Boom!
After another violent clash, Zephyr and Aren separated once more, planting their feet about five or six meters apart.
Zephyr's muscles were bulging, his entire body brimming with excitement.
Aren brushed the dust off his white shirt with an indifferent expression, as if he had just finished a light warm-up rather than a monstrous battle.
Looking at the two of them, whether at the young and vigorous Aren or the still-fierce, battle-hardened Zephyr, everyone had only one thought burning in their hearts.
Become stronger. Become even stronger.
For those who knew Zephyr well, the shock they felt at Aren's frightening strength was accompanied by something else, something deeper.
In this battered old man, they could see once again that burning passion of his youth, the same unyielding Black Arm Zephyr who had once charged fearlessly at the front lines.
Bang.
Without warning, Zephyr vanished from where he stood.
At the exact same instant Zephyr disappeared, Aren's figure flickered and vanished as well.
But...
Whoosh.
At the midpoint between where the two had been standing, a figure in red suddenly appeared.
On his shoulders rested epaulets that only three people in the entire Marines were allowed to wear: the insignia of an Admiral. He wore a red suit, a marine cap pulled low on his head, a cigarette between his lips, and his expression was cold and severe.
The moment they saw him, every lower-ranking officer straightened instinctively, their faces tightening.
Because this man carried a natural air of gravity that forced respect from anyone around him.
"Even if you want to indulge yourselves, at least choose a better place for it, Zephyr-sensei."
Admiral Akainu, Sakazuki, one of the three Admirals who represented the peak of marine power, bit down on his cigarette and stared coldly at Zephyr and Aren, who had appeared on either side of him and halted their attacks.
"Sakazuki," Zephyr said, the corner of his mouth curling upward.
"This is Marineford's harbor. Exactly how much of it were you planning to destroy?" Sakazuki looked straight at him as he spoke.
At that, Zephyr glanced around. He froze for a heartbeat, then threw his head back and laughed. "It has been so many years since I felt this good, I forgot all about that, hahaha."
After laughing, he turned his gaze back to Aren. "You pass the second assessment."
Hearing that, Aren reached into his pocket and took out his glasses. As he calmly wiped the lenses and put them back on, he also reached into his coat and pulled out his pocket watch.
By now, everyone understood that the battle was over because of Zephyr's words alone.
The fight had ended with no clear victor or loser, brought to a close by Admiral Sakazuki's intervention.
There was no winner.
But... for a fight that had always been meant as an assessment, did the outcome even matter?
Of course not.
Everyone understood that. Their minds were still buzzing, and they stared blankly at the two men standing amid the ruins that had once been the harbor, as if their very hearts were being battered by crashing waves.
At last, many of them understood why there had been no special recruits in so many years, and in this moment they understood even more clearly why Aren could become one.
Too strong.
And not just strong, but strong with limitless potential, a strength that still had endless room to grow.
That was the only thought in every trainee's mind.
"Zephyr-sensei."
Ain was the first to rush forward, worry written all over her face.
"I am fine."
Zephyr smiled as he answered her, then took the cloak she handed him and put it back on.
He turned to look at the trainees who had already lined up again under the other instructors' orders and announced loudly, "For the first assessment, everyone failed except Jero. As punishment, all of you will go to the training grounds and run one hundred laps. Jero will run as well, as a reward for passing the first test. Once you have finished running, everyone will undergo the second assessment."
"Yes, sir!"
Not a single examinee voiced a complaint. Their answer rang out in perfect unison.
Even Jero, the only one who had passed the test and now still had to run, shouted back at full volume, with no trace of dissatisfaction.
They had no complaints.
Because they wanted to become stronger, to become much stronger.
With someone like Aren as a fellow trainee in their generation, they all knew they had no right to complain about any training, and even less of a right to slack off.
Zephyr gave them a satisfied look. The instructors beside him understood his intention and immediately began barking orders, leading the trainees away in the direction of the Marine School of Justice.
The students of the Marine School of Justice departed, but the marines around them kept their eyes fixed on the three figures still standing amid the wreckage: Zephyr, Aren, and Sakazuki.
Zephyr turned back toward Aren. "Your third assessment..."
"Before that, Zephyr-sensei," Aren said, still holding his pocket watch as he looked at Zephyr. "After I got off work at five, I was forced to work eighteen extra minutes. At triple overtime pay, that means the overtime added to this month's salary comes to four thousand two hundred Berries. As for the third assessment you mentioned, please conduct it tomorrow at nine in the morning. I am not interested in working overtime any longer today."
The corners of Zephyr's mouth lifted again.
However...
Before he could respond, Sakazuki tilted his head and looked at Aren. "You are just a new recruit and you dare to be this arrogant? Fine. Starting tomorrow, you will be assigned to my command."
...