"Long time no see, Zephyr!"
Shane was in an especially good mood.
Like Zephyr, he was a Rokushiki powerhouse, and every time they met, his strength had increased enormously.
The last time they met, he had only just managed to awaken advanced Armament Haki.
This time, he had achieved advanced awakening in all three types of Haki!
"Spare me the pleasantries. This power of yours is truly revolting. Rocks really did give it to you before he died."
"What no one expected was that you would never show it over the past six months and more."
"Were you afraid the Marines' main forces would surround and kill you? You only unleashed your true power today because you think you're strong enough now!"
Zephyr's guess was completely wrong!
But to outsiders, Shane had indeed lain low for a long time, only using the Dark-Dark Fruit after he had grown strong enough!
"Then wouldn't that mean Wang Zhi died a terribly unfair death?"
Shane made a teasing remark.
If he had fused with the Dark-Dark Fruit from the start, someone with Wang Zhi's personality would definitely have conceded and become a subordinate once again.
But back then, his relationship with Shane had been unremarkable, and the two were still competing.
Instead, it was on the verge of death that Wang Zhi awakened his King's Aptitude, resolving the confusion and resentment of his youth.
Only then had he found a sense of resonance with Shane.
Ultimately, time waited for no one. If the Shane he first encountered had possessed the Dark-Dark Fruit.
He would never have found that release before death, and Shane would never have acknowledged such a Wang Zhi.
It had been a dilemma that could only resolve itself; one could only say he had departed at just the right time.