What the hell?
For a moment, Fleet Admiral Kong felt like his entire worldview had been overturned.
A hybrid of the Mink Tribe and the Giant race?!
Let's set everything else aside.
Your father was a wolverine-type Mink. And as everyone knows, wolverines are among the smaller carnivores in nature.
Meanwhile, Giants average around 15 meters in height. Adult male Giants can even reach 18 meters.
So—
That infamous great pirate father of yours?
Perhaps his most impressive feat wasn't his bounty…
Kong adjusted his expression.
Fett Simodo…
It seemed he had underestimated that old rival all along.
After digesting the explosive revelation, Kong's eyes suddenly lit up.
Giants are born with immense size and unparalleled strength—the acknowledged rulers of land.
Minks possess the power of beasts and are a natural warrior race.
A child born from the union of these two races—
Just how terrifying would that combat potential be?
Perhaps the signs were already appearing.
But without a doubt—
When Roldy reached full adulthood, when his body entered true maturity, his strength would leap to an entirely new level.
This was like striking gold after digging for decades.
The same realization dawned on the other senior officers present. They understood exactly what such a lineage meant.
This was a natural-born warrior.
With even minimal guidance, once he matured, he would become an overwhelming force.
Kong wasted no more time.
He cleared his throat.
"Roldy , I'm very pleased that you've chosen to be honest about such a secret. And don't worry—within the Marines, there is no discrimination against those of other races who uphold justice.
"I believe the justice in your heart is no less than anyone else's.
"So, rest well. You've worked hard recently. Take a few days to recover—then head to your instructor's training camp and lend a hand."
It was obvious that Kong wanted to accelerate Roldy 's promotion.
A young prodigy was always a welcome topic on the seas.
If Marine Headquarters produced a Vice Admiral under the age of twenty, the newspapers would explode with headlines.
It would also send a message to the world—
The Marines promote based on merit alone.
Kong left cheerfully, leaving only Garp and Zephyr in the hospital room.
After some time, the strange phenomena from Roldy 's bloodline awakening gradually subsided.
His body began to shrink—from over 10 meters down to 6 meters.
More precisely—
6.67 meters.
Most of his Mink traits receded. Aside from the fur on his shoulders and back, only his sharp, predatory teeth remained.
This seemed to be a normal stabilization phase.
No one found it strange.
"Sensei, how are the trainees at the camp? With their strength, they should be graduating soon, right?"
Roldy grabbed an apple and took a bite, speaking through a mouthful of fruit.
For some reason—perhaps because of Roldy 's influence—the quality of this first Marine Officer Training Camp far exceeded expectations.
Less than half a year since its founding, Sakazuki and Dragon had already applied for early graduation.
Their strength had grown terrifying—at least on the level of Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral s.
Give them two more years of tempering, and they would become elite Vice Admiral s without question.
In fact, Zephyr was openly cultivating both as future Admirals.
If the so-called "Golden Generation" officer camp had produced the pillars of Marine Headquarters—
Then this first training class was no less impressive.
Zephyr nodded at Roldy 's question, though a rare hint of headache crossed his face.
"They're outstanding, no doubt. But their temperaments…"
He sighed.
"Especially Sakazuki and Dragon. They're complete opposites.
"Sakazuki believes in Absolute Justice—eradicate pirates completely, no matter the cost. Even collateral sacrifice doesn't shake him. He's too rigid.
"Dragon, on the other hand, values human lives. He believes in compassionate justice. He has zero tolerance for criminals—but shows care for civilians and comrades. Because of that, he sometimes hesitates."
In short—
One was a hawk.
The other a dove.
They could barely exchange a few sentences before arguing.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the top graduate of this class will be one of those two."
"Wahahaha! As expected of my son!"
Garp sat nearby, banana in hand, laughing loudly.
Half-chewed fruit sprayed everywhere—some of it landing squarely on Zephyr's coat.
"So that means both of them have the makings of Admirals! Old man, looks like your son might surpass you one day!"
Roldy had meant to stir up a playful argument between the two veterans.
But the moment he said it—
Garp's laughter stopped.
His gaze shifted sharply to Roldy .
Roldy blinked, confused.
There was something complicated in Garp's eyes.
"No. That brat Dragon will not become an Admiral."
His voice was firm.
"He's not suited for it. And I don't want him to."
The sudden declaration left Roldy stunned.
Zephyr's expression dimmed slightly as if recalling something.
Roldy didn't understand at all.
He had asked Garp before why he himself refused promotion to Admiral. Each time, Garp brushed it off with a laugh.
They had protected Roldy too well.
In their eyes, he was still young—his mind not yet fully tempered.
There were certain darknesses they did not want him exposed to too early.
The two elders told him to rest and soon departed.
Roldy looked down at the wounds on his chest—already more than ninety percent healed.
He couldn't shake the feeling that the two of them were acting strangely.
Little did he know—
Some truths, once concealed—
Would one day brew into a tragedy none of them could foresee.
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