Kyle's words hit Borsalino and Sakazuki especially hard.
As monsters in their own right, they were both fiercely proud.
But neither felt defeated. Kyle had made it clear that they weren't inferior to Dragon; they had simply grown up in different circumstances.
Since joining the Navy and catching the eye of North Blue Governor Davis, their strength had grown far faster under his guidance than it ever had before.
Neither of them doubted Kyle's words.
For one thing, it was only a theory. Besides, Kyle wasn't the sort to lie about this.
If anything, it stoked their fighting spirit. They were growing stronger, but so was Dragon.
That was why Kyle had said it would take them at least a dozen years to catch up to him.
Seeing the fire in their eyes, Zephyr was pleased. How could anyone become truly strong without a strong will?
Zephyr had seen plenty of people with immense potential, but how many had actually turned it into strength?
Even in the Navy, there was no shortage of talented people who had wasted their gifts or settled for what they had.
Sakazuki and Borsalino had joined the Navy at just the right time.
Back then, the Navy's focus had been on the Four Seas.
Joining any earlier might have been a miserable fate.
During that period, the Rocks Pirates had run rampant.
The entire Navy had been under terrifying pressure. Before Sakazuki and Borsalino had made names for themselves, they might have died as cannon fodder without ever getting a chance to grow.
Far too many people in the Navy had met that fate.
Zephyr couldn't help feeling fortunate for them.
That era had been truly dark.
These young Marines might know how vicious and terrifying the Rocks Pirates had been.
But they had no