One Piece: Start with Zanpakutō

"Senior, you're exaggerating."

"I merely stumbled upon the idea by chance."

"It's all thanks to Teacher Zephyr's guidance."

Rosen felt somewhat embarrassed when Borsalino openly praised him in front of Zephyr.

"You monsters from the navy… Why act so modest in front of me?"

"Do you really not know who I am?"

"If I could truly teach an ordinary man to become a monster like you, the Four Yonkos ruling the New World would've long been trampled under my students' boots."

Zephyr didn't dare accept Rosen's compliment.

He understood better than anyone.

Even if he taught at a branch base in the New World, any marine cadet with a slight understanding of Haki might surpass him — the so-called top instructor of the Marines.

As Rosen's teacher, Zephyr knew clearly: the most he could do was guide, illuminate a path, and provide some conveniences.

Just as he was doing now.

Personally bringing Rosen to Impel Down for an "internship."

Facing prisoners from Infinite Hell every day for live combat training.

Whether those prisoners were slain or escaped, it didn't matter — there was already a blanket pardon personally signed by the Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

There was fresh Sea King meat prepared daily.

After each morning's training, Domino would have meals ready.

And there was always a former Admiral and a current Admiral candidate at Rosen's side.

Not merely as guards, but as living examples and occasional guides.

"Junior."

"Since you created the Hirenkyaku before lunch… what were you pondering just now?"

"Here, have some tea first. This is a national treasure tea from the Tea Kingdom in the New World. I spend nearly my entire monthly salary on it."

Borsalino poured a cup for Rosen, his movements almost ceremonious, his voice brimming with hidden pride.

"What kind of tea costs millions of berries per batch?"

Rosen was genuinely surprised.

Though Borsalino was still technically a candidate, he already carried the title of Admiral-designate — his salary wasn't low in the slightest.

Setting aside other "hidden income," just the base salary was several million berries per month.

"Scarcity makes things priceless!"

"To put it simply, your senior here is quite lucky. During a mission once, I happened to save the king of the Tea Kingdom."

"Otherwise, no matter how much money you throw at it, you won't even smell this tea."

Borsalino took a small sip, savoring it.

"The Tea Kingdom was able to join the World Government precisely because they presented this tea as their heavenly tribute."

"The finest batches — what you're drinking now — even ordinary Celestial Dragons can't touch."

"Once shipped to Mary Geoise each year, most of it ends up directly in the hands of the Five Elders. Only a small fraction makes it to the black market."

Hearing this, Rosen finally understood.

Special tea enjoyed by the Five Elders.

In modern terms, this was essentially an exclusive national gift reserved only for the supreme rulers of the world.

Could it be anything but priceless?

As Borsalino said: "Even if you have money, you can't buy it."

"It's nothing, really."

"I was merely thinking… if I were fighting Brynndi World in the open sea, and it was his prime state — how would I kill him?"

"A naval battle, and he is trying to flee."

Rosen took a careful sip of tea, then continued his train of thought without missing a beat.

"With Hirenkyaku, you could easily defeat Prime World in any environment."

"But defeating and killing are two different things."

"Especially on the sea."

Zephyr put down his cup, his brows drawn together in deep thought.

"Brynndi World knew how to use Geppo. On the churning sea, ignoring bodily strain, he could maintain a hundredfold Moon Walk continuously. Even me, at my peak, might not have kept up."

"So… to do as you envisioned, not only must your own speed be faster — your attacks must also be faster."

"And ideally, they must reach far enough."

In the past, Zephyr had fought the World countless times; he knew better than anyone how monstrous the World Destroyer was on the open sea.

He could amplify his ship's speed a hundredfold at any moment.

Amplify his Moon Walk speed a hundredfold at any moment.

Defeating him was easy; killing him was a different story.

"Fast, and a long strike range…"

Rosen reviewed everything he had learned and created thus far.

If he could push his Three Forms of Haki to the extreme, it could absolutely be done.

Like Red-Haired Shanks — from the coast of Wano, with just one burst of Conqueror's Haki, he could stifle Admiral Green Bull from kilometers away, preventing even elemental transformation.

But that was the absolute ceiling of Conqueror's Haki. He was not there yet.

Blut Vene? No.

Blut Arterie? No.

Haki Core and Rokugan Rebirth (Six-Organ Rebirth)? Both are for Refining and Enhancing Haki and physique, not instantaneous killing strikes.

Then, the Zanpakutō.

Senbonzakura? Bankai, yes; Shikai, no.

Engetsu? Same. Bankai works; Shikai does not.

Sode no Shirayuki? Again, only Bankai would suffice.

It wasn't that these lacked destructive power — it was that their attributes didn't match the problem at hand.

Much like how the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, despite its immense destructive force, could never match the speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit.

"I suggest you hone your swordsmanship."

"The swordsmanship of a Great Swordsman, plus a black blade, can split the sea for several kilometers with a single slash."

"Coupled with Haki infusion… unless World starts ten kilometers away, it would be nearly impossible for him to escape."

Zephyr finally spoke, offering the most reliable and traditional solution.

"Too slow, Teacher Zephyr."

"It took Hawkeye over ten years to go from a novice to the world's strongest swordsman."

"Even with my junior's comprehension, it would still take at least a year to reach that level!"

Borsalino chuckled, shaking his head.

To someone else, a year might be short.

To Rosen, it was an eternity.

"One year… and that's too long?"

Zephyr's expression darkened slightly.

If Mihawk knew this, he'd probably cough up blood in anger on the spot.

"To ordinary people, a year is short. To my junior? Far too long."

"Besides… why take a year to do something you can finish in an afternoon?"

"Junior, listen to me this time. It's not that Teacher Zephyr's proposal is bad — it's just that he's a remnant of the old era. His thinking is too conservative. Always relying on Haki, physical skills, and swordsmanship to solve everything."

Borsalino waved his hand, sighing.

"But… if it's a Devil Fruit, it can be done in a single day."

"And you, junior, you're a special ability user yourself."

"With your monstrous comprehension, if you simply focus on developing your fruit's potential, you could resolve the issue before sunset."

Borsalino, after all, had studied Zephyr's Haki and physical arts, possessed the swordsmanship that Zephyr lacked, and had also mastered the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit.

Precisely because of this, his perspective differed fundamentally.

Compared to decades of grueling training in Haki, physical arts, and swordsmanship… the Devil Fruit was a shortcut. A power that could change one's destiny overnight.

If — and only if — you knew how to develop it properly.

Thus.

"After swallowing a Devil Fruit, I realized my fate is in my own hands."

This line could not be truer.

"Devil Fruit…"

Rosen's eyes glimmered like starlight.

At first, he had agreed with Zephyr.

Rapidly becoming a Great Swordsman.

Handsome. Powerful. With no glaring weaknesses. Seamlessly synergizing with Three Forms of Haki and even fruit abilities.

In the pirate world, the prestige of a swordsman rivaled that of a Devil Fruit user.

Red-Haired Shanks and Mihawk were living proof of this.

Yet Borsalino's words reignited Rosen's clarity.

Devil Fruits… were miracles. Powers that could defy logic and rewrite destiny.

Even with his monstrous comprehension, he could never become a Great Swordsman in a single day.

But developing his fruit abilities?

To create a Zanpakutō capable of both "extreme speed" and "infinite reach" — exactly as Zephyr demanded — within a single day?

Not only possible.

It was inevitable.

In short.

When in doubt…

Forge a new Zanpakutō first.

...

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