One Piece: sign-in to Ryujin Jakka

He might really be at his limit... but Zephyr would not die in vain. He had to buy more time for his students!

That was the only thought burning in Zephyr's heart.

His forehead pressed against the earth, blood gushing from his battered body. With only one leg still functioning, Zephyr stood up once again in front of Weevil.

Miss Buckin sneered at the sight.

"Weevil, finish him off. I truly don't understand—why persist this much?"

"Yes, Mother."

Weevil's massive form lumbered forward with a heavy gait. Each step was like a hammer striking Zephyr's heart, the sound echoing like the tolls of despair itself.

Zephyr slowly lifted his head. His signature sunglasses, broken in half, barely clung to his face. The way they wobbled as he moved... it mirrored his own fragile state.

"Die."

Weevil said nothing more. He simply raised his massive naginata and brought it crashing down toward Zephyr with brutal force.

With Zephyr's condition, this blow would surely spell his death! But even so… if he could buy just a few more seconds for his students… wasn't that worth it?

"Armament Haki!"

Zephyr channeled all the Haki he had left to his forehead. With his last remaining leg, he bent forward and charged!

Meanwhile, at the island's edge, Roman's face turned grim as he gazed at the distant landmass. He saw them—Marine cadets standing by the shore. Each one bore injuries of varying severity. Some had already passed out.

"Hundred-Fold Phantom Illusions!"

As Roman's voice echoed out, a hundred afterimages instantly split from him, each one clutching emergency medical kits. Using Moonwalk, they streaked toward the island, rushing to aid the injured cadets.

With his peak medical skills, Roman was confident he could pull them back from the brink.

"Kalifa, once anyone is stabilized, send them to the warship to rest."

"Yes, Admiral White Dove!"

Even Kalifa's tone carried a rare seriousness now.

Some of the cadets stared in awe as the illusions moved methodically, treating wounds, bandaging limbs—each illusion more skilled than the last.

"Where's Instructor Zephyr? Wasn't he with you?!"

Roman scanned the area, but Zephyr was nowhere in sight. A knot of unease twisted in his heart.

At that moment, Ain rushed up, eyes desperate.

"Admiral White Dove! Zephyr-sensei stayed behind to hold off Weevil… Please! Disperse the illusions and go help him with your full strength—please!"

As her voice fell, every conscious cadet bowed deeply toward Roman. Despite the blood and dust caking their uniforms, the sight was tragic—and solemn.

Roman exhaled.

"It's already come to this, huh… But choosing and making decisions for others, that's pretty rude."

He turned around, smiling faintly.

"Besides… Only children make choices. Adults take everything!"

Before they could even process what that meant, Roman vanished.

Six Styles Mastery—Shave(Soru)!

He blinked from view, zipping through the jungle, a spectre of light and speed, heading toward the heart of the battlefield. The cadets froze.

Partly from shock at his speed. But even more from disbelief—those hundred illusions were still active.

"He's doing that while maintaining these?!"

"He's… way too strong…"

"So this is an admiral's true strength…"

"No… Admiral White Dove might be the strongest admiral of them all!"

As murmurs echoed, Ain clenched her fists.

"If White Dove makes it in time… then maybe, just maybe Zephyr-sensei might be saved-"

BOOM!!!

Before she could finish her sentence, a thunderous explosion erupted from the island's center.

Ain's face paled. Something terrible was happening.

At the heart of the island, bleakness.

Forests lay flattened, trees torn apart. In the middle, a massive crater yawned wide, filled with broken earth and debris. At its center lay Zephyr, covered in wounds. His purple hair, dyed red with blood. His iconic sunglasses—completely shattered.

"Cough… cough…"

More blood spilled from his lips, thick and dark. Even opening his eyes was a struggle.

"Weevil! Smash him to pulp already! For heaven's sake, it's just Zephyr—why're you dragging this out?!"

Miss Buckin's screech grated through the air.

Weevil scratched his head—hadn't his mother warned him not to harm her by mistake earlier? That's why he had been holding back.

But now… hearing her orders again, he decided to unleash everything.

His aura flared, monstrous and wild.

At nearly seven meters tall, Weevil looked more beast than man.

Lying in the crater, Zephyr gazed up at the storm-filled sky.

"…If only I could've seen the blue sky one last time."

BOOM!

Lightning crashed. Rain poured from above.

Zephyr's eyes slowly closed.

"…Guess I won't get that last wish. Still… I bought enough time for those kids. That's… enough."

Weevil stepped to the crater's edge. Raising his naginata high, he brought it down, aiming straight for Zephyr's skull.

"Looks like I made it just in time."

A calm voice echoed through the downpour.

Roman's lips curled into a slight smirk.

"One-Fold Phantom Illusion!"

A single afterimage appeared beside Zephyr, yanking him from the crater in a flash and rushing toward the warship. Zephyr forced his eyes open.

He saw—Roman.

He was himself being carried on Roman's shoulder.

And—another Roman—already stood before Weevil.

His arms were cloaked in ink like Armament Haki.

Barehanded against the blade!

BOOM!!!

A deafening crash rocked the island.

Cracks spiderwebbed beneath Roman's feet. The crater deepened. The ground shook. But Roman's arms remained unscathed.

Zephyr let out a breath of relief. Admiral White Dove… had arrived.

The illusion beside Zephyr whispered softly,

"You really gave it your all, Instructor Zephyr. But it's fine now. Leave the rest to me."

And with that, Zephyr finally allowed himself to relax. His eyes gently closed.

In the crater, Roman stared down at the giant figure before him. His eyes burned with a surging fighting spirit.

"Whitebeard Junior… Let's see just how strong you really are!"