Carl flew back to the Merry with Luffy, and their return was met with a chorus of cheers from their friends. The crew's relief was palpable; seeing the two of them alive and well put everyone at ease.
"Luffy! So, what happened to the Four Emperors? Did you beat her?" Usopp asked excitedly.
Everyone was curious, but since Luffy had returned unharmed and Big Mom wasn't in hot pursuit, they already had a pretty good idea of the outcome. They just wanted to hear it directly from him.
Luffy grinned from ear to ear. "I threw her into the sea, and she disappeared."
"So you won!" Usopp declared triumphantly. "Alright! Way to go! Under the guidance of the great Captain Usopp, we've defeated Kaido and Big Mom! The name of the Five Emperors is more than well-deserved!"
The crew had long grown immune to Usopp's shameless bragging, but they all had a genuine smile on their faces. The last time, when they defeated Kaido, it had been a team effort between Luffy and Carl, with Carl's Devil Fruit ability ultimately driving Kaido away. This time, however, was different. Luffy had taken on Big Mom and won, proving that the Straw Hat Pirates truly had the power to stand against a Four Emperors crew. As Usopp had said, the title of Five Emperors was truly deserved.
Everyone then turned their attention to Carl, who recounted his own adventures. The crew listened intently as he described his battles, their emotions running high. Jack the Drought, one of the Beasts Pirates' three top commanders, was a pirate with a bounty of over a billion Berries and the strength to go toe-to-toe with a Marine Admiral, yet Carl had managed to slice off his left arm.
The Blackbeard Pirates were also a surprising topic of conversation. Ace had been searching for Blackbeard in Alabasta, and now they learned that Blackbeard had become a new Warlord. Carl seemed to have a high opinion of the pirate and had even fought with his crew. Though Carl had killed Burgess, the man was saved by Blackbeard's sudden arrival. Fortunately, Carl's efforts weren't completely in vain, as he still managed to cut off Burgess's left arm, which was a serious blow to the crew.
"Mr. Carl, why do you like cutting off people's hands so much? It seems really cruel," a worried Usopp and Chopper asked.
"What's wrong with that? I originally wanted to cut off their heads, but I only cut off their hands so they can have some fun!" Carl said nonchalantly.
Usopp and Chopper were immediately terrified again and started whispering to each other, promising to never make Carl mad in the future—or risk losing an arm. Carl, however, didn't pay them any mind and instead focused on Zephyr, who was still fighting Weibull.
Zephyr looked old, but his outfit was still cool. The massive mechanical arm on his right side was swung around with ease, as if it weighed nothing, a testament to his strength.
"Mr. Carl, who's that guy? He's so cool and strong!" Luffy yelled excitedly as he watched the battle.
"He's the former Marine Admiral Zephyr, the person I respect the most in the Marines," Carl said solemnly, before quietly telling everyone about Zephyr's life.
They learned that Zephyr had spent his entire life dedicated to a brand of justice that didn't involve killing. His family was killed by pirates, and later, a pirate killed all of his students and took his arm. Despite all the tragedies, he continued to work hard for the Marines, training countless soldiers and officers. After listening to his story, everyone couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"Wooooooah! Admiral Zephyr! What a man! Wooooooo!"
Franky, who had been peeking and eavesdropping from a nearby hiding spot, was now openly crying. His tears were messy, but they came from the heart, showing that despite his low emotional threshold, he was a man of deep feeling. Now, everyone understood why Zephyr was here—he was seeking revenge.
"Go! Admiral Zephyr!" Luffy shouted, raising his fists.
"You can do it, Uncle Zephyr! Beat Weibull and avenge your students!" Chopper and Usopp yelled.
"Yeah! Go, Admiral Zephyr! You can beat Weibull!" The rest of the crew, including Nami, Robin, Vivi, and Tashigi, also joined in the chorus of encouragement.
Even Carl was moved by the atmosphere and cheered loudly for Zephyr. Luo, who had been maintaining his cool and aloof image, couldn't help but be inspired by Zephyr's story and the crew's enthusiastic support. He immediately joined in the shouting.
"Go, Admiral Zephyr! You're super awesome! Beat him! Beat Weibull!"
Franky no longer hid, his face soaked with tears as he repeatedly pumped his fists in the air, as if his cheers would give Zephyr a power boost. Ain, Binz, and Shuzo were stunned for a moment, but then they, too, started cheering.
"Go, Teacher Zephyr! Go, Teacher Zephyr!"
Zephyr, in the midst of his battle, was a little speechless. His students were cheering for him, but what was with this group of pirates? It seemed the Straw Hats had started the whole thing. Pirates cheering on a Marine? What were these kids thinking? But he couldn't worry about that right now.
His mechanical arm swung repeatedly, coated in Armament Haki, and clashed with Weibull's massive naginata. The force of the blows sent Weibull flying backward again and again. Yet, Weibull's endurance seemed endless. In contrast, Zephyr felt his own stamina draining rapidly, leaving him slightly out of breath. However, he couldn't miss this rare opportunity to kill Weibull. He was determined to finish this, even if it meant dying in the process.
"Ahhh! Smash Tornado!"
Zephyr swung his robotic arm in a frenzy, hitting Weibull and sending him flying. Weibull was covered in blood, coughing up more as he crashed heavily to the ground, creating a deep crater. But in an instant, Weibull was back on his feet, his wounds already starting to heal. Carl was shocked by the man's unnatural physical endurance.
"Weibull's body is almost as tough as Kaido's. It doesn't seem to be a Devil Fruit ability. Is it possible that there really are people in this world with such incredible physiques?" Carl wondered aloud.
"Go! Uncle Zephyr! Go!" Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp continued to cheer passionately.
However, at that moment, another warship sailed into the port. Everyone froze, and their eyes widened when they saw Aokiji standing on the deck. Robin, especially, hid behind Carl, peeking out nervously.
"Oh my, so the fight's already started," Aokiji said, his face looking unusually serious with a hint of a murderous glint in his eyes.
He then looked at the Straw Hats and added, "Don't worry, I'm not here for you guys. That's my teacher out there, and as a disciple, I naturally have to cheer for him."
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