Naval Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
Sengoku sat behind his desk, fingers interlocked, an expression on his face as if he were listening to some grand fairy tale.
Not just him.
Garp, Kuzan, and Borsalino, who were sitting on the nearby sofa, were also listening to Zephyr's words intently.
Yes.
In their eyes, Zephyr was telling them a story.
"Zephyr, you said you have a student who learned the four Armament Haki techniques — full Hardening, Imbuement Emission and Internal Destruction — all in a single class?"
"Mm."
"Zephyr, you said this student, after mastering all Armament Haki techniques, even created a fifth technique himself?"
"Mm."
"Zephyr, you said this student created a technique called Blut Vene (Calm Blood Dress) that can defend against Internal Destruction?"
"Mm."
"And he completed all of this in one class?"
"Mm."
...
No matter what Sengoku asked, Zephyr just nodded.
Because — this was the truth!
"Zephyr, I asked you to report on the current batch of students, not to tell me a myth."
"Even if you wanted to tell a story, could you at least make it believable?!"
"If not three parts true and seven parts false, then at least one true and nine parts false."
Sengoku finally couldn't suppress the urge and slammed the table:
"Listen to what you just said."
"Is that called a story?"
"That's called a myth!"
He looked furious.
"Teacher Zephyr."
"Have your eyes gone old and blind?"
"It's not that there aren't monsters in this world, but as Sengoku said, they only exist in myths."
Borsalino, who always had the worst relationship with Zephyr, seized the chance to mock him.
Honestly, the two didn't have any deep hatred, nor were their personalities incompatible. It was simply a clash of beliefs.
Zephyr firmly believed that only Haki could conquer all.
Borsalino believed Haki was important, but his Pika Pika no Mi was even stronger.
One was a former Admiral, one was a current Admiral candidate.
Both are extremely proud.
Neither willing to concede.
After countless clashes, their relationship deteriorated.
"No need to search for fairy tales."
"If you want to see him, I can call him right now."
"Do you need me to do that, Borsalino?"
Facing Borsalino's sarcasm, Zephyr rarely lost his temper. Instead, he looked calmly at his student.
"You—"
Borsalino's face twitched slightly.
Though he didn't get along with Zephyr, he knew his teacher's temper very well.
Once this expression appeared, it meant he was absolutely serious.
"Zephyr... you aren't serious, are you?"
Garp couldn't help but lean forward.
Kuzan, silent until now, pushed up his blindfold.
In an instant, all the high-ranking officers in the room — each a legend of the Navy — stared at Zephyr.
Trying to find even the slightest trace of a joke in his face.
"Weren't you telling a story?"
Sengoku looked at Zephyr in disbelief.
"Bastard."
"I have been seriously reporting my work to you this entire time."
"And you actually think I'm telling stories?"
Seeing everyone's expressions, Zephyr was instantly furious. He grabbed Sengoku, who was closest to him, and roared:
"It's fine if Borsalino is short-sighted, but you, Sengoku — even you think this of me?!"
As soon as these words left his mouth.
Borsalino felt offended.
But seeing Zephyr's face so serious, he decided to endure it for now, unwilling to be slapped in the face on the spot.
"Are you really serious?"
Sengoku stared straight into Zephyr's eyes.
"Here's the Den Den Mushi."
"Call him yourself."
Zephyr pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and put it on the table.
"How can there be such a monster in this world...?"
Sengoku leaned back in his chair, looking dazed.
"Ala la la... is this real?"
Kuzan murmured.
"If this is true, then this junior of mine..."
"He's simply a monster born for Haki."
Borsalino saw the corners of Zephyr's lips twitching upwards since he entered the room — so hard they could slice metal. Finally, he understood.
"Zephyr, what's his name?"
Sengoku sat upright.
Normally, a student who hadn't even graduated from the academy wasn't worth the Fleet Admiral's attention.
Unless he had potential to become an Admiral.
But Rosen?
He didn't just have the qualities of an Admiral — he had the potential to surpass even an Admiral.
"Rosen."
"Right."
"By the way, he seems to be a Devil Fruit user too."
Zephyr suddenly remembered.
Because Rosen's Haki talent was so overwhelming, he had nearly forgotten that Rosen was also a fruit user.
"What a waste."
Garp shook his head.
It wasn't about wasting a Devil Fruit.
For a monster like Rosen, born for Haki, eating a fruit was simply diminishing his own brilliance.
Though you gain extra power, you also gain extra weaknesses.
Like seawater and seastone.
"Zephyr."
"I don't care whether Rosen has a fruit ability or not."
"I only want to know — does he have Conqueror's Haki?"
When Sengoku spoke, everyone pricked up their ears.
Conqueror's Haki.
Also known as the "King's Disposition."
Though one could become a top-level powerhouse without it, without Conqueror's Haki, one could never become the few truly at the pinnacle.
Like Roger.
Like Whitebeard.
Like Kaido.
Rosen already had the Blut Vene (Calm Blood Dress), effectively one more Armament technique than anyone else. That alone was an overwhelming advantage — what if he also possessed Conqueror's Haki?
"I gave him a lesson."
"After that, I came here directly to report."
"What do you think?"
Zephyr spread his hands.
His meaning was obvious.
There was no time yet to verify whether Rosen had Conqueror's Haki.
"Confirm it as soon as possible."
"Once you're sure Rosen possesses Conqueror's Haki, come inform me immediately."
"At that time, I will personally teach him to use Conqueror's Haki."
Sengoku looked straight at Zephyr.
His words stunned everyone present.
The man standing atop the entire Navy, personally teaching a student from the academy.
Looking back through Navy history — absolutely unprecedented.
"Marshal Sengoku... would personally instruct him?"
Borsalino was shocked inside.
But he understood why Sengoku would do this.
Unlike pirates, who had many kings, the Navy was never short of Admiral-level combat power.
What they lacked — were true kings who possessed Conqueror's Haki.
Among the Navy's high-level officers, only Sengoku and Garp had Conqueror's Haki.
In other words.
The only two who could teach Rosen how to use Conqueror's Haki were Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, and Garp, the Hero of the Marines.