The Calm Before the Storm

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Others may not understand Brontes, but Zed is different; he has known Brontes for decades.

During his time in the Elite Camp, a place where the air always carried the scent of the sea and the spirit of countless battles, Brontes has spent most of his time training with Zed.

At the beginning, Brontes deliberately hid his strength while in the elite camp, yet Zed, who had seen potential in those silent, observant eyes from their very first meeting under the ancient oaks of the training ground, still secretly taught him the Six Styles earlier than the other recruits.

Later, during his internship, Zed paid greater attention to training Brontes, often under the moonlit skies, their figures casting long shadows on the ground as they practiced until dawn.

To outsiders, Zed is the Legendary Chief Instructor of the Marine because he has trained the Marine leaders of the new era, boasting the strength of Marine. However, only a few know that, despite having many students, Brontes is the one who satisfies Zed the most.

Brontes, one of his students, achieved the highest success, becoming the youngest Marine-Admiral in history.

When teaching newcomers, Zed always sets Brontes as their goal, even for the second cohort like Kuzan, who, influenced by Zed set Brontes as his goal.

Their interactions were not of many words but of shared glances that conveyed volumes, a silent acknowledgment of mutual respect and understanding forged in the crucible of training and battle.

Brontes and Zed didn't talk much during their meeting; everything was communicated in short sentences.

Zed knew Brontes would definitely come to see him but he didn't want Brontes to take risks in order to revenge for him, because he knows even against the strongest opponents, Brontes would not allow anyone to disrespect him.

For Brontes, Zed was not just an elder or a mentor; Zed is akin to family.

After Brontes left the hospital, Zed looked at the ceiling and sighed deeply.

"Phew!"

The room, filled with the sterile scent of medicine and underlying tones of sea salt brought in through the open window, seemed to close in around him.

Ain and Binz, who had been silent from the start, were somewhat confused by the interaction between Zed and Brontes, sensing a deeper understanding between them than they could grasp.

Eventually, Ain couldn't help but ask Zed: "Instructor, what is Fleet-Admiral Ragnarok going to do?"

"Don't ask; you'll know in a few days." Zed shook his head and said with a relieved smile.

His smile, a rare sight since the incident, was like a beacon in the dim room, casting light on the deep bonds that transcended the usual ties between mentor and protege.

Seeing Zed's smile, Ain and Binz were surprised, since the incident Zed didn't smile even once, and although he didn't show it, the deep sadness in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

They knew that due to the death of the recruits, Zed had been in a slump for a while, barely speaking even to visitors like Sengoku and Garp. But Brontes's visit had changed him.

Even a stranger could see that the relationship between Brontes and Zed had surpassed that between Zed and Sengoku or Garp, reaching a mysterious level of deep understanding.

After walking out of the hospital, Brontes did not seek out Sengoku and the others but directly left Marineford on his warship, the deck creaking under his determined steps, and his specific destination was unknown.

...

From the Fleet-Admiral's office, Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru watched Brontes's warship depart, with somewhat stiff and complicated expressions.

The horizon stretched out before them, the setting sun casting long shadows and bathing the scene in a golden light that belied the tension in the air.

"This damn brat! He is definitely going to get revenge for Zed. Can't he give us a break?" Garp said in a bitter voice, his words echoing the sentiment of warriors caught between duty and personal loyalty.

"We have to prepare for the worst, though he should be fine if he's going alone. The concern is a full-scale conflict breaking out, which would be hard to stop. I'll make a trip to Mariejois; we might need to gather all our forces just in case." Sengoku said helplessly, his gaze lingering on the departing ship.

"Let's not rush things out; Brontes isn't a reckless person as far as I know. It's too early to call for such a meeting." Tsuru shook her head.

.....

Meanwhile, the news of Zed's arm being severed spread worldwide through newspapers.

After all, a Marine-Admiral was injured, and not just any Admiral but Zed the Black Wrist Zephyr, a master of Armament Haki from the same era as Rocks, who had fought against Whitebeard, the Golden Lion, and Roger on the high seas.

The sudden news of his arm being severed, and almost the entire Marine Elite Camp being wiped out, shocked the world.

The Marine Elite Camp, arguably very famous in the world especially because Brontes and the three Admirals all who graduated from that camp, serving as the cradle of talent for the Marine. Looking at the alumni of the Elite Camp, the first batch of students are now Vice-Admirals at Marineford and New World, with the highest-ranking being Brontes, the Fleet-Admiral of the World Government, followed by Admirals, Sakazuki and Borsalino.

The second batch mostly consists of Rear Admirals, with the highest-ranking being Kuzan, an Admiral at Marineford, and so on.

With eighty percent of the current Marine high command coming from the Elite Camp, it's easy to imagine how many talents the camp has nurtured for the Marine.

And the person responsible for nurturing these talents is the retired Admiral Zed, who can almost be said to have taught all the three Admirals plus Brontes.

Touching Zed would inevitably affect the entire Marine.

The first reaction of the pirates upon hearing this news was that the pirate crew who dared to strike Zed was in for bad luck because they hit a hornet's nest.

...

Dressrosa, Doflamingo's Secret Base.

"Fufufu! Such audacity and courage, to think someone would dare to do such an attack on that old basterd Zed, that's like poking the hornet's nest, who's the fool who did this?" Doflamingo laughed as he read the headline on the newspaper, the sound of his laughter echoing ominously in the dimly lit room, a harbinger of the chaos that was to come.

"Will the Marine really retaliate for Zephyr?" Pica asked in his high-pitched voice.

"It depends on who made the move, and also whether Zephyr's students are willing to stand up for him." Doflamingo chuckled, his eyes narrowing as he pondered the intricate web of the World Government that governed their world.

"I guess not, anyone capable of severing the arm of an Admiral must be incredibly powerful. Even if the Marine wants revenge, it would require a significant amount of forces and time." Pica continued, his voice a somber reminder of the power dynamics at play.

"Well, let's see who attacked..." Doflamingo paused as he looked at the newspaper, suddenly freezing.

"What's the matter, young master?" Pica asked in a curious voice.

"Edward Weevil, I haven't heard of this person before." Doflamingo frowned as he said in a confused voice, the name stirring an undercurrent of unease.

"Indeed, although it sounds somewhat familiar, I've never heard of such a name." Diamante nodded in agreement, his expression mirroring Doflamingo's confusion.

Suddenly, Trebol, who was standing on the side: "Whitebeard's real name is Edward Newgate, they share the same surname, and his appearance, especially his beard.... I think there are a lot of similarities between the two." His words, spoken softly, but it was like a boom in Doflamingo's head.

"Whitebeard? Could it be?!" Doflamingo suddenly stood up, because he almost instantly understood why the Marine had been inactive for several days.

If the pirate who severed Zed's arm was indeed related to Whitebeard, then the Marine might truly remain silent and never open the subject.

Realizing this, Doflamingo burst into laughter: "Fufufufu! If Edward Weevil is really related to Whitebeard, perhaps the Marine will lose Black Wrist Zephyr for good, unless they choose to start a war against the Whitebeard Pirates." His laughter, filled with dark amusement, echoed through the room, a chilling portent of the storm that was brewing on the horizon.

"Maybe, that won't be the case..." Trebol said in a low voice, his words cut through Doflamingo's laughter like a knife.

"What do you mean?" Doflamingo stopped laughing and asked, his interest piqued.

"Did the young master forget Fleet-Admiral Ragnarok was also once a recruit in the Elite Camp, and according to what I have heard the relationship between the two is very strong, do you think that guy will stay silent after what happened to Zephyr?" Trebol said in a serious voice, his words casting a shadow of doubt on Doflamingo's assumptions.

Doflamingo's expression stiffened: "Right, I forgot about that maniac, as long as he steps in, even if it's Whitebeard..."

His voice trailed off, the realization dawning on him that the calm before the storm was indeed a deceptive lull, and the true tempest was yet to come.