One Piece: Start with Zanpakutō

"He didn't tell me this last night. He probably didn't want to discourage me!"

Thinking about how she had proudly shown off her Armament Haki Hardening yesterday, Gion now couldn't help but blush.

He had already mastered the three Haki Forms and all their techniques in just two classes — yet he hid it all calmly.

And what about her?

She had just learned Hardening in one day and actually dared to show it off in front of him.

The more she thought about it, the more ashamed she felt.

"Really, is it true…?"

"Little brother…"

Tokikake turned his stiff neck to look at Rosen with a pitiful face.

"It was just a fluke," Rosen could only respond helplessly after seeing Tokikake and Gion's expressions.

Gion: "…"

Tokikake: "…"

"Two against one, what's the problem?" Zephyr said bluntly.

"No problem at all!"

"Teacher Zephyr!"

"I request we start right now!"

Tokikake glared at Rosen fiercely, his fists cracking like roasted chestnuts.

He was definitely not jealous — and certainly didn't just want to beat Rosen up to relieve his frustration.

Clang!

Without saying a word, Gion drew her famous sword, Konpira, which had been given to her by Tsuru.

She definitely wasn't jealous, either — she just wanted everyone to improve together.

"What do you say?" Zephyr turned to Rosen.

"I'm fine with it."

While Zephyr was explaining that he had mastered all three Haki Forms, Rosen had already focused his consciousness into his Haki. With Ultra Instinct-level control, he planted the Observation Haki into his upper Haki Core, Armament Haki into his middle Haki Core, and Conqueror's Haki into his lower Haki Core.

Although the Haki Seeds hadn't fully matured yet, they had already been planted. What they needed now was the nourishment of real combat.

Far from resisting, Rosen actually felt eager to test what he had learned yesterday and the results of the Haki Core method he had just developed.

"Start!"

As soon as Zephyr retreated to the edge of the square, his voice fell — and Gion and Tokikake rushed at Rosen simultaneously.

"Gion, go for a frontal sword strike."

"Then loop behind and finish with a heavy blow."

Just before they launched their attacks, Rosen focused, his eyes flashing red as Observation Haki spread out. Countless whispers sounded in his mind.

It was as if an invisible figure was calmly telling him each of Gion and Tokikake next moves.

Though it wasn't as advanced as Future vision level Observation Haki, being able to sense his opponents' next moves in advance was still a massive advantage — especially in a 2v1 scenario where the opponents were not vastly weaker than himself.

After all, fighting one opponent and being surrounded were two completely different things.

Even someone like Kaido or prime Whitebeard, if facing two Admirals at once, would face a completely different situation than if he fought them one at a time.

Same for Rosen now.

Tokikake or Gion alone? They'd be crushed by one hand.

But together, they could create real pressure.

'Disrupt their rhythm first, so they can't connect as one unit…'

In that instant, Rosen made his decision.

His eyes widened sharply, a deep scarlet gleam flashing in his pupils.

At this moment.

He was no longer a mere Naval Academy student who had only taken two classes — he was a king.

A new king destined to rule the seas and stand above all.

Boom!

A wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted like an invisible tsunami, but it didn't touch anyone else in the academy.

Even Zephyr, who stood closest, felt no pressure.

Only Gion and Tokikake —

When Rosen's scarlet gaze locked onto them, both felt as if a crashing wave slammed into their spirits, one after another.

It wouldn't knock them out completely, but it slowed them just enough.

The sword in Gion's hand faltered.

The fist Tokikake had drawn back hesitated.

Bang!

At that moment, Rosen lunged forward like a tiger. Armament Haki surged through his body, flowing into his right arm, wrapping around his fist and hardening it before he punched forward violently.

Clang!

Sword and fist collided. Instead of the sound of flesh being sliced, sparks erupted as if two metal weapons had clashed.

Gion felt a terrifying force travel up her arm as if a giant towering over twenty meters had slammed into her blade.

Bang!

With one explosive strike, her sword was forced aside, completely exposing her center.

Rosen stepped forward, his left fist — already charged — rocketing out like a cannonball toward her lower abdomen, just below her chest.

Though striking higher would cause more damage, this was a spar, not a kill-or-be-killed fight.

"Don't even think about it!"

Gion noticed Rosen's target instantly. Grateful, but not slowing down, she stomped her high-heeled foot down hard, spiderweb cracks spreading beneath her, then used the recoil to launch backward like a puppet on strings.

"Brother Rosen!"

"Don't forget!"

"This is two against one!"

Tokikake had already circled to Rosen's side. His Armament Haki-hardened fist came swinging straight toward Rosen's neck, a violent wind surging around it.

Rosen knew.

If he hadn't used Conqueror's Haki to suppress Tokikake at the start, this punch would've landed on his neck during his clash with Gion — not just threatened him from afar.

"Not close enough—"

"Wait—"

"Teacher Zephyr said he mastered all three Haki Forms and techniques—"

Gion realized in an instant.

If it had been her in Rosen's place, she would never have been able to land a hit from this distance.

But for Rosen?

Even though his left arm was fully extended and still two meters away, the air in front of his fist began to ripple as if a rock had been thrown into a pond.

Then—

Boom!

A shockwave of Armament Haki burst forth like a collapsing dam, crashing forward like a white-hot spear, instantly crossing the distance and blasting into Gion's abdomen.

...

Join my Patreon for advance chapters and special content!

patreon.com/Ren_Saga