Chapter 10

"……"

Penguin lowered his head, remaining silent.

More than four months ago, he was both a witness and a participant in the extermination tragedy that occurred in Ohara.

The burning sense of justice that once raged in his heart like a blazing fire gradually dimmed and extinguished after this operation. Even his demeanor, which was once full of fighting spirit, slowly turned to a more laid-back and lazy one.

Zephyr could clearly sense the changes in his disciple, but he couldn't directly console him—how could he explain the hidden truths behind this extermination order? And from what position should he explain it?

There were many things he, like Penguin, found hard to accept, but with Marineford looming overhead, Zephyr had long understood that some things were beyond the reach of even a mere vice admiral, let alone him, who had once been the youngest fleet admiral in the Navy.

"Ah…"

Zephyr sighed deeply, and after a long pause, he said in a low voice, "There are some things I can't teach you. I only hope that you can, like when you were in the recruit camp, adhere to your own sense of justice, regardless of what others or those above you do…"

"Recently, there haven't been many missions at headquarters, and I guess you're not in the mood to participate in any major battles for the time being?"

He looked at Penguin, frowned in thought, and then suddenly said, "How about this? The batch of new recruits I'm in charge of is due for a practical combat assessment soon."

"Originally, I planned to lead them myself, but since you're back, I'll entrust this task to you. I can also take a break and rest for a while. What do you think?"

"Entrust it to me?" Penguin finally raised his head, his expression somewhat surprised.

"Ha, that's right!"

Zephyr patted his shoulder and smiled, "Don't overthink it. Just treat it as a break and a chance to clear your mind. Although, you've had more breaks these past few months, which has made someone quite envious."

"……"

Penguin hesitated for a moment, but under Zephyr's expectant gaze, he finally took a deep breath and nodded seriously.

In the room, everyone was intelligent, and he could roughly guess Zephyr's intentions.

—It was simply to let him relax and spend some time with these young juniors, perhaps to rediscover his original passion for justice from these enthusiastic and passionate young people, and to help him emerge from this period of confusion and pain.

But…

Penguin looked out the window, where the white flags of Marineford's headquarters fortress still fluttered in the wind.

Would this method really work for him now?

…………

In the spacious indoor training area, over two hundred new recruits from the headquarters elite training camp gathered, divided into groups for physical combat training.

It was already nine o'clock, and the morning routine training had been going on for some time. As the chief instructor, Zephyr had not shown up, but he had sent a surprising message.

"Tomorrow's assessment is canceled?"

Noshia, who was sparring with Shiryu using the Six Powers, was taken aback by the news. "What's going on? Is Instructor Zephyr on leave for a few days?"

"To be precise, it's not canceled, but postponed," Shiryu, who was smoking, dodged Noshia's bamboo sword with a剃 (剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃,剃