Hachinosu Island has officially been renamed as Marine Branch G-179.
The first priority is to establish a secure sea route connecting it to Branch G-1.
Clearing out pirate strongholds along the way and negotiating with Member Nations for supply points—these matters no longer require Griffin's consideration.
...
Marine Headquarters training grounds.
Griffin and Zephyr sat cross-legged.
...
"Insufficient strength?"
Zephyr puffed on a thin, hand-rolled cigarette—his health no longer allowed him to smoke cigars heavily.
Tendrils of smoke rose from the corner of his mouth as he grinned: "You're only twenty-two, yet you're already stronger than Garp was at your age."
"Don't be too impatient, kid."
...
Griffin shook his head: "To be honest… if Admiral Sakazuki hadn't arrived in time back then, I might have been killed by Kari."
"I can't rely on someone else coming to help next time. I need the strength to handle everything on my own."
Zephyr stroked his chin, thinking for a moment before saying: "When it comes to Body Technique and Armament Haki, I've long had nothing left to teach you."
"If what you need is advice from an elder…"
Zephyr looked directly at Griffin and said seriously: "Fruit Awakening!"
"I despise over-reliance on Devil Fruits, but for a Zoan Awakening, it truly can enhance your strength in every aspect."
...
"Awakening…"
Griffin had also asked Lucci about the process of Fruit Awakening, but he couldn't explain it clearly, only saying that he awakened during intense combat.
Zephyr continued:
"The essence of Zoan Awakening is to push the user's vitality and recovery beyond limits, achieving a near-'immortal' combat state."
"Even if you sustain fatal injuries, you can heal in an extremely short time."
"The Navy Six Styles are a prelude to Armament Haki, and the higher-level Life Return operates on principles similar to Zoan Awakening."
"Since you've mastered Life Return, you should know how crucial recovery is in battle… once your Fruit awakens, your recovery ability can multiply several times over!"
...
"Very few achieve Fruit Awakening. There are no known precedents for Logia Type awakenings, while Paramecia-type awakenings are relatively more common."
"Zoan Awakening also carries a significant risk."
Zephyr's expression darkened slightly:
"You know about the Jailer Beasts in Impel Down, right? They are examples of failed Zoan Awakenings. They lost most of their reason, dominated by animal instincts, and could only be tamed as tools."
"According to cases preserved at Headquarters… the stronger the Zoan, the greater the risk and difficulty of awakening."
"Even Sengoku hasn't awakened his Fruit. There exists a certain will within Zoan-type Fruits, and he can't risk having his consciousness overtaken by attempting it."
...
...
The stronger the ability, the harder it is to advance—this seems to be a universal truth across worlds.
As for this Fruit, Griffin had only treated it as a supplement to his Ice Release and Body Technique, lacking the time and energy to develop it deeply.
As an Uchiha, the Sharingan undoubtedly came first.
All awakening points have been allocated to the Sharingan.
...
The abilities of the Mangekyo were proven in the battle at Hachinosu Island, along with their drawbacks.
Griffin could only place his hopes on Vegapunk replicating the Mangekyo, attempting to advance to the Eternal Mangekyo and obtain an inexhaustible supply of Eye Power.
As for that Ember…
It wasn't time to use it yet.
Griffin wasn't lacking in means of attack. He had a faint intuition that End - Ember wasn't meant to be used like Amaterasu Flame.
Perhaps only after something was completed could it truly serve its purpose.
What could it be…
...
Zephyr said that for someone his age to possess such strength and still not be satisfied…
Only he knew.
Not to mention Naruto and Sasuke, who were invincible in the ninja world at sixteen, in a few years, that kid who would become one of the Four Emperors at nineteen would also set sail.
If he stopped, how could he hope to confront, let alone kill, Imu.
...
...
Zephyr gave a light smile. "Logically, you should have reached the level of awakening. Any ideas?"
Griffin lowered his head, concentrating in thought.
He had indeed sensed a will within the 'Snowfall White Wolf' Devil Fruit. Every time he tried to touch it, he felt as if he were in an Ice Heaven and Snow Land.
But this had been present ever since he ate the fruit. He wasn't sure if this counted as a precursor to awakening. Could he really claim he had touched upon Fruit Awakening as a child?
After a long while, Griffin shook his head.
"Not at all."
He stood up, smiling self-deprecatingly. "You're a pure Haki purist, aren't you…"
"The advice is sound. I'll ask others who have awakened their Devil Fruits. Has Vice Admiral Tsuru awakened?"
...
"Sometimes… it's precisely those not involved who can see clearly. Because I understand Devil Fruits well enough, I chose not to become a user."
As a former Marine Admiral, it was impossible to say he couldn't have obtained a suitable Devil Fruit.
Zephyr smiled faintly. "You won't get anything from asking Tsuru either. If awakening could be formulaic, there wouldn't be so few who have achieved it."
"If you don't know what to do…"
"While the base is under construction, you could go to the place where you obtained the fruit."
"Feel, understand, accept—that is the process of Devil Fruit awakening."
"Hmm… perhaps you could first visit Impel Down and see the Jailer Beasts…"
Zephyr's smile faded, his expression turning solemn. "Reverence is also important. Know the consequences you'll face if you fail."
...
"That last part isn't necessary."
Griffin smiled calmly. "A future where I fail… simply doesn't exist."
——
——
——
Deep in the New World.
Elbaf, the Giant Kingdom, hailed as the 'World's Strongest Nation.'
Rayleigh stepped on the soft soil, his silver-white hair shimmering under the dappled tree shadows.
Carrying a barrel of liquor, he finally stopped in a cleared-out open space.
In the center of the clearing,
the embers of a campfire still smoldered, wisps of smoke rising. Beside it lay the skeletal remains of several giant beasts, picked clean.
Rayleigh placed the barrel on the ground, cleared his throat, and his voice echoed through the dense forest.
"Come out. I'm not here to collect debts this time."
A brief silence.
From a massive tree nearby, one that would take over a hundred people to encircle, laughter rang out, and leaves rustled down.
"Hahahaha! It's just two treasure chests I owe you! When will you ever forget that?!"
Thud—
A tall figure descended from above.
Scopper Gaban, the Pirate King's right-hand man, known as the 'Mountain Eater.'
Like Rayleigh, the black hair from memory had long since turned gray, with a long beard braided into a plait hanging from his chin.
As before, two massive axes hung at his waist, their blades gleaming coldly.
...
Rayleigh twisted open the barrel stopper and took a swig first.
"I'm not the kind of person who forgets what others owe me."
...
"Hahahaha!! Still so stingy! Stingy Rayleigh!!"
Jabra naturally took the barrel and started drinking, his Adam's apple bobbing as the liquor trickled down his thick beard.
He wiped the corner of his mouth.
"Heh, I could smell that 'trouble' on you from miles away. Bringing such good wine, you couldn't possibly be here just to catch up."
"Let's hear it!"
...
Rayleigh met his gaze and got straight to the point:
"Shanks has been captured. They plan to execute him publicly."
Jabra's hand holding the barrel paused.
"Public... execution?"
He repeated the word, the muscles on his face slowly tightening, making those scars appear even more menacing.
Even hearing that Shanks had been killed wouldn't have elicited such a reaction from Jabra.
That word stirred up his worst memories.
...
"How disgusting... Is it the World Government? Do they want to erase the wind Roger stirred up?"
Rayleigh shook his head: "It was the Marines."
"Jabra..."
"Honestly, I never intended to go that far."
A flicker of fear flashed in his eyes as he recalled the gaze he saw that day at the Sabaody port.
That terrifying gaze that seemed intent on throwing everything in the world into a furnace!
"I want you to come with me to rescue Shanks. He's indispensable..."
"A crucial force in fighting the world's evil!"
...
"Not just the one on the Empty Throne—someone even crazier than Rocks has appeared!"