Zephyr was not a rigid person.
He may be stubborn, but he just demands a lot of himself.
Having lived to such an old age, he has gradually come to see through many things.
You can't expect everyone to be like him—an upright, selfless soldier, willing to lay down his life or give up everything in the name of justice.
Men like that are rare, almost impossible to find.
If such a standard were the only measure, the world would scarcely have enough soldiers to fill a single battalion.
Many join the military for reasons far less noble. For some, it's a means to escape the grip of poverty, to carve out a better life.
For others, it's the allure of the uniform—a symbol of pride to flaunt before friends and family.
And then there are the young and naïve, stepping into the ranks with no real understanding of the path they've chosen, unaware of the weight their duty might one day carry."
Zephyr stood quietly, his thoughts heavy with conviction.
Joining the army wasn't merely a choice; it was a chance to transform. He had seen it before—countless lives reshaped through discipline and purpose.
Liu Feng was living proof of that truth.
Once hailed as the golden lion of the past, he had risen to new heights. One had become a Flying Admiral, revered by his subordinates, while the other had taken up the banner of justice, ascending as the supreme commander of the new NEO Navy.
Their stories were undeniable—living testament to the change the military could inspire.
As Zephyr reflected, Liu Feng's steady voice filled the air, carrying the weight of authority and vision.
"From today," he began, his tone measured yet resolute.
"The NEO Naval Academy officially opens enrollment to the world. Our first cohort will accept 3,000 students, with capacity increasing every six months. Your background, past, or abilities are irrelevant. All that matters is a heart committed to justice. Those who pass our examinations will gain entry to the academy, where they will follow a unified curriculum under the direct guidance of the Admiral."
Liu Feng's eyes scanned the crowd, his words deliberate and filled with purpose.
"As Fleet Admiral of the NEO Navy, I extend my wishes to every young aspirant. May you find the courage to pursue this path and shape your destiny at the NEO Naval Academy."
The moment the words fell, he raised his arm and gave a standard military salute.
At the same time, thousands of NEO navy members below all saluted in unison.
It was a magnificent sight.
"——May the NEO Navy prosper!! May justice never fade away!! For all eternity!!!"
The shouts of moving mountains and filling the sea rose to the sky.
Three days later.
***
The headquarters of Totland, Cake Island, stood as a beacon of power.
Within its walls, the temporary command center of the NEO New Navy was buzzing with activity, preparing for the imminent battle against the Four Emperors.
Liu Feng, accompanied by the highest-ranking officials of the NEO Navy, marched forward with determination, their presence commanding attention.
Dragon's figure had already been waiting here.
Seeing Liu Feng and the others, Dragon quickly stood up from his seat, laughed, and stretched out his hand.
"I finally meet with you, a busy man."
Liu Feng firmly held Dragon's hand and said with a smile:
"You are the busy man. The World Conference is about to start, but you, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, come to my Cake Island."
Dragon shook his head and said jokingly:
"Isn't it because of your military academy that they are attracted here? You caused such a thing, and many of my revolutionary army cadres want to run to your NEO New Navy to study in the military academy."
Liu Feng laughed out loud.
Since the news of the first batch of military academy enrollment spread,
The sensation it caused around the world was quite a stir.
In just three days, more than 20,000 registration letters have been sent to the headquarters from all over the world, and this number was still rising rapidly.
A strict review process was quickly launched, and some people who tried to take advantage of the situation were quickly screened out.
Even so, the huge scale of this enrollment still shocked many people.
Liu Feng didn't care about this matter. He just acted as a hands-off boss and threw all the military academy affairs to Zephyr.
Anyway, he was still recovering from his injuries and can't go to the battlefield for a while.
The Whitebeard Pirates' request for help became more and more urgent, so Liu Feng had to set off quickly.
"If you want, I can help you."
He said to Dragon with a smile.
Dragon rolled his eyes.
'I thought to myself, You are a very bad guy.'
The benefits of the NEO new navy are so good; who knows if the young backbones of the revolutionary army will come back after running over there?
He gradually stopped smiling and said seriously:
"Actually, I came here this time to discuss the status of the World Conference with you."
Liu Feng frowned slightly.
Now he and the entire NEO Navy are focusing their main efforts on defeating the two Four Emperors, Kaido and Blackbeard.
For this matter, he has assembled more than 50,000 elite NEO naval forces in the Ten Thousand Nations.
The situation of this world conference, according to the previous agreement, was that the revolutionary army was to resolve the issue on its own.
But now, Dragon came in person and probably he wants to ask for something.
"Tell me about it."
Liu Feng said in a deep voice.
Dragon hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:
"According to the latest intelligence, Admirals Kizaru, Green Bull, and Fujitora have arrived at the holy land of Marijoa."
"The appearance of three Admiral-level fighters caught our revolutionary army off guard."
"You also understand that this is an infiltration mission. The goal is to declare war on the Celestial Dragons in front of many member countries during the World Conference."
"This also means that it is impossible for our revolutionary army to enter the Holy Land on a large scale."