"Wha… what happened to me…"
On the bed, Silvers Rayleigh slowly opened his eyes, his body wrapped in bandages. Confusion flickered across his face.
This was his room.
But he clearly remembered—
Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through his head. Memories surged back like a tidal wave. After a long pause, he let out a bitter smile.
"So this is the price of carelessness…"
A man who had hunted hawks his whole life—only to be pecked in the eye by a wild goose.
Rayleigh's mood was complicated.
He lit a cigarette in silence, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"Mr. Rayleigh, you're awake?!"
The crew's combatant, "Bullseye" Goran, heard movement inside and excitedly pushed the door open. Before Rayleigh could answer, he turned and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"The Rear Captain's awake!"
His voice was thunderous. Though the Oro Jackson wasn't small, everyone aboard heard him.
Within moments, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, and Rayleigh's room was packed with members of the Roger Pirates.
Seeing the concern in his crewmates' eyes warmed his heart.
Just then, Roger shoved his way through the crowd and stepped forward.
"Rayleigh, you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just feeling sentimental, that's all. To think I'd lose to a brat…"
He shook his head. Pain still throbbed from his wounds. He could tell some of his bones had been damaged. Their ship's doctor was skilled, but full recovery would take time.
"That's understandable! Who would've guessed that kid not only had the Moa Moa no Mi (Multiply-Multiply Fruit), but was also a Mink?"
"Exactly! It was just bad luck! If it hadn't been a full moon that night, there's no way he could've beaten you, Mr. Rayleigh!"
"Don't take it to heart! If you'd taken him seriously from the start, he wouldn't have stood a chance!"
The crew tried to comfort him. Roger patted his shoulder as well.
But Rayleigh didn't see it that way.
"A loss is a loss. There's nothing more to say. Whether it was luck or carelessness, that kid won."
"He's strong."
Unless you had crossed blades with Roldy , you couldn't truly grasp his overwhelming power.
Rayleigh knew clearly—
Within the entire Roger Pirates, only their captain could completely suppress that reckless brat.
Even if Rayleigh or Scopper Gaban stepped in, they'd have to expend tremendous effort.
As for the others?
They'd likely be beaten to death by that monstrous strength.
"True enough. After all, he awakened Conqueror's Haki. A future king, perhaps."
Roger stroked his mustache and nodded.
"Exactly. Conqueror's Haki isn't something just anyone can—wait a minute! Roger, what did you just say? Conqueror's Haki?! That brat has Conqueror's Haki?!"
Rayleigh instantly caught the key point.
His evaluation of Roldy rose yet another level.
Conqueror's Haki—
That was something only those destined to stand at the very top possessed.
But before their fight, that brat hadn't awakened it…
Could it be—
"When did he awaken it?"
Rayleigh asked urgently.
"Right after you passed out. I've gotta say, it even caught me off guard. You should've seen it—the kid was practically…"
Roger began recounting what had happened next.
Rayleigh barely heard the second half of Roger's explanation.
He only caught one thing—
Right after he had passed out, that brat had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Could it be… that he, Silvers Rayleigh, was actually a hidden master instructor?
Under his "guidance," that kid awakened Conqueror's Haki?
That was something even Garp and Zephyr hadn't accomplished!!!
"Roger, I've got an idea!"
Rayleigh abruptly cut him off, lifting his head with fiery enthusiasm.
"Oh? What is it?"
Roger showed no annoyance. The atmosphere aboard their ship had always been like this.
"I think our crew should undergo proper training as well! The Marines have established some kind of officer training camp—there's no doubt it'll produce many outstanding powerhouses. If that's the case, then the Roger Pirates should establish one too! If our comrades grow even stronger, it'll only benefit us!"
Rayleigh's proposal made everyone fall into thought.
Roger was the first to approve. The rest quickly followed.
The Rear captain's suggestion passed unanimously.
"But… who's going to be the instructor?"
Scopper Gaban asked calmly, completely ignoring Roger's existence.
If they let their reckless captain teach the crew, the Roger Pirates would probably go bankrupt by the second day. One carefree lunatic was already more than enough—if they produced a whole batch of them, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Rayleigh smiled without answering.
Then he slowly raised his hand…
And pointed at himself.
…
Meanwhile—
Marine Headquarters.
The Marines were unaware of what had transpired aboard the Oro Jackson. The Roger Pirates were too tightly knit; infiltrating them was nearly impossible.
At this moment, the Marine high command had gathered in the Fleet Admiral's office.
Roldy 's severe injuries had sent Zephyr into a furious rage. To everyone's surprise, however, Garp remained calm under Zephyr's heated questioning.
He simply took a sip of red tea and dropped a bombshell.
Roldy had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Silence fell over the room.
Zephyr demonstrated what it meant to change one's face instantly.
Moments ago, he had looked ready to devour Garp whole.
Now he squeezed beside him with a broad smile, slinging an arm over his shoulder and promising to share his finest private stock of liquor.
The others were equally stunned—numb with shock before a surge of excitement followed.
As for Roldy 's training plan, there were no major changes. At most, his time training under Zephyr would be slightly reduced, reallocating some of it to accompany Garp.
After all, Garp also possessed Conqueror's Haki.
Since Roldy required a period of recuperation, Zephyr proposed that this so-called Deputy Chief Instructor spend some time at the New Marineford Training Camp, building rapport with the future backbone of the Marines.
The suggestion was unanimously approved.
After the meeting, Kong, Tsuru, Garp, Zephyr, and Sengoku headed together to the Marine hospital to visit Roldy .
When they arrived at his room—
Roldy was rudely tearing the bandages off his body.
Zephyr was about to stop him, but Kong raised a hand, signaling him to wait.
They looked closer.
Roldy lay on the hospital bed, his aura somewhat weakened—but the wounds beneath the bandages had already scabbed over, visibly healing at an astonishing rate.
Not only that—
His limbs had grown noticeably thicker. His entire frame seemed to have expanded by a full circle.
More importantly—
When they sensed Roldy with Observation Haki in the past, his presence had felt reckless and savage.
Now, however, there was an indescribable heaviness layered within it.
The group exchanged glances.
The most experienced among them, Fleet Admiral Kong, felt a word surface in his mind:
Bloodline Awakening.
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