The defeat of one of the Navy's monster Vice Admirals sent ripples through Loguetown, stirring some of the rookie pirates into restless motion. But the moment Aokiji and Akainu were dispatched, their overwhelming power struck like a thunderclap, instantly suppressing any signs of rebellion.
The two admirals lived up to their fearsome titles. Any pirate foolish enough to cause a stir in Loguetown was swiftly and brutally dealt with. The show of force not only reasserted the authority of the Navy's three Vice Admirals but also magnified the reputation of the man who had defeated one of them—Rosinante.
After their sweeping crackdown, peace gradually returned to Loguetown. None of the rookies could match the strength of Aokiji or Akainu, and the veteran pirates had no interest in igniting war at such a volatile time.
But beneath the calm surface, everyone could sense it—dangerous undercurrents swirled.
Despite the Navy's all-out efforts, they could not locate Rosinante. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. Eventually, Aokiji and Akainu were forced to return and report their failure.
"It was to be expected," Sengoku said calmly. "The Silence Fruit can nullify sound transmission, and in Rosinante's hands, it's evolved into a potent tool for concealment. Even the World Government had to mobilize CP agents around the globe and deploy special Devil Fruit users just to track him down. Your mission was more about quelling rookie pirates in Loguetown than actually capturing him."
"Just in time," he added. "Borsalino has regained consciousness. Let's go see him."
"Yes, sir," Aokiji and Akainu responded, their faces expressionless as always.
Sengoku, along with Aokiji, Akainu, and Vice Admiral Tsuru, headed to the infirmary at the Loguetown naval branch.
When they entered, they found Borsalino unusually composed, his face marked with a rare seriousness. Without delay, he recounted the battle with Rosinante in full detail.
Despite his usual lewd demeanor, Borsalino was proud to a fault. As a wielder of the Glint-Glint Fruit, he viewed the world with detached arrogance, believing nothing and no one could force him to take things seriously. But this defeat… it changed something.
"You're saying Rosinante's ability temporarily suppressed your Devil Fruit powers?" Sengoku's expression turned grave.
"I admit I let my guard down, but in that instant, Rosinante managed to silence my abilities. When I tried to reawaken them, it felt… sluggish. Like waking up from a deep nap. Rosinante called this technique 'Devil Fruit Silence,'" Borsalino said, his tone uncharacteristically solemn.
"What a terrifying ability," Aokiji muttered.
Borsalino shot him a glare—That was supposed to be my line, his eyes seemed to say.
"A power that can silence Devil Fruit abilities... Can the Silence Fruit really do that?" Sengoku's voice was heavy with concern.
"It's not entirely surprising," Tsuru said thoughtfully. "Devil Fruits are known for their mystique. Most pirates who consume them tend to be brutish and straightforward. If they get something powerful and direct, they obsessively hone it. But if the fruit seems 'useless'—like the Silence Fruit—few bother to explore its deeper potential. Naturally, such hidden capabilities go undiscovered."
"But if Rosinante could develop a method to suppress Devil Fruits," she continued, "what's stopping him from silencing physical strength, Haki, even life itself? Or… space and time?"
"That would be a disaster," Sengoku said, his voice low.
"This sin must be erased swiftly and completely," Akainu declared.
"No need to panic," Sengoku said. "I'll report this to Fleet Admiral Kong and recommend an increase to Rosinante's bounty. For now, our top priority is executing the most notorious pirate of them all—Gol D. Roger."
"How's Roger doing?" Aokiji asked.
"Garp is personally escorting him. He should arrive in Loguetown in a few days."
"If Vice Admiral Garp is in charge, then nothing will go wrong," Aokiji replied.
…
Thousands of meters above Loguetown—
"Well… now that my abilities are exposed, pulling tricks on people won't be so easy anymore."
The Navy couldn't find Rosinante because he was floating high above the clouds, well beyond their reach. Even if they turned every stone in Loguetown, they wouldn't find a trace of him.
He had used the Silence Fruit to mute gravity itself—temporarily nullifying its pull to achieve flight.
Ever since awakening his Observation Haki, Rosinante had gained the ability to sense his own and others' presence. While fleeing the World Government's endless pursuit, he had gradually learned how to silence his own presence, effectively erasing his aura.
But that sparked a deeper thought in his mind. If I can silence presence… can I silence other things? Resistance? Friction? Force? Elements? Haki? Life? Devil Fruit abilities? Even space and time itself?
The idea alone startled even him.
But then he thought: Why not? If someone like Bartholomew Kuma could refine the Paw-Paw Fruit to repel anything—even pain and space itself—why couldn't his Silence Fruit do the same, only by "silencing" instead of repelling?
Of course, having the idea was one thing. Making it reality was another.
The only reason he could mute his own presence was because his Observation Haki could detect it—allowing him to suppress it.
So if he wanted to silence gravity, resistance, or friction—concepts that are intangible and elusive—he'd first have to perceive them.
And so, Rosinante threw himself into relentless training, honing his sensory capabilities.
Fortunately, the merging of two souls had given him extraordinary spiritual strength. As his body matured, so too did his soul, allowing his Observation Haki to grow rapidly in power.
Through focused development, Rosinante finally reached a point where he could sense gravity, resistance, and friction—and suppress them.
He called this power: The Force of Stillness.