Zoro's talent had always been something everyone acknowledged.
It had long been an open secret within the Revolutionary Army that Leo favored exceptionally gifted young people like Zoro.
And the combat power and potential Zoro displayed truly justified Leo's high regard for him.
When he and Daz Bones joined forces to block the bald Celestial Dragon named Tenyue, who wielded the first-generation Kitetsu and had close ties to Wano Country, everyone was stunned.
This Celestial Dragon, this Five Elder, did not seem as powerful or invincible as they had imagined.
Sabo's expression remained calm. To outsiders, he might have seemed like no more than a Revolutionary Army colonel, but in truth, the Revolutionary Army's ranks could not be used to judge combat strength.
As mentioned before, Zoro had long possessed the strength of a Rear Admiral. After giving up his Devil Fruit, Daz Bones had instead advanced by leaps and bounds, growing stronger with every passing day. Whether he now possessed the strength of a Rear Admiral or a Vice Admiral was hard to say.
But both men had their own issues, with academics being the most troublesome. That was why neither had risen into the ranks of generals even now. Like Kyros, they were hidden dragons, needing only a storm to soar in this world where strength ruled supreme.
Yet while the Revolutionary Army's system allowed talented people to rapidly improve themselves, it also restricted these powerful charging officers from becoming generals and placing the lives of others in their hands.
The most obvious examples were the Straw Hat Pirates—he charged ahead with exhilarating abandon and fought to his heart's content, while Usopp and Nami spent the entire time being chased around everywhere.
At last, these charging officers finally displayed the strength and status they deserved.
A violent burst