After Drago, Cudius didn't bother staying at the Marine hospital. He wasn't a Marine, so there was no need for any formal discharge procedures. Once he packed up his belongings, he left Naval Headquarters, Marineford.

  Before he departed, he had o meeting with Admiral Zephyr. What surprised him, however, was the ued appearanarine's so-called "Flower of Gion," who showed up at the port just to see him off.

  The reason? Cudius had mao defeat her during a sparring session oraining grounds. Out of respect for a worthy oppo, she felt it was only right to personally bid him farewell.

  She also made it clear that she wouldn't lose ime due to a mistake like she did before, and warned Cudius to stay sharp.

  Looking at the proud and stubborn "Flower of the Marines," Cudius couldn't help but smirk. ime? pete with me again? If there's a ime, I'll have you ft on your baot in battle, but in bed, showing you all the ways I break you down until you're begging for mercy.

  But, of course, those were just the dirty thoughts running through Cudius's mind. Putting aside such fantasies, he was fident that if there really were a ime, he would be able to face Gion head-on with his own growing strength.

  Why was he so sure? Because Cudius had already received something crucial from Zephyr something he'd been aiming for sihe beginning.

  Zephyr had handed over a detailed manual on Haki cultivation and trainihods.

  When it came to Haki mastery, there were two individuals in the Marine who were absolute experts.

  The first was the man Cudius had targeted Zephyr himself.

  Zephyr, known as the "Admiral Who Doesn't Kill," had earned his seoniker, "Bck Arm," due to his profi Armament Haki. His mastery in Armament Haki was unparalleled, and it was through this skill, rather than any Devil Fruit ability, that Zephyr climbed to the rank of Marine Admiral. His powerful queror's Haki was aension of his life experience, and while Cudius hadn't even awakened his queror's Haki yet, Zephyr's manual provided insight that was invaluable for future training.

  The other Marine expert who could match or even surpass Zephyr in Haki mastery was her than the hero of the Marines and Dragon's father—Vice Admiral Garp.

  Despite holding the rank of Vice Admiral, Garp's strength was on par with, or even above, the Admirals. He was the unchallenged powerhouse of the Marine.

  So why didn't Cudius go to Garp for Haki training? The reason was simple: Garp wasly known for being the most... diligent or articute instructor, at least not when it came to teag others.

  In trast, Zephyr's manual was filled with detailed expnations. He had poured in all his experiences and insights, even adding personal advice tailored to Cudius's abilities and potential based on their iions over the past few days.

  It was clear that Zephyr truly cared about Cudius, whether due to his passion for teag enuine respect for Cudius's status as a Celestial Dragardless of the reason, Zephyr had spared no effort in helping him.

  Thus, Cudius was more than willing to view Zephyr as a true mentor.

  "I'll find a way to repay Zephyr someday…" Cudius murmured to himself as he stood on the deck of the ship, watg Marineford slowly recede into the distance. He gnced down at the manual filled with Zephyr's wisdom and insights, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

  Zephyr's generosity had geouched him, so much so that Cudius was determio protect the man's family, no matter what.

  "Stussy..." Cudius called out.

  Stussy, who had been standing nearby during Cudius's time at Marineford, immediately stepped forward and responded softly, "Yhness, what are your orders?"

  "Once we return to Mariejois, I want you to transfer some of our best operatives from CP-0 and have them positioned around Zephyr's family. Don't reveal their identities just have them act as friends or acquaintances. If any danger approaches Zephyr's family, I want ents to protect them at all costs. Uood?" Cudius instructed.

  Although Stussy didn't fully uand why Cudius wao make su arra, she nodded and accepted the task without question.

  While Stussy remained puzzled, Cudius kly why he was taking this precaution. Better to be safe than sorry.

  Cudius wasn't oo meddle unnecessarily, but after being so much from Zephyr's guidance, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

  There were simply too many uainties in this world. Sending a few skilled agents as a safety was the most straightforward and effective measure he could take.

  "It should be enough… right?" Cudius mused to himself. The idea of anyone daring to harm a Marine Admiral's family was almost unheard of. But Cudius wasn't taking any ces. Even if it were an improbable sario, he believed his intervention could make all the difference.

  The journey from Marineford to Sabaody Archipego wasn't far. It took less than half a day to reach their destination.

  Cudius had no iion of heading baariejht away. Since he was already out and about, he decided to visit Sabaody Archipego and see what it had to offer.

  After all, Sabaody was a well-known isnd, marking the end of the first half of the Grand Line and serving as the gateway to the New World. On this isnd, just about anything could happen.

  You could see the lofty and arrogaial Dragons. You could see downtrodde the bottom of the hierarchy. You could witness Marine officers enf justice or enter pirates causing mayhem.

  Here, on this chaotid, you might even stumble across legendary figures like Whitebeard, Golden Lion, or the future Pirate King himself, Roger.

  These giants of the seas often stopped by Sabaody because there was no other direct route to the New World. The only alternative was to circle around the Calm Belt.

  The Sabaody Archipego was a true melting pot—a pce where predators and prey lurked in the shadows, hidden in pin sight.

  But for Cudius, the isnd didn't pose much danger. Sabaody was directly uhe jurisdi of the Celestial Dragons. In esse was their pyground their fiefdom.

  It was close to both Marineford and the Holy Land Mariejois. Should trouble arise, reinforts from either the CP anization or the Marine Headquarters could arrive almost instantaneously.

  So long as Cudius didn't run into some reckless fool like Luffy someone who would attack a Celestial Dragon without a sed thought he had no reason to worry.

  And people like Luffy were few and far between. Cudius was fident he wouldn't be so unlucky.

  While most pirates had to enter Sabaody through the wless zone's port, Cudius's status allowed him to sail directly to the luxurious port reserved for Celestial Dragons.

  After disembarking, Cudius decided to ceal his identity at least a little. He didn't o go to great lengths to disguise himself but opted not to funt his status. He kept his ente small, bringing only Stussy, his butler Nia, and a few hidden guards.

  Without the typical Celestial Dragon attire, the obnoxious bubble hood, or a procession of sves, he didn't stand out too much. Most people would just assume he was a wealthy noble visiting the isnd.

  Given how many nobles frequented Sabaody in hopes of currying favor with the Celestial Dragons, Cudius's appearance was anything but spicuous.

  As he strolled through Sabaody Archipego, he took in the sights with curious eyes, the isnd's yout and umosphere.

  Apart from the wless zohe rest of the isnd was surprisingly orderly. The sery was beautiful, the climate pleasant. It truly was an ideal pce for leisure aion. No wonder so maial Dragons liked to visit.

  From what he could tell at the port, a few of his "Celestial Dragohren" were already on the isnd. But Cudius had no iion of meeting up with them or exging pleasantries. He preferred to explore the isnd on his own terms.

  "Yhness, I've piled a list of iing spots and information about Sabaody Archipego. Please take a look and decide where you'd like to go," Nia said, handing Cudius some papers.

  Cudius ghrough the information. He wasn't ied in soap bubble parks htseeing spots. Specialty shops and sic views didn't catch his eye either. In the end, he settled on oination—the au house in the illegal zone.

  He smiled and said, "Let's go check out this au."

  The moment the words left his mouth, Stussy's expression turned a bit apprehensive. "Yhness, that au isly legitimate. It deals in some rather shady, gray-area businesses. And more importantly, it's located in the wless zo's dangerous there..."

  Sabaody's illegal zone was still chaotic at this time.

  The aus there weren't particurly well-reguted, and the sve trade wasn't as "refined" as it would be iure. Cudius figured that ter on, when his big cousin, Donquixote Dofmingo, eventually extended his influeo Sabaody, he would formalize and domihe sve trade market, turning it into a more structured "employment agency."

  But for now, these aus were still a hodgepodge of activities selling everything from sves to rare treasures. Cudius wao take a look, just to see if there was anything of value.

  "It's fine. With you around, Stussy, what could possibly g? Is there a there who'd dare to harm me?" Cudius said with a grin.

  Stussy sighed in resignation, smiling wryly as she replied, "I'll certainly do everything in my power to protect Yhness. But if we enter a situation I 't handle, please don't hesitate to reveal your true identity to avoid unnecessary trouble."

  "Don't worry, I promise," Cudius nodded with a lighthearted smile.

  With that, they made their way to the illegal zone of the Sabaody Archipego.

  ******

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