48: Then Let’s Fight

"Do you want me to go on Zephyr's ship?"

Ron looked at Garp in surprise upon hearing this suggestion.

"Sengoku wanted me to ask if you'd be interested in going," Garp said, scratching his head. "If you don't want to, you can choose not to go."

Ron thought for a moment and then looked at Garp. "Old man, what do you think I should do?"

"Well, if you ask me," Garp replied, nodding at Ron, "if you want to get stronger, you should go. Zephyr loves training talented youngsters. His teaching methods are brutal, but he's top-tier. Once you're on his ship and away from Marineford, he won't be able to resist teaching you. It's a perfect chance to improve your strength."

Garp continued, "Plus, with him, you'll encounter plenty of powerful pirates, which will give you real battle experience and sharpen your abilities."

After listening to Garp, Ron's eyes flickered slightly. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, I'll go."

Three days later.

Zephyr arrived with Ron, who was carrying the famed sword Raikiri, aboard his battleship. Onboard were new recruits from the latest batch of Marines.

"This is Ron," Zephyr introduced him to the group.

"So, this is the specially recruited trainee?"

A young girl with smooth, wavy blue hair, a slender build, and a sword at her waist looked at Ron curiously. Seeing him look her way, she smiled. "My name is Ain, and I'm one of Zephyr-sensei's disciples."

"I'm Binz," said the figure beside her, dressed like a ninja.

Ron recognized them both. Even after Zephyr defected from the Marines, Ain and Binz had stayed loyal to him.

"You're a swordsman, right?" Ain asked, looking at the Raikiri on Ron's back.

Ron nodded.

Not far away, a Marine recruit with crossed arms sneered. "So he's just a kid, as rumored. Why would Zephyr-sensei let this so-called special recruit join us?"

"Shuuji, maybe don't say that out loud," warned his companion nervously. "If Zephyr-sensei hears you, you know what'll happen."

"But I'm not wrong, am I?" Shuuji replied indignantly. "We're heading out to take down dangerous pirates; we don't have time to babysit a kid who probably only got on board through connections."

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind him. "Sounds like you're not happy with my decision, Shuuji."

Shuuji stiffened, and his friend broke into a cold sweat at the sight of the tall, imposing figure behind them. "Ze-Zephyr-sensei!"

Shuuji, though terrified, clenched his fists and turned to face Zephyr, his most respected and feared instructor. "Yes, Zephyr-sensei. I believe that allowing someone like him to join us is a mistake. When we're fighting pirates to the death, he'll only drag us down."

Zephyr, wearing his signature sunglasses and purple hair, crossed his arms and looked at Shuuji impassively. "A burden? Don't kid yourself. He's far stronger than you."

Shuuji stared blankly, disbelief clouding his face. "You're saying that kid is stronger than me? That's impossible…"

"Feel free to find out for yourself," Zephyr replied calmly.

Gritting his teeth, Shuuji ignored his friend's warning and stepped forward.

"You're Ron, right?" Shuuji asked, looming over him with a determined stare. "Fight me."

Ain frowned. "Shuuji, what are you doing?"

"Ain, this has nothing to do with you," Shuuji replied, eyes still fixed on Ron. "Everyone on this ship is risking their lives against pirates. I won't tolerate a burden."

"I see," Ron nodded. "Then, let's fight."

Moments later.

Among the new recruits, Shuuji was considered an elite, already proficient in Marine's Six Powers technique, yet here he was, lying on the deck in disbelief, having been easily bested by Ron.

The other recruits stared, open-mouthed, at Ron's calm, collected figure.

"Shuuji… lost?"

"That was so fast! He's mastered Marine Six Powers!"

"Without a Devil Fruit, he beat Shuuji in under ten moves… Incredible!"

"So that's why Ron was specially recruited," one of the recruits murmured.

As Ain shook off her own shock, she looked at Ron with a newfound competitive gleam in her eyes.

"Zephyr-sensei," she asked, "may I spar with him?"

"You can," Zephyr replied, glancing at her. "But no Devil Fruit powers."

"Understood!" Ain's expression was determined as she stepped forward.

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