"Well said!"
Suddenly, the beams of light raining down from the sky ceased.
A flash of golden light appeared instantly behind Sakazuki, who had just finished a wild barrage and hadn't yet fully recovered his balance.
"Still as short‑tempered as ever, aren't you, Sakazuki!"
Grimm swung Ashbringer downward, aiming to sever Sakazuki's neck.
"Finger Pistol: Cataclysm!"
At the critical moment, Zephyr struck with an enhanced version of the technique — more accurately described as a Finger Cannon than a mere pistol.
The massive force slammed into Sakazuki's right shoulder, throwing his entire body off balance.
Grimm's strike had been perfectly aimed at the neck — a blow that would have taken his head clean off.
But because of Zephyr's interference, Sakazuki's body was twisted violently aside, and the greatsword, instead of decapitating him, slashed deep into his left shoulder.
In the span of a single second, both of Sakazuki's shoulders were torn open and bleeding.
"Hey… that move was just plain mean!" Grimm laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. Fine then… if that didn't work, let's try plan B.
He shifted the greatsword in his grip and prepared to unleash Paladin's Judgment, a strike intended to cut Sakazuki cleanly in half at the waist.
But at that moment, Zephyr rushed in. He threw out a powerful kick — not at Grimm… but straight at Sakazuki.
He kicked his beloved pupil flying with tremendous force. Sakazuki crashed backward into a building three stories high, bringing the whole structure crumbling down around him.
Naturally, Grimm's second attack was completely disrupted by this utterly unpredictable move.
"What a shame… I was so close to sending his soul straight into Kel'Thuzad's soul vessel!"
Grimm spoke as if he regretted it, though in truth, he couldn't have cared less. He glanced at Zephyr.
"Your teaching methods… truly one of a kind, Teacher."
"He was acting far too recklessly, which is exactly why he fell for your trick. Consider it a hard‑learned lesson," Zephyr replied sternly.
Grimm glanced at Sakazuki amidst the rubble. "Judging by the look of him… I don't think he'll be fighting anymore today." He turned his gaze back to Zephyr.
"Mr. Zephyr… alone, you are no match for me. I hold you in high regard, so let us part ways here. There is no point in continuing a battle you cannot win."
"Even if I must fight until my very last breath… I will stop you from slaughtering the people of other nations!" Zephyr declared harshly.
He was deeply dissatisfied with the World Government's decision to favor Altdimir solely because of the Heavenly Tribute it held.
Nevertheless, the royal family and ordinary citizens were innocent. If he retreated now, they would suffer the same fate as the nations before them — turned into empty cities through whatever cruel methods Grimm used.
Zephyr had long given up on the idea of capturing Grimm; now, his only goal was to force him back and protect the lives of those still here.
"Oh, come now. The truth is… I am merely killing the people you want to kill but dare not. I'm doing you a favor, Zephyr," Grimm said with a smile.
"I have never taken a life… and I have never wished to!" Zephyr retorted instantly, without hesitation.
Then, Grimm lowered his gaze slightly and asked abruptly:
"Doesn't it strike you as strange? Your family was under the direct protection of Marine Headquarters… yet they were murdered by pirates. Isn't that… very odd indeed?"
The old wound was touched. Zephyr's expression shifted, turning dark and heavy. "That is none of your concern."
"Haha… Mr. Zephyr, stop suppressing what is truly in your heart. Do you not hate the incompetent Marines? Do you not despise the cruel, ruthless pirates? Or are you simply… a coward? You possess such immense power… yet in the end, you are nothing more than a servant to the Celestial Dragons. As an Admiral, you couldn't even protect your own family. If I were you… I would have abandoned the Marines long ago, gone out to sea, and sworn brotherhood with Whitebeard. If you had gone to him instead of serving the Government… he might even have welcomed you as a son…"
Grimm was deliberately provoking him. He had always found that situation strange. As a Marine Admiral, Zephyr must have made countless enemies.
Even if his family didn't live within the absolute safety of Marineford, they would surely have been under heavy, strict protection.
Only monsters like the Golden Lion could bypass such security… yet Shiki was far too proud to do something so underhanded.
Grimm couldn't think of any other pirate capable of killing his wife and child so easily.
That led to only one conclusion — coincidence or conspiracy, something very suspicious had happened the day they died.
"SILENCE, PONTIFF!!"
Zephyr's entire upper body turned pitch‑black, coated in Armament Haki. His face twisted into a mask of rage. Was this the explosion of anger he had bottled up for decades?
Or was Grimm's questioning beginning to shake the foundation of that ridiculous concept of 'Justice' Zephyr clung to?
It had been decades. Zephyr was no fool; he had to have realized the truth long ago… or perhaps, he simply dared not look at it.
He had lied to himself, numbing his pain with the idea of Justice. That was who Zephyr had become.
Grimm narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "Mr. Zephyr… at this rate… you have even less chance of defeating me now."
When your heart is in chaos… defeat is inevitable.
To be honest, Grimm hadn't intended to use psychological warfare to weaken him. He had simply spoken exactly what he thought.
But in Grimm's eyes, the current Zephyr was nothing short of… pathetic.
And Zephyr's heart… was in chaos.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
He roared in pure fury.
Zephyr fought with wide, sweeping, heavy movements, like swinging a massive iron club. He arced through the air and struck down from above.
Earlier, he had fought with steady, measured discipline. But after Grimm's words, he had reverted to his natural, brutal style — fighting with nearly all composure lost.
"Just how deep does that rage burn inside you?"
Grimm raised one hand to block Zephyr's kick. The impact was so heavy that the ground shattered, creating two deep craters right where Grimm stood.
"Vengeance…"
Five hours later…
The sky above had turned dark and dim.
Cough…
Zephyr spat out a mouthful of blood.
It wouldn't have been so bad had it happened during the height of battle. But now… his body was covered in dozens of wounds, large and small.
He was soaked in blood from head to toe, as if he had been submerged in a pool of it. His massive, powerful frame lay slumped on the ground.
Cough… cough… cough…
He had fought until he was completely exhausted and could no longer stand. Now, only his ragged breathing and painful coughs proved he was still alive.
"Mr. Zephyr… you aren't fighting me anymore… you are simply venting the rage inside your heart."
Standing opposite him, completely unmarked and unharmed, Grimm looked down at him.
Cough…
A low sound of unwillingness and resentment rumbled in Zephyr's throat. He struggled to rise, gripping his fists tight.
He managed to push his body halfway up, only to collapse heavily back onto the ground — face‑down this time.
"In… Instructor Zephyr…!"
Shojo, who currently served as Zephyr's aide, watched the scene with tears welling in his eyes.
He wanted desperately to rush to his aid, but nearly every bone in his body had been shattered earlier.
The power Grimm had displayed was simply not something he could oppose.
"God..."
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