"What kind of king do you want to be?!"
Luffy looked up, staring at the endless blue sky.
Thoughts churned in his mind.
The sky… was still as free as ever.
But he felt… so confined.
He had to admit it. Ever since setting sail, everything had gone wrong.
The only companion he had, the red-nosed kid he had stumbled through adventures with under the Navy's pursuit, had vanished under his grandfather's overwhelming iron fist.
Before leaving his village, he had sworn to the sky, to the villagers, and to Shanks' straw hat.
He would become the Pirate King.
He would be the freest person on the seas!
But reality had delivered a resounding slap.
Being a pirate… was it freedom?
Not at all.
The Navy would hunt him, forcing him to flee like a stray dog.
Hunger would gnaw at him, compelling him to fight for every scrap of food.
Exhaustion would erode him, leaving him restless even while asleep.
And the Pirate King the one at the pinnacle of all pirates, the one who claimed ultimate freedom…
He would face the harshest pursuit in the world.
Luffy's gaze fell on Dane.
Rear Admiral Dane wasn't the strongest among the new generation at G-3.
But with just one strike…
Luffy's proud rubber body had been slashed to pieces by that silver flash.
The cold touch of the blade against his neck lingered.
It was the touch of death.
The helplessness of having no means to resist.
Without his grandfather's backing… he really could have died!
Moreover… if he couldn't even defeat a Rear Admiral, how could he talk about freedom?
How could he talk about becoming Pirate King?
He needed to become stronger than Dane, stronger than his grandfather, stronger than everyone!
Only with absolute power would he have the right to talk about dreams, the right to choose his path.
Pirate King…
He would think about that after he became strong enough.
Luffy leapt to his feet, eyes locked on Zephyr. "I don't want to be any kind of king!"
"I want to get stronger!"
His voice echoed across the training grounds, carrying both defiance and unwavering resolve.
"Hmph!"
Zephyr's lips curved into a faint, approving smirk.
The first step had been taken.
He let out a booming shout. "Then get back on the ground!"
Luffy shivered but did not hesitate, sprinting to the line of new recruits.
Thud!
He and Koby dropped heavily onto the scorching ground.
Zephyr watched with satisfaction.
Deep within him, a grand "teaching plan" was only just beginning.
Straw Hat Kid…
The confidence of all great warriors stems from absolute faith in their own strength.
But when you realize that everything you take pride in is fragile paper before true power…
Your belief crumbles!
And then, like now, you abandon illusions and yearn for strength.
You train desperately, grow at lightning speed, and rebuild your confidence.
But… do you think it ends there?
Zephyr turned, his gaze cutting through space as if seeing a man advancing in Impel Down.
Once you think you're strong enough, when Hawk returns from his trial in Impel Down…
I will throw you into his presence!
So you can see with your own eyes what those two monsters under Hawk really are.
So you can witness firsthand the terror of that superhuman Hawk!
The confidence you build through painstaking training will be mercilessly shattered again.
Only then…
Will you truly reflect on whether the path of piracy, in an era dominated by the Navy, is a path to freedom or a path to death.
Zephyr's lips curved slowly upward.
As the Navy's head instructor for so many years, he knew exactly how to deal with these stubborn young warriors.
Pure suppression and brutal punishment would only provoke rebellion.
For people like this…
Level 5: Extreme Cold Hell
The bone-piercing wind cut like blades, the air thick with frost and despair.
Everything was buried under layers of ice.
Hawk stepped into this white hell, the ice cracking sharply beneath his feet.
Not far away, two battles raged fiercely.
Clang!
Zoro's Wadō Ichimonji collided with Hildon's Thunderstorm, sparks flying.
Hildon was drenched in blood, eyes frenzied with bloodlust, every strike lethal.
Zoro fought with burning spirit, coated in Armament Haki.
Each swing, each block, was an improvement, pushing his swordsmanship to new heights.
The thrill was indescribable!
Elsewhere, Sanji struggled against his opponent.
Behind them, Kuma's silent figure stood like a mountain, unmoving.
Hawk observed for a moment and nodded.
For now, the gap between Zoro and Sanji's strength was small.
But their potential was immense.
Beyond mere swordsmanship and kicks, Zoro hadn't fully mastered Busoshoku Haki or Conqueror's Haki.
Sanji hadn't awakened his Devil Fruit lineage factor.
Yet, thanks to the Navy's internal training system and nonstop practical combat, their strength already surpassed Marine Headquarters' Colonel level.
After the Impel Down trial, they would be ready to step into Admiral ranks.
Their current ranks a colonel and a lieutenant colonel were modest.
After the Summit War, Hawk would personally "convince" Dr. Vegapunk to guide Zoro's swordsmanship and Sanji's kicks, then push their ranks higher.
Hawk pulled his thoughts back and strode deeper into Extreme Cold Hell, stopping before an isolated cell.
Inside, Virgo remained as he had been when first imprisoned. Sengoku had been too busy with Navy matters to visit.
But he had sent a message through Hawk.
Hawk's voice carried clearly through the biting wind. "Virgo… feeling lonely?"
"Admiral Sengoku asked me to deliver a message."
"Don't worry. Once I'm done, Donquixote Doflamingo and the entire Donquixote family will come join you!"
Virgo looked up at Hawk, emotions swirling in his eyes.
'Blood Hawk' Hawk.
Leader of the Navy's new generation.
These two elite Marine monsters undergoing trials in Extreme Cold Hell were his subordinates.
From their occasional disputes, it was clear…
Hawk was a man who could face the greatest pirates in Infinite Hell head-on.
Sigh…
Virgo exhaled.
Though he didn't know how he had been exposed…
With such a leader, Doflamingo and his entire family were surely doomed.
Could it be… the whole family would reunite neatly in this frozen hell?
Hawk smirked at Virgo. "By the way, do you like reading the papers?"
"Ha, nothing."
Hawk shook his head, ignoring him.
Suddenly, an iceberg made of prisoners' corpses stirred.
Pfft!
A comically exaggerated face burst out from the pile.
Purple afro, thick lashes, and that iconic pointed chin.
Whoosh!
Kuma vanished from sight and appeared before the face, his Haki-infused paw raised high.
"Big Mom?!"
The owner of the face gasped, unsure.
Kuma froze mid-motion.
"Ivan!?"