After a pause, Zephyr came back to his senses and gave a bitter smile. "Fine, you've convinced me..."
Sakazuki exchanged a glance with Morris, smiling. The latter cleared his throat and crossed his arms. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Sakazuki. I, Zephyr, won't be swayed so easily."
Zephyr sighed helplessly. "You bastard..."
Sakazuki chuckled. "Let me call them back."
As he spoke, a wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, surging toward the rear mountains.
* * *
At the rear mountains of Marine Headquarters, Enel was the first to sense the burst of Haki. "So, it's settled? Let's go, Soter. To the office."
The purple-haired youth's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Enel smirked. "Of course. Come on. Let's see who gets there first."
Crack!
In an instant, he vanished into lightning.
Soter frowned. "You're cheating, Enel!"
Whoosh!
His body blurred as he used Soru, leaving behind a streak of purple across the ground before disappearing.
* * *
In the principal's office of the Marine Academy, a flash of lightning shot in through the window, stopping in front of the sofa.
Enel took form, leaned back, and sat casually beside Sakazuki.
Seconds later, Soter appeared as well, but through the door.
"You lost, Soter," Enel teased.
The youth sighed. "You're too unfair, Enel."
He then greeted respectfully, "Father, Principal Morris, Admiral Sakazuki."
Zephyr smiled and nodded. Morris followed with a grin. "No need to be so stiff, Soter. Look at Enel. Does he look serious at all? Zephyr, maybe you should manage your son better."
Soter scratched his head in embarrassment. Zephyr let out a short huff as if in protest, though deep down he began to reflect.
Sakazuki said with a smile, "He's right. No need to be so reserved. Relax when you can. Here, take this fruit. Your father has already agreed. Two more years of training, then you'll be ready to leave."
Soter looked gratefully at Sakazuki, then at his father.
Zephyr gave a gentle nod. "Eat it."
The young man's voice shook with excitement. "Yes, sir!"
Without hesitation, he grabbed the fruit and took a huge bite. At last, he could set sail.
He swallowed nearly half the Devil Fruit in one go. For someone raised under Zephyr's strict training, his resilience was remarkable. Even with the awful taste, he barely flinched.
After forcing it down, he exhaled and his frown eased slightly. "This taste... really is something else."
Enel, remembering his own experience, winced yet gave a thumbs-up. "Strong!"
"Try your new ability," Sakazuki reminded.
Soter nodded. With a single thought, his body started to float. He looked around in disbelief, moving lightly from side to side. It felt effortless. Even his clothes seemed to move with his will. And if he wanted, he could go much faster.
Growing up hearing his father's stories, he instantly guessed the power. "This... is this?!"
Sakazuki confirmed it. "The Float-Float Fruit. Its previous wielder was Golden Lion, your father's old rival."
Soter bowed deeply, his voice full of gratitude. "Thank you, Admiral Sakazuki."
"There's no need for such formality," the admiral replied. "Only Shiki's enemies truly understand him. And those enemies are all here at Headquarters. Sengoku, your father, Vice Admiral Morris, all among the ones who know him best. You can learn from them, take the fastest path to master your ability. When the time comes, you'll be granted command of an airborne fleet. Two years will be demanding, but you'll come out prepared."
Soter drew a sharp breath and answered firmly, "Yes, sir!"
Sakazuki rose to his feet. "Good. Your father will handle your training from here. I won't interfere."
As he turned to leave, Morris asked, "Not staying a little longer?"
He waved the man off. "I can't sit still. I'll take a walk. Enel, keep him company."
Enel gave a short grunt of acknowledgment as Sakazuki walked out.
Only when his figure disappeared did Soter withdraw his gaze and look at his father.
Zephyr stared at his son, somewhat dazed, and shook his head. "Let's go home too."
* * *
That night, at Zephyr's home.
Soter was buried in materials, cramming knowledge on command and strategy. These were documents his father had gathered for him, along with some of his own notes and insights.
Although he studied command techniques, it wasn't his main focus. Before, his training had always been about improving his personal strength. Now, he had a plan to develop further, and he intended to study it seriously.
Knock, knock.
His father's voice came from outside. "Dinner's ready, Soter."
The youth snapped out of his studies and called back, "Coming, Father."
Downstairs, Zephyr was already seated at the dining table, waiting.
Once Soter sat, they picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
Clink, clink, clink…
The sound of chopsticks against bowls filled the room, but no words were spoken. It felt less like a mess hall of a camp.
This had been their way of life for twenty years. Partly because Zephyr, burdened by guilt over his wife's death, never knew how to show affection except through discipline. And partly because Soter, who had lost his mother young, grew up overly mature, mimicking his father's ways.
Though bound by blood, they had lived more like superior and subordinate than father and son.
As Zephyr watched him eat, the words of Morris and Sakazuki echoed in his mind. Perhaps... he really had been wrong.
Clack.
He put down his chopsticks and looked at his son, unsure how to begin.
Sensing something unusual, Soter raised his head and also set his chopsticks down. "What is it, Father?"
Zephyr opened his mouth, his voice dry as he finally asked the question he had never dared to, "Soter... have you ever… resented me?"
The youth froze, then smiled. "Never, Father. You've always been my pride. Mother's pride too. I've always felt proud of you."
Hearing that, Zephyr could no longer hold himself together. His eyes welled up. He pressed a hand to his face to hide it, but his body trembled as tears slipped down to the table.
Clink.
Soter placed some food in his father's bowl. "Here, Father. It's your favorite."
Zephyr lowered his hand, revealing red, tear-streaked eyes. His voice trembled, but there was relief in it. "All... right..."
He picked up his chopsticks again. The gap that hadn't even existed in the first place vanished…
* * *
Days later, under marine escort, kings from around the world safely arrived at the Holy Land of Mariejois.
A vast hall stood open, its entrance lined with numerous armored soldiers. Inside was a massive round table with fifty seats, and in the center, a huge emblem of the World Government.
The representatives entered in pairs. This conference, which would decide the world's direction for the next four years, would last seven days. The chairperson of each session rotated among the kings.
"Who's up this time?"
"I am."
"Kelson, huh. Then we'll leave it to you."
"No need to worry, he's not one to drag things out."
"Hahaha."
King Kelson stood up, "Then, my fellow rulers, regarding the development of this beautiful world, let's discuss it thoroughly this time as well."
Creak.
The enormous doors closed outside, sealing everything off. Until the final decision was reached, no one would know what the fifty monarchs had discussed.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the Room of Authority, the Five Elders sat with their tea.
Nusjuro blew lightly across his cup. "The meeting has started."
Peter muttered, "The upheaval is near. Let them enjoy their last moments of peace."
Mars added, "The world cannot remain in balance forever. When necessary..."
Nusjuro looked into the distance. "A great purge will begin."
===========########===========
Extra Story - The Eve of The Final War
In the year 1522 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
After Sakazuki became the new Fleet Admiral a few years earlier, the Marines shifted their whole strategic center. The G-1 Branch in the New World swapped places with Marine Headquarters at Marineford. Soon after, a worldwide conscription began. Multiple new admirals were promoted, breaking long-standing precedent.
The Marines' iron-blooded and brutal policies, paired with relentless propaganda, struck fear not only in pirates but also in ordinary citizens. Pirates were vicious, yet the Marines had become ruthless. In such an oppressive climate, conflict grew sharper. Admirals alone had already engaged the Four Emperors in several great battles.
The shadow of war loomed over the entire world.
* * *
The night before the eve of the war.
New World, Marine Headquarters.
Sakazuki stood outside the Fleet Admiral's office, overlooking the island. The headquarters shone with countless lights. Soldiers bustled below, preparing for the event that would soon be broadcast to the world, a moment that could shape its future.
It was... the conversation between the current Fleet Admiral and the Four Emperors of the sea.
Tap, tap, tap…
The sharp echo of footsteps broke the silence.
Carlo, his second-in-command, approached from behind. "Fleet Admiral."
Sakazuki gave a short hum. "Have the orders been passed down?"
"Yes," he responded. "Everything has been delivered. I fear most of the soldiers won't be able to sleep tonight, too excited."
Sakazuki smiled faintly but said nothing.
Carlo stepped closer, gazing absentmindedly at the busy soldiers below. He sighed. "It's hard to believe, but the age of pirates is really about to end in our generation. It feels unreal, almost like I'm dreaming. I can't believe we've come this far."
Sakazuki let out a chuckle. "This is only the first step. There will be a second, and a third."
Carlo sucked in a long breath. "Yes. Only the first step. It just feels a little unreal, that's all…"
He paused, then glanced at him. "Tell me, Fleet Admiral. Did you foresee this day all along? You've always seemed so sure, as if you never doubted anything. I've never once seen hesitation in you."
Sakazuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "No hesitation...? That's only because I've already been lost before."
Carlo blinked in surprise. "You? Lost?"
He laughed softly. "Confusion, fear, change, weakness, even running away; these are things every person experiences. You, me, all of us. Life rises and falls. A path without obstacles, rising smoothly to the top, only exists in stories.
"I spent three long years not knowing what I wanted. I lived in a small town, doing nothing but training every day. I think it was called Geya Town. It's been so long I can barely remember.
"Back then, I had talent. I had the power of the Magma-Magma Fruit. I was bound to make a name on the seas. But I didn't know what I wanted. The rules of this world were oppressive, dark, and backward. I despised them, yet they had nothing to do with me. Because I had the power to rise above, to step outside those rules, to enjoy privileges others could never touch.
"I could have become a pirate, a marine, even the strongest man in the world. I could have had women, wealth, power, and status. But after thinking long and hard, I realized none of that was what I wanted. I remained lost.
"That confusion lasted three years, until one day, I picked up a history book by chance. It was thin, just a brief record of the island's events over the last hundred years. Nothing beyond that. I asked around, but the townsfolk only remembered a few tales from their childhood, and even those stretched back no further than a century.
"In that moment, I realized what I sought. I spent an entire night thinking, and by dawn I was no longer lost.
"Ordinary humans live like ants. A lifetime lasts only decades. Even the strongest, even those who hold everything, will eventually fade. Time erases all traces. Decades are enough to wipe away a life completely.
"So I decided. I would change the world. I would tear through the darkness. I would burn all filth with fire. I would make it so that centuries, even millennia later, my name would still be remembered.
"That was when I began to plan, to scheme. A task that should take generations, tens of generations, I would complete myself. Even if it meant bearing the infamy of cruelty, so be it."
His gaze locked on the black horizon. His deep, magnetic voice carried like a vow. "A thousand centuries is too long. I will seize every day I have."
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