"Brother Rorschach, you must wake up! If you get better, you can sleep on the big bed in the captain's cabin from now on, and I'll sleep on the floor."
Perhaps that non-existent deity heard Hibari's prayer. Just a few minutes after Law entered the infirmary, with a creak, the infirmary door opened.
A familiar figure emerged, showing a gentle smile to the eagerly awaiting crowd on the deck.
"I've caused you all worry, but I'm back."
"Brother Rorschach!"
The moment she saw Rorschach, tears streamed from Hibari's eyes.
She ran like the wind and threw herself into Rorschach's arms, hugging him tightly.
Rorschach's body swayed two steps backward from her impact, almost losing his balance.
"Oh, the little princess of the Sakazuki family has been kidnapped so quickly," Kizaru's strange cry came from behind.
"I... I haven't!"
Hibari's face flushed from Kizaru's teasing. Sensing Rorschach's weakness, she quickly let him go, stepping onto the ground, and looked up at Rorschach.
"Brother Rorschach, are you okay?"
Then, Hibari saw that Rorschach, in front of her, looked much thinner than before.
On the exposed skin, many hideous, centipede-like scars were still visible.
Especially near his ribs below his heart, there was a terrible scar where muscle tissue was damaged.
Even though part of that injury had been transferred to Moria's body, the scars remaining on Rorschach still looked very frightening.
This showed just how terrible the injuries Kaido's attacks, imbued with high-level Armament Haki and even King's Haki, had inflicted on Rorschach.
His face also looked somewhat gaunt; the lines of his cheeks had lost their previous softness and now had some sharper angles.
Seeing this, Hibari felt a pang of heartache again.
A large hand pressed firmly on her head, rubbing it hard, "Don't worry, these are minor injuries."
After comforting Hibari, he looked at Kizaru, who was sitting on the ship's railing, and smiled: "Uncle Borsalino, thank you for your support. Otherwise, I would have been in trouble."
"It's grandpa, actually," Kizaru looked at Rorschach and asked in confusion, "Your tongue..."
"It's nothing, these are minor injuries. They'll recover once I eat something."
Rorschach glanced behind him.
Moria seemed unwilling to meet him; he had already turned into a shadow and hidden deep inside the ship's cabin.
Although Moria had forcibly infused him with five thousand shadows, Rorschach didn't blame him.
On the contrary, he felt somewhat grateful to Moria.
If it weren't for that assistance, he might not be standing here now.
Perhaps, he would be moving stones in Udon's quarry right now.
Thinking of Kaido, Rorschach felt his wounds begin to throb faintly again.
That incredibly tough monster; he had hit him with so many powerful attacks, but Kaido was perfectly fine.
He, on the other hand, had suffered several blows and was severely wounded, on the verge of death.
Even the powerful regenerative abilities and vitality of his Mythical Zoan form were useless against him.
What happened to the promised one strike with Ryou, two with Haki-coating, and three with a Devil Fruit awakening?
He had taken how many blows now, yet hadn't gained any benefits.
Rorschach, supported by Hibari, sat down in front of Kizaru.
He wasn't so weak that he couldn't walk.
However, he also didn't let go of Hibari's hand.
"The Major is awake! Major Rorschach is awake!"
Outside the Kirin, the cooking soldiers let out a passionate cheer.
For these Marine soldiers, Rorschach was the pillar of stability on the Kirin.
During the days Rorschach was unconscious, they worried about his safety more than anyone else.
Rorschach was equally moved, but said little. He simply waved and smiled at everyone, then looked at Kizaru and Hibari in front of him. Just as he was about to ask something, he heard the Den Den Mushi on Kizaru's wrist ring.
"Oh, someone's calling again. You take it. They're definitely asking about your condition again. I have to answer at least ten calls a day," Kizaru said, handing the miniature Den Den Mushi hidden in his right-hand watch to Rorschach, a look of headache on his face.
"Hehe, I've caused you trouble, Uncle Borsalino."
Rorschach smiled and answered the Den Den Mushi.
From the Den Den Mushi, an old voice immediately came through, accompanied by a few coughs.
"Borsalino, has Law finished the surgery yet? Has Rorschach woken up?"
Hearing this familiar voice, Rorschach's mouth curved into a smile, and he said softly into the receiver, "Teacher Zephyr, I'm awake."
"Rorschach?" Zephyr's voice suddenly rose.
"Yes, it's me."
"You brat, you're finally awake. You've been asleep for five days. If you didn't wake up soon, Garp would have gone to the New World to find Kaido. Marine Headquarters has been in an uproar these past few days."
As Zephyr spoke, the dull thud of heavy objects hitting wood came through the Den Den Mushi.
From the sound, it seemed Zephyr had placed his mechanical arm on the deck.
He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, then asked, "Are you alright physically? Kaido's attacks are no joke. Have Law check you thoroughly so you don't leave any hidden dangers in your body. Your body is still developing right now, so you need to pay extra attention. Many people who don't pay attention to these things find their accumulated old injuries erupt all at once when they reach a certain age, and their bodies can't bear it."
"I'm fine, Teacher Zephyr. Don't you know my recovery rate?" A feeling of warmth rose in Rorschach's heart; he heard the concern in Zephyr's tone.
"Don't be careless, you brat! High-level Armament Haki can penetrate the human body and damage internal organs.
Powerhouses on the seas who have mastered high-level Haki can often overwhelmingly suppress those who haven't.
Not to mention, the one who unleashed this high-level Haki was Kaido. As an Oni, he naturally possesses incredibly powerful strength, coupled with the power bonus of his Mythical Zoan form and the coating of top-tier Haki. The destructive power he unleashed can definitely penetrate every tiny corner of your body. Don't think I'm exaggerating.
For the next period, you are not to engage in combat. Rest well. I've already discussed it with Sengoku; your assessment mission has ended early. After this, you will return to Marineford with Borsalino."
Hearing Zephyr tell him to return to Marineford, Rorschach felt a little anxious.
He didn't want to go back so soon.
How long had it been since he left?
Less than two months.
If he went back to Marineford, he'd be stuck training alone again, and his strength would surely stagnate.
As Akainu said, if he wanted his current strength to continue growing rapidly, he had to fight and clash with different people, and that meant going all out.
Staying at Marine Headquarters really wouldn't help him much anymore.
Below the level of Admiral, no one posed a threat to him.
There were only a few Admirals, and they were all very busy. He had already troubled them immensely over the past year.
Moreover, since leaving Marineford, Rorschach could clearly feel his own growth and his horizons had broadened.
As for being taught a lesson by Kaido's club, that wasn't losing face.
This was one of the few people in the world who held the title of "strongest."
New World's famous excellent teacher, Kaido-sensei...
Thinking this, Rorschach quickly said, "Teacher Zephyr, no need. I think I still need to complete my graduation assessment mission before returning to Headquarters. This is a training mission that every new recruit from the training camp has to complete. If you make an exception just for me, others will have complaints."
"Who has complaints? Huh? This is my, Sengoku's, and Garp's decision! If anyone has complaints, tell them to come find us! Besides, the 6 billion Berry total bounty capture was actually just a joke back then. Where would we find so many bounty targets in Paradise for you to catch? Our idea was to motivate you and keep you from slacking off. But you, you went and fought Shichibukai as if they were bounty targets, and you fought two of them! Oh, and you even fought a Yonko! What, do you want the 4 billion Berry bounty on Kaido's head?"
Zephyr raised his voice, slapping the deck, making Rorschach's forehead break out in a cold sweat.
Can't mess with him, can't mess with him.
If he pushed Teacher Zephyr too hard, he might just come directly to Alabasta to drag him back.
What Rorschach didn't know was that Zephyr had already entered the Calm Belt five days ago and was on his way.
But, he really didn't want to go back.
What for?
To wrestle with Drake?
Marineford didn't have the exciting experiences of soaring through the sky and diving into the sea like Paradise did.
He was still thinking of dropping by North Blue, Alabasta was very close to Reverse Mountain.
Smoker had also invited him to East Blue to eat at Baratie.
So, Rorschach could only force a dry laugh and tell Zephyr Akainu's theory on improving strength.
As a result, not only did Zephyr not budge, but he also got a severe scolding.
Even Akainu was lectured by Zephyr.
Zephyr said that Akainu's theory seemed plausible, but it was actually impractical.
How often can an ordinary person walk a tightrope on the brink of death?
Surviving once, surviving twice, is already Lady Luck letting down her guard.
Any more times, unless you marry Lady Luck.
When Rorschach asked why Akainu could do it, Zephyr was silent for half a minute before squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth.
"Why are you comparing yourself to a mad dog?"
Rorschach stroked his chin.
How did he hear a sense of pride in that sentence?
Kizaru, in front of him, pursed his lips and muttered, "Sakazuki is indeed Teacher Zephyr's most prized disciple, I mean, in terms of his attitude towards training..."
Kuzan learned from Garp.
He himself didn't get along with Zephyr and was always scolded.
In contrast, Akainu not only completed every training task Zephyr assigned but also practiced extra every day.
And the kind of practice that pushed him to his limits.
"Borsalino! If you have nothing to say, no one will think you're mute!" Zephyr snapped.
Kizaru shrugged, looked at Rorschach, and muttered again, "I advise you to give up. When this old man gets stubborn, even Fleet Admiral Sengoku can't pull him back. Just come back to Marineford with me."
Zephyr heard this and was about to scold Kizaru again, but then he heard Kizaru advising Rorschach to return to Headquarters, which finally calmed his anger.
Rorschach was sweating profusely. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and said into the Den Den Mushi: "Teacher Zephyr, I think... I think I've advanced."
"Hm? Advanced in what?" Zephyr was confused.
"Haki, Armament Haki. My Armament Haki seems to have advanced to a higher level. Although I don't remember it very clearly, I still have some impression. It seems that after Moria stuffed a lot of shadows into me, the power within my body was fully amplified. At that time, I seemed to use a powerful force to make Kaido spit blood..."
Rorschach's words made Kizaru's pursed lips wide enough to hang a gourd on them.
Hibari next to him looked happy.
And Zephyr on the other end of the Den Den Mushi was silent for a long time.
At this moment, in the Calm Belt, seven to eight hundred miles from Sandora Island in Alabasta, Zephyr was leaning against the warship's railing, listening to Rorschach's words through the Den Den Mushi, completely stunned.
Rorschach's terrifyingly vast amount of Haki, his Armament Haki, had really leveled up?
To be honest.
Zephyr didn't quite believe it.
No one knew the dark blue Haki on Rorschach better than him.
Throughout a year of training, Zephyr taught Rorschach combat insights and training experiences every day, so he understood the power Rorschach possessed very well.
That amount of Haki, enough to cover half of Marineford, was not that easy to break through to a higher level.
This wasn't simply a matter of understanding theoretical knowledge and being able to apply it in practice.
Haki, like Rokushiki and physical prowess, required time to train.
The more Haki one possessed, the harder it would be to train it to a higher level; this was inevitable.
When Rorschach left Marineford, Zephyr had predicted that even at the fastest pace, Rorschach would need at least a year, meaning by the end of next year, to train his Armament Haki to a higher level.
And by then, he would become the third Admiral candidate at Marine Headquarters.
But now, it was only the end of 17th year.
This kid wasn't even fifteen yet, was he?
Another Douglas Bullet?
"Hehe, it seems I underestimated this kid's potential."
Zephyr shook his head, a look of gratification appearing on his face.
To be able to train such an excellent disciple again was truly his good fortune.
And the Marines' good fortune as well.
Listening to the boy's detailed description through the Den Den Mushi, Zephyr's smile grew wider.
It seemed that Rorschach had indeed advanced his Armament Haki to a higher level.
Presumably, after this graduation assessment, it wouldn't be impossible for this kid to jump from a rookie to an Admiral candidate.
Wouldn't this be another new record for Marine history?
When the news got out, he wondered how much of a stir it would cause.
Just then, Aon, standing in the crow's nest, suddenly let out a surprised exclamation.
"Teacher Zephyr, I've spotted an island ahead. Strange, the nautical chart doesn't show any islands here?"
"Could it be a Sea King surfacing?"
"It shouldn't be a Sea King surfacing," Aon said with certainty, holding her binoculars, "Because I see a lot of residents on the island."
Zephyr hung up the Den Den Mushi, dragging his heavy mechanical arm, stood up, and looked in the direction Aon pointed, his expression slightly stunned.
Indeed, an island had appeared on the Calm Belt sea surface ahead of the warship.
An island somewhat faintly visible in the misty haze.
The island's area was not small; just by estimation, its size would not be smaller than Marineford, perhaps even larger.
If it were a Sea King, even a five-kilometer-long super-large Sea King wouldn't be this big.
In the New World, there was a maritime nation that moved across the sea.
Zou, the giant elephant, had an unusually massive body. Bepo's Mink tribe lived on Zou's back, in a country called the Mokomo Dukedom, which was not a World Government affiliated country.
If there truly was such a large island with so many people living on it in the Calm Belt, the Marines would surely have it recorded.
"Approach it and take a look," Zephyr ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
The warship's paddle wheels turned, and it soon entered the outer waters of the island ahead.
The way was clear, with no one shouting to stop their approach.
Soon, the warship entered a cluster of reefs, dropped anchor, and came to a stop.
Leaving some soldiers to guard the ship, Zephyr, along with Aon and Bins, disembarked and went ashore onto the island.
The people on the island seemed not at all afraid of the arrival of the three outsiders.
On the contrary, as Zephyr's trio approached the edge of the island's town, they saw many residents standing in front of the houses looking their way.
A dozen brave ones even actively came forward, seemingly wanting to strike up a conversation.
Zephyr spat out the seaweed he was chewing, took off his sunglasses, and tried to show a kindly smile as he walked over, about to ask where this place was.
But suddenly, he froze in place.
Motionless, like a fossil.
Aon and Bins behind him exchanged glances, somewhat puzzled.
"Teacher Zephyr, what's wrong?"
Aon called out and stepped forward.
Then, she also froze there.
Bins, who had walked with them, did too.
Because in front of the three of them, the dozen or so island residents walking towards them were all people they knew.
A bearded strong man dressed as a farmer smiled: "Teacher Zephyr, you've finally arrived! Bess has been waiting for you for four long years. Quick, come to Bess's house as a guest! Bess has prepared your favorite sherry and lamb chops!"
A young girl with an apron tied around her waist, a radiant smile on her face, walked closer and directly took Aon's hand.
"Aon, what's wrong? Don't just stand there! Teacher Zephyr, Bins, everyone quickly follow Lily to town! Lily has prepared a grand welcoming feast at the tavern, prepared for four whole years, you know~."
"Bess, Lily..." Zephyr looked at the familiar faces before him, his heart pounding wildly.
How could he not recognize these people?
For four years, he didn't know how many nights he had dreamt of the faces of these very people.
These people were all his students.
They were the elite Marines who went to sea with him four years ago and were killed by pirates.
But these people should have been dead. Why were they here?
In his Observation Haki's perception, they were all living people.
Confusion, like a thick fog, surged into Zephyr's heart.
Suddenly, these incoming students all moved back to both sides, revealing a path, and all looked at Zephyr with a smile: "Teacher Zephyr, look who's here?"
Zephyr looked up and saw, in the parted crowd, a woman carrying a purple-haired infant in her arms, walking towards him with a smile.
The instant he saw this woman, old Zephyr felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
"I waited for you for twenty-seven years, and you've finally come, Zephyr." The woman's voice was desolate, her eyes cloudy as she looked at the infant in her arms. "The child has also waited for you for twenty-seven years."
Zephyr's mind reeled.
(End of Chapter)
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