Zefa: I'll Open Another Class for You

"Full Body Hardening should only be used against wide-area attacks that cannot be avoided."

"When fighting pirates, remember never to do this."

"Hardening your entire body greatly increases Haki consumption. Unless you want to waste Haki, it is completely meaningless."

Zefa sized Rosen up, then flicked out his right hand like lightning and tapped Rosen on the neck with one finger.

As a former Navy Admiral, although he had retired and had not taken the field for a long time, his vision, experience, instincts, and everything else had not disappeared with retirement.

The force behind that finger was just enough to disperse the Armament Haki coating Rosen had spread over his entire body, yet it did not damage his clone. Even after taking the strike, Rosen remained seated in his chair and was not sent flying.

"See?"

"If you concentrated all the Armament Haki used to harden your entire body onto hardening your neck, your defense would improve by at least one level."

"You would not have had it dispersed by a single strike from me."

Zefa withdrew his finger.

"This student has learned his lesson."

"Thank you, Teacher Zefa."

Hearing this, Rosen's heart tightened, and Vergo was the first person who came to mind.

If Vergo had concentrated all the Haki covering his body onto hardening a single area when facing Trafalgar Law on Punk Hazard, he probably would not have been killed in a single slash.

"If you call me Teacher Zefa, then I have the responsibility to teach you well."

Zefa waved his hand. First, his gaze swept across the students in the classroom who were still desperately trying to find their Armament Haki. After a brief moment of thought, he said something astonishing.

"Starting today, you no longer need to attend class with the others."

The moment those words were spoken.

The entire room was shocked.

Rosen included.

"Why?"

Rosen's expression did not change.

Elsewhere, he might have worried about being the outstanding tree that drew the wind's destruction, but at Navy School—especially in Zefa's class—there was no need for such concern.

On the contrary.

The more outstanding he was, the happier Zefa would be.

"Making a genius study alongside a group of ordinary people is unfair to the genius."

"Likewise."

"Making a monster study alongside a group of geniuses is equally unfair to the monster."

Zefa looked at Rosen and spoke each word deliberately.

Hearing this, Rosen fell silent.

He understood what Zefa meant.

It was like throwing Gion and Tokikake from Zefa's class into an ordinary class. The two of them could master Armament Haki Coating Hardening in a single day, while other students needed half a year, or even several years, to grasp it.

Then, for a long time afterward, neither Gion nor Tokikake would be able to make any further progress.

It was not because they had exhausted their talent, but because the ordinary class's teachers would still be repeatedly explaining the key points of Coating Hardening or conducting Haki training centered on Coating Hardening.

But Gion and Tokikake had already thoroughly mastered those things. No matter how much they attended class or studied, it would only be a waste of time.

Zefa's class was different.

It was not only a difference in teaching staff, but also in teaching methods.

The same applied here.

Rosen's situation in Zefa's class was exactly the same.

He had mastered Armament Haki Coating Hardening in half an hour, while Smoker had not even awakened Haki. Even Gion and Tokikake, who possessed Admiral's Bearing, had yet to master Haki.

In other words, if he remained in Zefa's class and continued taking the same lessons as Smoker, he would merely be wasting his time.

"Rosen."

"From this moment onward."

"I will open another class just for you. In the Future, you will no longer need to come to this classroom. I will set aside time to teach you alone."

Zefa's words were like a typhoon sweeping through the classroom.

"What?"

Smoker, Hina, and the others were deeply shaken upon hearing this.

Why were Zefa's class students envied so much by students from other classes? It was Not Only because they were guaranteed the rank of colonel, but more importantly, because they could receive instruction from Zefa, a former Navy Admiral.

But Now?

Zefa was actually opening another class specifically for Rosen and giving him specialized one-on-one instruction.

The difference in treatment had widened once again.

This was no longer the treatment given to a Navy School instructor and student. It was the kind of treatment reserved for a true teacher and disciple.

"Do not say that I am playing favorites with Rosen, and do not say that I have not given you an opportunity."

"Today will be the limit."

"Whoever can master Armament Haki Coating Hardening before the dismissal bell rings, I will make an exception and let them enter this newly established class."

Zefa saw everyone's envy, so he directly used Rosen as an example to further stir up the students' fighting spirit.

Especially.

The corner of his eye seemed to casually sweep over Gion and Tokikake.

Learning Armament Haki coating in a single day was impossible for ninety-nine percent of the people on this sea. Only those monsters who possessed Admiral's Bearing could achieve it.

Having once taught Borsalino, Sakazuki, and Kuzan, Zefa had noticed Gion and Tokikake the moment he entered the classroom.

In the two of them, he saw the shadows of Borsalino and the others.

In other words, although Zefa's words seemed directed at every student in the classroom, they were actually meant only for Gion and Tokikake.

As for the others, people like Smoker—even if Zefa made an exception and put them in the same class as Rosen—it would only make Smoker despair.

The classmate beside him would advance by leaps and bounds, while he himself remained in place.

Suffering such blows every day, over time, would devastate one's confidence.

"One day?"

Gion clenched both hands into fists, a trace of burning passion flashing through her eyes.

If she had to master Coating Hardening in half an hour like Rosen, she knew she absolutely could not do it. But if she had a day, she was still confident she could manage it.

Because she had already crossed the first step Zefa had mentioned.

Knowing Haki, finding Haki, using Haki.

At present, she was at the second step: finding Haki.

It seems I have a chance too!

Which person with Admiral's Bearing would be willing to admit they were weaker than someone else?

Even after personally witnessing Rosen pull ahead of him, Tokikake merely believed that Rosen learned Haki faster than he did. That did not necessarily mean Rosen was stronger.

"Kizaru."

"Come here for a moment."

"Help me substitute for the class."

Zefa took out a Den Den Mushi and called Kizaru, who was still a Marine Headquarters Major General at the time.

Compared with fellow major generals such as Doberman and Onigumo, whose styles were tough and iron-blooded, Kizaru had a much gentler personality.

Whenever he was not out carrying out missions, Zefa would call him over to substitute for a class or serve as an assistant.

Very soon.

Kizaru, having received Zefa's call, rushed over at once.

After entering the classroom, he immediately turned his gaze toward Rosen.

Clearly, Zefa had already told him about Rosen over the Den Den Mushi.

"A monster even more abnormal than Sakazuki and the others?"

"There really is someone like that in this world."

"It's truly unimaginable!"

Kizaru looked at Rosen, unable to hide the astonishment in his eyes.

For Navy School to produce another student with Admiral's Bearing was already an incredible thing.

And now?

It had produced a super monster who surpassed even an admiral in potential. How could he not be shocked?