"It feels like... putting a tiger gone bad into a sheep pen," Sengoku muttered.
"It's hardly a sheep pen. More of a wolves' den."
Vice Admiral Tsuru walked up beside Sengoku with her hands in her pockets, her gaze also following the direction Lin Xuan had left in. "Besides, rather than worrying about that crocodile in Alabasta, you should be more concerned about Zephyr right now."
At the name "Zephyr," Sengoku's temples throbbed twice.
Tsuru drew a slip of paper covered in names from her sleeve and held it out to Sengoku. "I've already had someone compile the names of those ninety-two soldiers who showed signs of awakening Haki. If this method really can increase awakening rates on a large scale, we must formalize it."
"You mean..."
"Notify Zephyr," Tsuru said calmly. "Have the Recruit Training Camp select a batch of promising elites stuck at a bottleneck. Since Lin Xuan wants to prove his value, let him prove it thoroughly. If he really can help those recruits grasp what they haven't managed to learn no matter how hard they train..."
Tsuru paused, her gaze sharpening. "Then even if he turns Alabasta upside down, Headquarters will have to protect him."
Sengoku fell silent for a moment, then nodded firmly.
"Pass down the order. Send the list to the Recruit Training Camp. Also... suppress the news? No, don't suppress it."
Sengoku decided to build momentum. He would let all of Marineford know just who the "big brother" who could give them a future was.
As the orders went out, the already restless Marine Headquarters erupted.
News that Lin Xuan possessed a secret method for quickly mastering Haki spread as though on wings, reaching every guard post, mess hall, and even toilet stall within an hour.
Naturally, this wave swept unhindered into the