Several days later, Marineford, the Marineford naval base.
The vast blue sea reflected the bright sunlight as the warship slowly entered the port, its hull cutting through the calm water and creating ripples.
Gern stood at the bow, seeing the tall figure on the dock from afar.
Zephyr had his arms crossed, his expression under his sunglasses unclear, but the slight upward curve of his lips hinted at a dangerous meaning.
“Tsk…” Gern rubbed his temples, muttering, “It seems the ‘after-effect’ of what I said last time is even greater than I imagined.”
“Gern, is that Zephyr-sensei?” Libo poked her head out from the side, her pink eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“Mm.” Gern nodded, a helpless smile just beginning to form on his lips.
Suddenly, he looked at Libo, then at Zephyr, and recalled that before their last mission, when he went to find Zephyr, his teacher had more than once expressed envy for other people's daughters. After all, the power of a 'little cotton jacket'...
“Libo.”
“What’s wrong?” Libo tilted her head, staring at Gern.
“Remember to be polite later; he is my teacher.”
“Don’t worry!” Libo patted her chest, saying with a cheerful smile, “I am the Hero of Justice, Libo! I’m the most polite!”
As the warship slowly docked and the gangplank was lowered...
“Gern!!” Zephyr’s roar instantly exploded, making the nearby Marines shrink their necks.
However, before Gern could respond, a white figure had already “whooshed” down from the ship, landing lightly in front of Zephyr.
“Are you Zephyr-sensei?” Zephyr was almost 3 meters tall, so Libo had to look up, smiling sweetly, her pink eyes curving into crescents.
Seeing Libo’s smile, Zephyr was stunned, the anger he had been brewing instantly caught in his throat.
He looked down at the rabbit-eared girl in front of him, wearing a Marine uniform with two holes specially cut in her hat for her lop ears to pass through, and for a moment he felt a little dazed.
“Mink…Mink Tribe?” Zephyr asked subconsciously.
“Not Mink Tribe!” Libo immediately struck the signature pose of a Kamen Rider transformation, crossing her arms over her chest and shouting righteously, “I am the Hero of Justice, Libo!”
It was the same pose, so why did it feel completely different when his own son did it compared to this girl?
Just like that, Zephyr was silent for two seconds, his gaze slowly shifting from Libo to Gern, who had just walked off the ship, his eyes full of “you better explain yourself, kid.”
Gern chuckled dryly, just about to speak...
Libo had already skipped over to Zephyr, looking up with a bright smile on her small face, “Zephyr-sensei! How was it? How did Libo do? Was it good?! Gern told me you’re the earliest Hero of Justice!”
Looking at Libo’s innocent and cute expression, Zephyr thought of his own four-year-old troublemaker.
That kid was still promoting Navy School yesterday, and even said self-righteously, “Dad is my backing, Big Brother Gern is the future, I am invincible.”
“If I had a daughter…would she be this cute?” Zephyr’s eyes behind his sunglasses stared at Libo’s innocent expression.
Then he looked at Gern’s innocent look of “I didn’t teach her anything.”
Soon, he discovered a fatal problem—
He, Zephyr, an Admiral, a strict instructor, the man known as “Black Arm”…
Couldn’t get angry at this fluffy rabbit!
Especially when Libo’s bright pink eyes looked at him, and she sweetly called him “Zephyr-sensei.”
Zephyr felt his authority collapsing at a visible rate.
“Cough, cough! So…you, no! Libo, are you Gern’s subordinate?” Zephyr tried hard to keep a straight face, attempting to maintain his last shred of dignity.
“Mm-hmm!” Libo nodded vigorously, her lop ears gently swaying with her movements, “I am Gern’s Justice Partner, Warrant Officer Libo!”
“Warrant Officer?” Zephyr raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping back to Gern, “You sure know how to arrange things, kid.”
Gern shrugged, looking innocent: “Teacher, you know, the Marine needs fresh blood.”
Zephyr snorted, but the corners of his mouth uncontrollably turned up slightly.
His eyes uncontrollably looked at Libo again, and finally, he couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle her head.
“Alright, since you’re Gern’s subordinate, then do a good job. Zephyr-sensei will take care of your rank.”
“Yes! Zephyr-sensei!” Libo immediately saluted, a standard military salute, though her posture was a bit wobbly, her spirit was strong.
Zephyr finally couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head: “Let’s go, back to Marineford first. Fleet Admiral Kong is still waiting.”
“Fleet Admiral Kong?” Gern raised an eyebrow, “Fleet Admiral Kong is looking for me?”
“What else?” Zephyr glanced at him, his tone meaningful, “Your ‘Teacher is my backing’ statement last time really shook the entire Marine high command.
Now the new recruits are even shouting ‘Zephyr rises, Fleet Admiral Kong falls.’”
Gern: “…”
Oh no, I overdid it.
At this moment, Libo tilted her head, looking at Gern, then at Zephyr, her face innocent: “Zephyr-sensei, Gern said you’re his backing. So can we just walk around wherever we want?”
Zephyr: “??”
Gern: “…Libo, some things don’t need to be said out loud.”
Zephyr took a deep breath, finally unable to help but burst into laughter: “Good kid, this subordinate of yours…not bad, really not bad!”
And so, with Libo’s innocent “assistance,” Gern’s potentially impending “Zephyr-style wrath” was perfectly defused.
And for the first time, the Marines of Marineford witnessed that “Black Arm” Zephyr could also be defeated by a fluffy rabbit.
.....
Libo skipped ahead, curiously observing the magnificent buildings of Marineford.
While she walked away, Zephyr suddenly grabbed Gern by the neck, gritting his teeth and whispering, “It’s all because of you, kid! This old man, a perfectly good Marine Chief Instructor, has now been forcibly turned into a powerful official with disciples everywhere!
Even that bastard Sengoku keeps privately asking me to ‘support old comrades more.’
Although Fleet Admiral Kong hasn’t said anything openly, the way he looks at me is even more off!”
“Zephyr-sensei, I didn’t know you were in the Fleet Admiral Kong’s office at the time…” Gern struggled to explain.
“You definitely did it on purpose…” Zephyr was about to continue lecturing when he suddenly noticed Libo turning her head.
“Zephyr-sensei! This fountain is so pretty!” Libo excitedly pointed at the fountain in the center of the plaza.
Zephyr instantly changed his expression, releasing Gern and instead lovingly stroking his head, his voice so gentle it could drip water: “Yes, it’s a landmark of Marineford…”
Gern: “……”
While Libo’s attention was again drawn to something new, Gern quickly said, “Zephyr-sensei, Libo is a Mink Tribe member and also has the ability of the Heal-Heal Fruit. Her physical combat talent is very strong.
The Mink Tribe from Mokomo Dukedom are warriors from a young age. I hope you can give her some pointers when you have time.”
“Do I need you to tell me?” Zephyr snorted coldly: “She just called me Zephyr-sensei!” His meaning was clear.
Gern looked at his teacher, who clearly showed disdain but couldn’t hide the upturn of his lips, and suddenly felt worried about his junior brother’s future—
(Stinky kid, your dad’s paternal love might be shifting…)
At this moment, Libo ran back and took Zephyr’s hand: “Zephyr-sensei, do they sell carrots here?!”
Looking at the small Libo (168 cm) looking up at him, Zephyr suddenly burst into laughter.
“Of course they do! And lots of them!” Zephyr picked up Libo and placed her on his shoulder, “Let’s go! Zephyr-sensei will take you to eat Marineford’s best carrot cake!”
“Okay!” Libo, carried on his shoulder, cheered and swung her feet, her lop ears brushing Zephyr’s cheek.
The strict instructor was now laughing like an old father doting on his daughter, completely forgetting that he had come to reprimand someone.
Gern looked at the harmonious backs of the old and the young, and suddenly realized—
Not only would his junior brother lose his father’s love, but he, the disciple, might not even be as favored as a rabbit.