One Piece: Marine's Justice

"Luke-jisan, I'm back again!"

Gion pushed aside the noren curtain and stepped into the Juen Restaurant, announcing her arrival in a clear voice.

Cross followed right behind her, curiously taking in his surroundings.

The interior was modest in size, with about a dozen tatami alcoves separated by curtains. Yet the ambiance was excellent, quiet and serene.

The beige walls were adorned with decorative karakusa patterns, and even the hanging scrolls and vases were minimalist, with only a few darker-toned pieces accenting the space.

A scattering of greenery brought life into the room, creating a very comfortable atmosphere.

"Yo~ it's Gion-chan!"

A one-eyed man emerged from the kitchen, dressed in a white chef's uniform and wearing a tall toque. Smiling warmly, he approached Gion and said, "If I remember right, you haven't gotten your paycheck yet. What are you doing spending money here?"

"Oh, please!"

Gion shot him an annoyed glare, puffing her rosy lips and snorting indignantly. "I don't need money, I've got someone treating me! Luke-jisan, are you saying I can't afford a meal?"

"Kukukuku~ Almost forgot, you're the Navy's little flower. Of course people would line up to buy you dinner."

The man, 'Luke', chuckled in his strange, gravelly laugh, clearly teasing her on purpose.

"You think that kind of joke is funny?" Gion rolled her eyes, obviously unimpressed. Then she grabbed Cross's arm and declared loudly, "Find us a table, quick! I'm gonna eat this little brat who dared interrupt my day off into bankruptcy!"

Cross merely shrugged, unfazed, and turned to the owner. "Luke-san, could we please get a table? Gion-san likes ochazuke and yatsuhashi for dessert. I'll have some udon, grilled eel, takoyaki, and pork cutlet. Oh, and tempura and a chilled clam salad too, please!"

"Of course," Luke replied with a nod. Then, fixing his single eye on Cross, he asked, "But tell me, kid, are you in the Navy?"

Before Cross could respond, Gion spoke up first: "Don't worry, Luke-jisan. I know your rules. This brat's already joined the Navy. In fact, Tsuru-nee personally recommended him to the Marine Academy at Headquarters!"

"Kukukuku~ So he's one of Tsuru-chan's recruits, huh? Alright then, come with me."

Still chuckling, Luke led them to an unoccupied tatami booth.

Once they were seated, he poured two cups of steaming genmaicha and then quietly withdrew.

After Luke left, Cross leisurely picked up his cup and took a sip. The rich aroma of tea and roasted rice filled his senses, it was excellent. He turned to Gion. "This place has special rules?"

Gion took a few sips of her tea as well, then smiled. "It's nothing complicated. Luke-jisan just doesn't like serving anyone who's not Navy. Only Navy personnel and their families can eat here."

"Ah, I see."

Cross nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "Gion-san, I'm just a recruit, could you tell me a bit about the Marine Academy?"

As someone who'd transmigrated into this world, Cross had extensive knowledge of its future, he knew the fates of many individuals, and even secrets the average person would never know.

However, in the One Piece anime and manga, the Marine Academy had been mentioned only in passing. According to fan sources and databases, the former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr once served as Chief Instructor there, and many high-ranking Marines had been trained under him.

Even in One Piece Film: Z, which detailed Zephyr's transformation into "Z," the Marine Academy itself received very little screen time.

Since joining the Navy, Cross had slowly started to learn more about the Academy. He knew it was the Navy's sole formal training institution, dedicated to producing elite Marines.

Nearly all commissioned officers, like Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, Vice Admiral Borsalino, and Vice Admiral Kuzan, had studied there.

"Well, the Academy, huh… Honestly, I don't know much either," Gion said, cradling her teacup in both hands. "I didn't attend it myself. But I do know it's been around for a long time. Admiral Sengoku, Tsuru-nee, and the current Chief Instructor, Zephyr, were all students once. Even the Navy's own Hero, Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, went through the Academy back in the day."

She paused, then added thoughtfully, "I've heard that after Zephyr stepped down from his post as Admiral, he became an instructor at the Academy and reformed a lot of things..."

As Gion spoke, Cross understood: the Marine Academy had been around for decades, and the current top brass had nearly all been educated there.

Zephyr, the man now overseeing the Academy, had once been a Marine Admiral. He had joined the Academy at the age of 14, alongside peers like 17-year-old Tsuru, 18-year-old Monkey D. Garp, and 19-year-old Sengoku.

After losing his family to pirates, Zephyr had resigned from the Admiralty, but his superiors had convinced him to stay on as an instructor. He retained his admiral rank and devoted himself to overhauling the Academy's curriculum and structure.

...

Marine Academy.

In a dimly lit office, Zephyr sat alone behind his desk, the light from the nearby window casting long shadows across the room as he worked through a stack of documents.

As Chief Instructor of the Marine Academy, his responsibilities were immense. He had poured everything he had into the Navy's education system.

Or rather, ever since pirates took his family from him, he had channeled all his grief and purpose into nurturing the next generation of Marines.

Knock, knock, knock—

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Zephyr furrowed his brow but didn't look up. "It's not locked. Come in."

Creaaak—

The door opened, and Gion strode in confidently, Cross following right behind her.

"Zephyr-jisan, I brought you a new recruit!"

She walked boldly up to the desk and pointed a thumb toward Cross.

"It's you, Gion. Thanks for bringing him," Zephyr said with a faint smile softening his usually stern expression. But his gaze soon moved past her, settling on the young man behind her.

"Chief Instructor Zephyr, sir! I'm Amphitrite Cross. Reporting to the Marine Academy as ordered!"

Cross snapped to attention and offered a crisp salute.

As Zephyr appraised him, Cross likewise examined the man before him.

He had a stern, rugged face framed by short, purple hair. Rimless glasses rested on his nose, and he wore a purple suit with a light lavender shirt and a tie patterned with red dots. Draped over his shoulders was the Navy's signature white Justice coat.

This was "Black Arm" Zephyr, former Marine Admiral and current Chief Instructor of the Marine Academy.

He had defeated countless pirates in his lifetime, but never taken a single one's life. Because of this, he was once known as the Navy's "No-Kill Admiral."

Yet as a transmigrator, Cross knew the full weight of Zephyr's tragedy. Despite his strength, he was a deeply sorrowful figure.

His family, murdered.

His students, massacred.

Even the Navy, the institution to which he had dedicated his entire life, had ultimately betrayed him in his twilight years.

In the end, he was killed by one of the very students he had trained.

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