Chapter 11: The Little Teacher!

When Zephyr returned home, he found Yoriichi Tsugikuni still sitting along the veranda, his eyes lifted toward a sky blanketed in countless stars.

As Zephyr approached, Yoriichi rose to his feet and greeted him with a gentle smile.

"Welcome back, Teacher Zephyr."

"Oh!"

"Yoriichi, you're still not asleep?"

Bathed in starlight and moonlight, half of Yoriichi's young face glowed softly. Looking at that delicate, youthful expression, Zephyr took a moment to steady his emotions before asking.

"I don't usually go to bed this early."

Hearing this, Zephyr nodded, hesitating slightly. After pondering for a few seconds, he finally spoke.

"Yoriichi, from now on, you are my student."

"But as the Chief Instructor of the Naval Academy, I don't actually have much spare time. Because of how things are organized, you won't be able to stay by my side constantly."

"Tell me, Yoriichi… can you read and write?"

Zephyr seemed to remember something suddenly as he posed the question.

"I think so…" Yoriichi answered, sounding unsure. He'd never actually encountered the written language of this pirate world.

"Good. I'll prepare some books for you on navigation and maritime knowledge. You can study on your own when I'm away. Anything you don't understand, you can ask me when I get back."

"Whenever I'm home, I'll make time to teach you the relevant knowledge."

"To become a Marine, the first things you need to learn are how to read nautical charts, master navigational skills, and gain an understanding of the world around you."

"As for combat training, I already have some ideas, which we'll gradually work on."

"But for now, the most important thing is to build up your knowledge!"

"Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, I'll try to find you a teacher who can help."

Saying this, Zephyr patted Yoriichi lightly on the shoulder, the weight in his voice conveying his genuine care. Yoriichi could clearly feel his concern.

"All right, Teacher Zephyr."

Zephyr turned and left, while Yoriichi remained there, silently watching his teacher's departing figure.

"Black Arm Zephyr, the Admiral who refuses to kill."

This man possessed a certain unique charisma that inspired instinctive trust and reliance.

As Zephyr walked away, his expression was deeply troubled. In his heart, he couldn't shake the feeling that Yoriichi's extraordinary talent might ultimately be wasted under his care or under the Navy's.

"I need to… think of some other way."

At dawn, a pale mist draped itself over Marineford.

While still half-asleep, Yoriichi suddenly picked up on sounds coming from outside. His eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. He got up swiftly, grabbed the long sword resting beside his bed, and slid open the door to step outside.

Yet as soon as he crossed the threshold, he froze in surprise at the scene that greeted him.

The sky was only beginning to lighten, yet Zephyr's home was already bustling with craftsmen. In the courtyard outside Yoriichi's room, piles of timber and building materials were stacked high. Zephyr himself stood with his arms folded, supervising the work with the air of a foreman.

"Teacher Zephyr, what's going on?"

Hearing the voice behind him, Zephyr turned his head and saw Yoriichi standing there, still groggy from sleep. Zephyr grinned.

"Oh, you're awake!"

"I'm planning to build a small dojo here at home and convert that empty room."

"When you're not studying, you can do your training there."

"By the way, I brought you some books. Take them to your room later."

As he spoke, Zephyr gestured toward a tall stack of books piled by his feet.

"So many?!"

Yoriichi tilted his head and stared at the books. The stack beside Zephyr was at least a meter tall. How long would it take him to read all that? It wasn't that Yoriichi feared learning itself but he'd never imagined that becoming a Marine would involve studying this much material.

"If you really have to learn this much to become a Marine," he thought, "then there probably wouldn't be many Marines left in the entire pirate world."

"Teacher… are you sure there's not some mistake? You really want me to study all of this?!"

Yoriichi walked over to the book pile and picked up a volume titled World History. After leafing through only a few pages, he switched to another book called The Contributions of the Celestial Dragons. But after skimming a handful of pages, he set that one down too.

Bending down slightly, Yoriichi scanned the titles of the rest of the books. His eyelid twitched involuntarily.

These books were vastly different from the "knowledge" he'd imagined. He'd expected to study navigation or military strategy but instead, this stack was filled with texts about various histories and countless "contributions."

Just reading the titles was enough to completely deflate his interest.

"Oh, that's just the first batch. We'll take it step by step. Start with these."

"If there are any words you don't know, or if you have any thoughts, you can always talk to me."

Even as he said this, Zephyr's voice carried a trace of frustration.

After all, he hadn't chosen these books for Yoriichi. They were picked out by Kong, the Fleet Admiral. And Zephyr knew all too well what Kong's intentions were.

Zephyr had originally planned for Yoriichi to begin with maritime knowledge, learning how to read nautical charts and gaining a basic understanding of the world.

But Kong had upended that plan. What could Zephyr do? He'd had no choice but to bring the books back.

Still, Zephyr had already made up his mind. If Yoriichi showed genuine interest, he'd let him study them. If not, they'd simply serve as reading practice.

"All right, I'll read them."

Yoriichi picked up on the irritation in Zephyr's voice and understood that it wasn't directed at him. After glancing over the books, Yoriichi thought it through and found clarity.

"It seems the Navy hasn't fully trusted me yet, seeing as I'm someone whose background is a complete mystery."

He sighed quietly to himself. But the Navy's lack of trust didn't really affect his mood.

After all, he wasn't truly a child. Yoriichi knew perfectly well that trust was something that could only be earned over time.

After giving instructions to the craftsmen, Zephyr handed Yoriichi some money before heading off to "work." As the Chief Instructor of the Navy, his daily responsibilities left him little free time.

Yoriichi didn't interfere with the craftsmen building the dojo. This was Zephyr's home, not his, and Yoriichi was clear about his own place.

Carrying the books, Yoriichi returned to his room.

"Looks like I won't be getting near Haki for a while."

"Before I can start learning about Haki, I'd better focus on strengthening my body."

Once he'd finished moving the books, Yoriichi sat down and began leafing through World History. Although he'd initially felt resistant, as he truly started absorbing the content, he found himself gradually letting go of his reluctance.

While the books were clearly written from the World Government's perspective of so-called "justice," their contents nonetheless helped Yoriichi piece together a clearer picture of this world.

And as he delved deeper, he began forming new insights into the chaotic political landscape swirling around him.

Clang, clang, clang…

The sounds of hammers striking wood rang out from the courtyard. The craftsmen had finished arranging the materials and were now officially beginning their work. After spending a while in his room, Yoriichi heard the bustle outside and stepped out onto the veranda, carrying his book with him. Settling himself against a wooden pillar, he sat on the floor, bathed in the pale morning light, and continued reading about history.

Now and then, the craftsmen would glance curiously at Yoriichi as they worked. They were fascinated by this quiet, peaceful boy.

It was their first time seeing a child living in Admiral Zephyr's house. Yet they'd all heard the tragic story of how Zephyr's entire family had perished, which only made them more intrigued by Yoriichi's presence.

"Is anyone from the household here?"

"Which one of you is Yoriichi Tsugikuni?!"

Just as Yoriichi was absorbed in his reading, a voice called out from the gate.

He turned his head and saw a blond-haired youth strolling into the courtyard without waiting for permission. After scanning the busy craftsmen, the boy's gaze landed firmly on Yoriichi, who was sitting on the veranda.

"Red hair… flame-shaped birthmark."

"That must be him!"

Rosinante thought to himself. He strode directly over to Yoriichi and greeted him brightly.

"Hello, Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"

Then Rosinante leaned in close, lowering his voice to introduce himself.

"My name is Rosinante. Admiral Zephyr asked me to come."

Straightening back up, Rosinante thrust out his hand toward Yoriichi.

"Nice to meet you!"

"I'm the 'teacher' Admiral Zephyr assigned to you."

"I'll be in your care from now on!"

Rosinante's golden hair shimmered under the light. Though his features weren't exactly delicate, he could still be considered handsome. Tall and slender, he wore the standard sailor uniform of an ordinary Marine. Yet despite the plain clothing, he radiated energy and uprightness. His bright, sincere smile made him naturally easy to approach.

Yoriichi gazed at the nearly two-meter-tall youth standing before him, momentarily stunned.

After a brief pause, Yoriichi also smiled, extending his hand to shake Rosinante's.

"Hello. It's nice to meet you."

"I look forward to working with you."