Two years passed in the blink of an eye.
Year 1488 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
Gern was now 18 years old.
It had been four years since God Valley—and the Heaven-Shaking Fruit.
Under Zephyr and Garp's relentless tempering, Gern's Armament Haki had taken shape, though far from its peak.
Haki could not be rushed.
But his Observation Haki was abnormal.
Whether due to dual souls—or his sensitivity to vibration—
airflow, breathing, blade movement…
He sensed them all.
Zephyr and Garp openly praised it.
It made his Logia defense terrifyingly precise.
As for Conqueror's Haki?
He left it to fate.
These two years also brought change.
Zephyr and Sengoku were promoted to Admirals.
Garp refused promotion.
Zephyr married Lina.
Gern became Zephyr's aide, rising to Marine Captain.
But something was wrong.
On missions, Gern showed no hesitation.
Surrendering pirates still died.
Heads still fell.
Zephyr noticed.
For the first time…
he sensed a justice unlike his own.
Sengoku's Office
"Gern reminds me of someone," Zephyr said quietly.
"Sakazuki?" Sengoku replied.
Zephyr didn't deny it.
"But Sakazuki follows orders," Zephyr said.
"Gern follows… killing intent."
Sengoku closed the file.
"He needs his own path."
"…You're saying I'm holding him back?"
"Yes."
Silence.
"…Then let him go."
Sengoku smiled.
"There's a job."
He slid over a file.
Pirate Crew:Shatter Pirates
Captain:Doger the Island-Splitter
Devil Fruit: Paramecia – Split-Split Fruit
Bounty: 300,000,000+
Threat: Extreme
Zephyr looked up.
"…So this is his trial."