Chapter 96: Not Killing the General and Leaving the Navy**

"Hello!" 

A white figure greeted Uchiha Reijin and Izumi.

This white figure looked extremely unfamiliar and even had a strange shape.

At first glance, Uchiha Izumi frowned.

How could such a strange guy appear here?

"Lord Reijin, who is this?" 

Uchiha Izumi hesitated for a moment before asking.

"This is White Zetsu, a product of the Divine Tree!" 

Reijin replied, giving Izumi a deep look.

Uchiha Izumi was beginning to learn about the secrets within the Uchiha clan.

"The Divine Tree?" 

Izumi muttered to herself, feeling puzzled.

But she noticed that Reijin didn't seem interested in discussing it further.

However, the name sounded grand and impressive. Clearly, it was something very powerful.

"White Zetsu, you should remember how Uchiha Madara helped transplant Hashirama's cells to Obito, right?" 

Reijin asked, his eyes fixed on White Zetsu.

Hashirama's cells were the key.

The Uchiha clan's eyes have a very short lifespan.

If someone like Uchiha Fugaku stayed hidden for a long time, they could last for decades, maybe even into old age.

But in this world, where battles are frequent, Mangekyou Sharingan is often needed.

If one person goes blind, Reijin would lose a significant amount of combat power.

That's not something Reijin wants to see.

"Of course I remember. At that time, little Obito was already half dead."

"If it weren't for Madara, he wouldn't have survived this long." 

White Zetsu said with a grin.

"In that case, I happen to have some of Hashirama's cells here." 

"Let's transplant them into Izumi. Shizune can help you." 

Reijin nodded, satisfied that his Kotoamatsukami hadn't gone to waste.

White Zetsu didn't just carry Madara's knowledge; he also had artificial body parts.

Using Kotoamatsukami on White Zetsu was the right choice.

It would be a waste on anyone else; only White Zetsu could make the best use of it.

"But Lord Reijin, this is extremely risky. It's not as simple as you think." 

"Madara's research back then was done at great risk, and Obito only survived easily because of Black Zetsu."

White Zetsu hesitated a bit.

Madara didn't really understand cells.

He was quite rough with his methods.

Back then, he simply stitched Hashirama's flesh onto the body.

He didn't care about rejection or any other potential issues.

It was purely done with brute force.

Is this really a transplant?

Why not just chew on raw meat?

It was only because of Indra's chakra that he managed to get through it.

If it weren't for Indra's identity, Uchiha Madara would have been defeated as well.

With such rudimentary medical skills, it was like gambling with his life.

It's a good thing Uchiha Madara succeeded in the end.

Otherwise, Black Zetsu would have been devastated.

It was just like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse.

As for the transplant of Hashirama's cells into Obito, he was the most knowledgeable about it.

He witnessed the entire process of how Madara stitched Obito together.

In that primitive environment, achieving that level of success was remarkable.

Obito survived largely because of Black Zetsu; otherwise, with half his body gone and the other half made of White Zetsu, infused with many of Hashirama's cells, he would've grown into a towering tree in that cave.

It wasn't as simple as it seemed.

"It's fine. Back then, Obito hadn't awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan and managed to hold on with just a two-tomoe Sharingan." 

"Izumi has already awakened her Mangekyou. The two forces will reach a balance." 

"There shouldn't be any life-threatening risks, right, Izumi?" 

Reijin's gaze fell on Uchiha Izumi, who was standing beside him, looking dazed.

Izumi felt overwhelmed with information. She couldn't process it all at once.

Uchiha Madara? 

Wasn't he the shinobi warlord who fought against Hashirama Senju?

Did that ancestor not die in the end? And did he survive by successfully transplanting Hashirama's cells? 

And Obito... 

Wasn't he the hero their Uchiha clan praised a few years ago? 

Even received special commendations from the Fourth Hokage.

Did he also survive in the end? 

And did he awaken his Mangekyou Sharingan too? 

How many Mangekyou Sharingans does the Uchiha clan have?

It felt like the Uchiha clan was full of hidden talents.

He had already seen Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui when he left Konoha that day.

He didn't expect that Uchiha Obito also had a Mangekyou Sharingan.

So many Mangekyous, yet they still had to leave their homeland.

Uchiha Izumi looked a bit dazed.

"Izumi!" 

Reijin waved his hand in front of her.

This snapped Uchiha Izumi back to attention.

"Of course, no problem." 

Uchiha Izumi replied instinctively.

She looked quite cute in this state.

But at the very least, she needed to wipe the bloody tears off her face first.

"Then let Shizune perform the surgery." 

Reijin didn't waste any more time; Izumi's thoughts weren't that important anymore.

Even if Izumi chickened out, the surgery to transplant Hashirama's cells would still proceed.

These Mangekyou Sharingan eyes had to be preserved; their abilities were very strong.

Shizune came in and discussed the process with White Zetsu.

A strange expression appeared on her face, and she looked at Reijin in shock.

She hadn't expected Uchiha Reijin to want to act against the First Hokage.

And to transplant his cells into a fellow clan member.

She was well aware of the consequences of transplanting Hashirama's cells.

Yet Uchiha Reijin was still determined to proceed.

"The Uchiha clan and the Senju clan being rivals wasn't a coincidence."

"There's a deep bond between us, one you couldn't understand." 

Reijin left Shizune with just these words as he left the operating room.

The Uchiha and Senju clans have the same roots.

Do I really need to explain this to you?

The Sharingan and Hashirama's cells can suppress each other. 

--- 

**It's certain that someone like Uchiha Izumi would have no issues at all.**

Garp, who had left Dressrosa, hurried back to Marineford overnight.

Sengoku was utterly baffled, not expecting Garp to bring someone back with him.

What's more, the person was from the Senju clan they had been searching for, something they hadn't anticipated at all.

Hearing Garp's explanation, they immediately cooled down.

**But this person comes at a steep cost, and Sengoku found it hard to accept for a moment.**

Even Tsuru, who was sitting nearby, furrowed her brows and didn't immediately respond to Garp.

"This guy actually wants to poach from the Navy, which is just ridiculous."

"Exchanging three Devil Fruits for Raijin? That doesn't seem like a good deal."

Sengoku frowned, feeling that it wasn't worth it.

**Three Devil Fruits are no small matter.**

Even for the Navy, they couldn't just hand them out.

"Three Devil Fruits can't be directly converted into combat power! Besides, there's no guarantee that even with three fruits, you'd get a Vice Admiral out of it."

"But right now, we can get a ready-made combat force, which, no matter how you look at it, is a win for us."

Garp chuckled. After all, Devil Fruit users with unique abilities are everywhere.

But even those with Logia-type abilities often find their growth limited, usually reaching no higher than Rear Admiral.

If you could convert a Devil Fruit into ready-made combat power, it would definitely be a big win for the Navy.

The Navy is currently lacking in strong deterrence, and it's clear they're starting to decline.

**Although Akainu and the others are holding things up, there aren't many promising young talents.**

"What's more…"

Garp explained Tsunade's healing abilities.

This unique healing ability was even more precise than the Navy's medical instruments.

But there's one problem.

Tsunade has hemophobia.

Even Garp found this troubling.

A warrior who has experienced countless battles shouldn't have hemophobia.

But Tsunade refuses to talk about her past.

So hemophobia became her biggest issue.

**"This seems to be a psychological problem, but her medical skills would be a great help to the Navy."**

"Go ahead and pick out three Devil Fruits from the warehouse and have them delivered to Raijin."

"As for Zephyr, we'd better bring him in to discuss the matter together."

Tsuru's expression softened a bit, despite the flaws.

But it wasn't a dealbreaker; there are plenty of flawed people in the Navy.

Zephyr's situation is extremely important as well.

To be honest, Zephyr's body isn't fit for continued service at sea.

If he keeps pushing himself, he might not make it to retirement.

Already suffering from asthma, and now with a lost arm, it's safe to say he's lost 70% of his combat ability.

**Even dealing with ordinary pirates has become incredibly difficult.**

They've long wanted Zephyr to retire.

But Zephyr is stubborn and has no intention of following their orders.

After a while, Zephyr was called into the office.

The office was filled with noise, even the sound of things being smashed.

This made the Navy guards outside the door sweat nervously.

After all, Zephyr's prestige in the Navy is second only to Garp's.

Most accomplished naval officers were trained by Zephyr.

Even the current three Admirals are Zephyr's students.

This shows how enormous Zephyr's influence in the Navy is.

If Zephyr really breaks with the Navy, he might take a large portion of its combat power with him.

The new Navy in the future would be formed by those loyal to him.

Now, many people are watching the Fleet Admiral's office, hoping nothing goes wrong.

"Zephyr, I'm the Fleet Admiral. You need to follow orders."

"Sengoku, you fool! Making a pirate a Shichibukai will lead to disaster. You'll regret it."

"Enough! You're stripped of your rank as Vice Admiral and Chief Instructor. The Navy has no further ties with you. Take your people and leave."

This roar echoed throughout Marineford, making everyone turn to look.

They were shocked to see Zephyr kicked out of the Navy!

No one expected that the great Zephyr, who dedicated his life to the Navy, would end up like this.

Some were ready to follow Zephyr, with determined looks in their eyes.

They had already prepared their warships at Marineford's port.

As soon as Zephyr gave the word, they were ready to overthrow the current Fleet Admiral and install Zephyr in his place.

To them, only Zephyr could lead the Navy to greater heights.

"Boom!"

Zephyr, with a grim face, left the Fleet Admiral's office and headed straight for the training ground.

He never imagined that after all his contributions to the Navy, Sengoku would send him to a Shichibukai's territory to retire just because he was injured.

Although he knew Sengoku meant well, Zephyr would rather die fighting pirates than waste away in exile. It was an insult to a naval officer.

But with the three top Navy officials there, they made the final decision.

His three old friends were determined, and he had nothing more to say.

"Zephyr-sensei!"

A young woman came to Zephyr's side, along with a man carrying a large sword on his back. They looked strange, not like regular Navy officers.

"Let's go! The Navy has completely fallen."

Zephyr sighed deeply, looking back at the Navy base.

He had joined Marineford as a boy and never thought he'd leave in his old age.

It was something he never imagined in his life.

When Zephyr reached the port, he saw rows of naval officers.

Many of these officers had reached the rank of Vice Admiral.

They stood straight and resolute, their eyes filled with determination as they waited at the port.

"We are willing to leave the Navy with Zephyr-sensei and follow him to fulfill his unfinished dreams."

"We are willing to leave the Navy with Zephyr-sensei and follow him to fulfill his unfinished dreams."

Their voices were loud and in unison, as if rehearsed.

Their powerful voices echoed throughout Marineford.

This made many people poke their heads out to see.

Sengoku stood by the window and sighed.

Zephyr had almost died at sea before.

He didn't want to hear the news of Zephyr's death one day.

Retirement was a better option than death.

Akainu and Kizaru remained silent, their eyes showing complex emotions.

The one with the most complicated feelings was Aokiji, who raised a bottle of wine and saluted Zephyr from afar.

Aokiji knew this was the end of their once non-lethal Admiral.

Zephyr was stunned for a moment, then took out a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and put them on.

It covered his eyes, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

He exuded a fierce aura.

"Get out of here, all of you! I'm not that old yet!"

"You think you can follow me? You're all too weak!"

"I'm not interested in working with a bunch of dead weight."

Zephyr roared, driving the naval officers in front of him away.

He strode toward his warship.

The naval officers instinctively stepped aside for Zephyr.

Tears welled up in their eyes, and some started wiping their tears.

But Zephyr's steps didn't falter as he boarded the ship with Ain and Binz.

He never once looked back as he ordered the ship to leave the Navy headquarters.

But one figure managed to sneak onto the ship!

"If you want to cry, just cry."

Garp, holding a box, handed it to Zephyr.

"What's this?"

Zephyr pushed up his glasses and wiped his tears.

After all, so many people had come to see him off.

How could Zephyr not be moved?

He only hated that he could no longer serve the Navy.

His crippled body wasn't worth taking up Navy resources.

"These are the Devil Fruits for Raijin, part of the deal."

"Zephyr, be careful when you get there. This Uchiha Raijin isn't someone to be underestimated."

Garp said with a serious expression.

This guy was almost as dangerous as Whitebeard and the others.

"Hmph, as long as he doesn't become a pirate, I don't care."

Zephyr sneered, ignoring Garp's words.

(End of the chapter)