You can read ahead up to 90 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
After impressing upon them the gravity of the situation, Zero issued a singular demand.
Regardless of their current activities, upon receiving the order, they were to immediately embark on the mission to avert potential crises!
The orders of the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) were to be the top priority!
In the world, there were only two individuals capable of swiftly traversing the seas and neutralizing threats in their infancy.
This level of maneuverability was unparalleled.
Naturally, it had to be under the Gorōsei's control.
For Kizaru, this was a given, but for Rowen, it served as a warning.
The Gorōsei had made it clear that while he and Dragon's family members were close and could overlook certain matters, even if it led to a globally renowned battle against the Celestial Dragons, they would absolutely not tolerate any challenges to their authority!
The Celestial Dragons would never relinquish their control and privileges, not even in the face of Orrick's coercion.
"So, Lirisk's old man is finally going to make a move?" Exiting the secret chamber and returning to his quarters, Rowen gazed up at the starry sky, lightly running his fingers along the slightly roughened surface of the Thunder Dragon Crescent-Sided Halberd, a faint smile playing on his lips.
In this world, everything could deceive you, except for the power you wield, which was truly dependable.
"So... the fault lies not with me, but with the world!"
The next morning, before dawn, Rowen rose and sought out Bald Zero, obtained permission, and departed first.
There was no other option.
Kizaru's ominous remark the previous night, hinting at settling old and new scores simultaneously, gave Rowen pause!
It wasn't that he feared Kizaru, but what was the point of two individuals with evenly matched speed engaging in combat?
Kizaru knew he was deficient in close combat; he would undoubtedly maintain distance and employ hit-and-run tactics. Then they would merely be exchanging blows of saliva...
The thought was too absurd for Rowen to entertain.
Observing Zipper Thunder vanish into the distance across the sky, at a corner of the palace, Kizaru called out icily, "You're fortunate to be fast!"
"But... are we truly going to withhold this from him, sir?" Kizaru turned his head, finding Bald Zero seated at the table, sipping hot tea.
"You know, Kizaru, pirates hold camaraderie in high regard."
"Rayleigh alive holds more value than him being deceased, whether for gathering information or as bait," Bald Zero set down his teacup, selected a pastry from the porcelain plate on the table, and leisurely savored it. "Besides, Rowen possesses a hint of thievery about him, rendering him more akin to a pirate than a Marine."
"That's not a jest, sir," Kizaru's expression suddenly turned frosty. "Loyalty doesn't entail excluding our comrades arbitrarily! Rowen's loyalty has already earned recognition from the Fleet Admiral and the Gorōsei. Your statement seems rather unnecessary."
If Rowen were present, he would be astounded. The nonchalant, relaxed atmosphere of Marine Headquarters, and Kizaru, notorious for being indolent, actually choosing to defend him?!
Zero silently regarded Kizaru for a prolonged moment before retracting his gaze.
"Is that so?"
Suddenly clenching his fists on his knees, Zero smiled without mirth. "Let's wait and see."
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"Haki Awakening?"
Zephyr calmly sipped his tea but suddenly froze, his expression incredibly grave as he peered at Rowen. "Who informed you of that?!"
"It was Admiral Kizaru... he mentioned it once back at Sabaody Archipelago. And the CP0 Chief Bald Zero instructed me to return and inquire with you," Rowen detected the caution in Zephyr's tone and furrowed his brow slightly. "Does that imply there's some taboo involved?"
"Of course! Undoubtedly!" Zephyr snorted indignantly, his tone turning icy. "If not for the need to exercise caution in facing Rayleigh, just by knowing this, do you think the Gorōsei wouldn't dare to come and seize individuals?"
Hiss...!
Damn it!
He hadn't mentioned anything about this being as feared by the Gorōsei as ancient texts!
Rowen drew a sharp breath, feeling exasperated with Kizaru.
But now wasn't the time to confront Kizaru. Rowen respectfully queried, "So, Sensei, what precisely is Haki Awakening?"
"Ah!" Zephyr sighed, reclining in his chair. "Since the CP0 Chief tasked you with returning to ask me, it's likely the Gorōsei's intention."
"Very well, I'll impart what I know."
Rowen stood respectfully to the side, listening intently.
After all, he had once been outmaneuvered by Rayleigh.
After a pause, Zephyr began slowly, "It's a heightened form derived from Haki Awakening, akin to Devil Fruit Awakening, but stemming from the original foundation."
"Haoshoku Haki Awakening is a fortification of mental fortitude. It enables one to wield Haoshoku Haki as a weapon, affecting others' spiritual realms, making them less dismissible by adversaries of equal caliber," he explained.
"Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) Awakening enhances the physique. At this stage, there's no distinction between utilizing and not utilizing Busoshoku Haki. Every cell in the body becomes infused with Haki, rendering them impervious to harm even from bladed attacks," Zephyr elucidated.
"Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) Awakening enhances the sixth sense. It's rumored that after awakening, one can transcend worldly limitations and possess omniscience, nullifying abilities like prophecy and telepathy. Fortunately, no one has yet reached that pinnacle," he added.
"Compared to Devil Fruits, which can be awakened through persistent development, awakening Haki is even more arduous," Zephyr explained further.
"For every thousand Devil Fruit users, perhaps one may awaken its power, but among ten thousand Haki users, not even one may achieve awakening."
Rowen was astounded. What were the odds? One in ten thousand!
Don't think that the number "10,000" seems small on a global scale. Even within the Marines, only elite Rear Admirals at Headquarters generally possess Haki.
The total number is less than a thousand! Most of them only possess one type of Haki, and their Haki levels are very mediocre.
Ten thousand Haki users are equivalent to the total number of Haki users in the world of a generation!
"Haki is an inherent potential of the human body, unlike Devil Fruits, which are external forces. To develop it further, one must accumulate combat experience through continuous battles."
"You yourself are a Devil Fruit user, so you should understand the difference," Zephyr nodded.
Rowen nodded in agreement.
After consuming the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit), he seemed to instinctively learn how to harness the power of thunder within his body, as if he were born with the knowledge.
In the future, whether it was developing new techniques or conducting in-depth research, it was all based on this newfound instinct, which came effortlessly.
But Haki was different. It didn't give people that instinctive feeling; it was always present but not manifested.
Outside of the New World, ordinary people hadn't even heard of Haki, indicating the difficulty of its development.
To give an analogy...
Developing a Devil Fruit was like driving a car on a fixed highway with lanes, where as long as the driver maintained the direction, they could reach the destination.
Developing Haki, on the other hand, was like walking through a desert or wilderness without any direction or goal. It was possible to wander aimlessly for ten days or half a month without making any progress.
However...
"But it's still just a kind of power, isn't it?" Rowen asked curiously.
After Zephyr's explanation, Rowen understood the terrifying nature, uniqueness, and difficulty of Haki Awakening, but...
"Why would it make the Gorōsei wary?" Whether in the original story or now, the government was striving to bring the Ancient Weapons back into the world, indicating that mere power wouldn't cause much concern for the Gorōsei.
"What kind of person could stand out and reach the Haki Awakening stage?" Zephyr asked back.
Rowen pondered for a moment.
So that's it!
The pride of heaven, the beloved of the world!
Those who could stand out from the fierce competition, whether due to exceptional luck or outstanding character, were truly deserving and unique figures of their time!
"If among those people, there were Roger and Rocks?" Zephyr continued to ask, his voice not loud but resounding like thunder.
Buzz!
Rowen's head buzzed, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
"Pirate King," Gol D. Roger!
The former Overlord of the New World in Roger's era, now Yonko Big Mom, and the former captain of the "Hundred Beasts" Kaido, Rocks, the captain of the Rocks Pirates!
"If Roger and Rocks were both members of the 'D' clan?"
The clan of 'D', the natural enemies of the gods!
Zephyr looked at Rowen's pale face, "Humphed" and said, "Remember, Rowen, you didn't ask anything today, and I didn't say anything either, understood?"
Phew...
Rowen snapped out of his shock, straightened his legs, and bowed 90 degrees to Zephyr.
"Understood, Sensei!"
This was the benefit of having a Sensei. Zephyr dared to impart knowledge about Haki Awakening to him despite the taboo. It was evident that if Rowen had sought out these answers himself without knowing these facts, his fate would have been exposed.
Then, Rowen stood up straight and licked his dry lips.
"Heh, Kizaru!"
(End of this chapter)