*Chapter 106: Why Not Exchange Disciples?*

The news of a truce between the Big Mom Pirates and Dressrosa quickly made headlines. People had been expecting a more dramatic showdown. They were eager to see what kind of power these notorious pirates with bounties over 3 billion berries possessed. But instead of a chaotic battle, what they got was an arranged duel between two powerful forces—an established one and a rising star.

This unexpected development stirred up a lot of curiosity. Many people thought, "Why not go and watch?" As long as they weren't afraid of the Navy, there was no harm in being a spectator. After all, not many pirates feared the Navy!

Some smaller pirates planned to head over for a closer look. They were amazed at how quickly the conflict between the Big Mom Pirates and Dressrosa had caused such a sensation across the seas. No one anticipated this, not even other pirates.

The stakes were incredibly high in this duel, with both sides betting everything they had, including their lives. The Navy and the World Government remained silent, neither intervening nor offering any help to Dressrosa. The entire world’s strongest were watching this battle closely, and many were already on their way to Dressrosa. They wanted to see just how far they still had to go to reach the peak of the world’s strongest, and maybe boost their confidence in the process.

As for being captured by the Navy... most pirates had already accepted the possibility of dying when they first set out to sea. Their only goal was to make a name for themselves and die as gloriously as the Pirate King, Roger.

In Dressrosa, dozens of hotels were quickly constructed. As long as a pirate could prove they were well-known, and promised not to cause trouble during their stay, they were allowed to check in. This made Reijin chuckle; in a short time, Dressrosa's income had doubled. And it looked like this would continue for at least a month.

But to Reijin, the money wasn't what mattered most. What mattered was that countless strong individuals from across the seas were heading to Dressrosa. Even some of the most powerful pirates who had been hiding in the shadows couldn't resist making a move.

What Reijin was most interested in were a few of the Warlords of the Sea. Although Bartholomew Kuma wasn’t a Warlord yet, he carried a special bloodline. And then there was Mihawk, a top-tier fighter who would one day become the world’s greatest swordsman. He was already gaining some fame, enough to be considered a true powerhouse. There was also Crocodile, a formidable guy, though his early years had been a bit disappointing.

There were many unique races and strong individuals on the seas, and these were the people Reijin truly paid attention to. Everyone else was just background.

That’s right! Reijin was referring to the most formidable background character, Gecko Moria. Although Moria's Devil Fruit was impressive, after his battle with Kaido, he had lost the courage to pursue world domination. Now, he just operated his Warlord business in the Florian Triangle. But even if he was gathering strength, it was a waste of time.

In Reijin’s eyes, Moria was already pretty much finished. But others still had some ambition left. Reijin thought he could stir things up a bit right under the Navy’s nose. Ideally, he could poach some strong fighters for Dressrosa.

Inside the palace of Dressrosa, Reijin looked helplessly at Garp, who had shown up unexpectedly.

He hadn’t expected this old rogue to find him the moment he arrived in Dressrosa. To Reijin, Garp was nothing but trouble—stubborn, unyielding, and annoyingly persistent.

"Vice Admiral Garp, you’re here in Dressrosa to see Instructor Zephyr, right? The palace isn’t exactly where he usually hangs out," Reijin said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Hahahaha, that old guy Zephyr is still in class. He said I can’t visit until after he’s done, and I’m not allowed anywhere near him until then. Funny, isn’t it? It’s your country’s secret, but that old man seems to care more about it than you do," Garp said, munching on a snack without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

It sounded like he was trying to sow discord between them, but Reijin knew better. Garp just wanted to understand why Zephyr had pledged his loyalty to Dressrosa after being there for a short time. Zephyr even started considering Dressrosa’s interests above all else, keeping some matters from the Navy. Could this country really offer something worth that much to Zephyr?

The king of this country wasn't exactly a saint either. He had used underhanded methods to seize the throne, not much better than Doflamingo. So Garp couldn’t believe there was anything here that Zephyr would value.

"Maybe it’s because Instructor Zephyr has taken on a disciple here and is worried you’ll steal them," Reijin speculated, stroking his chin. He hadn’t restricted Garp from exploring the ninja village.

That’s right! Some of the people Reijin brought had been settled in the ninja village. Others who wanted to live in the town and blend in with the seas were allowed to do so. Reijin didn’t mind as long as they stood by him when the time came. As for blending into the seas, Reijin saw this as a good thing.

Some people couldn’t get used to it, though. They didn’t want to adapt and preferred to keep their distance from the people of the seas, which led to the formation of a small ninja village of just a few dozen people. Most of them were quite conservative.

"Zephyr took on a disciple?" Garp immediately picked up on the unusual tone. His expression changed to one of curiosity.

In the Navy, Zephyr only fully shared his knowledge with the three Admirals and some of the Vice Admirals. But none of these people were officially his disciples. They were just students to whom Zephyr, as an instructor, taught everything he could.

As for Zephyr’s beliefs and lifetime of battle experience, he hadn’t found a suitable heir, so he hadn’t passed them on. But to think he found someone worthy of that here! This made Garp curious about who this person might be.

"That’s right! Why don’t we go take a look together?" Reijin suggested with a smile. It wouldn’t be a celebration of Zephyr taking on a disciple without Garp there.

Besides, Reijin thought Rock Lee would be a good match for Garp’s iron fists.

"Let’s go, let’s go!" Garp couldn’t wait. After all, anyone who could inherit Zephyr’s ideals must be an interesting person.

Reijin put down what he was holding and led Garp into the forest behind Dressrosa.

---

The ninja village was set up here, conveniently close to Zephyr's school.

Before they even got close, they could already hear Zephyr's voice.

Garp and Reijin instinctively stopped in their tracks, choosing not to interrupt Zephyr.

"You're only hurting your body like this, and it won't lead to any significant improvement."

"Martial arts aren't just about physical conditioning; the most important thing is developing a strong body from a young age. That way, your stamina, potential, and more can continue to grow as you mature."

"Right now, you're just exhausting yourself. If you only want to master the Eight Gates technique, that might be okay, but if you want to inherit my martial arts style, your body won't be able to handle it."

"If you want to inherit my martial arts, then follow my training regimen and stop doing unnecessary exercises."

Zephyr was scolding a student with a center-parted hairstyle, who was standing in front of a training post.

The wooden post was stained with blood, showing just how intense the training had been.

Garp, who also trained in martial arts, could tell at a glance the calluses on the kid's fists and feet.

These could only be formed through years of relentless training.

"Yes, sir!"

The kid with the center part shouted energetically.

"You want to become strong to prove yourself and to protect the things you care about. But if you keep training this roughly, you might not be able to prove anything."

"By the time you reach adulthood, you could end up with permanent injuries. Even Miss Shizune might not be able to treat some of them."

"From now on, you're training with me! Start by soaking in medicinal baths at my place. These baths are a privilege reserved for the geniuses in the Navy. And you won't be doing any extra training from now on; I'll be watching you every step of the way."

Zephyr was incredibly strict.

But deep down, Zephyr let out a slight sigh.

Lee Rock had been living with him, but every time after training, when everyone else was lying on the ground, exhausted like a puddle of mud, this kid would still stand up and do extra training with unwavering determination.

Such dedication, just to gain recognition from others.

Zephyr was very pleased with this kid.

But he was not at all satisfied with his training methods.

"But, Sensei, I'm not the genius you're talking about."

Lee Rock hesitated for a moment. Although, after arriving here, Lord Reijin had covered all their living expenses, even providing them with hearty meals every day, a life very different from what they had in Konoha.

But Lee Rock's original intention for coming here had not changed: he wanted to prove himself.

Seeing Zephyr pouring so many resources into him now, he was afraid he wouldn't live up to his expectations and would disappoint Zephyr.

But!

When Zephyr heard this, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Hahaha! In my eyes, you're the most outstanding genius."

Zephyr burst out laughing, surprised by how interesting this kid was.

But Zephyr liked kids like Lee Rock.

His beliefs and approach to life aligned perfectly with Zephyr's standards.

He was confident that this kid could carry on his ideals on the open sea.

"Heh heh heh."

Lee Rock scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

Zephyr didn't pay attention to Lee Rock's silly grin but instead focused on the nearby forest.

"You two have seen enough, right? Come on out."

Zephyr's eyes locked onto the spot where Reijin and Garp were hiding.

Because these two hadn't even bothered to conceal their presence.

They were just standing there openly, and calling it spying would be an insult to the word "spy."

But what was Garp doing here!

Oh! It turns out that bastard Reijin brought him along.

Then it's fine!

But why did he have to bring Garp, of all people?

Zephyr frowned slightly.

He didn't want his disciple to attract the attention of the Navy.

He felt like he had chosen the wrong path and wanted to see his disciple take a different one.

He had been hiding him from Garp for this very reason.

But he hadn't expected to be betrayed by one of his own.

Reijin was really a troublemaker, always giving him, an old man, more things to deal with.

This time, he'd even brought him an opponent.

"Zephyr, you sly dog, taking on a disciple without telling me. If I hadn't come, I would've never known!"

Garp laughed heartily, his eyes fixed on Lee Rock.

This kid had a different aura than those in the Navy.

That pure determination and straightforward thinking.

A good seedling indeed.

And he was already working so hard from such a young age.

He might just grow up to be an admiral someday.

Garp rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming.

He felt like he should try to recruit him!

"Teacher Reijin!"

Lee Rock's eyes lit up when he saw Reijin.

After all, Reijin was his first teacher, and he even taught him the secret Taijutsu of Konoha, something normally never shared.

For someone like him, with no background or connections, to be so highly regarded by Reijin already moved him to tears.

"Lee, you're a genius when it comes to Taijutsu; there's no doubt about that."

"As long as you have a good teacher to guide you, plus the Eight Gates technique, you can surpass most people in this world. What you're lacking now is just confidence."

"Stick with Zephyr. He's the top Taijutsu master in this world. There's so much you can learn from him."

Reijin patted Lee Rock on the shoulder.

"Yes, sir..."

Lee Rock nodded, his eyes filled with determination.

But before he could say anything, a burst of laughter came from beside them.

The three of them turned to look at Garp.

They didn't understand why Garp was laughing for no reason.

"Hahaha, King Reijin, what you said might not be entirely accurate."

"If you ask who's the top Taijutsu master in this world, it's gotta be me, Garp. Who cares about this lesser-known Zephyr?"

"Zephyr's just a bit famous within the Navy, that's all. You should know even Admiral Aokiji learned the Iron Fist technique from me."

"When it comes to Taijutsu, I'm not bragging, but I dare say there's no one else on the sea who can claim to be number one in front of me."

Garp laughed loudly, his eyes seemingly glued to Lee Rock. If Zephyr had taken a liking to this disciple, then he was definitely worth fighting over.

Moreover, when it comes to top Taijutsu masters on the sea...

As the Navy's hero, the man who chased Roger for half his life...

How could he not step up and say a word for himself?

"What are you implying, Garp? I was once a Navy admiral known as the Black Arm, just like you. Are you saying I'm not qualified to be called a top Taijutsu master?"

Zephyr raised an eyebrow, his eyes sharp.

Even after all these years, there weren't many who dared to underestimate him.

Did Garp really think he could disregard a former admiral?

Does he want to get pummeled right now?

That guy was obviously picking a fight on purpose.

He was clearly interested in his disciple too.

How shameless!

--- --

“It doesn’t mean much; it’s just that King Reijin didn’t mention me, so I thought I’d introduce myself,” Garp said, his eyes wandering as if he was just casually mentioning it. But his face betrayed him, showing a guilty expression, and he couldn’t even look Zephyr in the eye!

However, having been colleagues with Garp for so many years, how could Zephyr not understand him? This guy was probably interested in Lee Rock too.

“You better be!” Zephyr narrowed his eyes.

If Garp dared to make a move, Zephyr wouldn’t hesitate to chop him down today.

...

The two exchanged glances, and Garp was the first to back down.

“Ahem, Zephyr, how about you let me have this disciple?” Unable to hold back, Garp suggested.

“No way!” Zephyr, with a knowing expression on his face, glanced disdainfully at Garp, that scoundrel, and flatly refused.

“You can make any request you want, as long as it’s within my power, I promise to fulfill it—just let me have this disciple,” Garp said, feeling a bit embarrassed, trying to offer a trade for the disciple.

But he felt it was unlikely to work, knowing that Zephyr was famously stubborn and hard to sway.

Garp already knew the answer; he just wanted to give it a try.

“No.”

Zephyr was just about to refuse when Reijin intervened.

“Zephyr, don’t be so quick to refuse. Actually, this could be negotiable,” Reijin said, stepping in and smiling.

Reijin actually had some ideas of his own.

“Reijin!” Zephyr frowned, surprised that Reijin was the first to waver.

Was he eyeing the Navy’s offer?

Zephyr sighed quietly. He understood Reijin’s position; with so many people to feed, he had to consider the well-being of his citizens.

Zephyr closed his eyes and said nothing more, already mourning the loss of a disciple.

What a pity!

“King Reijin, do you have a specific request?” Garp’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly moved closer to Reijin.

Trading some Navy resources for a promising disciple seemed like a great deal to Garp.

As for Zephyr’s feelings... Well, he was no longer with the Navy, so he’d have to get used to the outside world eventually.

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, this world runs on interests.

No one refuses a substantial benefit.

“I heard Vice Admiral Garp has two grandsons around the same age as the kids in my school. How about letting them attend school here in Dressrosa, with Zephyr as their teacher? If Zephyr sees potential in them, they might even become his disciples. How about that? A fair exchange of disciples,” Reijin suggested with a grin.

The tables had turned!

At that moment, Zephyr’s eyes also lit up. His gaze sharpened as he looked at Garp.

Garp hadn’t considered that he could have his grandsons trained by Zephyr.

Don’t doubt the Garp family bloodline—they’re definitely capable.

Garp was one of the top martial artists on the seas and had even produced someone like Dragon. For two generations, his family had been full of true powerhouses.

This generation wouldn’t be much different.

With Zephyr’s training, they could definitely become strong.

An exchange of disciples would be a win-win.

“...”

Garp fell silent, completely taken aback by the king’s knowledge of his grandsons and his unexpected proposal for a trade.

Garp had anticipated Reijin would ask for some kind of material gain, but this caught him off guard.

A total checkmate!

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