Chapter 8: 100 million

Changing name back to chain fruit..

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In a brightly lit office, an old man wearing a white suit and rimless glasses was leisurely watering his beloved Judu orchid. The serenity of the moment was interrupted by the sudden ringing of a phone bug, shattering his peaceful mood.

"Ah, these foolish subordinates never give me a moment's rest," the old man sighed. Grabbing a rag from the flower stand, he wiped his hands absentmindedly. As he returned to his desk, his expression turned serious.

He picked up the receiver and spoke in a clear voice, "Commander Crohn, long time no see."

The phone bug's neutral face morphed into the likeness of a middle-aged man with deep forehead lines and a perpetually tired expression—it was Commander Marine Crohn of the 91st branch.

The phone bug opened its mouth and coughed, before speaking in a wheezy tone: "Teacher Zephyr, long time no see. How is your health holding up?"

"You're the one who sounds like an old man, Crohn. Tell me, what's happening in West Blue?" The purple-haired old man, known as 'Zephyr,' held the microphone in his left hand while reviewing a stack of reports on Marine trainee officers with his right.

"Teacher Zephyr, do you remember the Chain Fruit? The Devil Fruit that Marvin ate?"

"The Chain Fruit… the one that can create zippers on objects? I remember it. What about it? Has it shown up in West Blue?" Zephyr asked casually while flipping through the reports. His brows furrowed more deeply as he read them. This batch of trainees is the worst I've ever seen!

"To be exact," Crohn explained, "it was obtained by a West Blue gang leader two years ago. The previous commander of the 91st branch reported it to headquarters, but Vice Admiral Komei said…"

"Ah, I remember. Komei believed that both the Chain Fruit and Marvin were stains on Marine's reputation." Zephyr sighed. "I've always said that a Devil Fruit's potential depends entirely on its user's imagination and training. Marvin was too rigid to develop its full potential. That boy never stood a chance against the 'Bronze Apple' Pirates with their combined bounty of 140 million. It wasn't the fruit's fault—Marvin simply lacked creativity."

Zephyr leaned back in his chair, reminiscing. Marvin, a former Marine officer, had been utterly disappointed after eating the Chain Fruit. Despite a month of training, all he managed to do was create a few zippers to store extra supplies on warships. His conservative nature made him ill-suited for the fruit's potential. "That boy's career peaked at lieutenant-Commander Marine," Zephyr muttered under his breath.

"You wouldn't mention the Chain Fruit without a reason. What's the situation?" Zephyr asked, setting the reports aside. His tone was now sharp and focused.

"Someone defeated Talma Pipping, Suleyman Shawn, and Capone Bege less than 10 minutes after eating the Chain Fruit."

Zephyr's eyes narrowed. "The first is the gang leader who acquired the Chain Fruit two years ago, the second is the leader of West Blue's largest gang organization, the 'Suleyman Family,' and the third is the leader of the rising 'Capone Gangsters' Did I hear that correctly?"

The phone bug vividly imitated Crohn's mix of fear and disbelief. "Yes. In under 10 minutes."

Zephyr grabbed a pen and paper, jotting down the names. "Tell me their simulated bounties."

"Talma Pipping, Zoan Buffalo-type Devil Fruit user, 40 million Berry. Suleyman Shawn, Zoan Snake-type Devil Fruit user, 42 million Berry. Capone Bege, Paramecia-type 'Castle Fruit' user. His simulated bounty is 70 million Berry."

Zephyr adjusted his glasses, studying the names he had written. "How old is the person who defeated them? And their identity?"

"Caldwell Victor. Seventeen years old. Born in Keli Village, West Blue. Both parents were fishermen—his mother died in childbirth, and his father died in a shipwreck ten years ago. He joined Talma Pippin's gang two years ago and became a cadre. Last month, he defeated six cadres from the Suleyman Family, which led the 91st branch to set his simulated bounty at 10 million Berry."

"Ten million? Should I say your branch is blind or that this kid is exceptionally good at hiding his strength?" Zephyr chuckled wryly. "How has he developed the Chain Fruit?"

"…It's terrifying. After eating the fruit, he adapted immediately and demonstrated excellent combat instincts. His use of the Chain Fruit is both destructive and imaginative. And I suspect… I suspect he's begun to tap into Observation Haki."

Zephyr's pen paused mid-stroke. "Observation Haki? At 17 years old? In West Blue?" His voice grew heavier. Haki users were rare enough in the Grand Line, let alone in the four Blues. If this was true, the implications were immense.

"There's more. Mafia Victor has a younger sister named Perona. She's a Devil Fruit user as well, suspected of having the Paramecia Ghost Fruit."

Zephyr leaned back, rubbing his temples. "West Blue truly never fails to surprise. Alright. Once I've finished the intern officer exams this year, I'll head to West Blue. If we can recruit this boy into Marine, he could become a pillar of justice."

Zephyr, nicknamed "Don't Kill Admiral" for his refusal to execute even pirates, was known for his belief in second chances. "If we guide him properly, Victor could become an Admiral candidate someday."

"And their simulated bounties?" Crohn asked cautiously, feeling reassured by Zephyr's decision.

"Victor's bounty should be set at 100 million Berry. If he becomes a pirate, that's the number we'll officially use. As for the girl, she's not much of a threat. The Ghost Fruit has critical weaknesses. Forget about her for now."

"Yes, Teacher Zephyr!" Crohn replied.

After hanging up, Zephyr sat in thought for a while. Then, taking a blank sheet of paper, he wrote: West Blue: Mafia Victor, Chain Fruit. He underlined Victor's name twice.

A knock on the door broke his concentration. "Zephyr Admiral, Commander-in Chief Kong requests your presence in his office," a Marine officer announced after entering.

"Did the Commander say why?" Zephyr asked, standing and straightening his suit.

"He hopes you will personally oversee this year's training camp."

"Understood. Thank you."

Before leaving, Zephyr paused by his desk, gently stroking a framed photograph of a smiling woman holding a purple-haired toddler amidst a field of flowers.

"Aqing… Nick… The pirates won't run rampant forever. The world will get better. Don't worry."

Donning his white Marine cloak, the word "Justice" emblazoned on its back, Zephyr strode out of the room with determination.

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