"Aloof Red."
Rosen and Borsalino looked at Zephyr at the same time.
Of course, they knew the name — Patrick Redfield.
Who was the most terrifying prisoner in Infinite Hell?
Aloof Red was definitely one of them.
Even if all the prisoners who had besieged Rosen today were added together, they would still not compare to Redfield alone.
"In this vast ocean, there exists a kind of Haki even rarer than the Conqueror's Haki."
"Like Conqueror's Haki, it is innate and cannot be acquired through training."
"This Haki may seem to have no offensive capability, but sometimes it is even more terrifying than attacks laced with Conqueror's Haki. Because while it cannot harm the body—"
"—it can utterly destroy a person's mind and thoughts."
Zephyr leaned back on the sofa, slowly speaking of a terrifying form of Haki:
"Those who possess this kind of Haki can perceive the thoughts, emotions, and memories of others, transmit their own will into others, influence their mind and thinking, evoke powerful resonance, and even rewrite a person's ideology and values."
"For example—"
"Let's say there's a Celestial Dragon. Scum among scum, trash to the core. But if someone wielding this power truly wished for it, they could completely transform that Celestial Dragon into a peace-loving person."
"And the Celestial Dragon would not even notice the change in values and ideology. They would be changed from the inside out."
"And that change—"
"—would be permanent and irreversible."
As soon as these words came out—
Borsalino couldn't help but reveal a solemn look.
"The highest level of Observation Haki."
When Rosen heard this kind of Haki, which sounded like a divine ability of pirates, he immediately thought of something: the pinnacle of Observation Haki.
Like Conqueror's Haki, it is innate.
It cannot be obtained through training.
It is a level beyond even the power of seeing into the future.
In the original story, Queen Otohime possessed this kind of top-tier Observation Haki, and with it, she completely changed the consciousness and values of a Celestial Dragon.
"Yes, it's the highest level of Observation Haki. But—there's no need to panic."
"This Haki is even rarer than the Conqueror's Haki. Rarer than those kings who have mastered the Conqueror's Haki Infusion Technique."
"Even if you encounter it, there's no need to fear. Like Conqueror's Haki, it only works on the weak-willed."
Zephyr's words eased Borsalino's mind:
"Look at those thirteen pirates today. The reason their reactions before and after attacking you were so strange is because this form of Haki cannot permanently alter values. It can only temporarily affect emotion."
"Even a monster as powerful as Redfield could only influence those thirteen bastards today—low lives who've been rotting in Impel Down for years and whose wills are already broken. Let alone someone like you."
"The true danger of this Haki is not against the strong—"
"—but against the ordinary."
"Imagine if Redfield weren't locked up in Impel Down, but instead traveled to one of the World Government's allied nations and rewrote the thoughts of that nation's king. In that case, would the nation listen to the Five Elders—"
"—or to Redfield?"
Zephyr painted the horror of the highest Observation Haki with stark realism.
"So, the riot today…"
"It was orchestrated by Redfield."
"This fatal blow—was the welcome gift that Aloof Red gave to me."
"What a generous gesture!"
After discovering the mastermind behind today's prison riot, Rosen didn't grow angry—instead, he laughed softly and even praised Redfield's approach.
"Why do you think Kong, who was then Fleet Admiral, personally left Marine Headquarters to hunt down Redfield?"
"Because the Five Elders deemed him too dangerous."
"So they dispatched the highest force under their command—"
"—the Navy's Fleet Admiral."
Borsalino looked somewhat surprised by Zephyr's words.
"Wait, Mr. Zephyr—"
"Wasn't it Mr. Garp who defeated Redfield and imprisoned him?"
"How does it have anything to do with Fleet Admiral Kong?"
Borsalino frowned with doubt.
Aside from reading the paper, sipping tea, and clipping his nails, Borsalino had another interest—
He loved to read.
Before graduating from the Naval Academy, outside of training, he spent all his time buried in the library reading records and ancient archives.
In the naval history textbooks, it was clearly recorded:
It was the hero of the Navy, Monkey D. Garp, who defeated and captured Aloof Red.
Zephyr looked at Borsalino but didn't answer.
"Senior—"
"Have you ever heard of a Navy Admiral being defeated while still serving in office?"
Rosen suddenly spoke up.
"Admiral Kong—what a man. So weak, yet so resilient."
Hearing this, Borsalino couldn't help but sigh in admiration for Kong Kong's strength—and more importantly, his political backing.
As a serving Fleet Admiral, he had lost to a pirate.
It was a defeat at the peak of his career.
But even after suffering such a loss, not only was Kong not demoted—
He was promoted.
Promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's entire military.
Even the Five Elders went out of their way to cover up the facts, reshaping history to turn that defeat into a story of heroic victory.
The news of his loss was buried.
The tale rewritten—
To say that Garp was the one who had taken Redfield down.
"It wasn't about political clout."
"Kong just had a powerful fate—and good timing."
"He lived through the Rocks era, through the rise of the Three Great Pirate Crews, and Roger's rise to Pirate King. If it had been any other admiral, they'd have long since been swept away by the tide."
"But he—"
"—he just happened to stumble across two Navy officers with the Conqueror's Haki: Sengoku and Garp."
"First they helped him crush the Rocks Pirates."
"Then they dealt with Shiki."
"Later, Roger himself disbanded his own crew and turned himself in."
When the conversation turned to Kong Kong, even Zephyr couldn't help but sigh:
"Even the greatest obstacle in his life—"
"He was soundly defeated by Redfield. Redfield was about to take his life."
"But out of sheer dumb luck—he ran into Garp, who was fuming after losing track of Roger's crew."
Hearing this, Rosen couldn't help but reflect inwardly.
So, in the world of pirates—
Before Luffy ever set out to sea—
The true protagonist wasn't Gol D. Roger.
It was Kong.
A man who, during his time as Fleet Admiral, had heroes, Immortal Stones, Black Fists, and twin kings under his command.
Back then, the Admirals may have been weak—but the vice Admirals were terrifying.
Yet in all that time—
No coups.
No disobedience.
No betrayals.
Every time a king arose to dominate the Grand Line, Kong didn't even have to lift a hand.
The Rocks Pirates?
Handled by Garp, Roger, and the God Knights.
The Flying Pirates?
First suppressed by the storm. Then, Sengoku and Garp cleaned them up.
Roger?
Diagnosed with terminal illness. Disbanded his crew. Then turned himself in.
Again and again, Kong survived.
The kings he met? All slain.
Misfortune? Turned into fortune.
He rose from Fleet Admiral to Commander-in-Chief.
Now compare that to Akainu.
Tragic.
At the Marineford Admiral Promotion Tournament, he pulled off a miracle performance.
Maximized damage output.
Tanked blows that should have killed him.
Nearly carried the whole battle by himself.
And the result?
The top brass didn't back him.
His teammates didn't trust him.
He had to start Round Two of the Admiral Promotion Tournament.
Barely beat Kuzan.
Let the man live.
Then watched his teammates quit and become pirates.
Didn't want to be Admirals anymore.
Didn't listen to Akainu.
Listened to Blackbeard instead.
Launched a World Military Draft.
Appointed Fujitora and Aramaki as new Admirals.
One doesn't follow orders.
The other? Basically cosplay.
Of the three Admirals under him, only Borsalino—his classmate from the same town—could be counted on.
"So now—"
"You understand the importance of Patrick Redfield?"
At that moment—
Zephyr changed the subject.
He no longer spoke of Kong.
Instead, he looked at Rosen meaningfully.
...
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