Chapter 10: Hidden Background Check!

"This world's night sky… feels so much deeper than the one before."

"And the stars… shine so much brighter."

As Yoriichi Tsugikuni gazed up at the sky in quiet wonder, Zephyr was nowhere near home.

Tonight, he had a meeting to attend. A meeting that mattered greatly - both to him, and to Yoriichi.

Inside the Fleet Admiral's office

Sitting behind his desk was Kong, the Fleet Admiral of the Navy. Before him lay two towering stacks of documents, which Kong was diligently reviewing.

It wasn't just Kong in the room. Vice Admiral Tsuru and Admiral Sengoku were also there, standing on either side of the desk as they flipped through files of their own.

Knock knock knock!

Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed through the office. Kong lifted his head, his voice firm and commanding as he called out:

"Come in!"

The office door swung open, and Zephyr strode in briskly, wearing his greatcoat emblazoned with the word "Justice." Closing the door behind him, he advanced quickly to stand before Kong's desk, his expression tense as he demanded:

"How's the investigation coming along?"

"Did you find anything suspicious?"

Kong didn't answer immediately. Instead, he lowered his head again, sifting through the papers in his hands. Zephyr watched him, his pupils narrowing. He drew in a deep breath, about to speak, but Tsuru raised a hand slightly to stop him.

"Hold on. Have a seat over there for now."

"For the moment, there are some suspicious details… but nothing we can conclusively call a serious problem."

At her words, Zephyr walked over to a sofa at the side of the office and sat down heavily. His voice deepened as he asked:

"What kind of suspicious details?"

Tsuru was about to reply when Sengoku spoke up instead.

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni's real age should be twelve."

"According to testimony from the survivors rescued from Dragon Chant Island, Yoriichi has indeed lived there his entire life."

"His parents arrived on Dragon Chant Island twenty years ago. As for their origins, we haven't been able to trace them."

"When Yoriichi was two, his father died of illness. His mother passed away when he was eight, also due to sickness."

"Originally, he grew up relying on the charity of neighbors. But two years ago, he suddenly vanished. The next time the townspeople saw him was just recently, when he returned alongside Garp after clearing out pirates."

Zephyr listened with a deep frown creasing his brow. When Sengoku paused, he interrupted impatiently:

"Hey! Sengoku, you've said all that, but what exactly are the suspicious parts you're talking about?!"

"Isn't his life story perfectly clear? He disappeared for two years - probably got lost in the forest. Dragon Chant Island has plenty of large beasts. The townspeople probably assumed he was dead."

"Didn't Garp find the cave he'd been living in near the island's center?"

"His sword was most likely passed down from his parents. His swordsmanship is partly talent, partly due to instruction from his family."

"This world's vast. A person like that isn't so strange!"

"Surviving in the wilderness, honing his skills through sheer talent until Garp discovered him and brought him back to the Navy - isn't that a perfectly clear explanation?"

"So tell me, Sengoku, what's the so-called suspicious part?!"

Zephyr's tone was brimming with fierce protectiveness. He held Yoriichi in high regard, genuinely fond of the talented young boy. During their time together that day, Zephyr had glimpsed a maturity in Yoriichi's demeanor that stirred a pang of sorrow in his chest.

A child so young, forced to grow up that quickly, could only have suffered deep tragedies.

And in a way, Zephyr's intuition wasn't wrong.

"Hey, calm down a bit, will you?"

"Let me finish, Zephyr."

Sengoku gave a wry smile and waved his hand, understanding the emotion behind Zephyr's reaction. On this particular subject, Sengoku was speaking from personal experience.

Four years ago-

Sengoku, who had no children of his own, adopted a boy named Rosinante. At the time, Sengoku knew nothing of Rosinante's true identity, simply accepting him as his foster son. It was only when he brought Rosinante back to the Navy for a routine background check that he discovered the boy was, in fact, a Celestial Dragon a member of the Donquixote Family.

This revelation hadn't caused much of a stir within the Navy. The reason was simple: Sengoku's influence had managed to suppress the news completely. Aside from the few people currently in this office, the only other person aware of the truth was Garp, who was already out at sea again.

Ever since the death of his own family, Zephyr had poured himself wholeheartedly into the Navy, showering the younger generation with particular care and devotion.

And the newly arrived Yoriichi Tsugikuni was no exception. Zephyr already regarded him as part of the Navy family. In fact, Yoriichi was now living in Zephyr's own home - a privilege no other Navy cadet had ever enjoyed.

Just like Sengoku in the past, Zephyr had allowed his compassion to guide his actions.

"Speak!" Zephyr huffed, folding his arms across his chest.

"The suspicious part is his weapon," Sengoku said calmly. "And according to Garp, he's already awakened Conqueror's Haki."

At that, Sengoku paused, locking eyes with Zephyr.

Reminded of this point, Zephyr's expression turned cold. Seeing the change in him, Sengoku continued:

"I think you've noticed it too. That sword Yoriichi wields is of remarkable quality."

"Yet it's not one of the Supreme Grade Blades."

"Whoever forged such a weapon couldn't possibly have been an ordinary craftsman."

"And as for Conqueror's Haki… That's the disposition of a king. Are you telling me someone like that has no special background?"

Sengoku had barely finished speaking when Zephyr gave a frustrated shake of his head and shot back:

"That's exactly the kind of thinking I can't stand!"

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni is Yoriichi Tsugikuni. His background has nothing to do with who he is as a person!"

"All I know is that from the moment he was born, he's lived in the East Blue. And in all that time, he's done nothing wrong!"

"He's just a child who lost his parents early. The only thing unusual about him is that he's talented. So what - is that supposed to be a sin?!"

"Suspicious? What a load of nonsense!"

With those words, Zephyr abruptly rose to his feet. He felt he'd learned all he needed to know about Yoriichi's circumstances - and that was enough for him.

He turned toward the door, intent on leaving, but before he could take another step, Kong finally spoke up:

"Zephyr!"

"You're right. In the end, he's just a child who lost his parents."

"But precisely because he's a child, he needs proper guidance. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Within the next five years, I forbid him from leaving Marineford."

"Also, I won't allow you to share any Navy secrets with him - whether it's intelligence, Haki techniques, or even the Rokushiki martial arts."

"Young people can get ahead of themselves. At his age, it's far more important to build a solid foundation and instill the right values."

"Until he comes of age, his training should focus on physical conditioning and acquiring essential knowledge."

Zephyr paused at the doorway, his steps frozen. After a brief silence, he turned his head and let out a cold snort.

"Don't think you need to tell me that!"

Bang!

With that, Zephyr stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Watching Zephyr leave, Sengoku casually tossed the papers in his hand back onto the desk.

"Doesn't look like there's anything left here for me. I'm heading out. That kid Rosinante is still waiting for me."

Then Sengoku, too, departed the office.

Once the two men were gone, Kong turned to Tsuru, his voice low and serious.

"What do you think?"

Tsuru was the Navy's strategic mind. Even Kong placed enormous weight on her opinions.

"His background seems perfectly clear. There's no reason for concern."

"A child is just a blank canvas. I believe Zephyr will teach him well."

"Besides, Zephyr isn't Garp. He's reliable."

At the mention of Garp, Kong couldn't help but press his palm to his forehead, looking profoundly weary.

Garp was a Vice Admiral in the Navy. His son, Monkey D. Dragon, was also affiliated with the Navy… though recently, Dragon had repeatedly disobeyed orders, and his actions had become increasingly unpredictable.

This left Kong with a vague yet persistent sense of foreboding.