Zephyr stared at Rolan for a long moment.
Then the corner of his mouth lifted.
"Hahaha, is that so?"
Rolan's answer had caught him off guard.
He had expected promises, words about protecting Peach Garden forever, declarations that nothing would ever change.
Instead, Rolan answered with blunt honesty.
And because of that, Zephyr respected him even more.
Rolan gave a faint chuckle, then looked past Zephyr.
"Old man, didn't you bring two students with you? Why haven't I seen them?"
Zephyr froze, then smacked his forehead.
"No wonder I felt I forgot something. Damn, I really am getting old."
Rolan almost laughed at the expression on Zephyr's face. He picked up a mechanical Den Den Mushi and activated it.
...
In the waters outside Peach Garden, Wyper stood with folded arms before Binz and Ain.
Both stared at him with open hostility.
Ain forced herself upright, despite her injuries, and took a fighting stance.
"Stop pretending. Teacher Zephyr told us if the sun set and he hadn't returned, something had happened to him. He ordered us to leave at once."
Her eyes sharpened.
"And now you want us all to enter Peach Garden? You're planning to eliminate us."
Wyper rubbed his forehead.
This woman made no sense.
"If that's how you want to see it, nothing I say will matter."
Ain nearly exploded.
"You just want to protect Peach Garden's reputation. That's why you won't kill us out here."
Binz stepped forward, swaying.
"You can do whatever you want to me, but let Ain and the others go."
He started to kneel.
Wyper immediately extended a wing and blocked him.
His face twitched.
"Do you two have any common sense? If Peach Garden wanted you dead, why would we bother with tricks?"
Neither looked convinced.
With a sigh, Wyper pulled out a miniature Den Den Mushi.
Binz instantly moved in front of Ain.
"Be careful!"
Wyper looked genuinely tired.
He pressed a button.
A giant projection screen unfolded over the deck.
Static flickered.
Then a familiar figure appeared.
Binz and Ain froze.
"Teacher!"
"Teacher Zephyr!"
Zephyr's image smiled from the screen.
"Binz, Ain, sorry. I forgot about you two. I'm fine. Bring everyone inside."
The two exchanged suspicious glances.
Ain narrowed her eyes.
"How do we know you're really Teacher Zephyr?"
Peach Garden's technology was notorious.
A trap was not impossible.
Screen-Zephyr shook his head.
Then he calmly brought up several private incidents only Binz and Ain would know.
Both immediately flushed red.
That was definitely their teacher.
Wyper exhaled.
"Can we stop this nonsense now?"
Binz coughed awkwardly.
"I'll inform everyone."
He flew back to the NEO Navy fleet.
After relaying the order, the fleet began moving.
Wyper led them into Peach Garden.
Even after entering its territory, they sailed for quite some time.
Peach Garden's scale shocked the entire fleet.
Eventually, they reached a designated harbor.
Two figures waited on shore.
One was a black-haired young man in a white shirt, over two meters tall.
The other was Zephyr, his mechanical right arm gleaming.
Binz and Ain rushed off the ship.
"Teacher!"
Zephyr smiled.
"Sorry for making you worry."
Binz shook his head.
"We were worried something happened to you."
Zephyr snorted.
"Do I look dead?"
The weight pressing on their chests finally disappeared.
Even the NEO Marines relaxed.
Many of them had thought they were marching into war.
Some had polished their weapons for battle against the feared Peach Garden.
Yet now their admiral stood unharmed.
Only relief remained.
Rolan watched the reunion and muttered to Wyper,
"Why do I feel like we're the villains here?"
Wyper rubbed his forehead.
"Maybe because of your face."
Rolan gave him a deadpan look.
"Get lost and go spend time with your wife."
Wyper laughed and shot into the sky.
Only then did everyone truly focus on Rolan.
Binz stiffened.
"Godslayer Rolan…"
Ain stared.
"So it really is you."
Rolan shrugged.
"Last I checked."
Shock spread across the NEO Marines.
They had heard every rumor.
Monster.
Tyrant.
Madman.
World's strongest pirate.
And now he stood before them looking almost… ordinary.
Almost.
Several Marines instinctively raised rifles.
Weapons locked onto him.
Rolan raised both hands.
"Easy. I'm a law-abiding citizen."
Zephyr barked,
"Stand down."
The weapons lowered.
Though nobody looked relaxed.
Rolan clicked his tongue.
Still jumpy.
With a snap of his fingers, guards appeared and began escorting the NEO Marines to prepared quarters.
...
Later, in a small conference room in Shandora, Rolan brought Zephyr inside.
The moment Zephyr entered, he stopped.
His eyes widened.
"Borsalino?"
Across the room, a familiar man looked equally stunned.
Kizaru nearly dropped the tea in his hand.
"Teacher Zephyr?!"
Silence.
Then both stared at each other in disbelief.
Kizaru had only come because Rolan said someone important was arriving.
He had not expected his old instructor.
Rolan leaned against the doorway, hands in pockets, expression indifferent.
Yet there was faint amusement in his eyes.
Looks like things just got interesting.