"It was just luck…"
"And besides—Teacher Zephyr, you recognized this blade, didn't you?"
Gern's voice was calm, but his eyes never left Zephyr's face, watching every subtle change in expression.
At this moment, even Zephyr was not someone Gern dared to gamble against.
Zephyr didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked over slowly and placed the breakfast tray on the table.
After a brief silence, he turned and strode straight toward the black blade Bahuang.
He reached out, gripped the hilt, and lifted it—his expression becoming unusually serious as he carefully examined the blade's edge.
"Rocks' sword," Zephyr said evenly, though there was a complicated weight behind his words.
"How could I not recognize it?"
Gern's fingers tightened slightly, but his face remained expressionless.
Zephyr casually swung the blade once.
The edge sliced through the air with a faint hum.
Then he chuckled lightly.
"Rocks is dead. And you picked this weapon up at God Valley, didn't you?"
"Back then, after Roger and Garp severely wounded Rocks, the Holy Knights escorted the Celestial Dragons away."
"The World Government then left Rocks behind to face the Buster Call alone—an island-wide purge."
"So relax. You never met Rocks during all that. What does it have to do with you?"
It has everything to do with me!
Gern nearly shouted internally.
I personally buried the man. He handed me this blade himself.
How could I not be nervous?!
But outwardly, Gern only asked calmly,
"Teacher… is that really okay?"
Zephyr sighed, his gaze returning to the blade.
"Rocks' sword isn't something just anyone can wield."
As he spoke, Zephyr suddenly coated Bahuang with Armament Haki.
The moment his Haki touched the blade—
Buzz!
The sword violently trembled.
Dark red patterns flared across its surface, and a brutal repulsive force erupted from the blade!
Zephyr's Armament Haki was forcibly blasted away.
His hand went numb as if struck by lightning, and he released the grip instinctively.
Clang!
The blade fell to the floor, its tip piercing the deck and trembling slightly.
"This…"
Gern's pupils shrank.
He had never let anyone else touch Bahuang before.
He didn't know it had this kind of feature!
"The Twelve Supreme Grade Blades," Zephyr said slowly, his tone strangely relieved,
"each one is extraordinary, each forged with a name of its own."
"Except this one."
Gern listened silently. After a moment, he stepped forward, pulled the blade free, and held it again.
That familiar resonance immediately surged back into his hand.
"Teacher… you're not going to ask why I hid it?" Gern asked quietly.
"Isn't that obvious?" Zephyr shook his head and sat back down, biting into a piece of bread.
"If I picked up Rocks' personal blade—and it was a Supreme Grade—I'd hide it too."
Gern:
"Teacher… answering like that just makes me look stupid."
"But," Zephyr paused, his eyes suddenly sharp,
"what I really care about is why this blade chose you."
"A sword can be picked up—but whether it can be used is another matter entirely."
"Especially this one."
"This is a black blade forged through Rocks' own Conqueror's Haki."
"The only masterpiece of that man's life."
"And the only black blade in history created with Conqueror's Haki."
"Forged with Conqueror's Haki?!"
Gern instinctively looked down at Bahuang as the patterns faded.
"No wonder you could perfectly guide my Conqueror's Haki back then…"
His thoughts drifted back to God Valley—to Rocks' final words, to that so-called "deal."
"…Maybe," Gern said slowly, lifting his eyes,
"it's because of the wisdom of the working class."
Zephyr:
"..."
To be fair,
Gern did obtain the blade through labor.
Funeral services are labor too—even if the job was… relaxed.
The answer was absurd, yet Zephyr couldn't detect any trace of deceit.
"…Forget it."
Zephyr walked to the window, gazing at the churning waves outside.
"No matter what, that slash made the world remember your name."
"But remember—fame is a double-edged sword."
Gern tightened his grip on the blade.
"I understand, Teacher."
"Good."
Zephyr suddenly changed the subject, his gaze sharp.
"Now—about your Conqueror's Haki."
"Why were you able to use advanced coating the moment you awakened?"
"And what exactly was that move—Godfall?"
"Advanced coating…"
Gern froze.
To be honest, he was confused himself.
At that moment, the motion had simply flooded his mind—
and his body moved on its own.
"When your Conqueror's Haki awakened," Zephyr said gravely,
"you didn't look like a beginner."
The image resurfaced in his mind—
Gern standing with blade in hand, Conqueror's Haki surging like a tidal wave, suppressing even Golden Lion.
That level of Haki—
even Sengoku or Garp might not reach it now.
Just recalling it made Zephyr uneasy.
"I don't really know…"
Gern shook his head, then looked at Bahuang.
"…Should we try again?"
"Try."
Zephyr nodded without hesitation.
Gern took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He focused on the blade.
Then—
Nothing.
Utter silence.
"Advanced coating! Godfall! ADVANCED COATING!"
Gern wildly swung the blade, the air slicing with whoosh sounds—
But the purple-black lightning was gone.
Only silence remained.
Silence is tonight's Cambridge, indeed.
"…How about basic Conqueror's intimidation?" Zephyr frowned.
"Okay."
Gern nodded—and then stared at Zephyr intensely for three full minutes.
"…Alright."
Zephyr exhaled deeply, then actually smiled.
"I really thought you awakened max-level Conqueror's Haki."
"But now it's clear."
"You're just like every other rookie who just awakened."
"A complete noob."
Gern, who had just recently experienced the feeling of standing above all things—
Now felt like a baby learning to walk.
The gap hit him like a tidal wave.
"Teacher Zephyr…"
His voice carried an unmistakable hint of grievance.
"Don't look at me like that!" Zephyr waved him off.
"I don't even have Conqueror's Haki!"
"Go find Garp if you want answers!"
"…Okay."
(._.)
"And one more thing."
As Gern slumped, Zephyr paused at the doorway, his tone turning serious.
"That slash you landed on Golden Lion—"
"It only worked because the residual Conqueror's Haki inside the blade combined with yours to suppress him."
"And because fear caused him to lose focus."
"And because you were in a temporary 'peak awakening' state."
"Multiple factors stacked together."
"Don't you dare think you can fight monsters like that on your own now."
Zephyr was genuinely worried Gern would get carried away—
Like sailing the seas looking to duel Whitebeard and Roger.
"I understand, Teacher."
Gern nodded seriously.
"And Golden Lion won't let this go."
"For now, stay quietly at headquarters. I'll request leave for you."
"Leave?!"
"Yes. Use this time to properly familiarize yourself with Conqueror's Haki."
"And since that blade was forged with Conqueror's Haki—"
"If it acknowledges you, maybe you can slowly reshape it into your blade."
"Teacher… please don't say things like that with such a serious face."
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