The moment Golden Lion Shiki attacked a Celestial Dragon, Fleet Admiral Kong issued the order.
Admiral Sengoku and Admiral Zephyr departed immediately, pushing themselves to their limits to reach the West Blue as fast as possible.
The situation was urgent.
And the primary officer responsible for the mission had been Roldy .
After sailing briefly, the two Admirals judged the ships too slow and advanced ahead using Geppo, racing across the sky at full speed.
Even though the battlefield was not far from Marine Headquarters, sweat still lined their foreheads when they arrived.
"Roldy … why are you standing on Shiki's ship?"
Sengoku narrowed his eyes.
A bad feeling gripped his heart.
With Roldy 's strength, being captured was impossible—especially with Garp present.
And there were no chains.
No shackles.
More importantly—
Where was his coat?
Sengoku noticed the missing Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral coat.
Something was very wrong.
Zephyr, however, didn't think that far.
When he saw Roldy standing among pirates—
His fury erupted.
"Shiki! Hand over my student!"
"Or today, one of us dies!"
No one could have imagined that the man known as "Black Arm" Zephyr—the Admiral who upheld the principle of not killing—could radiate such terrifying killing intent when enraged.
Even Sengoku felt a chill.
Zephyr had served the Marines for over twenty years.
He believed in restraint.
But once the anger buried deep within him was ignited—
He was no gentle man.
"Jihahaha!"
"What nonsense are you spouting, Zephyr?"
"With that boy's strength, do you think I could capture him if he didn't want to come?"
"He chose this path."
"Your hypocritical Marines were never his home!"
The pirates parted, revealing Roldy fully.
Zephyr's first instinct was denial.
Impossible.
But when he saw Roldy 's face—
The usual bright smile was gone.
What remained was iron-gray silence.
Zephyr felt as if struck by lightning.
"That's impossible!"
"He is my disciple!"
"My proudest student!"
"My only true successor!"
"Shiki, stop spewing filth!"
His roar was loud—
But it sounded more like someone trying to convince himself.
Sengoku's heart sank.
From Roldy 's eyes, he could already see the truth.
"Your proudest disciple?"
Shiki sneered.
"And yet you never told him the truth."
"…You—"
At that moment, Zephyr understood everything.
His spirit seemed to collapse.
His back sagged.
He ignored Shiki and looked only at Roldy .
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
It was enough.
Zephyr lowered his head.
"…Zephyr-sensei…"
"Tell me it isn't true."
"Tell me yourself."
Shiki lies."
Zephyr clung to that final shred of hope.
But Roldy 's voice was steady.
"Vice Admiral Garp already told me."
"The ones who destroyed my hometown…"
"Were backed by the World Government."
"…Right?"
The pain was unbearable.
Crushing.
Zephyr's breath grew ragged.
Tears streamed freely from the strong man's eyes.
His wife had already bought ingredients to cook a celebratory meal.
Fleet Admiral Kong had prepared the Vice Admiral coat for Roldy 's promotion ceremony.
The deed to Roldy 's future home was still in Zephyr's office—
He had planned to give it to him after this mission.
Every plan—
Shattered like glass.
He could not lie again.
Not to the child he had raised since the age of eight.
Lies required more lies to sustain them.
But paper could not contain fire forever.
Zephyr could not speak.
"So… Vice Admiral Roldy ."
Sengoku's voice was heavy.
"You've become a pirate?"
Roldy did not answer directly.
Instead, he said six words:
"I killed a Celestial Dragon."
Silence.
Sengoku's eyes widened.
Zephyr staggered in midair.
Killing a Celestial Dragon—
Was an outright declaration of war against the World Government.
Even Admirals would not survive that unscathed.
"You were reckless!"
Sengoku inhaled deeply.
Golden light erupted.
He transformed into a towering golden Buddha.
The pressure alone made the sea tremble.
"It's just a Celestial Dragon."
Shiki laughed.
"Look at yourselves."
"Acting like dogs who've forgotten who they are."
"I don't particularly care about that."
"But you can't force a teenager to live like a slave under your system."
Sengoku did not respond.
He raised his palm.
A massive shockwave blasted forward.
"If that's the case—"
"I'll have to arrest you."
Shiki stepped forward to block it—
But someone moved faster.
A massive figure flashed ahead of the shockwave.
Justice fluttered behind him.
His right arm was coated in dense Armament Haki.
One punch—
The shockwave shattered.
"Sengoku!!!"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
Sengoku stared in disbelief.
Zephyr stood between them.
Eyes bloodshot.
"Whatever he's done…"
"He is still my disciple."
"Go, boy."
"Run toward the sea."
"Search for your answers."
"I believe one day… you'll find what you're looking for."
For a moment—
Zephyr's silhouette overlapped with the image from seven years ago.
"…Zephyr-sensei…"
Roldy 's voice trembled.
"Heh."
"You're a man now."
"Men don't cry in farewells."
"No matter what path you walk…"
"You will always be my proudest disciple."
Behind him—
A thud.
Roldy dropped to both knees.
Forehead pressed against the deck.
Tears streaming.
"GO!!!"
Zephyr roared.
Shiki wasted no time.
The pirate ship rose and fled.
Sengoku watched as it became a speck—
Then vanished.
"Zephyr."
"Do you understand what you've done?"
"He killed a Celestial Dragon."
"If you protect him like this—"
"Enough!"
Zephyr cut him off.
His presence was terrifying.
Sengoku hesitated—
Then tried to move past him.
Zephyr's voice stopped him.
"Stop, Sengoku."
"This began with our mistake."
"I'll bear the consequences."
"You?"
"How?"
"Do you understand how serious this is?!"
"When we return to Headquarters…"
"I will submit my resignation."
"I will step down as Admiral."
Zephyr lit a cigar.
Took a long drag.
Roldy had never allowed him to smoke like that.
"You…"
Sengoku stared.
Bitter.
"…Why?"
Zephyr exhaled smoke.
"He wasn't just my disciple."
"He was the first child I ever raised."
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