One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

"Zephyr… what brings you to Marineford?"

Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the doors and windows were tightly shut. Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat in his chair, looking at his old friend with a complicated expression.

Zephyr's relationship with the Marines was… complicated.

He had once been the youngest Admiral in history, with limitless potential.

But after losing his wife and child, his will collapsed.

Later, he devoted himself to education, raising countless monsters for the Marines.

The current three Admirals, the two Admiral candidates, and a large number of Vice Admirals had all been his students.

His prestige within the Navy was terrifyingly high.

Yet fate had a cruel sense of humor.

During one training mission, countless lives were lost—and Zephyr himself lost an arm.

Since then, his connection to the Marines had been ambiguous.

He was no longer under Marine command.

In other words—

Zephyr technically should not have appeared here.

Zephyr sat down and pulled out a cigar, lighting it calmly.

He took a deep puff.

"That can wait."

"But the battle at Marineford…"

Before he could finish—

Garp suddenly slung an arm around his shoulders with a wide grin.

"My grandson…"

"…Pretty amazing, right?!"

He proudly spread out his treasured "Nika Luffy" bounty poster in front of Zephyr.

"So he really is your grandson…"

Zephyr stared at the poster.

His eyes were filled with nostalgia—

…and a hint of sadness.

"I remember holding him in my arms once…"

"…Who would've thought he'd grow up this fast?"

Behind his sunglasses, Zephyr's eyes seemed slightly moist.

And just like that—

The two old men started an intense discussion about Luffy.

"I'm telling you, my grandson—!!"

"Yeah, it's been so long since I—!!"

Across the table, Sengoku's eyebrow twitched.

So… you're just going to ignore me?

"—ENOUGH!!"

The Fleet Admiral exploded.

His thunderous voice shook the entire building, dust falling from the ceiling.

Black-and-red lightning flickered briefly in the air as a powerful aura swept through the room.

"Garp! And you're still bragging about that idiot grandson of yours!"

"If it weren't for him—!!"

Sengoku clutched his chest in anger.

Then he glared at Zephyr.

"Zephyr. State your purpose."

His tone allowed no refusal.

Zephyr took a slow breath.

"I came… for Smoker."

"Smoker?"

Sengoku thought for a moment before recalling him.

"Wasn't he your student? He graduated years ago."

After all—

Smoker was one of the four Logia users in the Marines.

At first, Marine Headquarters had high expectations for him, hoping he would become another pillar of the Navy like the Admirals.

But eventually, his potential had seemed insufficient.

So he gradually faded from Sengoku's attention.

"Smoker… I recall he defeated Whitebeard's allied captain Squard."

Tsuru spoke up.

As the Marine strategist, she was far more familiar with battlefield reports.

"Really?"

Zephyr seemed pleased.

Sengoku rolled his eyes.

"It's just Squard. Over 60% of the Vice Admirals could beat him."

"He's not that big a deal."

Zephyr stared directly at him.

"What if I told you…"

"Ten days ago, he hadn't even mastered Haki?"

"Haki?!"

Sengoku froze.

Then his eyes widened.

"You mean he reached Vice Admiral-level mastery of both Haki types in just ten days?!"

Zephyr nodded.

A light flickered in Sengoku's eyes.

The last time he'd been shocked like this was when Luffy reached Admiral-level power in two months.

A phrase appeared in Sengoku's mind.

Late bloomer.

Zephyr himself had been the same.

In his early years he seemed ordinary—

But later he exploded in growth, eventually becoming the youngest Admiral in Marine history.

Sengoku leaned forward excitedly.

"Does Smoker have the potential to reach Admiral-level combat power?"

But Zephyr shook his head.

"I don't know."

"That level can't be reached with talent alone."

"I can't guarantee anything."

Light flickered behind his sunglasses.

"In the end… it depends on his own fate."

Sengoku sighed.

"Then why choose him?"

After Zephyr's tragedy years ago, even someone with Admiral potential probably wouldn't attract his attention.

Zephyr answered calmly:

"Because of justice."

Sakazuki's Absolute Justice had forged him into a ruthless war machine—unyielding and immovable.

Kuzan's Lazy Justice was simply confusion.

He still couldn't see the road ahead.

As for Borsalino's Unclear Justice—

There was no need to even explain.

But in Smoker, Zephyr saw something new.

Protective Justice.

Smoker wasn't lost like Kuzan.

He wasn't extreme like Sakazuki.

And he wasn't afraid of authority.

Other than his current lack of strength—

He had the qualities of a Fleet Admiral.

Though still immature.

Zephyr looked directly at Sengoku.

"Give Smoker to me."

"Only through blood and fire can he truly grow."

Sengoku suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha!"

"What's there to hesitate about?"

"You think I wouldn't trust you?"

They had been friends for decades.

Sengoku knew Zephyr's character well.

Then Sengoku asked slowly:

"Do you think… the Marines could one day…"

"…rule the seas?"

The room suddenly fell silent.

Several Days Later

After lying in the hospital for a week—

Admiral Akainu (Sakazuki) finally got out of bed.

Outside the hospital stood Kizaru and Aokiji, both already long recovered.

With their hands in their pockets, the two tall figures looked extremely imposing.

"War really is terrifying."

Aokiji gazed at the ruins of Marineford, still not fully cleared away.

The devastation stretched everywhere.

"War always brings casualties."

"That can't be avoided."

Akainu's cold voice responded.

His steps didn't slow even slightly as he walked past the ruins.

"Rather than wasting time complaining or venting emotions…"

"…we should think about what comes next."

"There's a lot of trash on the seas right now."

Aokiji lowered his eyelashes.

Thin frost crystals formed around him.

"You're really cold-blooded, Sakazuki."

Kizaru yawned.

"I wonder why Fleet Admiral Sengoku called us."

"I just recovered."

"This is clearly labor exploitation."

Akainu ignored him.

Along the way, Marine soldiers saluted them respectfully.

"Admiral Akainu!"

"Admiral Aokiji!"

"Admiral Kizaru!"

The three Admirals entered the office.

Sengoku glanced at them and nodded.

"Looks like you've recovered well."

He pushed three thick stacks of documents forward.

"Pirate activity in the Four Seas has surged recently."

"You'll go suppress them."

"Garp has already gone to the East Blue."

"I'll handle the Grand Line (Paradise)."

"The New World will be covered by Zephyr, Gion, and Tokikake."

"That leaves three seas."

"Pick one."

The moment he finished—

Akainu stepped forward and took the file labeled North Blue.

Aokiji yawned and grabbed South Blue.

Kizaru stared helplessly at the lonely West Blue file left on the table.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku… how about—"

"Take it and get lost!!"

Sengoku roared.

If Borsalino didn't speak sarcastically, would he die?!

"So scary… when Fleet Admiral Sengoku gets angry."

Kizaru shrugged helplessly as he boarded his warship at the harbor.

Half an hour later—

Sengoku departed Marineford.

And with that—

Marine Headquarters temporarily lost its pillar of strength.

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