“So that was Conqueror’s Haki?
The bearing of a king found in only one person among millions.” Ain sat on the shore with her knees drawn up, looking at Nate with open curiosity.
“You actually awakened a power like that?” “What kind of stupid question is that?” Nate lay flat on the ground, sounding completely uninterested.
“It’d be more surprising if I didn’t have Conqueror’s Haki.” Of course, Nate had awakened it long ago.
He simply hadn’t found a suitable opportunity to reveal it until now.
Ain rolled her eyes.
She’d actually considered comforting him earlier, yet in the blink of an eye, he’d already returned to the same insufferable Nate she knew.
“Conqueror’s Haki is an extraordinary power.” Zephyr sat cross-legged nearby and looked seriously at his favorite student.
“Nate, don’t waste the talent you’ve been given.” At least Nate awakening Conqueror’s Haki was some consolation after today’s failure.
It wasn’t as though only people with Conqueror’s Haki could reach the very top.
But the truth remained that those who possessed it often had an easier path toward the summit.
Nate had already earned himself a ticket to the highest level.
“So, Instructor Zephyr…” Nate yawned and slowly turned his head.
“How do I actually control this thing?” It was somewhat embarrassing to admit.
His Conqueror’s Haki had awakened quite some time ago, yet he still couldn’t control it properly.
At best, he had only recently reached the point where he could barely avoid knocking out his own allies.
“That isn’t something I can teach you.” Zephyr shook his head.
“I don’t have Conqueror’s Haki myself.
When we get the chance, I’ll ask Garp to give you some guidance.” “Vice Admiral Garp?” Ain’s voice immediately became excited.
“The legendary Hero of the Marines?
Instructor Zephyr, what kind of person is he really?” Her reaction was perfectly understandable.
The Hero of the Marines was practically an idol to most Marines.
“Just an old bastard.” Zephyr answered casually.
“But there probably aren’t many people alive who understand Conqueror’s Haki better than he does.” Nate nodded in understanding.
‘That checks out.’ The old generation’s preferred fighting style was basically to dump several tons of Conqueror’s Haki onto the battlefield before doing anything else.
“Instructor Zephyr…” Ain hesitated before asking another question.
“What about the fugitives?
Are we really just letting them go?” “Letting them go?” Zephyr clenched his fist, his voice turning hard.
“How could this possibly end here?
Those people are far too dangerous to let them continue running wild.” “We have to crush them completely.” ‘Hm?’ Nate glanced toward Zephyr.
Something about his instructor’s attitude felt a little strange.
‘Is this really something a Chief Instructor should care this much about?’ In another two weeks, the next group of recruits would already be entering training camp.
“And it wasn’t only the fugitives, Instructor Zephyr!” Ain quickly added.
“The woman who fought Nate was incredibly strong too.
I think she might be a Mythical Zoan user!” “Mythical Zoan?” Zephyr froze.
“Was she the one who came to pick them up?
Nate, tell me exactly what happened.” So Nate gave him a detailed explanation of Luna.
The more Zephyr listened, the darker his expression became.
“She wasn’t a Mythical Zoan.” His voice sank.
“She was a Lunarian.” One of the races once called gods—a people who should have vanished from the seas long ago.
‘Just what else is hiding behind that group?’ …
Not long afterward.
Marine Headquarters.
Fleet Admiral’s office.
Sengoku rubbed his forehead while letting out a long sigh.
“For now, call Kuzan back.” The fugitives had moved far too quickly.
They’d escaped from Impel Down last night and had already submerged beneath the sea from Sabaody today.
That made the Marines still searching around Impel Down look rather foolish.
“So we can now confirm Byrnndi World possesses two separate Devil Fruit abilities?” Vice Admiral Tsuru crossed her arms, her expression grave.
“And someone was waiting to receive them.
This entire incident was planned by someone behind the scenes.” “And the person who received them was a Lunarian.” Zephyr added.
“Haa…” Sengoku exhaled heavily.
“Notify the New World immediately.
Have both G-1 Base and G-5 Base mobilize and see whether they can locate the fugitives.” “Two bases won’t be enough.” Tsuru shook her head.
The New World was enormous.
Even the region around its entrance alone was far too large for those two bases to cover.
“Those people will eventually show themselves in the New World.” Tsuru continued calmly.
“There’s no reason to keep this incident secret forever.
Release their information publicly.
Plenty of people will help us search for them.” “True.” Sengoku nodded thoughtfully.
“If nothing else, that Lunarian woman alone will attract plenty of attention.” He narrowed his eyes.
“Charlotte Linlin, at the very least, will definitely make a move.” “Then that’s what we’ll do.” Sengoku made the decision immediately.
“Let those scum tear each other apart.
There’s nothing wrong with that.” “I have another idea.” Zephyr finally spoke.
“Go ahead, Zephyr.” Sengoku looked toward him.
“Why hesitate in front of us?” Zephyr took a moment before answering.
“I want to form a fleet and personally pursue them.” He continued with absolute seriousness.
“At the same time, we’ll hunt down pirates throughout the New World.” “Zephyr?” Tsuru stared at her old friend in surprise.
Ever since the tragedy years ago, the Zephyr who had once charged fearlessly forward had disappeared.
Tsuru had believed she might never see that man again.
Yet now, for the first time in years, she could see that old fire burning in his eyes.
“Zephyr?” Sengoku looked equally surprised.
“What brought this on?” “I bear responsibility for what happened.” Zephyr’s voice was firm and unwavering.
“So I have to correct this mistake with my own hands.” Every time he remembered that old woman thanking him for helping their plan succeed, frustration burned inside his chest.
He had personally delivered the mother and son to Impel Down.
And later, he’d been forced to stand there and watch the fugitives escape.
Zephyr felt he had to do something.
“You stubborn bastard…” Sengoku sighed helplessly.
“What exactly does any of this have to do with you?” But when he saw the determination in Zephyr’s eyes, Sengoku could only shake his head.
“Fine.
Having you return to the front lines isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” Then the normally stern Fleet Admiral suddenly wore a strange smile.
“But there’s one problem.” “You’ve been away from the front lines for years, Zephyr.” Sengoku leaned back.
“Can you still keep up with today’s seas?” “Even if you catch those fugitives, can you actually defeat them?” “You really are looking down on me, Sengoku.” Zephyr pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.
His smile gradually widened.
“I am Black Arm Zephyr.” “Good!” Sengoku slammed one hand onto the desk.
“I approve.” “You’ll form a special fleet called the Marine Guerrilla Unit.
It will operate independently and report directly to me.” Its mission would be to hunt pirates throughout the New World, with the Impel Down fugitives as its first target.
At least those damned criminals had accomplished one good thing.
Looking at Zephyr now, Sengoku knew his old friend had truly returned.
Those scum had reignited the fire inside him.
“Choose your own personnel.” Sengoku continued.
“I’ll give the unit one Vice Admiral slot.” Every Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral was an important combat asset.
Assigning one to a newly formed independent unit was already extremely generous.
“Fine, but I have one request, Sengoku.” Zephyr looked serious.
“I want to select several people from this year’s recruits.” “Oh?” Sengoku raised an eyebrow.
“Still can’t bear to let go of your precious student?” “Nate will become one of the pillars of the Marines in the future.” Zephyr’s tone was completely serious.
“I intend to train that boy into the finest Marine possible.” “Do whatever you want.” Sengoku waved a hand.
“Just don’t steal every recruit.
The other units are still waiting for their new blood.” …
At the same time.
Marine Recruit Training Camp.
Training field.
As usual, Nate was punching the enormous iron block.
Again and again, his fists struck the metal with complete sincerity.
This time, however, part of his mind was elsewhere.
‘Once I enter the New World, my current strength won’t be enough.’ It wasn’t that Nate’s true strength was insufficient.
With combat power around Seven Warlords level and the ability to fly freely, he was confident he could survive comfortably almost anywhere on the seas.
The problem was the strength of “Marine Nate.” ‘Vice Admiral-level strength still looks impressive in the first half of the Grand Line.’ ‘But in the New World, it really doesn’t carry much weight.’ Physical training wouldn’t produce dramatic results in a short period.
That meant he had only two areas he could improve quickly—His abilities and his Haki.
Haki was straightforward enough.
He could simply ask Instructor Zephyr to teach him the techniques of Advanced Armament Haki.
As for his ability…
‘It’s probably time to upgrade the Illusion-Illusion Fruit too.’ If it could only create visual and auditory illusions, anyone reasonably skilled in Observation Haki could see through it.
‘That cover ability is honestly getting pretty pathetic.’ “So you really are here.” A familiar voice came from behind him.
“Weren’t you half dead from exhaustion when we got back?” Nate glanced over his shoulder.
Binz stood there covered in bandages, one limb in a cast and his weight supported by crutches.
“Oh, Binz.” Nate blinked.
“You’re still alive?” “Who the hell was going to die?!” Binz rolled his eyes.
“I went to the hospital to get treated, not to identify my own corpse.” Then he grinned.
“But Nate, how does losing feel?” Nate tilted his head.
“Losing?” He looked genuinely confused.
“If I remember correctly, the only people who fled in disgrace were you and the fugitives.” “You call that fleeing in disgrace?” Binz’s mouth twitched.
Nate’s narcissism truly operated on a level ordinary people couldn’t comprehend.
‘And didn’t this bastard literally tell me I looked cool earlier today?’ “Haa…” Without warning, Binz let out a long sigh and looked toward the dark night sky.
“Nate, do you think I’m too weak?” He hadn’t been able to resist even one of those fugitives.
If Nate hadn’t arrived when he did, Binz would already be dead.
What happened today had hit him harder than he wanted to admit.
Yet the answer he expected never came.
All he heard was— Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
Binz turned around blankly.
Nate had already gone back to punching the iron block.
“Hey!
You’re seriously ignoring me?!” Binz stared at him in disbelief.
“It took me forever to work up the courage for a heartfelt conversation between men!” Without turning around, Nate answered, “Talking seriously with an idiot would make me look like an idiot too.” Binz’s face twitched.
“Oh!
We’re going straight for personal attacks now?!” Nate’s fist paused.
He glanced back slightly, wearing an unexpectedly warm smile.
“Come on, Binz.” “You don’t seriously think you can compare yourself to me, do you?” “At least pretend to comfort me!” Binz wanted to punch him.
‘Why are you smiling so warmly while saying something that awful?!’ “So…” Nate finally continued.
“You only need to compare yourself to who you were yesterday.” Binz froze.
‘Compare myself…
to myself?’ A moment later, the bandaged man suddenly smiled.
“You know, you actually can say something decent once in a while.” Then his eyes narrowed.
“But…” “Nate, you’re still looking down on me, aren’t you?!” … …