"So this is Angel Island?"
Kai looked around, taking in the completely unfamiliar harbor and coastline.
Angel Island was located in the first half of the Grand Line.
To the left lay Alabasta.
To the right, a frozen island of extreme cold.
And ahead, Water 7.
All in all, Angel Island's location wasn't bad at all.
Precisely because of that, pirate crews often came here specifically to loot and slaughter, targeting the island's prosperous economy and abundant resources.
As a result, Angel Island's economic system was repeatedly hit hard.
But thanks to its favorable location, even after taking heavy blows, the island could recover in a relatively short time.
And recently—
that wealthy island had fallen under the eye of a pirate crew known as the Cerberus Pirates.
This crew was the primary target of Smoker and the others' graduation trial.
Eliminate the Cerberus Pirates—
that was the true heart of the exam.
Whether the cadets killed them all or captured them all, only by dealing with the Cerberus Pirates could their graduation trial truly be considered complete.
"Kai."
Keep an eye on them.
"In a moment..."
"go contact the Marine branch stationed on Angel Island. Have the commanding colonel personally mobilized his men and surround the Cerberus Pirates' base. I don't want even a single pirate escaping."
Zephyr walked over to Kai and gave another quiet instruction.
"Understood."
Kai nodded.
He was already used to handling this sort of thing.
This wasn't his first time.
Back when he had gone on missions with Headquarters Vice Admiral Kuzan, he had already been through operations involving local Marine branches coordinating with Headquarters forces to capture pirates.
So everything Zephyr said felt familiar.
They had already spent about a week away from Marineford for the sake of this mission.
Now, the graduation trial was finally about to begin.
If Whitebeard's "son" hadn't delayed them for several extra days during the capture and transfer process, they might have completed the exam already.
"Hopefully that pirate crew hasn't left Angel Island yet."
Zephyr frowned.
If the Cerberus Pirates had already moved on, then this trial would become much more troublesome, and they would waste even more time investigating.
"In that case, we just ask the Marines stationed here."
"They'll know the Cerberus Pirates' recent movements."
Kai said.
"Right."
Before long, under Zephyr's lead, the group arrived outside the Marine branch stationed on Angel Island.
It was a fairly ordinary branch base, not especially large.
Judging by the scale, the manpower stationed here likely didn't exceed five hundred.
And that estimate quickly proved accurate.
Under Zephyr's order, a Marine colonel soon hurried out of the base and began reporting all relevant information.
This colonel was named Trull, a capable swordsman with respectable strength.
As he briefed them, Kai, Zephyr, and the cadets gradually learned the details of the branch's resources and the current status of the Cerberus Pirates.
"Reporting, Admiral Zephyr."
"At present, the branch can mobilize approximately four hundred and twenty men."
"And as for the Cerberus Pirates…"
"They are still on Angel Island. It appears they may be preparing to make a move against the island's civilians."
Trull reported truthfully.
The Cerberus Pirates had been lingering on Angel Island for some time now, and the situation had left him unable to sleep.
It wasn't that he hadn't considered launching an operation against them.
He had.
But he lacked the strength to do it.
Now, with a Headquarters Admiral like Zephyr arriving in person, Trull finally felt some of that pressure ease.
"Call out every man your branch can mobilize."
"Next…"
"I want you to surround the Cerberus Pirates."
"You do not need to attack them directly. Your priority is simply to seal them in and make sure not a single pirate slips through."
"As for the actual fighting…"
"leave that to my students."
"Your students?"
Trull stared in shock.
His eyes shifted toward Smoker, Tina, and the other youthful cadets, and his expression immediately filled with doubt.
He had originally assumed Zephyr had come here to personally deal with the Cerberus Pirates.
But now it seemed he had misunderstood completely.
Zephyr wasn't here to destroy the pirate crew himself.
He was here to let his cadets treat them as trial prey.
Realization dawned on Trull's face.
Still, he couldn't help asking with concern,
"Admiral Zephyr... will that really work?"
"The Cerberus Pirates aren't some ordinary crew. Every single one of them is a butcher with blood on their hands."
"And their captain…"
"He's a major pirate worth sixty to seventy million berries. A Zoan Devil Fruit user."
"Can your students really handle someone like that?"
Zephyr answered with complete seriousness.
"Relax."
They'll be fine.
"...Understood."
Trull had no real choice.
He was in no position to question or oppose a Headquarters Admiral.
So, under his orders, the Marine branch personnel quickly assembled.
Four hundred and twenty Marines lined up in orderly ranks, each armed with guns and ammunition, ready for action.
Yes, the branch certainly had its share of deadweight and freeloaders—
but even so, most of these Marines were still solid fighting men.
In Zephyr's eyes, they were more than usable.
"The encirclement is your responsibility."
"Make sure not one pirate escapes."
"As for dealing with the Cerberus Pirates themselves…"
That's for my students.
Zephyr gave the order.
"Yes, Admiral Zephyr."
Trull nodded heavily.
For him, surrounding the Cerberus Pirates was not the hard part.
Then Zephyr turned to Smoker and the cadets, his face stern.
"Listen carefully."
"From this point on, how you deal with the Cerberus Pirates is entirely up to you."
"I will not interfere unless absolutely necessary."
"This is your graduation trial."
"That means you handle it yourselves."
"If you rely on others for everything, then how are you supposed to grow into proper Marine officers?"
"Yes, Teacher Zephyr!"
Smoker, Tina, and the other cadets answered immediately.
"We will complete this graduation trial successfully!"
From that moment on, Kai officially became dead weight.
Or rather—
an observer.
He moved together with Smoker and the others, following the detailed route Trull had provided as they advanced toward the Cerberus Pirates' main base.
Behind them, Trull led the four hundred and twenty Marine branch elites in full formation.
And further back still, Zephyr strolled along almost leisurely, as though he were simply out for a walk.
There was no sign of tension or worry on him at all.
"With Kai keeping watch for me…"
"I really don't need to worry too much."
"After all…"
"That brat may only be five, but his strength is truly at Vice Admiral level."
"And not just any Vice Admiral, either."
"With that level of power, in the first half of the Grand Line, there are almost no people qualified to stand as his opponent."
"That kid is a complete monster."
That was what Zephyr thought as he calmly walked behind the main force.
And it was because of that confidence that he wasn't worried about the cadets suffering any real accidents.
At the same time—
after about half an hour of marching—
they finally arrived at the Cerberus Pirates' base.
The moment their steps came to a halt, the air began to fill with killing intent.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Extremely oppressive.
Some of the cadets with weaker nerves had already begun sweating, their faces turning pale with tension.
"Should we attack directly?"
Smoker asked.
But when he asked, his eyes weren't really on the other cadets.
They were on Kai.
Clearly, he wasn't seeking the group's opinion.
He was asking Kai.
Among everyone present, only Kai was someone Smoker instinctively treated with that level of gravity.
At once—
every other cadet followed Smoker's gaze and looked toward Kai.
Their eyes were filled with tension and expectation.
Because, whether they admitted it or not—
Kai was the one person here who gave them a true sense of security.
As if as long as he stood among them, there was no enemy they truly needed to fear.
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