"How can those already atop the mountain take those still climbing it seriously?"
"Even if I look down... I might not even be able to see him now."
"And you'd better not forget—even if Rosen really does reach the top of the mountain, it merely means he qualifies to challenge me. It doesn't mean he can defeat me."
"I am the winner of the challenge."
Facing Redfield's ridicule, Douglas Bullet showed not a shred of humility. He remained defiant.
"There's something else you seem to have forgotten."
"Rosen should be challenging you before he challenges me!"
"Then let me ask you again, Redfield—when he stands before you, what will you do?"
He tilted his neck back, his voice shifting tones, now carrying a hint of mischief and provocation.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Redfield said nothing. Not even the smile on his face faded, but his eyes changed.
Rosen?
Although Redfield couldn't read the man's thoughts or memories due to the distance limitation of his abilities, he knew very clearly: what Douglas Bullet just said wasn't some petty argument—it was an iron truth.
Standing atop this metaphorical mountain wasn't just the Demon's Heir.
It was also the Lone Red.
And Rosen—who was ascending that mountain at a terrifying pace—wasn't coming to replace just Douglas Bullet.
He was also coming... to replace him.
The Lone Red.
Patrick Redfield.
He would never forget what Rosen had said on his very first day in Infinite Hell:
"A relic of a bygone era."
That wasn't just said to the other prisoners—it was said to him.
Since it's a relic of the old times, then naturally, it belongs in the dustbin of history.
"The power of a new era, is it?"
"Then let me see it for myself."
Redfield slowly closed his eyes.
He cut off the conversation with Douglas Bullet.
Once again, Infinite Hell fell into a deathly silence.
…
On the other hand,
In the office of Burning Hell, Rosen put down the one-meter-long barbecue skewer in his hand.
Naturally, only a large Sea King's bone was left.
As for the rest—more than 200 kilograms of meat and vegetables laid out before him—every last bit had been swept away.
There wasn't even a single scrap of meat or a stray leaf of vegetable left behind.
At the same time, the Haki Core and the Rokugan Rebirth (Six-Organ Rebirth) were both running at full strength.
…
[Your comprehension is extraordinary. Through high-volume consumption, digestion and absorption via the Rokugan Rebirth (Six-Organ Rebirth), and refinement through the Haki Core, your Three Forms of Haki and physical strength have been improved.]
[Armament Haki Strength +32%]
[Observation Haki Strength +21%]
[Conqueror's Haki Strength +18%]
[Physical Strength +42%]
…
After reading the system notifications in his mind, Rosen was slightly surprised.
Eating isn't like direct combat training.
Even after using both the Haki Core and the Rokugan Rebirth (Six-Organ Rebirth), his Armament Haki boost generally never exceeded 30%, and his physical enhancement had never gone over 40%.
But the meal that Domino had delivered today brought a significantly larger boost than any previous meal he'd had in Impel Down.
"What's wrong?"
Borsalino had just stood up to make tea but noticed a change in Rosen's expression.
"Nothing."
"I just feel... something's off with today's meal."
"The effect was a little too good."
Rosen organized his words, trying to explain.
"Of course."
"This kind of meat texture and taste—definitely not something from a medium-sized Sea King."
"It's a large Sea King, the type just below the super-sized ones."
Zephyr put down his chopsticks and explained casually:
"I grabbed it yesterday afternoon—on my way back to Impel Down after finishing up training with Gion and Tokikake at HQ."
"My asthma's been acting up more frequently lately."
"So replenishing my body with a large Sea King was just right."
Zephyr spoke with such ease, as though it were nothing more than brushing a speck of dust from his shoulder.
"I see."
Hearing this, Rosen felt a warmth bloom in his heart.
Although Zephyr made it sound so casual—like it was just for his own recovery—the truth was clear as day.
Zephyr had dove to the bottom of the sea and captured a large Sea King... purely for Rosen's sake.
After all, Zephyr knew all too well about the Haki Core and the Rokugan Rebirth (Six-Organ Rebirth), and naturally understood just how much a large Sea King could help Rosen grow.
"Come now, junior."
"Large Sea Kings? No big deal. For Teacher Zephyr, it's nothing."
"But when it comes to tea—I'll make sure you're fully supplied."
By now, Borsalino had returned with the tea.
He poured from the teapot into the fairness cup, then gently filled the small cups before Rosen and Zephyr.
"Thanks, Senior."
Rosen tapped the table lightly, picked up his cup, and took a small sip.
As he savored the flavor of the tea, his mind drifted—to today's battle in Infinite Hell with Catarina Devon and Vasco Shot.
He examined himself thoroughly.
Reflecting three times a day—this was part of Zephyr's custom training plan for him.
Every confrontation with a prisoner was not just a fight.
It was a way to understand himself.
To grow.
Scene by scene replayed in his mind—until it settled on that moment when Vasco Shot had caught what he thought was a flaw and unleashed a fireball.
"If his Glug-Glug Fruit didn't create fire—but another element—then even if it couldn't break through my defense with Haki, it would definitely have scorched my clothes."
So Rosen thought.
Even though his Armament Haki was stronger than Vasco Shot's, if it weren't for the fact that Sode no Shirayuki's abilities countered the alcohol flame—if it weren't for the fact that absolute zero directly suppressed that flame—then Rosen wouldn't have come out completely unscathed.
He might not have been hurt.
But there would've been burn marks on his clothes.
If it had been Ace's Entei, or Kaido's Blast Breath, and he dared to tank it head-on?
He'd be burned to ash.
Even if Vasco Shot hadn't used his flames—if he had simply used Armament Haki, that alone might not have broken Rosen's defenses, but it would've sent him flying and left him looking battered.
Just as Vasco Shot had said—
At that moment, Rosen did reveal a flaw.
You couldn't call it a flaw in the truest sense.
It was simply that, in a multi-directional group battle, it's impossible to take care of everything all at once.
No matter how strong you are.
Even generals can't escape that rule.
Just like Whitebeard in Marineford.
Just like Kaido during the Onigashima raid.
Just like Garp at Beehive Island.
Each of them was a monster standing atop the sea.
But even so—no matter how careful they were—when they were surrounded and outnumbered, they still took hits.
"Sure enough… fighting one-on-one and fighting multiple opponents are two completely different things."
"Catarina Devon, Vasco Shot… if it's one-on-one, they can't even touch my sleeves. But the moment they join forces, they immediately spot openings and strike."
"Tomorrow, I won't just be facing two prisoners of that level."
"It'll be three."
"And more after that."
As Rosen thought about the ever-increasing number of high-level prisoners he'd be facing each day, he realized—it was time.
It was time to develop an ability tailored for group combat.
As for simply stacking armor, tanking hits with his body, or relying on health bars to endure damage...
He hadn't even considered it.
The failures of Big Mom and Kaido on Onigashima had already proved it,
This is not a world of immortal cultivators.
In this world...
No armor is impenetrable.
No health bar is infinite.
Whether you're the strongest creature on land, sea, and air...
Or a so-called Born Monster...
There will always be someone who can bring you down.
In Rosen's eyes, rather than passively enduring beatings...
It's better to leave the problem to his own extraordinary comprehension.
Only if his comprehension fails to solve it...
Will he consider retreating into stacking defense and bloated health.
...
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