As soon as Claudius's voice fell, Zephyr remained silent for a while. Even though Claudius had spoken in a calm and polite tone, the fact remained that he was still a Celestial Dragon. When someone like him made a request, no matter how nicely it was phrased, it left Zephyr in a difficult position. Refusing would be no easy matter.
At the same time, Zephyr had his own challenges to consider. As a Marine Admiral, he couldn't just dedicate himself to Claudius full-time. From the way Claudius had spoken, it almost sounded like he was asking Zephyr to take him on as a disciple.
Becoming the first Marine to take on a Celestial Dragon as a student? That would certainly be a first. Zephyr had never heard of such a thing happening before. Plus, he wasn't eager to get involved in the complexities of Mariejois, which made the situation rather awkward.
If Claudius knew what was going through Zephyr's mind, he might have laughed.
Not only was Claudius not asking to formally become Zephyr's disciple, but even if he had been, it wouldn't have been all that outrageous. If anything, Zephyr should learn from his colleague, Sengoku.
In a few years, Sengoku wouldn't just accept a Celestial Dragon into his ranks he'd go as far as adopting his little cousin, Rosinante, as his own son! Now that's what you call open-minded!
But noticing the uncomfortable look on Zephyr's face, Claudius realized that the Admiral was overthinking things, probably assuming that Claudius wanted to recruit him as some kind of personal backer or bodyguard.
So, Claudius smiled and clarified, "Admiral Zephyr , I believe there's been some misunderstanding. I don't expect you to stay in Mariejois and personally guide me step by step. What I'm asking for is far simpler I just need learning materials and the benefit of your experience."
He paused before adding, "I know that as an Admiral, you're busy with your duties, and I wouldn't want to impose on you too much. But I'll have a lot of time once I return to Mariejois, and I don't want to waste it. That's why I hope you can share your knowledge with me before then."
Hearing this, Zephyr visibly relaxed. With a lighter tone, he responded quickly, "Thank you for being so understanding, Saint Claudius. As you said, I cannot stay by your side all the time, but if it's just providing information and sharing my experiences, I'd be more than happy to help. Once we arrive in Mariejois, I'll make sure to prepare everything for you."
Claudius smiled, satisfied with the answer. That was all he needed. Mariejois was full of skilled individuals, even among the slaves, and the hidden masters in the CP organizations were formidable as well. If Claudius wanted to learn and grow stronger, finding teachers wouldn't be difficult.
However, he understood that building a solid foundation was key. No matter how skilled someone was, without a proper base, it would be impossible to make progress. Without laying the groundwork, how could he expect to grow stronger?
Across the world of pirates, Zephyr might not be the strongest in terms of sheer combat prowess. However, when it came to training future talents and laying solid foundations, few could rival him.
As a Celestial Dragon who wasn't willing to waste his resources, Claudius had made a smart decision in seeking Zephyr's expertise. Many people would love the opportunity to learn from Zephyr, but such a privilege was rare and hard to come by. Being a Marine Admiral, Zephyr's time and attention weren't something just anyone could demand. But Claudius, as a Celestial Dragon, stood at the very top of the world's hierarchy.
Even so, he was careful not to take such a valuable resource for granted. After all, if he was going to lay a foundation, it needed to be the best.
Zephyr, for his part, seemed relieved to avoid getting tangled up too deeply with Mariejois politics. He could see that Claudius was straightforward and not the type to drag others into unnecessary trouble.
Feeling a little guilty for his earlier hesitation, Zephyr added, "Though I'm quite busy, if there's ever something you don't understand, I'd be more than happy to come and teach you personally."
His offer was clear: While Zephyr couldn't stay by Claudius's side all the time, he was willing to make occasional trips to Mariejois to offer guidance if needed.
This was a gesture of goodwill, a way to show that he valued Claudius's potential. From what Zephyr had seen, Claudius wasn't like the typical Celestial Dragons he had encountered. Perhaps this young man had the potential to accomplish something significant in the future.
Claudius smiled warmly. "That's excellent news. I'll be sure to rely on your help then, Zephyr."
With that settled, their conversation shifted to the basics of training. Zephyr explained the principles behind strength training, and Claudius eagerly soaked up the knowledge. Although the exercises Zephyr described push-ups, running, and weight training sounded simple, there were countless techniques to optimize them.
Zephyr was pleased to see that Claudius was so receptive to learning. His natural inclination as a teacher took over, and he gradually became more enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge.
Over the next few days, Claudius didn't even need to summon Zephyr. With little to occupy his time on the sea, Zephyr voluntarily sought Claudius out every morning. He would wake Claudius early and take him to the deck for training, giving him hands-on guidance.
As Claudius trained, Zephyr would sit nearby, compiling all the training materials Claudius would need once he returned to Mariejois. That way, Claudius could continue his training independently. Once Claudius had laid a solid foundation, Zephyr planned to summarize more advanced techniques for him.
Before long, the warship was approaching the Red Line. From the deck, one could already see the endless crimson cliffs rising from the horizon.
Claudius, with a towel around his neck, stood shirtless on the deck. Under Zephyr's guidance, a few days of regular exercise had started to show results. His body had lost most of its excess fat, and though he wasn't muscular yet, the lazy, weak aura he once had was gone. Now, at least, he looked like a young man with energy and drive.
"We'll reach Mariejois soon, right?" Claudius asked quietly, his gaze fixed on the towering cliffs of the Red Line in the distance.
It wasn't Zephyr who answered, but Kuzan, who had taken an interest in Claudius.
"Yes, Saint Claudius. At this speed, we should reach Mariejois in no time," Kuzan said with a grin, standing not far behind him.
"Good," Claudius replied with a smile. "As much as I've enjoyed these past few days, there are things I need to take care of in Mariejois. Only after that will I be able to rest easy."
As the warship slowly pulled into port, a large contingent of Mariejois servants had already gathered to welcome Claudius. The moment the ship docked, a sharp-faced man who looked like a butler hurriedly led a group of servants. They rolled out a fresh, bright red carpet from the dock all the way to the bubble elevator.
Armored guards lined up on both sides of the carpet, seemingly acting as an honor guard.
Claudius stood on the deck, watching the scene below with a flash of disdain in his eyes. "Hmph, quite the display. Where was all this effort before?" he muttered under his breath.
Kuzan, seeing the extravagant display for the first time, couldn't help but be surprised. Though he was aware of the status and privilege of the Celestial Dragons, seeing it in person where even something as simple as disembarking from a ship required this much fanfare was something else.
Zephyr, who had interacted with the Celestial Dragons several times before, was unfazed.
Once the gangway was in place, Claudius reached out and grabbed a short gun handed to him by a Marine. Then, without hesitation, he led the way off the ship.
The sharp-faced butler rushed forward to greet him the moment he saw Claudius. Though Claudius's appearance had changed significantly, the butler, Mendil, recognized him instantly, having served him for years.
As soon as Claudius set foot on the red carpet, Mendil dropped to his knees and groveled, "Welcome back, Saint Claudius. I've missed you dearly these past few days. It's been agony not being able to serve you."
Claudius glanced down at the butler with a look of disgust, speaking softly, "Really? I would've thought you'd be too busy enjoying the rewards from selling me out to feel any guilt, Mendil."
At those words, Mendil's whole body trembled. He raised his head in a panic, trying to stammer a response, "Y-Your Highness…"
"Shut up. I don't want to hear a single word from your filthy mouth." Claudius's voice was filled with cold disdain.
Without a moment's hesitation, Claudius raised the short gun in his hand and aimed it at Mendil's head. He didn't need evidence to confirm that Mendil had been complicit in betraying him and sending him off on that ill-fated voyage to the New World. The conclusion was obvious from his memories: this butler had seen him as nothing more than a fool, an easy target to manipulate.
And since Claudius didn't need evidence, he saw no reason to let the man live. Without waiting another second, he pulled the trigger.
Boom!
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the port. Blood sprayed into the air as Mendil's head exploded, and his lifeless body collapsed onto the bright red carpet.
Claudius tossed the still-smoking short gun onto the carpet without so much as a glance at the butler's corpse, and calmly walked forward as if nothing had happened.
After all, for a Celestial Dragon, killing someone like that wasn't out of the ordinary. He didn't need a reason. This was the privilege of being a Celestial Dragon absolute power over life and death.
Watching Claudius's back as he walked away, Kuzan couldn't help but murmur, "Now I've finally seen the true nature of a Celestial Dragon."
Zephyr, standing next to him, glanced at the body on the ground before shaking his head. "No matter how approachable he may seem, in the end, if something displeases him, a life can be taken just like that. You're right this is more like the Celestial Dragons I remember."