Garp, who had been casually munching senbei nearby, had already stood silently in front of the screen at some point. A shadow fell across his rigid back.
Zephyr's thunderous declaration echoed from the video:
"The Neo Marines will uphold true justice..."
Every word landed like a sledgehammer on the hearts of everyone present.
The world was shaken in that moment.
The conference room was deathly silent.
Everyone was too stunned to speak.
Zephyr had left and formed the Neo Marines.
Sengoku's face darkened to a terrifying degree.
He slowly sat back in his chair, eyes filled with complicated emotions.
This situation had gone far beyond his expectations.
"I-Is this for real?" Tsuru's voice trembled, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Sengoku nodded, his voice heavy with fatigue.
"It's real. Zephyr has left the Marines and created the Neo Marines."
A trace of helplessness flickered in his eyes.
Garp stood silently at the side for a moment before muttering, "That stubborn bastard Zephyr... he really did it."
…
The next day.
The early morning sirens of Marineford wailed to life.
The sharp alarm oddly overlapped with the video sound still looping across screens.
The entire Marine Headquarters was blanketed in tension.
A storm was brewing.
Akainu crushed his lit cigar in his palm, sparks burning through his coat of justice, leaving smoldering black holes.
"Hmph. Betray the Marines... and you'll pay the price."
Kizaru, for once, didn't wear his usual laid-back expression.
His brown sunglasses reflected Zephyr's unyielding face.
Looking up at the sky, he spoke in a rare quiet tone: "Teacher Zephyr... is this really what you wanted?"
Sengoku remained silent. His calmness was terrifying.
But Tsuru, sitting beside him, noticed—his hand at his side was trembling ever so slightly.
The video kept playing. Again and again.
When it reached the part where Zephyr led the ex-Marines in shouting "Justice Forever!"—a sudden crack came from the corner of the room.
A flowerpot had split apart.
Aokiji's cold aura had frozen it without him noticing.
"Ohhh... Teacher Zephyr, you really are reckless," Aokiji murmured under his breath.
No one responded to his sigh. They were too fixated on the video.
The final frame froze on Zephyr standing shoulder to shoulder with the New Marines.
Sengoku slowly removed his glasses. The lens reflected the number of likes, ticking upward at a terrifying rate.
His gaze was conflicted, but his tone was resolute.
"Inform everyone. Zephyr has betrayed the Marines. If they behave like pirates... we will treat them as pirates."
"...Understood."
"Yes, sir."
The tension in the room reached a breaking point.
They all knew Zephyr had crossed the line. The foundation of Marine Headquarters had been challenged.
They had to act, or the New Marines' influence would spiral out of control—and plunge the world into chaos.
"Zephyr... have you truly made your decision?"
Sengoku clenched his fists. He didn't want this. But he had to uphold Marine authority.
…
Onigashima.
Kaido's enormous body swayed as he lounged in the wine cellar, wine spilling from his mouth without a care.
"Wororororo!!"
His laughter echoed through the chamber, shaking dust from the barrels.
He dragged his finger across his phone screen, pausing on the video of Zephyr betraying the Marines.
"Interesting! Way too interesting!!"
Kaido howled with laughter, watching the video of Zephyr's determined face and the shouting Marines.
"This Zephyr… he betrayed the Marines?! That makes him one of us now! And if he's one of us… I'll help him out!"
Without hesitation, Kaido tapped "TikTok Boost."
"Let the storm come harder!"
The video's exposure skyrocketed.
Likes and comments surged in real-time.
Kaido's Boost not only sent the video trending instantly but also triggered a tidal wave of discussion across the app.
…
Totto Land, Cake Island.
Big Mom was shoveling her fifth giant cake into her mouth, face flushed with bliss.
These days, she was completely addicted to food videos.
Every day she obsessed over new dessert recipes and even launched the first-ever Totto Land Dessert Contest.
The aroma of sugar and frosting filled the island.
Totto Land was in a literal sugar high of happiness.
At that moment, Big Mom was contentedly scrolling TikTok while chewing.
Then the Neo Marines video popped up.
Her eyes froze.
Zephyr's familiar face.
A flicker of surprise passed through her gaze.
"Mama mama mama!!" She burst out laughing, the sound rattling her Homies, who tripped over themselves trying not to get crushed.
"Zephyr! You old stiff! You actually had this in you?!"
Her thick finger slammed the like button with such force it almost cracked the screen.
"My babies! Boost this video!"
"Yes, Mama!" The Homies replied in perfect unison, moving with the efficiency of a TikTok marketing team.
Likes, comments, shares—flawless execution.
Soon, the comment section lit up with Big Mom's family spam:
>"BIG MOM Like Army is here! Viral it is!"
>"Neo Marines? Sounds powerful! Marines are trash anyway!"
>"Justice Forever? Sure. Let Zephyr handle it. Let the Marines go bake cookies or something!"
>"Agreed. Keep the Marines' 'justice' and let Zephyr make something real!"
…
Across the New World, among pirates, kings, and underground syndicates, phones lit up one after another.
Push notifications for the video landed in inboxes everywhere.
Everyone who watched it was shaken.
Zephyr's reputation was no small matter. And now he had betrayed the Marines and formed a New Marines, without even changing the name?
That was pure provocation.
…
In a secluded port on a distant island.
Ron leaned casually against the rail, watching the numbers on Zephyr's phone screen skyrocket.
He smiled knowingly.
The video's view count was growing exponentially.
The comments section was flooded from every corner of the world.
>"Neo Marines, that name slaps!"
>"Support Zephyr! Real justice at last!"
>"How do I apply to the Neo Marines?!"
Zephyr gazed at the sun rising on the horizon.
His voice was deep. "You've really stirred up a hornet's nest this time."
Ron stretched, bathed in morning light like a golden silhouette.
"Isn't that exactly what you wanted, old man?"
Behind them, more and more ships began breaking through the mist, sailing steadily toward the port.
They were the inspired. The awakened. The ones drawn to true justice.
"All right then, old man. Time for me to move. These folks are yours now."
"Go on, go on, always in a rush," Zephyr grumbled with a chuckle, but there was a clear trace of reluctance in his eyes.
"Bring some good sake next time, yeah?"
"Absolutely."
Zephyr stood at the edge of the dock, watching Ron's ship slowly vanish into the distance.
The morning light spilled across the harbor, illuminating every determined face.
Above them, the Neo Marines' flag danced in the wind, announcing the arrival of a new era.
(To be continued.)
***
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