his usual lazy voice: "Since Brontes is here, we can return to the New World. There's no point in staying here."

Momonga and the others got to their feet. With Brontes taking over, they knew their presence at the meeting was no longer necessary.

"Sengoku-san, we're off to the New World." Said the other Vice-Admirals, standing up one after another to say their goodbyes.

Under Sakazuki and Borsalino's lead, they prepared to return to the New World.

...

After Brontes left, those still in the conference room exchanged looks.

The meeting wrapped up quicker than anticipated, Brontes's arrival rendering further discussion unnecessary.

"That kid won't do anything rash, will he?" Garp voiced his concern.

"It's hard to tell. No one in Marineford is closer to Zefa than him. Everyone knows how Zed feels about Brontes, practically his son and heir." Sengoku replied, shaking his head.

"I just hope he doesn't act impulsively. We don't even know if Edward Weevil is truly connected to Whitebeard. The Five Elders wanted to keep this quiet, but they probably didn't consider how Brontes would take it. He's not one to let things slide." Tsuru added in a worried expression.

"We should inform Kong, to stop him from making any moves against the Whitebeard Pirates. This needs to be discussed with the Five Elders." Sengoku said, feeling somewhat helpless.

...

Meanwhile, Brontes had made his way to Marineford's special hospital.

Upon his arrival, the marines quickly ushered him in, leading him to a private room.

Inside, Brontes faced his inner turmoil head-on. He was here for Zed, who was more than a teacher to him—almost a father figure.

The news of Zed's injury had hit him like a storm, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions: anger, worry, and an intense desire to make things right. Yet, there was also fear—the fear of what might come next, of stepping into unknown territory without his cheerful mentor's guidance.

Brontes knew the importance of keeping a cool head, especially in times like these. But as he moved closer to Zed's room, his thoughts raced.

"Bang! Bang!"

The sound of knocking echoed before Brontes pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"I'm still alive and kicking, yet here you are, as if you set to send me off!" A loud angry voice came from the room.

The room was filled with the presence of three individuals: two of them young, a woman seated beside the bed, and a man standing off to the side.

Both bore the marks of battle, wrapped in bandages that spoke of their recent battle.

The source of the earlier comment, reclining on the bed, was an elderly man with striking purple hair. His right arm was hidden beneath a thick layer of bandages, obscuring his wrist from view.

Expecting a doctor, the duo rose in surprise upon spotting Brontes, their voices a mixture of shock and respect as they greeted: "Fleet-Admiral Ragnarok!"

"Hm!"

Brontes acknowledged them with a nod, recognizing the pair: Ain, known for her Return-Return Devil Fruit abilities, and Binz, a user of the Grow-Grow Devil Fruit.

Though Zed was not usually fond of those who relied on devil fruits, he had to admit that Ain and Binz were his most formidable students in the current batch.

They were the survivors, the only ones who had made it through their latest ordeal.

"You're still as stubborn as ever, Instructor Zed. Why can't you just take my advice for once?"

Brontes expressed, his tone a mix of frustration and sorrow as he took in Zed's battered state.

"I don't need pointers from a youngster like you. You might outrank me now, but don't think that gives you the right to boss me around." Zed snapped back, his gaze sharp as he locked eyes with Brontes.

"I'm well aware, and you know I can't pull rank on you because of my position. But, Instructor, just this once, could you listen to me? Let me handle what comes next." Brontes pleaded, his voice heavy with earnestness.

"And what's your grand plan, huh? Have you forgotten your primary duty to the World Government?" Zed's tone shifted, taking on a grave seriousness as he considered Brontes's intentions.

Zed was referring to the delicate balance the Five Elders sought to maintain.

If Edward Weevil truly had ties to Whitebeard and Brontes moved against him, it could ignite a massive conflict between the World Government and the Whitebeard Pirates, shattering that balance.

"I'm still as fiery and determined as ever." Brontes said with a smile, his eyes gleaming with resolve.

"Alright, just don't get yourself killed, you hear?" Zed's stern facade finally cracked into a smile, a sign of his deep understanding and trust in Brontes.

"Leave it to me!" Brontes responded, his smile was radiating confidence.