Phi-Fic Chapter 498 General Zefa
Chapter 498 General Zefa
Although he had enlightened Aokiji to some extent, Kizaru did not choose to completely relinquish control over the specific matters of establishing the new Navy.
After reaching an agreement with Aokiji on concepts and ideas, Kizaru and Aokiji began to refine the details. The two discussed every detail, from military discipline to the initial construction and development.
In terms of discipline, Kizaru presented Aokiji with the military discipline he had designed for the Land of Light's army, and then made minor modifications with Aokiji based on some customs and understandings of the pirate world.
After perfecting military discipline, Kizaru and Aokiji discussed the early development of the new Navy. The most crucial issue was how to make the new Navy's officers and soldiers realize that their benefactors were not nobles or the World Government, but the vast majority of ordinary people.
After discussion, Kizaru finalized the specific implementation plan, which was to select an inhabited island as the base of the new navy, so that the new navy and the base could grow and develop together, and the soldiers who joined the new navy could witness and experience the development of the navy in the process of development. The soldiers' daily expenses would all come from the labor of the people on the island.
After finalizing the initial execution plan, the two began their operation.
Aokiji entrusted the task of finding a base to Kizaru, while he himself prepared to visit an old friend, one of his former teachers, former Marine Admiral Zephyr.
In Aokiji's opinion, if there is anyone in the Navy who can understand his current ideals and actions, then Zephyr must be one of them.
This hero, who always pursued justice, was renowned throughout the seas for his benevolence in sparing lives. However, his wife and children were killed in pirate retaliation. Even after such a blow, Zephyr still held fast to his beliefs and convictions regarding the Navy's justice. He accepted his superior, Steel Bone's, offer to stay on as Admiral, but instead took a behind-the-scenes role as the Navy's Chief Instructor.
The current Fleet Admiral Akainu and Admiral Kizaru were his first batch of students, while Aokiji was his third batch.
Zephyr served as a naval instructor for over twenty years, during which time he trained a large number of talents for the navy. Today, almost half of the officers and colonels at the Navy Headquarters are his students.
But this good man, who dedicated his life to the navy and the cause of justice he pursued, experienced a tragic second half of his life.
He became an admiral at the age of 38, got married in the same year, and had his own child at the age of 39. Just when his career and family were reaching their peak, he encountered the first tragedy of his life at the age of 42 when his family was killed by pirates in retaliation.
Having lost his wife and children, he devoted himself to training new forces for the navy. However, in his sixties, while leading another group of young disciples on a sea voyage for training, he was attacked by pirates. Almost all of his beloved disciples died, with only two surviving, and his own right arm was also severely injured.
Aokiji was preparing to meet with his former teacher. Before leaving the Navy, he had heard that his teacher had asked the Navy's scientists to modify his disabled right arm into a huge mechanical arm made of seastone, and to form a "pirate guerrilla team" to hunt pirates and avenge his disciple.
In the past, Aokiji would not have stopped Zephyr, a man who had lost everything, from setting sail to avenge his beloved disciple. He knew that a true man, even in his old age, would not entrust his hatred to others. Only by killing his enemy with his own hands could he appease Zephyr's anger.
But this time, through his interactions and exchanges with Kizaru, Aokiji's thoughts were inspired and expanded. He found something worth fighting for and a greater goal. So he wanted to try to get Zephyr to join him and let Zephyr see something more important than hatred.
Aokiji knew that the chances of persuading Zephyr this time were probably not high, but he just wanted to try, so he entrusted the task of finding a base to Kizaru.
After understanding Aokiji's purpose, Kizaru naturally chose to support him. If a naval chief instructor like Zephyr, who had trained most of the Marine Headquarters officers, could join the new navy, the recruitment of new navy personnel would be much easier in the future.
Therefore, Kizaru not only agreed with Aokiji's idea, but also provided him with a guarantee that if Aokiji's process of persuading Zephyr did not go smoothly, he could ask him for help.
After their conversation, the two began to divide their tasks. Aokiji secretly left the East Blue and acted quietly, while Kizaru mobilized his subordinates' intelligence to search for an island suitable for Aokiji's new naval development.
A few days later, on an island in the New World where the Navy was stationed, Aokiji successfully found Zephyr and his two assistants, Ain and Binz. These two were the only survivors from the training ship that Zephyr led that was attacked by pirates.
Driven by a desire to avenge their fallen comrades and also by their admiration for their teacher, Zephyr, the two chose to join Zephyr in forming a "pirate guerrilla team."
Today, their "pirate guerrilla force" has just wiped out a group of pirates and returned to the naval island to repair their ships and replenish supplies and weapons.
Zefa himself went to a tavern in the town next to the island's pier, bought a bottle of his favorite sherry, and drank it alone.
It was noon, and the bar had just opened. Apart from Zefa, there were no other customers. Even the bar owner, after opening a bottle for Zefa, went into the kitchen to process the freshly delivered ingredients, preparing for the busy afternoon.
In the quiet bar, after Zefa put down his drink and drank most of a bottle of sherry, the creaking sound of the bar door being pushed open came from the side of the bar he was facing away from.
The footsteps grew louder as they approached, the tall figure of the newcomer blocking out the sunlight. Zeff, who already knew who it was, said in a deep voice, "Kuzan, I heard you left the Navy."
"Don't be so cold, Zephyr-sensei." Aokiji walked up to Zephyr, pulled over a high chair, and sat down.
“You and Sakazuki…” Zeff had indeed been away from Marine Headquarters for some time, and he was somewhat delayed in accepting what had happened there. So when he mentioned Sakazuki, Aokiji interrupted, “I have no personal grudge against Sakazuki. We just have different ideologies. His extreme thinking has deviated from the path of justice. His justice has changed from eliminating pirates to eliminating all those who oppose the World Government and the Marines.”
A strange light flickered in Zephyr's eyes behind his sunglasses as he listened to Aokiji's last words. He grinned and asked, "You and Garp both dislike the World Government. That's just how you are."
Aokiji didn't refute, but instead asked, "Zeff-sensei, do you think all the decisions made by the World Government are correct? Are they all for the sake of upholding justice?"
Zephyr's expression froze for a moment, then turned into an even bigger smile. As a Marine Admiral and Chief Instructor, he had witnessed much of the darkness within the Navy and the World Government, so he knew that Aokiji's question was more of an accusation than an inquiry.
After laughing, Zephyr, with a lingering smile, said bluntly, "Justice is just a goal that we Marines pursue. As for the World Government, all they pursue is how to maintain their rule."
Aokiji followed up with, "So, knowing that the World Government is committing evil deeds, we still willingly serve as their henchmen. Does such a navy truly represent justice?"
Faced with this problem, if it were the old Zephyr, he would have told Aokiji that while the World Government has made many mistakes, the Navy, as one of the forces under the World Government, is already one of the few forces on this sea that upholds justice. If even the Navy chooses to give up upholding justice, then who will protect those ordinary civilians?
But now, after slightly composing himself, he said with some concern, "Kuzan, don't say those things anymore."
Aokiji could sense Zephyr's concern for him, but he was somewhat disappointed by the answer. "Teacher, is this your answer?"
Zephyr picked up the remaining sherry from the counter, downed it in one gulp, put the empty bottle back, calmly wiped his lips, and then, under the sunlight, said in a calm but furious tone, "All I want to do now is kill more pirates, kill that pirate from back then!"
Looking at Zephyr, Aokiji couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. The teacher who once pursued justice and cared for his students, the strict yet kind sun in the eyes of countless new naval recruits, had now been reduced to a walking corpse consumed by the dual erosion of time and hatred, driven only by a thirst for revenge.
At this point, Aokiji suddenly lost interest in recruiting his teacher. Perhaps letting his teacher devote all his remaining energy to hunting pirates until his eventual death would be a kind of redemption for Zeff!
Aokiji slowly stood up, his expression a mixture of sadness, helplessness, and anger. He said softly, "Teacher Zephyr, please take care of yourself from now on!"
After saying that, Aokiji walked past Zephyr and headed towards the tavern's door.
Zefa sat calmly in his seat. He could sense that Aokiji's appearance today was not just a coincidence, but rather that he had some purpose in mind.
But Zephyr was indeed old, and he no longer had the energy to participate in many things. All that remained in his life was revenge against the pirates, so he persuaded Aokiji to leave in his own way.
But as a teacher, Zephyr couldn't help but say to Aokiji as he stepped out of the tavern, "Kid, if you've found what you believe to be justice, then stick to it! Justice will never perish on the sea."
Upon hearing this, Aokiji stopped in his tracks, his hand that was pushing open the door also halted. The disappointment he had just felt vanished, and a slight smile appeared on his lips as he confidently declared, "I have found true justice! Zephyr-sensei."
As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded again, gradually fading away with the creak of the door closing. Zefa, sitting in his seat, smiled broadly. He looked at the empty sherry bottle, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, "Boss, another bottle of sherry!" (End of Chapter)