"W-Wait… does this mean Longinus is actually a Devil Fruit user?"
Some recruits stared in disbelief.
"That's impossible, right? If he were a Fruit user, there's no way Admiral Zephyr wouldn't notice!"
"T-This… This is Life Return!"
A Rear Admiral at the front exclaimed in shock, then looked hesitantly toward Zephyr.
"Admiral Zephyr… should we investigate who taught him Life Return?"
It was true that with Longinus's talent, being granted permission to learn the Marine's Rokushiki or even Life Return was a matter of time.
But that did not justify any G–2 officer secretly teaching it ahead of protocol.
That would be a direct violation of Marine regulations.
Zephyr shook his head.
"Do you know why Life Return is categorized separately from Rokushiki? Because it is too difficult. Even Marine Headquarters can't popularize it properly. Worse, Life Return gives very little payoff in the early stages, far less than other Rokushiki techniques. The cost-to-benefit ratio is terrible, so almost no one is willing to learn it."
"I'm telling you this so you understand: very few in Headquarters have mastered Life Return. And in the G–2 Branch… there is not a single one."
"Then… does that mean…"
The surrounding Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals exchanged horrified looks, unable to say the conclusion aloud.
"He comprehended Life Return on his own."
Zephyr said, admiration burning brighter in his eyes.
He was not against Devil Fruits—but he had always believed that the body was the true source of one's strength.
It was why he openly disapproved of Yellow Ape's (Kizaru's) complete neglect of physical combat.
Even Sakazuki and Kuzan focused primarily on developing their Devil Fruits.
Thus, despite being known as "Black Arm Zephyr," among all his students… not a single one became famous for pure martial arts and Armament Haki.
Dragon was good, yes—but that was because Garp had forced him into training. Zephyr could hardly claim credit.
But now…
He might have found the one who could inherit his ideals.
"He really mastered Life Return on his own?"
Even with Zephyr's confirmation, the officers found it unbelievable.
The Marine's "Six Powers" were a collection of techniques developed through countless battles—an extreme martial system created to push humans beyond human limitations.
And Longinus had developed one of the hardest techniques alone?
This was beyond genius.
"Not good!"
Seeing Kake flailing desperately, clearly close to suffocation and losing consciousness, the instructors snapped to attention.
"Admiral Zephyr! Should we stop the fight? At this rate Kake will be killed!"
Zephyr waved his hand calmly.
"If Longinus wanted to kill him, Kake would've died a hundred times already. He's forcing Kake—forcing him to awaken his true ability on the brink of death. I'm curious myself why he still refuses to fully transform. Even if it wouldn't change the outcome, not even having the courage to struggle… that would disappoint me."
Hearing this, the instructors quieted down, watching the battle unfold.
"Why won't he transform? Could it be that he didn't lose to me out of carelessness last time… but because he didn't want to use his ability at all?"
Gion tilted her delicate chin and muttered to herself.
SCREEEEEEEEEECH!
A sound like a pig being slaughtered tore through the sky.
A wave of ominous darkness, a soul-piercing shock, erupted outward.
Longinus remained perfectly calm—the wave passed over him like a breeze across a hill.
But the surrounding recruits suffered miserably—many dropped to their knees, clutching their heads, screaming in terror.
"A-Admiral Zephyr, this…"
The instructors weren't particularly affected, but they had gone pale.
If this spiraled out of control, it might become a "teaching accident" of unprecedented scale.
"Relax. It's only brief shock. It's an enhanced nightmare, yes, but I trust they're not so fragile that they can't withstand this level of fear."
Zephyr frowned.
"Still… it seems his soul-shock isn't much stronger than when he first ate the fruit. Has he really made no progress these days?"
Sweat trickled down Gion's forehead. Her face had paled slightly.
"A soul-based ability… incredibly rare. If he had used it at the start of our fight, the outcome might truly have changed."
Thinking of this, her admiration for the unshaken Longinus deepened.
"To take Kake's soul-burst head-on without flinching… his mental fortitude is like solid stone."
Longinus, however, looked momentarily stunned.
Because what appeared before him…
was a pig.
Or more precisely, a long-nosed pig—an image overlapping sharply with something from his memories.
Before he could stop himself, he muttered:
"…Peppa Pig?"
The "Pig-Kake" froze for two seconds, snorted twice instinctively, then roared in rage:
"I'm NOT a pig! I'm a TAPIR! A TAPIR! My Mythical Zoan form is the Dream-Eating Tapir that controls nightmares!"
"So you rejected your own power because of how ridiculous the form looks?"
Longinus said calmly.
"What a childish—and laughable—mindset. It seems Zephyr-sensei has greatly overestimated your mental discipline."
"Shut up! What do you know!? YOU KNOW NOTHING!"
"I don't need to know." Longinus shook his head.
"All I know is you are weak. Completely weak. Someone who can't even face his true self… is not worth fighting."
Seeing Longinus truly turn away, intending to walk back to the crowd, the fully exposed Kake finally snapped.
"You bastard! You forced me into this state, and now you act like nothing happened!?
Fall into endless nightmares—
Nightmare Syndrome!"
Pig-Kake opened his mouth wide, spewing countless materialized nightmare projections, each radiating horrifying, twisted emotion.
In an instant, the nightmares surged into Longinus's body.
Gasps and screams echoed around them.
Even Gion's face changed—one nightmare shock had nearly overwhelmed them.
This many at once would mentally break any normal human being.
"These are the nightmares I harvested from countless people.
Experience ALL their fear—
then try lecturing me agai—"
Kake's triumphant grin froze.
Because Longinus…
was walking toward him.
Calm. Steady.
His eyes tranquil and unshaken.
He was completely unaffected.
"H-How!? No way! Did I not use the ability correctly!?"
Kake screamed.
He hated this power, yes—
but even he knew how potent nightmare energy was.
It dragged out a person's deepest trauma—fear worse than death.
"Whatever cannot destroy me… only makes me stronger."
Longinus said quietly.
"Wh…what?"
Kake could barely think anymore.
"I was once tormented by a nightmare for three years.
When I finally defeated it…
nightmares could no longer become my weakness."
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