"I will."
Seeing Kuzan bow his head to him like Sakazuki had before, Rosen nodded slightly and agreed to the other's request.
The moment he trampled Hachinosu, he knew that the new world that followed would no longer be the stagnant tranquility of before.
With Ochoku's death, one of the Four Emperors was removed from the list, and the balance of power among the three major forces that the Five Elders had painstakingly built up has been completely destroyed.
The Four Emperors, the Shichibukai, and even other major powers will all take action.
In other words, the difficulty for him to single-handedly crush a Yonko group will increase significantly, no longer as easy as removing Ochoku from the Yonko ranks.
After all, none of the Four Emperors are stupid.
If you're stupid, you can't become one of the Four Emperors.
Even if Big Mom seems to have become foolish in the future, it's only after she became one of the Four Emperors. As time went on, she couldn't see any possibility of defeating the other Four Emperors, nor could she see a future, so she chose to indulge in pleasure.
Seeing that Rosen readily agreed, Kuzan didn't say anything more.
I'm not the main character today.
If it weren't for the matter of the Fleet Admiral, his own principles of justice, and the future direction of the Navy Headquarters, he wouldn't have discussed these things with Rosen at this time.
After completely winning over the last of the three admirals after Sakazuki, Rosen patted Kuzan on the shoulder, then brushed past him and walked towards a man in the crowd ahead whose gaze had never left him since Rosen returned to Marine Headquarters.
"Have you aged so much?"
"That shouldn't be the case!"
Something must be wrong.
The moment Rosen's gaze fell upon Zephyr, he noticed that his teacher had visibly aged compared to seven months ago when he left Marine Headquarters.
Previously, Black Wrist, who accompanied him during his internship at Impel Down, was a robust middle-aged man, but now he showed obvious signs of aging.
Originally, he didn't want to read Zephyr's memories, but knowing Zephyr's personality, he knew that even if he pressed him for details, Zephyr would never tell him. So he activated his Observation Haki directly.
"Medical examination report".
"His condition has deteriorated rapidly."
"It has reached the point where regular medication is necessary."
A vast amount of memories flashed through Rosen's mind like a short film.
In an instant, he understood why Zephyr had aged so much in just seven months.
It turned out that the illness had worsened.
at the same time.
He also understood why Zephyr would have his arm cut off by Edward Weevil in the near future.
It has already deteriorated to this point. In a few more years, after retiring for many years and not engaging in combat for a long time, coupled with the inability to engage in high-intensity training and the aggravation of the illness, it will be even worse.
The once formidable Black Arm has now fallen to the point of having one of his arms severed by a Shichibukai.
"fine."
"There's still time."
After learning everything, Rosen secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was no longer the same person he was seven months ago when he left the Navy Headquarters.
At the time, he only had a handful of meat shavings, which was not enough to cure Zephyr's old ailment. In addition, Zephyr's health was still good and he did not need to take medicine, so he postponed the treatment for the time being.
That's not the case now.
A single Kannonbiraki Benihime Aratame can restore Zephyr to its original state.
"Rosen."
As Zephyr watched Rosen, draped in the coat of justice and striding towards him like a pillar of the navy, his eyes became unfocused.
That young Marine kid who graduated early has become a king who leads the navy to brave the waves in the cruel world of pirates.
They were no longer the students who needed his and Borsalino's protection in the Impel Down prison.
I went to North Blue and came back.
Rosen shed all his childishness, as if he had transformed from a newly enthroned king into a powerful overlord who ruled the world.
Even without deliberately using Conqueror's Haki, he was still surrounded by an imposing aura of dominance at all times.
If you approach too closely, you will feel short of breath, your heart will race, and your body will feel like it is carrying a huge mountain.
Looking at the students who were both familiar and unfamiliar to me.
In a daze, Zephyr seemed to see two long-lost figures.
Rocks D. Xebec.
Gol D. Roger.
He sensed in Rosen the aura that only the King of the World and the Pirate King possessed, and perhaps even stronger.
"Teacher Zephyr."
"I'm back."
Before Zephyr, Rosen no longer possessed the awe-inspiring domineering presence he displayed when he single-handedly conquered the Hive and beheaded Ochoku; he was no longer the Marine overlord who could subdue the three admirals.
Now, he is just a student, an ordinary student who comes to visit his teacher and congratulate him on his birthday.
"It's good that you're back!"
"It's good that you're back!"
"It's good that you're back!"
Zephyr reached out and grabbed Rosen's shoulder, his fingers gripping tightly, while he kept repeating the same phrase.
Before.
He watched the live video stream of Rosen's epic battle on Hachinosu, and that was the only thought in his mind.
It's good that you're back.
Regardless of winning or losing, success or failure, as long as my student can return safely, that's all that matters.
"I'm back."
Seeing Zephyr repeating the same sentence over and over again, Rosen told the other party in an affirmative tone that he was back.
Everything is peaceful.
He beheaded four emperors and returned unharmed.
"good!"
Zephyr grinned and nodded repeatedly.
"besides."
"This is a gift I brought for you."
Rosen handed the frozen head of Ochoku to Zephyr.
Before the time travel, offering a severed head at an elder's birthday banquet would have been extremely impolite and offensive.
In the world of One Piece, especially for Zephyr, this head represents the end of hatred, the release of his pent-up emotions, and a student's respect and love for his teacher.
No offense was made.
No offense intended.
There is no bad luck involved.
There was only a profound shock, and a feeling of emotion and relief that is difficult to describe in words.
"Ochoku".
Looking at Ochoku's head handed to him by Rosen, Zephyr's eyes were filled with complex emotions.
The owner of this severed head destroyed his life.
As a key player, he retired early at the peak of his career.
As a husband, he was completely unaware of his wife's murder.
As a father, I felt powerless when my son was killed.
All of this can be attributed to Ochoku.
It can be said that Ochoku destroyed everything Zephyr had.
From Admiral to husband to father, he was utterly destroyed in every aspect.
But now.
Rosen brought all of this to an end.
Happy birthday, Professor Zephyr.
Rosen personally placed Ochoku's head in Zephyr's hands.
A seemingly casual remark carried an immense weight, pressing down on the hearts of every witness and on Zephyr's mind and body.
"good!"
You are really good!
"This is the best, most satisfying, and most beloved birthday gift I have received in all these years."
Even though he was over fifty years old, had experienced countless bloodshed and witnessed the changes of the times, Zephyr was still moved at this moment, and tears welled up in his eyes uncontrollably.
In full view of everyone.
In front of his old friends and his students.
He finally couldn't hold back anymore.
Tears streamed down his face.
Not because of sadness, but because of joy, excitement, and pride.